523: Yoga + Sexual Trauma - With Zabie Yamasaki

In this powerful episode of Therapy Chat, host Laura Regan sits down with Zabi Yamasaki, a trauma-informed yoga expert, author, and survivor, to explore the transformative role of yoga in healing from sexual trauma. Zabi shares her personal journey as a survivor and how it led her to found Transcending Sexual Trauma Through Yoga, an organization dedicated to empowering survivors through trauma-sensitive practices. She emphasizes the limitations of traditional, compartmentalized support systems—like Title IX processes and crisis services—and advocates for holistic, body-centered healing that honors the nervous system’s role in recovery. Her new book, *Trauma-Sensitive Yoga for Survivors of Sexual Assault*, and accompanying affirmation deck are designed to be accessible tools for both survivors and clinicians, offering practical, compassionate guidance rooted in neurobiology and somatic awareness. Zabi also discusses the importance of self-compassion, the healing power of small human connections, and the need for systemic change in how trauma is understood and supported. The episode underscores that healing is not linear or fast, but a lifelong process of re-establishing safety, embodiment, and self-worth. Zabi’s work bridges clinical practice and spiritual practice, offering both survivors and helping professionals tools to foster resilience, co-regulation, and dignity. Her upcoming resources—like a trauma-informed yoga flip chart and a children’s book titled *Your Joy is Beautiful*—reflect her commitment to making healing accessible across ages and contexts. The conversation ends on a hopeful note, affirming that even small moments of being truly seen can be profound acts of healing in a world that often overlooks the invisible wounds of trauma.