Pilates for Trauma and PTSD
Just a disclaimer I am not a medical professional. Nor do I mean this to come off as medical advice but it is my personal experience and theres a lot to learn about this and how our body reacts to it.
Backstory
If you aren’t one of my current clients you’ll be surprised I am from such a harsh and sad background despite my rather nonchalant, bubbly and sometimes assertive personality. I am also still working on healing but have managed my worst with a great EMDR therapist.
At a young age, in a divorced family, and I would say an initially bad first impression from my half siblings, I came to be the youngest in the family. Mostly traumatized by abandonment issues, abuse and disassociations. My actual trauma came in form of physical abuse from 8-13, 16-17 years old. This abuse has been the crux of many things in my life and at times still is.
I’m still learning what my emotions are, how to handle it and how to appropriately empathize with others. It’s a surprising thing to live life always planning ahead with plans A-Z and 1, 2, 3, I often find I am not in the moment.
Pilates Made Me Love Myself
Pilates really changed my perspective of myself and of my triggers and quirks I have about handling my emotions. Pilates brought me to center myself as one does trying to analyze ever aspect of life. I can love my body and what it does and can do. Perhaps worsening again post car accident but at that point I knew what I needed to do.
I also learned to breathe again, without constriction and without always holding myself ready to run. With my trauma I always thought I needed to brace for the worse and be ready to do something when I needed to. This is one of the reasons I have had pelvic floor issues and made me frequently go to the bathroom and pain during partner time.
In all there is a centered feeling within myself that I only feel from Pilates. Even yoga didn’t bring this feeling to me, but to each their own. In summary
I feel centered and whole again
Pilates releases tensions
Pilates allowed me to breathe
Pilates made me love myself again
If you also have experience in this, what have you noticed? Do you think it made you more open to seeking help? Reach out if you want to share.