Restorative and Yin yoga

1. Introduction

Version followed: restorative yoga as taught by Judith Hanson Lasater (Relax and Renew, 1995; Restore and Rebalance, 2017; Relax and Renew Level 1 teacher training), and Yin yoga as described in the Paul Grilley / Sarah Powers / Bernie Clark line (Clark's YinSights principles and three stillnesses). Trauma-sensitive adaptations follow the four published themes of Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY). Where these differ, the guide says which one it follows.

These are two related but distinct styles of slow, floor-based, prop-supported yoga. Neither is a psychotherapy. They are practices a trained yoga teacher (or a psychotherapist who also holds the relevant yoga training) leads, and which a psychotherapist can recommend, prepare clients for and integrate.

Restorative yoga. The body is fully supported by props (blankets, bolsters, blocks, straps, eye bags, a chair, sandbags) in a small number of passive positions, with the aim of deep relaxation and stress reduction. It grew out of B. K. S. Iyengar's use of props and was popularised by Lasater, an early Iyengar student and physical therapist who has taught since 1971. Writers in this tradition link chronic stress to a habitual fight-or-flight state and present supported rest as a way to shift out of it; Cyndi Lee writes that openings should "occur naturally over time, without tightening, stretching, or collapsing". [source: Wikipedia, Restorative Yoga; Kripalu, Relax and Renew Level 1]
Yin yoga. Mostly floor poses are held passively for long periods, with muscles relaxed, so that moderate, sustained load reaches the connective tissues around the joints. Teachers in this line prefer to speak of "loading" tissue rather than "stretching". The lineage, as published: Paulie Zink, a martial artist and Taoist yoga teacher, taught long-held floor poses in North America from the late 1970s under the name "Yin and Yang yoga"; Paul Grilley studied with Zink in the 1980s, added anatomy and, after meeting Hiroshi Motoyama, meridian theory; Sarah Powers, Grilley's student, added Buddhist psychology and insight meditation and is credited with suggesting the name "Yin Yoga". Bernie Clark systematised the teaching in YinSights and The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga. [source: Wikipedia, Yin Yoga; yinyoga.com, Paul Grilley; yinyoga.com, Sarah Powers]

How change is said to happen. Restorative: sustained, comfortable support plus quiet, warmth and darkness invite the nervous system out of a stress state; the practitioner learns to rest without effort. Yin: stillness held over time at a moderate "edge" of sensation is said to load connective tissue and, in the teachers' own Daoist and meridian framing, to influence the flow of qi; the same stillness trains the ability to stay with sensation, emotion and thought without reacting. These are claims of the schools, not established mechanisms. [source: Wikipedia, Yin Yoga; yinyoga.com, Resolving to be still] [uncertain: no independent systematic review of either style's mechanism was verified for this guide]

Spiritual and energy concepts. Meridians, qi, the five elements (Earth, Metal, Water, Wood, Fire), nadis, prana and chakras belong to Daoist, Traditional Chinese Medicine and yogic frameworks as Zink, Motoyama, Grilley and Powers teach them. Zink frames the practice as Taoist alchemy aiming to "open the heart and invoke the primal self"; Powers frames it as preparation for insight into a natural state of awareness. Present these to clients as the tradition's way of describing the practice, not as anatomy. [source: Wikipedia, Yin Yoga; yinyoga.com, Sarah Powers]

Not a treatment for physical disease. Neither style treats cancer or any other physical disease. Clark's own position is that personal experience has value "whether there exists solid scientific evidence" or not, which is an honest acknowledgement that evidence is limited. [source: yinyoga.com, Addressing Concerns about Yin Yoga] [uncertain: evidence status from Cochrane or other independent reviews for these two styles specifically not verified]

2. Framework

There is no manualised phase model with fixed session counts for either style. The structure below is assembled from what Lasater's training covers, what Clark and Powers describe for a Yin practice, and what TCTSY publishes as themes; the ordering into phases is [synthesis].

Who delivers it

Restorative: a yoga teacher trained in restorative methods. Lasater's own route is Relax and Renew Level 1: Learning to Teach Restorative Yoga (physiology of relaxation; physical, emotional and spiritual aspects; special poses for menstruation, pregnancy and menopause; sequencing and teaching a class). Certification as a Relax and Renew Level 1 Teacher requires attending every session and submitting a written project after the course; the course's required texts are Relax and Renew and Restore and Rebalance. A Level 2 course on therapeutic applications also exists. [source: Kripalu, Relax and Renew Level 1] [uncertain: Level 2 content and any trainer-of-trainers route not verified]
Yin: trained through school-specific teacher trainings (for example Clark's courses, Powers' trainings and retreats, Grilley's anatomy trainings). [source: yinyoga.com, Sarah Powers; yinyoga.com, Paul Grilley] [uncertain: specific Yin credential names and hours not verified]
Neither style is a government-regulated profession. Yoga Alliance registration and the IAYT C-IAYT (yoga therapist) credential are professional or voluntary credentials, not licences. [uncertain: not verified against Yoga Alliance or IAYT pages for this guide]
A psychotherapist may lead these practices only if they hold the yoga training above and their own professional code and insurance allow it; otherwise they refer and collaborate. [synthesis; see touch codes in section 4]

Phases [synthesis built on the sources cited inside each phase]

Screening and clearance. Goal: identify medical cautions (pregnancy, osteoporosis or vertebral fracture, hypermobility, joint replacement, recent surgery or injury, disc problems, glaucoma, uncontrolled blood pressure) and psychological cautions (trauma, dissociation, panic, psychosis, eating disorders). Medical clearance where indicated. Move on when cautions are known and the teacher has a plan for adapting. [source: yinyoga.com, Concerns; Yoga Medicine, Who Yin is not for; Brooke-Wavell et al.; Yogamatters, pregnancy]
Orientation. Goal: the client knows what the class will feel like, that every pose is optional, how to come out, and whether touch is used. Move on when the client can name how they will signal "I'm stopping".
Practice sessions. Format: restorative classes use only a few fully propped poses per session (published as about four to six) and are kept small so each person can be set up safely; Yin classes in the Grilley and Powers style sequence more floor poses (published as about 18 to 24) and are often larger. Typical arc: arrival and settling; poses; final relaxation; quiet transition back. [source: Wikipedia, Restorative Yoga; Wikipedia, Yin Yoga]
Integration. Goal: link what the client noticed (sensation, emotion, ease, restlessness) to daily life and, where relevant, to therapy.
Ongoing practice. No published standard course length. Progress is judged by ease of settling, comfort in stillness and the client's own report, not by depth of pose. [uncertain: no session count published by Lasater, Grilley, Powers or Clark was verified]

Criteria for adapting or pausing [synthesis]: pain (as distinct from sensation), numbness or tingling, breath-holding, dissociation, mounting distress, or a new medical issue mean coming out, changing the prop set-up, or switching from Yin to restorative.

3. Guiding principles

Restorative principles [source: Wikipedia, Restorative Yoga; Kripalu, Relax and Renew Level 1]

Full support. Every part of the body that would otherwise hold itself up rests on a prop. Practical meaning: if the client is gripping anywhere, add or change a prop.
Few poses, done well. Quality of set-up over number of poses. Practical meaning: plan a short sequence and spend the time on comfort.
Relaxation is the aim, not stretch. Openings happen without forcing. Practical meaning: if the client is "working", the set-up is wrong.
Small groups, individual attention. Practical meaning: a teacher must be able to see and adjust everyone.
Body, emotion and spirit together. Lasater's training treats physical, emotional and spiritual aspects. Practical meaning: expect feelings to surface and leave room for them; present any spiritual framing as Lasater's, not as a requirement.
Special conditions get special poses. Menstruation, pregnancy and menopause have their own set-ups in Lasater's teaching. Practical meaning: adapt rather than exclude.

Yin principles [source: yinyoga.com, Resolving to be still; Wikipedia, Yin Yoga; yinyoga.com, Concerns; Yoga Medicine]

Find an appropriate edge (first principle). Come into the pose only until a moderate, tolerable sensation appears. Practical meaning: less depth is always acceptable.
Resolve to be still (second principle). Once at the edge, settle and stay. Move only if there is pain, if the client is struggling, or if the body opens and invites a little more. Practical meaning: stillness is a commitment, never a rule that overrides pain.
Hold for time (third principle). Duration is part of the method in this school. Practical meaning: the teacher, not the therapist, chooses durations; the client may always come out early.
Three stillnesses (from Sarah Powers). Body like a mountain, breath like a calm lake, mind like the sky. Practical meaning: settle the body, then let the breath be unforced, and let mental calm come rather than chasing it.
Muscles quiet. Relaxed muscles let load reach the joints; fidgeting is read as a sign of distraction. Practical meaning: for hypermobile clients this principle needs modification (see section 4).
More is not better; individualise. Practical meaning: depth, duration and pose choice are tailored, and some people need extra caution.
Meridian and Daoist framing is the school's. Practical meaning: describe it as "in this tradition", let clients take it or leave it.

Trauma-sensitive principles [source: ISSTD, TCTSY abstract]

Present-moment experience. Practical meaning: invite noticing of what is felt now, without interpretation.
Invitational language and choice-making. Practical meaning: every instruction is an offer with options, including not doing it.
Taking effective action. Practical meaning: the client acts on their own choices (changing, leaving, adding a prop) and that is the point.
Rhythm and shared authentic experience. Practical meaning: the facilitator practises alongside, not above; the pace is shared and predictable.

Therapist-stance principles [synthesis, informed by touch codes in section 4]

Stay within competence. Lead only what you are trained to lead; otherwise refer.
Consent is continuous. Before and during any touch or close proximity, and always revocable.
The practice serves therapy goals, not the other way round.

4. Intervention inventory

The pose-level items below are for a trained restorative or Yin teacher (including a psychotherapist who holds that training). A psychotherapist without it should read them to know what the client will meet, and use the items in part C. No item here sets hold times, durations or repetitions: in these schools the trained teacher sets them for the individual, and the client may always come out early.

A. Restorative yoga (Lasater line)

A1. Preparing the space and props

Purpose: create the conditions restorative practice depends on: quiet, warmth, dim light, and enough props to support every body part.
Steps: gather the props Lasater lists for a full practice: a mat, blocks, firm bolsters, firm blankets, hand towels, eye bags, a long belt, a folding chair and sandbags. For home practice she suggests substitutes such as throw pillows, couch cushions and bags of rice or dry beans. Fold blankets in advance so set-up is quick. Dim lights, reduce noise, have a covering blanket ready because people cool down when still. [source: Wikipedia, Restorative Yoga, citing Lasater 1995 and 2017] [warmth and lighting details: synthesis]
Example language (illustrative): "Everything you'll need is here. If something feels hard or cold, there's always another blanket."
Watch for: clients who feel exposed lying down in a room with others; offer a spot near a wall or the door. Working when they can rest without needing to adjust.

A2. Setting up any supported pose (general set-up principle)

Purpose: make the pose fully passive.
Steps: (1) Explain the pose and show the set-up before the client enters it. (2) Build the prop structure first, then have the client lower into it. (3) Check head and neck, lower back, knees and arms one at a time; fill any gap with a folded blanket or towel. (4) Ask whether anything is pulling, pinching or held. (5) Offer an eye bag or covering only as an option. (6) Agree how the client will come out. [source: Wikipedia, Restorative Yoga] [step order: synthesis]
Example language (illustrative): "Notice if any part of you is holding itself up. If so, we can put something under it."
Watch for: gripping hands or jaw, a raised head, shallow or held breath, fidgeting. Working: breathing slows on its own, the body visibly settles into the props.

A3. Supported reclining poses (e.g. Supta Baddha Konasana; Savasana)

Purpose: the core restorative positions for rest; reclined bound-angle opens the chest and hips with full support; Savasana is final relaxation. Both appear in Lasater's and Cyndi Lee's pose lists. [source: Wikipedia, Restorative Yoga]
Steps: bolster lengthwise under the back (on an incline if needed), a folded blanket under the head, soles of the feet together with blocks or rolled blankets under the outer thighs, arms resting on blankets. For Savasana, lie flat with support under the knees and head and a blanket over the body. In pregnancy from the second trimester, prolonged lying flat on the back is commonly advised against; use an incline or side-lying instead. [source: Yogamatters, Cortes 2025]
Example language (illustrative): "Let your legs be held by the blocks. If your inner thighs feel strained, we can raise the supports."
Watch for: strain in the groin or inner knees (raise supports), low-back discomfort (change the incline), dizziness or nausea in pregnancy when lying back (roll to the left side at once). Working: the client reports heaviness, warmth, or that they "forgot" about their body.

A4. Supported forward bends and child's pose (Balasana; supported seated forward fold)

Purpose: quieting, inward-turning positions.
Steps: kneel or sit with a bolster lengthwise in front; fold forward onto the bolster (stacked or inclined so the spine is not pushed into deep flexion), head turned to one side on a folded blanket. In pregnancy, knees wide with room for the belly. Offer to turn the head the other way partway through. [source: Wikipedia, Restorative Yoga (pose names); Yogamatters, Cortes 2025 (pregnancy set-up)]
Example language (illustrative): "Bring the bolster up as high as you need so you're resting rather than folding."
Watch for: osteoporosis or vertebral fracture: sustained or end-range spinal flexion should be modified or avoided, so keep the spine long and supported high or choose a different pose. Knee pain in kneeling (blanket behind the knees or switch to seated). Some clients feel trapped face-down; offer a seated or reclined alternative. [source: Brooke-Wavell et al., UK consensus statement]

A5. Supported backbends (e.g. supported Setu Bandhasana)

Purpose: gentle opening of the chest and front body in a supported position.
Steps: a bolster or stacked blankets under the pelvis or across the back, shoulders and head on the floor or a blanket, legs extended or supported. [source: Wikipedia, Restorative Yoga (pose name)] [set-up detail: synthesis]
Example language (illustrative): "If the arch feels like too much, we'll lower the support. This should feel like resting, not lifting."
Watch for: low-back pinching, neck strain, emotional activation with an open chest posture. Working: easy breath and a sense of spaciousness without effort.

A6. Supported inversions (legs up the wall / Viparita Karani; chair-supported Sarvangasana and Halasana)

Purpose: these appear in Lasater's list; legs-up-the-wall is widely used as a resting pose.
Steps: for legs up the wall: hips near the wall, a folded blanket or bolster under the pelvis if appropriate, legs resting on the wall. Chair-supported shoulderstand and plough variations are teacher-led only, with a full prop set-up. In pregnancy, a reclined variant with heels on the wall at an angle is published. [source: Wikipedia, Restorative Yoga; Yogamatters, Cortes 2025]
Example language (illustrative): "Let the wall hold your legs. If your feet tingle, bend your knees or come down."
Watch for: glaucoma, retinal problems, uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart conditions, neck problems are commonly listed cautions for inversions; shoulderstand and plough load the cervical spine and are inappropriate with osteoporosis of the spine. Numb or tingling feet. Seek medical clearance. [uncertain: inversion contraindications not verified against a professional source for this guide; Brooke-Wavell et al. supports the flexion caution]

A7. Side-lying rest

Purpose: rest for pregnancy, for people who cannot lie supine comfortably, and for clients who feel too exposed on their backs.
Steps: lie on one side with a bolster hugged to the chest, the top leg supported on a second bolster, a blanket under the head so the neck is level. The left side is often suggested in pregnancy, though its advantage over the right is described as not conclusively proven. [source: Yogamatters, Cortes 2025]
Example language (illustrative): "Either side is fine. Choose whichever feels better today."
Watch for: hip or shoulder pressure (more padding), neck tilt. Working: the client can rest without shifting.

A8. Supported twist (e.g. supported Jathara Parivartanasana)

Purpose: gentle rotation in a resting position; appears in Cyndi Lee's restorative list. [source: Wikipedia, Restorative Yoga]
Steps: lying or seated, rotate a small amount with the knees, chest or arms resting on a bolster or blankets so nothing hangs.
Example language (illustrative): "Turn only as far as is comfortable, and let the bolster take your weight."
Watch for: in osteoporosis, rotation is considered safe if smooth and comfortable, so keep it small and supported; avoid combining twist with deep flexion. [source: Brooke-Wavell et al.] Disc problems: get clinical advice. [synthesis]

A9. Eye bags, coverings and sandbags

Purpose: reduce visual input, add warmth and a sense of grounding weight. Eye bags and sandbags are on Lasater's prop list. [source: Wikipedia, Restorative Yoga]
Steps: offer, never place without asking; show the client the object first; place where they choose; agree that they can remove it at any time.
Example language (illustrative): "Some people like an eye bag; others prefer to keep their eyes open or look at the ceiling. Both are fine."
Watch for: trauma survivors may find eyes covered or weight on the body distressing. Working: the client chooses and reports feeling more settled.

A10. Coming out and transitioning

Purpose: leave each pose without strain or sudden blood-pressure change.
Steps: cue the end gently; move fingers and toes; bend knees; roll to the side; pause there; press up to sitting with the hands; remove props after the client is out. [synthesis]
Example language (illustrative): "In your own time, begin to move. When you're ready, roll to your side and rest there for a moment."
Watch for: light-headedness, grogginess, sudden emotion on standing. Working: the client is alert and steady.

A11. Sequencing a restorative session

Purpose: create a coherent arc in a short practice.
Steps: Lasater's training teaches sequencing as a core skill. Published restorative sessions use few poses; a common order is a gentle opening pose, one or two main supported poses (e.g. reclined, supported forward bend, legs up the wall) and a long final rest. Special sequences exist for menstruation, pregnancy and menopause. [source: Kripalu, Relax and Renew Level 1; Wikipedia, Restorative Yoga] [order: synthesis]
Example language (illustrative): "Today we'll do three resting shapes and finish lying down. You can skip any of them."
Watch for: too many transitions spoil rest; one well-supported pose can be a whole session.

B. Yin yoga (Grilley / Powers / Clark line)

B1. Finding the edge (first principle)

Purpose: enter each pose only to a moderate, tolerable level of sensation so that the hold is sustainable.
Steps: move slowly into the shape; stop at the first clear sensation; back off slightly if sensation is sharp; use props (bolster, blocks, blanket) to reduce depth. The edge is expected to change during the hold. [source: yinyoga.com, Resolving to be still] [prop use for depth: synthesis]
Example language (illustrative): "Go only as far as the first interesting sensation, then stop. Less is fine."
Watch for: competitive pushing, especially in flexible or athletic clients; sharp, burning, electric or joint-line pain (back out). Working: sensation is noticeable but the breath stays easy.

B2. Resolving to be still (second principle) and the three stillnesses

Purpose: stillness is the core practice: it lets load reach the tissues as this school describes, and trains staying with experience without reacting.
Steps: once at the edge, settle and stay. Move only for pain, for struggling to remain, or when the body opens and invites a little more. Avoid adjusting clothes or looking around. Work through Sarah Powers' three stillnesses in order: body still (muscles quiet), breath still (calm, even, slow, unforced; natural pauses are fine; a soft ujjayi is optional, a harsh one disturbs), mind still (allowed to arise, not forced). Powers' images are a mountain, a calm lake and the sky. [source: yinyoga.com, Resolving to be still]
Example language (illustrative): "Let the body be still like a mountain. Let the breath be whatever it is. If the mind wanders, that's what minds do."
Watch for: stillness used to override pain or distress; breath-holding; dissociation (glazed look, no response to cues). Working: the client reports noticing sensations, thoughts and feelings change on their own.

B3. Holding for time (third principle)

Purpose: in this school, duration is part of the stimulus to connective tissue.
Steps: the trained teacher chooses durations for each person and pose. As a published fact (not an instruction), sources describe an average of around five minutes per pose, with experienced practitioners staying longer. Clark himself discusses the concern that long holds may weaken tissue ("creep"). The client may always come out early. [source: Wikipedia, Yin Yoga; yinyoga.com, Concerns]
Example language (illustrative): "I'll let you know when we're coming out, and you can come out sooner whenever you want."
Watch for: rising distress as time passes, numbness, "gritting through". Working: the client experiences duration as spacious rather than endured.

B4. Coming out and rebound

Purpose: leave long holds slowly and allow a pause before the next pose. [uncertain: details of Clark's coming-out and rebound guidance not verified]
Steps: release slowly, often in stages; joints may feel stiff or fragile on exit; then lie or sit in a neutral position for a short rest before the next pose. [synthesis]
Example language (illustrative): "Come out slowly, as if the joints are waking up. Then rest and notice what's left behind."
Watch for: sharp pain on exit (report to the teacher; skip that pose next time), dizziness. Working: a sense of release or warmth during the rest.

B5. Sequencing by target area

Purpose: Grilley's approach directs sequences at particular joints and regions (especially hips and lower spine) in light of anatomy and individual skeletal variation. [source: Wikipedia, Yin Yoga; yinyoga.com, Paul Grilley] [uncertain: Grilley's skeletal-variation teaching not detailed in the sources verified]
Steps: a class of mostly floor poses held passively, alternating directions of load (forward folds, hip openers, gentle backbends, twists), with rests between. Published Grilley and Powers classes contain about 18 to 24 poses. Pose names differ between schools. [source: Wikipedia, Yin Yoga] [alternation: synthesis]
Example language (illustrative): "Today's practice focuses on the hips. Every pose has a gentler option; I'll show it first."
Watch for: many Yin forward folds involve sustained end-range spinal flexion: modify or avoid in osteoporosis and vertebral fracture. [source: Brooke-Wavell et al.] Knee strain in deep hip poses; disc symptoms in folds.

B6. Meridian-themed sequences (as the tradition describes them)

Purpose: Grilley, informed by Motoyama, and Powers design sequences intended, in Traditional Chinese Medicine terms, to influence meridians and the flow of qi, with aims they compare to acupuncture. Zink's version draws on Taoist alchemy and the five elements. [source: Wikipedia, Yin Yoga; yinyoga.com, Paul Grilley]
Steps: the teacher selects poses said to load the regions along a meridian or organ pair and names the theme. A psychotherapist should present this as the school's model only. [synthesis]
Example language (illustrative): "In this tradition, these poses are linked with the kidney and bladder meridians. You don't have to believe that to notice how the poses feel."
Watch for: clients taking meridian claims as medical advice (e.g. stopping treatment); religious discomfort with Daoist or yogic concepts. Working: the client can use the framing as a lens or set it aside.

B7. Mindfulness and insight practice inside Yin (Sarah Powers)

Purpose: Powers integrates vipassana (insight), Tantric and Dzogchen perspectives; long holds become a setting for observing sensation, emotion and thought, and for preparing to sit in meditation. [source: yinyoga.com, Sarah Powers]
Steps: during holds, invite noting of sensations, emotions and thoughts as they arise and pass; return to the breath when lost; close with a short seated or lying rest. [synthesis consistent with Powers' description]
Example language (illustrative): "See if you can notice the sensation itself, apart from the story about it."
Watch for: emotional release or memories surfacing (Powers speaks of opening to emotional blockages); intrusive memories in trauma survivors. Working: the client can observe experience with some distance and curiosity.

B8. Combining Yin with yang practice (Powers)

Purpose: Powers pairs Yin holds with active, flow-style practice influenced by Viniyoga, Ashtanga and Iyengar. [source: yinyoga.com, Sarah Powers]
Steps: teacher-led; typically an active segment and a Yin segment in one session or on different days. [uncertain: Powers' specific sequence structure not verified]
Example language (illustrative): "We'll move for a while to warm up, then settle into slower shapes."
Watch for: fatigue and heat; clients who need activity to stay grounded may do better with the yang part first. [synthesis]

B9. Adapting Yin for hypermobility, pregnancy, osteoporosis and other cautions

Purpose: Clark and Yoga Medicine both name hypermobility, pregnancy, osteoporosis, disc injury, osteoarthritis, joint replacement, beginners and some medical conditions as reasons for extra caution; Clark's stance is that Yin "can be safe for most people" while some should take extra care, and Yoga Medicine's is "more isn't better" and "take an individual approach". [source: yinyoga.com, Concerns; Yoga Medicine, Who Yin is not for]
Steps [synthesis unless cited]:
- Hypermobility: aim for the shallow end of sensation; allow light muscle engagement rather than full passivity; prefer restorative over Yin when joints are unstable; avoid hanging on ligaments at end-range.
- Pregnancy: medical or midwife clearance if high-risk or with an existing condition; avoid prolonged lying on the back from the second trimester; avoid deep end-range positions; side-lying and inclined set-ups. [source for clearance and supine caution: Yogamatters, Cortes 2025]
- Osteoporosis / vertebral fracture: avoid sustained, repeated or end-range flexion; twists only smooth and comfortable; ideally an instructor trained for osteoporosis. [source: Brooke-Wavell et al.]
- Recent surgery, joint replacement, disc problems: clearance from the treating clinician; avoid loading the affected joint.
Example language (illustrative): "Because your joints move easily, we'll stay well short of your end range and keep a little muscle tone."
Watch for: joint instability, clicking or giving-way sensations, back pain that radiates, any new symptom. Working: the client finishes without pain the next day.

C. Trauma-sensitive adaptations, touch, and the psychotherapist's role

TCTSY is a separate, defined programme described as an adjunctive treatment for complex, developmental trauma or treatment-resistant PTSD, organised around four themes. The items below apply those themes to restorative and Yin practice; full TCTSY delivery requires TCTSY facilitator training. [source: ISSTD, TCTSY abstract] [uncertain: TCTSY developers, training hours and certification route not verified]

C1. Invitational language and choice-making

Purpose: give the client control over their body in every moment, which is the TCTSY theme most directly opposed to coercive experiences.
Steps: phrase every cue as an invitation ("if you like", "you might"); give at least two options, including staying as you are; never count down, command or praise depth; name that leaving the pose or the room is always fine. [source: ISSTD, TCTSY abstract (theme)] [wording: synthesis]
Example language (illustrative): "You're welcome to try a bolster under the knees, or leave it. Either way is right."
Watch for: clients who comply with everything (may signal fawn or freeze rather than choice); invite small, observable choices. Working: the client starts making changes unprompted.

C2. Present-moment noticing

Purpose: build the capacity to feel the body now, without having to interpret it.
Steps: invite noticing of simple, neutral sensations (contact with the floor, temperature, breath movement); keep it brief; offer an external anchor (eyes open, looking at the room) as an equal option. [source: ISSTD, TCTSY abstract (theme)] [steps: synthesis]
Example language (illustrative): "You might notice where your body touches the blanket. If nothing stands out, that's fine too."
Watch for: sensation-focus amplifying panic or pain; switch to external anchors. Working: the client can name a sensation and its quality.

C3. Taking effective action

Purpose: the client experiences acting on a felt need (moving a prop, coming out, opening the eyes) as safe and effective.
Steps: before the hold, agree a range of actions the client can take; during it, remind them these are available; afterwards, acknowledge any action taken as part of the practice, not a failure. [source: ISSTD, TCTSY abstract (theme)] [steps: synthesis]
Example language (illustrative): "If at any point you want something different, changing the shape is part of the practice."
Watch for: in Yin, the "stillness" principle can collide with this theme; for trauma survivors, choice takes priority over stillness. [synthesis]

C4. Rhythm and shared authentic experience

Purpose: predictability and the sense of practising together rather than being watched.
Steps: keep the same order and structure each session; the facilitator practises alongside; avoid walking around behind people lying down; announce any movement in the room. [source: ISSTD, TCTSY abstract (theme)] [steps: synthesis]
Example language (illustrative): "I'll be doing these shapes with you, here at the front."
Watch for: startle responses to footsteps or voices from behind; eyes-closed anxiety. Working: the client relaxes into the routine.

C5. Touch and hands-on adjustments

Purpose: restorative and Yin teachers sometimes adjust props or offer hands-on assists. For trauma survivors and in any therapy-linked setting, touch carries particular risks.
Steps: default to verbal cues and prop changes made by the client. If any touch is used: explain exactly what and where before asking; get explicit consent each time; check during; the client may decline or stop at any moment without explanation; never touch genital, breast or other intimate areas; never sexual touch of any kind. Some studios use consent cards or tokens that a student turns over to decline assists. [synthesis; consent cards: uncertain: not verified]
Professional codes: body-psychotherapy codes regulate touch directly. The USABP code requires assessing whether touch suits each client, informed consent before touch (written consent "highly recommended"), periodic re-checking, the client's right to refuse or end touch at any time, and states that genital or other sexual touch is "always inappropriate". The EABP guidelines require clients to be informed beforehand that physical techniques may be used. Mainstream talk-therapy codes (APA, BACP, UKCP, HCPC, AAMFT) contain no explicit touch provision but prohibit sexual contact and require practice within competence. A psychotherapist should not combine psychotherapy with hands-on adjustment unless their code permits it and they hold the training. [source: USABP Code of Ethics; EABP Ethics Guidelines 2020; APA Ethics Code; BACP Ethical Framework; UKCP Code]
Example language (illustrative): "I won't touch you during practice. If you want a prop moved, just raise a hand and I'll pass it to you."
Watch for: freezing, holding breath, flinching when someone approaches. Working: the client feels safe to ask for or refuse help.

C6. Deciding whether to suggest restorative or Yin practice

Purpose: match the practice to the client and therapy goals. [synthesis throughout]
Steps: consider restorative for clients needing down-regulation, rest and safety (stress, insomnia, burnout, anxiety), and Yin for clients ready to practise staying with moderate discomfort and mindful observation. Prefer restorative over Yin for hypermobility, frailty, osteoporosis, pregnancy and early trauma work. Ask about medical history and get clearance where any caution in section 2 applies. Do not suggest either as treatment for physical disease.
Example language (illustrative): "There's a very gentle kind of yoga that's mostly lying down with cushions. Would that be something you'd like to try, or not right now?"
Watch for: clients hoping yoga will replace medical or psychological treatment; eating-disorder clients using practice for body control or calorie burning; body-image distress in group settings.

C7. Choosing a teacher or yoga therapist

Purpose: find a safe, competent practitioner. [synthesis unless cited]
Steps: look for restorative-specific training (e.g. Relax and Renew certification) or substantial Yin training; experience with trauma, the relevant medical condition or older adults (the UK osteoporosis consensus recommends instructors trained to work with osteoporosis for people with vertebral fractures); small class sizes for restorative; a clear consent-to-touch policy; willingness to communicate with you with the client's consent. [source: Kripalu, Relax and Renew Level 1; Brooke-Wavell et al.]
Example language (illustrative, to the client): "It's worth asking the teacher how they handle touch and whether they've worked with people who have [condition]."
Watch for: teachers who promise cures, push depth, discourage medical care or insist on hands-on adjustments.

C8. Preparing the client

Purpose: reduce the chance of overwhelm or harm. [synthesis]
Steps: describe what a class looks like (lying still, dim light, others nearby, possible eye bags); rehearse what the client will do if they feel unsafe (open eyes, sit up, leave); agree a grounding plan; discuss touch preferences and how to tell the teacher; for dissociative clients, suggest eyes open and shorter participation; for eating-disorder or body-image concerns, choose settings without mirrors or body-focused talk.
Example language (illustrative): "Long stillness can bring up feelings or memories. If that happens, you can sit up, look around the room and leave if you want. We'll talk about it next session."
Watch for: anticipatory anxiety; a client saying yes to please you.

C9. Integrating the experience into therapy

Purpose: use what arose during practice as therapy material. [synthesis]
Steps: ask open questions about sensations, emotions, thoughts and urges during holds; link capacity to stay with moderate discomfort (Yin) or to rest (restorative) to therapy goals; explore any meaning the client draws from the tradition's framing respectfully, without endorsing it as fact; track whether practice is helping or harming.
Example language (illustrative): "What did you notice when you stayed still? Was there a moment you wanted to move, and what did you do?"
Watch for: shame about "failing" at stillness; spiritual bypassing (using practice to avoid feelings). Working: the client can describe their experience with curiosity and links it to daily life.

C10. Recognising and passing on harms

Purpose: catch injury, psychological harm or misconduct. [synthesis]
Steps: ask routinely about pain after classes, joint instability, new numbness, dizziness, and about distress, flashbacks or dissociation; refer physical symptoms to a GP or physiotherapist; if a client reports unwanted or sexual touch, coercion or exploitation by a teacher, support them, document, follow safeguarding duties and help them to report to the studio, the teacher's registering body or the police as appropriate.
Example language (illustrative): "Did anything in class feel uncomfortable or not okay, physically or otherwise?"
Watch for: clients minimising pain to keep attending; reluctance to criticise a valued teacher.

C11. Cultural context

Purpose: respect yoga's Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and wider Indian roots and the Daoist roots of Zink's practice. [synthesis]
Steps: present concepts as belonging to their traditions; avoid treating sacred terms as decoration; acknowledge ongoing discussions about appropriation and the decolonising of yoga in Western settings without lecturing the client; let clients who object on religious grounds take part in a secular way or decline.
Example language (illustrative): "These ideas come from Daoist and yogic traditions. You can relate to them or simply use the physical practice."
Watch for: discomfort or offence from either religious or secular clients.

5. Handling problems

The sources address only some of these problems directly: pain versus stillness (Clark), individualising and "more isn't better" (Yoga Medicine), osteoporosis (UK consensus), pregnancy positioning (Yogamatters). Everything else here is [synthesis].

Pain during a hold. Clark's rule: pain is a reason to move. Back out, add support or leave the pose; distinguish dull, diffuse sensation from sharp, burning, electric, joint-line or radiating pain. Recurring pain in the same pose means dropping it and seeking physiotherapy or medical review. [source: yinyoga.com, Resolving to be still; synthesis]
Overwhelm, panic or flashback in stillness. Stop the hold; invite eyes open, sitting up, feet on the floor, naming objects in the room; offer to leave the pose or room; never insist on staying still. Afterwards switch to shorter, more active or more supported practice and process it in therapy. [synthesis]
Dissociation. Signs: blank stare, no response to cues, a sense of being far away. Use the client's name, a normal voice and orientation cues; keep eyes open in future; shorten passive time; consider postponing Yin. [synthesis]
"I can't relax" / restlessness in restorative. Check the set-up first (something usually is not supported); allow eyes open or small movements; reduce the number of poses; normalise that restlessness is common at the start. [synthesis]
Pushing too deep (competitive, flexible or athletic clients). Re-teach the edge as the first sensation, not the maximum; praise choosing less; for hypermobile clients prefer restorative or keep some muscle engagement. [source: yinyoga.com, Concerns (hypermobility named); synthesis]
Pregnancy discomfort or dizziness lying back. Roll to the side at once; from the second trimester use side-lying or inclined set-ups; refer to the midwife or GP for any warning symptom. [source: Yogamatters, Cortes 2025]
Osteoporosis or new back pain after folds. Remove sustained or end-range flexion; keep twists small and comfortable; refer to a physiotherapist after any suspected vertebral fracture. [source: Brooke-Wavell et al.]
Inversion symptoms (head pressure, eye pain, palpitations, dizziness). Come down; seek medical advice before further inversions; glaucoma and uncontrolled blood pressure are commonly listed reasons to avoid them. [uncertain: not verified]
Non-adherence to home practice. Shrink it to one supported pose; link it to an existing routine such as bedtime; ask what got in the way without judgement. [synthesis]
Rupture with the teacher or in therapy over the practice. If the client felt pushed, touched without consent or judged, validate, explore and support their choice to stop or change teachers; if you recommended the class, own that and repair. If misconduct is reported, follow the steps in C10. [synthesis]
Using practice to avoid feelings or control the body (spiritual bypassing, eating disorders). Name the pattern gently; agree limits (e.g. no practising to "burn" food); involve the eating-disorder team. [synthesis]
Conflict over spiritual framing. Offer a secular framing; avoid teachers who require belief; respect clients who find the framing meaningful. [synthesis]
Clients hoping the practice will treat a physical illness. Correct gently: these practices may support rest and well-being but do not treat disease; keep medical care in place. [synthesis]

Sources

Web sources:

Books:

Lasater, J. H. (1995). Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times. Rodmell Press.
Lasater, J. H. (2017). Restore and Rebalance: Yoga for Deep Relaxation. Shambhala.
Lee, C. (2004). Yoga Body, Buddha Mind. Riverhead Books.
Grilley, P. (2002). Yin Yoga: Outline of a Quiet Practice. [publisher uncertain: not verified]
Grilley, P. (2012). Yin Yoga: Principles & Practice. [publisher uncertain: not verified]
Clark, B. (2007). YinSights. [publisher uncertain: not verified]
Clark, B. (2012). The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga. [publisher uncertain: not verified]
Powers, S. (2008). Insight Yoga. [publisher uncertain: not verified]

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