Harmonizing the Mind and Body as a Tool for Sexual Violence Survivors

A deeply traumatic experience, sexual violence can have long-lasting effects on survivors. The journey towards healing and recovery can be complex and unique for each individual, and certainly not linear. One powerful tool that can aid in this process is the harmonization of the mind and body. 

I didn’t know yoga held this power when I started practicing years ago. 

My yoga journey began with a Rodney Yee video. I did the same four 20-minute practices again and again. At the time I went in with the Western understanding of yoga being solely a physical practice. 

I was called to practice from time to time on my own, but it wasn’t until I took a class that I started to need to practice. The class filled a requirement at my liberal arts undergraduate school; I chose yoga as a class requirement, not for healing. But isn’t that often how it works? We sometimes begin a healing journey before we’re fully aware. 

In my senior year I was figuring out what to do with the rest of my life. Once a week, for one hour, I went to yoga and felt calm. My anxiety washed away. I saw yoga as a practice that went beyond the physical, and I was hooked. I, like many, saw the physical movement different from mindfulness practices. I compartmentalized the different parts of myself and yoga helped them harmonize.

In graduate school, I worked as an advocate for survivors of sexual assault. During this work I started to fully understand the need for a harmony of mind and spirit when healing from trauma. The mind and body are intrinsically connected, and when one suffers, the other is affected as well. Sexual violence can disrupt this delicate balance, leading to feelings of disconnection, shame, and fear. By consciously working towards harmonizing the mind and body, survivors can begin to reclaim their power and find a sense of wholeness.

This work led to my becoming a Registered Yoga Teacher. I felt inspired by my own harmonizing of mind and body to help others do the same. Even when we’re led to yoga for intentions other than healing from trauma, the practice of yoga moves you towards healing anyway through mindfulness and physical embodiment.

Mindfulness is a practice involving bringing one’s attention to the present moment without judgment. It can be a powerful tool for survivors of sexual violence, as it allows them to tune into their bodies and emotions with compassion and awareness. Through mindfulness, survivors can gradually rebuild trust in their bodies and reconnect with their inner selves. We’re inundated with so many messages and opinions in our world. Many narratives surround being a sexual violence survivor. Mindfulness helps survivors avoid getting too bogged down in the narratives of others and instead focus on their own healing. 

Sometimes, being in your body is the scariest place to be after experiencing trauma, but it’s a crucial part of the harmonizing journey. Engaging in embodied movement and expressive practices can be transformative for survivors. Activities such as yoga, dance, and somatic therapy can help survivors release stored trauma from their bodies. These practices encourage survivors to listen to their bodies, honor their boundaries, and reclaim a positive relationship with their physical selves. 

Harmonizing the mind and body is not a linear process and requires patience, resilience, and self-compassion. Each survivor’s healing journey is unique, and it is essential to honor and respect their individual experiences. By embracing the journey and actively working towards the harmonization of the mind and body, survivors can cultivate a sense of empowerment, reclaim their identities, and move towards a future of healing and thriving.

Remember, you are not alone, and support is available. If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual violence, reach out to local helplines, support organizations, or healthcare professionals for assistance. You deserve support in your healing.

Together, we can create a world with healing and empowerment accessible to everyone. That’s a world I want to be in. 

Both student and teacher, Carly Jean Puch host’s the podcast Consciously Clueless, works as a conscious living coach, and guides folks through yoga – all in the hope of changing the world together. She helps folks wanting to learn to be imperfectly sustainable and sustainably vegan. People are complicated, messy, and layered with identities, and Carly loves embracing that. A meditation enthusiast, Carly sits in quietness every morning. She’s a gym rat, a yoga instructor, and a lover of blasting 90’s hip-hop at full volume.