A vital framework for understanding embodied trauma and helping clients heal—a trauma-informed guide for somatic practitioners, movement therapists, bodyworkers, and personal trainers
Guided by the principle that if trauma happens to the body, healing happens through the body, Trauma-Informed Bodywork offers an inclusive, consent-driven, and mutually empowering approach to trauma-informed healing.
Authors Chelsea Haverly and Emily Young explain how trauma is stored in the body—and how this makes movement-based practices an essential tool for trauma recovery. Haverly and Young cover key concepts—like complex trauma, vicarious trauma, body-related trauma, and nervous system regulation—and explore how they present when working with clients.
Haverly and Young walk you step-by-step through insightful guidance on topics like:
What movement professionals need to know about trauma and nervous system dysregulation: different kinds of trauma, how they’re experienced, and how they show up in the body
Embodiment in the face of stress: how trauma disrupts our ability to inhabit our bodies—and how movement can facilitate healing and release
Letting the body lead: a practical guide for implementing trauma-informed personal training (TI-PT) principles
How to facilitate coregulation with clients, nurture a “brave space,” expand clients’ windows of tolerance, and offer support through somatic releases
Trauma-informed business frameworks: decolonial, whole-heart principles for values-driven, person-first care
What’s next: practical guidance for applying and embodying the work
"A beautiful, tangible, and compassionate trauma-informed guide for movement and healing professionals and a breathtaking reminder that we are all worthy of moving our bodies for joy instead of punishment. Grounded in evidence-based research, nervous system physiology, somatics, embodied movement frameworks, and personal lived experiences, this book offers empowering reminders for finding our way back home to ourselves. A must-read for fitness and mental health professionals who are passionate about trauma-informed space-holding, inclusive business practices, and integrating holistic pathways to healing into the scope of their work." —ZABIE YAMASAKI, MEd, RYT, author of Trauma-Informed Yoga for Survivors of Sexual Assault
"Trauma-Informed Bodywork is a thoroughly researched, generous, and digestible book. Like a great coach, it teaches movement professionals the fundamentals of trauma-informed movement practices, cues them in considering how to apply the principles appropriately for their business and clientele, and supports them in creating a holistic and traumainformed professional practice. It's an essential read for fitness and movement professionals!" —LAURA KHOUDARI, author of Lifting Heavy Things
Chelsea Haverly is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-C) and the creator/founder of Hope Ignited Training, an organization dedicated to educating and providing training to other organizations and professionals about trauma-informed practices. Haverly also works and co-owns Anchored Hope Therapy, a collaborative trauma-specific therapy practice in her community. Her areas of expertise include, survivors of commercial sexual exploitation (children and adults), adolescent & adult survivors of physical, sexual, emotional abuse, and neglect, somatization of trauma, brain-based psychotherapy for trauma, trauma bonding, betrayal trauma, self-injurious behaviors/harm reduction, depression and anxiety, dissociative disorders, vicarious traumatization, professional burnout, and first responder support.
Emily Young is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-C) and a Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT). Emily majored in Public Health at the University of Maryland, College Park and then graduated with her Masters in Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Emilly’s career both clinically and within the personal training field has focused on integrating trauma-informed embodied interventions with her clients. She is a co-creator and the lead presenter of the Trauma-Informed Personal Training (TI-PT) Certification program through Hope Ignited Training.
A vital framework for understanding embodied trauma and helping clients heal—a trauma-informed guide for somatic practitioners, movement therapists, bodyworkers, and personal trainers
Guided by the principle that if trauma happens to the body, healing happens through the body, Trauma-Informed Bodywork offers an inclusive, consent-driven, and mutually empowering approach to trauma-informed healing.
Authors Chelsea Haverly and Emily Young explain how trauma is stored in the body—and how this makes movement-based practices an essential tool for trauma recovery. Haverly and Young cover key concepts—like complex trauma, vicarious trauma, body-related trauma, and nervous system regulation—and explore how they present when working with clients.
Haverly and Young walk you step-by-step through insightful guidance on topics like:
What movement professionals need to know about trauma and nervous system dysregulation: different kinds of trauma, how they’re experienced, and how they show up in the body
Embodiment in the face of stress: how trauma disrupts our ability to inhabit our bodies—and how movement can facilitate healing and release
Letting the body lead: a practical guide for implementing trauma-informed personal training (TI-PT) principles
How to facilitate coregulation with clients, nurture a “brave space,” expand clients’ windows of tolerance, and offer support through somatic releases
Trauma-informed business frameworks: decolonial, whole-heart principles for values-driven, person-first care
What’s next: practical guidance for applying and embodying the work
Praise
"A beautiful, tangible, and compassionate trauma-informed guide for movement and healing professionals and a breathtaking reminder that we are all worthy of moving our bodies for joy instead of punishment. Grounded in evidence-based research, nervous system physiology, somatics, embodied movement frameworks, and personal lived experiences, this book offers empowering reminders for finding our way back home to ourselves. A must-read for fitness and mental health professionals who are passionate about trauma-informed space-holding, inclusive business practices, and integrating holistic pathways to healing into the scope of their work." —ZABIE YAMASAKI, MEd, RYT, author of Trauma-Informed Yoga for Survivors of Sexual Assault
"Trauma-Informed Bodywork is a thoroughly researched, generous, and digestible book. Like a great coach, it teaches movement professionals the fundamentals of trauma-informed movement practices, cues them in considering how to apply the principles appropriately for their business and clientele, and supports them in creating a holistic and traumainformed professional practice. It's an essential read for fitness and movement professionals!" —LAURA KHOUDARI, author of Lifting Heavy Things
Author
Chelsea Haverly is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-C) and the creator/founder of Hope Ignited Training, an organization dedicated to educating and providing training to other organizations and professionals about trauma-informed practices. Haverly also works and co-owns Anchored Hope Therapy, a collaborative trauma-specific therapy practice in her community. Her areas of expertise include, survivors of commercial sexual exploitation (children and adults), adolescent & adult survivors of physical, sexual, emotional abuse, and neglect, somatization of trauma, brain-based psychotherapy for trauma, trauma bonding, betrayal trauma, self-injurious behaviors/harm reduction, depression and anxiety, dissociative disorders, vicarious traumatization, professional burnout, and first responder support.
Emily Young is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-C) and a Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT). Emily majored in Public Health at the University of Maryland, College Park and then graduated with her Masters in Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Emilly’s career both clinically and within the personal training field has focused on integrating trauma-informed embodied interventions with her clients. She is a co-creator and the lead presenter of the Trauma-Informed Personal Training (TI-PT) Certification program through Hope Ignited Training.
