One-on-one Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga sessions: A longitudinal examination study

Abstract

Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) is an evidence-based adjunctive somatic treatment for complex trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that can be used as a stand-alone session or integrated during psychotherapy in group or one-on-one contexts. Research on TCTSY delivered in group settings has found that this protocolized yoga intervention improves mental health outcomes in clinical samples. Although designed to be used in group or individual contexts, previous studies have focused only on TCTSY practiced in groups. This study examined the impacts of one-on-one TCTSY (i.e., one participant receiving TCTSY services not in a group TCTSY context) on anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, and interoception over time. The Center for Trauma and Embodiment, the certifying body for TCTSY, emailed the study invitation to the TCTSY-Facilitator listserv monthly from April-November 2022. Facilitators currently offering one-on-one TCTSY shared the study opportunity with their clients. Ten clients (women n = 8; men n = 2; Mage = 44.80 years, SD = 11.91; PTSD diagnosis n = 9) who were currently participating in one-on-one TCTSY in the contexts of TCTSY only (n = 4) and TCTSY with psychotherapy (n = 6) completed Qualtrics surveys prior to each TCTSY session attended from June-December 2022. Results from linear mixed model analyses found statistically significant effects of time on improvements in the psychological symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress and the interoceptive domains of attention regulation, self-regulation, and body listening. No statistically significant interaction effects of group by time were observed for any outcomes. Implications and future directions are discussed.