Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is being increasingly sought out within mental health settings for the manifestations listed above. Common CAM treatments include the integrative or adjunctive use of exercise, massage therapy, bodywork, nutrition therapy, acupuncture, meditation, relaxation, yoga, Tai Chi, and Qigong.

At this engaging seminar, Dr Arielle Schwartz explains how, as therapists, we can integrate CAM treatments within psychotherapy with an emphasis on mindful-body awareness and yoga to benefit individuals with a history of trauma. Using these interventions and practical techniques, we can help our clients identify healthcare goals and work through barriers that might interfere with their ongoing health and wellbeing. We evaluate the ways in which trauma impacts our health, comprehend how shame, belief blocking and self-sabotage create barriers to health and get to grips with the CAM methodology that focuses on Sleep, Nutrition, Hydration and Digestion using practical skills including:

• Natural Vagus Nerve Stimulation
  • The Polyvagal theory
  • Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and vagal tone
• Mindful Body-Awareness and Yoga
  • Pranayama: Conscious Breathing
  • The oculocardiac reflex (OCR)
  • Therapeutic Chair Yoga

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the relationship between stress, trauma, and the immune system
• Discuss Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and the health of the autonomic nervous system
• Describe natural vagus nerve stimulation interventions that can be easily integrated into psychotherapy
• Recognize the benefits of therapeutic yoga and mindful-body awareness as related to trauma recovery
• Understand how to assess and compassionately discuss client’s physical health symptoms and create realistic healthcare goals
• Explore the benefits of relaxation and yoga nidra for trauma recovery

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