I remember being told for a long time I should get into yoga, "it would change my life." It took me awhile to find it, and when I did it had a really significant impact on my life. I was in graduate school for social work trying to manage my stress response in a new way.
Growing up I got into drinking and partying at an early age - my brain's wiring had learned to turn to alcohol for a variety of reasons. My patterns did not change overnight but yoga ended up replacing my drinking habit quite a bit. The practice helped me to release tension, stress, trauma in my body and find a new way for my body and mind to relax.
Stress and trauma create imbalance in the autonomic nervous system. Healing requires interventions that restore the nervous system, allowing you to sleep, relax, and digest. Yoga offers practices help us to do this, allowing one to sense the body, change the breath, move stuck energy, and rest into stillness.
Our somatic resources grow when we are in yoga spaces where we feel safe, comfortable, accepted, and are able to utilize shapes and sequences to embody feelings of calm, strength, empowerment, spaciousness, and ease--by increasing our capacity we are then able to turn toward distress while staying connected to our strengths and resources.
For those who are highly sensitive/with a trauma history it is important to find the right teacher and studio where you feel comfortable. Sometimes it takes trying a few classes/places to find the right fit. Restorative yoga, gentle yoga, or trauma-informed classes are a great place to start.