Trauma, Yoga, and Hope with Beth Shaw
The holidays can bring joy and happiness, but depression, anger, and isolation can intensify at this time of year, as well.
Beth Shaw is an expert in discussing some of the potential causes of the darkness that can raise its ugly head even more at this time of year, ranging from normal “overwhelm and stress” to former abuse, trauma, and even PTSD.
Beth helps open the door for people to acknowledge major trauma and find help to live with it. If you, or someone you know, suffers more at this time of year, Beth can help. Her recent book, Healing Trauma With Yoga, is perfectly timed for a segment of our year when long, dark days can be even darker for some and when the joy of the season can be erased, instead of embraced without learning some of the tools that can truly help raise our spirits.
Beth has spoken at the United Nations and more
Beth Shaw has spoken at the UN and NY Public Schools and is a huge presence in the animal rescue community, as well as with working with the military PTSD and trauma patients.
Author of four books, her latest book provides tools and techniques drawn from her work as a recovery and health coach and her own life experiences. She offers a deep understanding of the physiological, psychological and emotional changes brought on by trauma and depression, and offers techniques to survive and even thrive through these sometimes debilitating conditions.
She revolutionized the fitness industry
Beth revolutionized the fitness industry by bringing yoga into the mainstream with her inclusive and impactful style of yoga. She has been exploring, researching, and developing fitness and wellness programs for more than 25 years.
As a philanthropist and animal activist, Beth prioritizes service in her business and personal life and serves on many boards for health, wellness, and animal advocacy.
Today’s topic is one that is “tricky”. Parties, family events, and non-stop “JOY” is not the way everyone responds to the holidays. In this episode, Beth helps us understand why this time of year may be particularly difficult for some and ways to begin healing.
Questions Beth is asked:
3:04 Why is this time of year especially difficult for some people?
4:02 Do varying degrees of depression, anxiety, stress, and trauma mean that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all?
5:21 What is your background and how did you overcome some of your own trauma to write this book?
6:16 How did you discover yoga and meditation were important tools?
8:03 What kinds of things might cause trauma and depression?
9:55 How can we balance the emotional benefits of running and fitness and using it as an avoidance to technique?
13:27 When did you start using yoga as therapy for yourself and when did you make it a business?
16:12 What are some of the different ways we can use yoga ?
18:04 What is the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) test and what does it do?
20:07 What made you decide to put this all in a book?
22:49 What are some ways people can work through healing?
24:46 How do animals respond to the kind of service you give them?
27:05 What is PTSD , who does it affect, and how can people identify and heal from it?
29:11 Who can help people identify PTSD?
30:03 Is PTSD not just a military condition?
32:50 What are your thoughts on over half the population having experienced at least one traumatic event?
33:18 How does trauma impact individuals and society and what are some tools we can use to work on trauma?
34:41 What would a typical day look like for you and your self-treatment?
36:04 What are some benefits of working on trauma in a group setting?
37:06 What are the other books you have written?
38:34 Other thoughts?
39:47 Final Kick Round:
- What is your favorite local training run or outing (location, starting point, parking, distance, terrain and safety issues)?
- Favorite book(s), video or resource?
- Who or what would you like to have featured on the Run To The Top podcast?
Quotes:
“Any type of childhood trauma, whether it was physical or emotional, changes the brain. And once the brain changes, we are constantly in a state of ‘Fight or Flight’, we become hyper-vigilant, our prefrontal cortex shrinks so that we’re not always the best at making decisions.”
“The word ‘yoga’ also means ‘union’ and physical yoga (Hatha Yoga), is only a small portion of all of what yoga is. We have, at Yogafit, many different therapeutic programs for yoga such as yoga for diabetes, yoga for heart health, yoga for balancing mood, and for PTSD, anxiety, and depression.”
“It’s really time for us as a planet, as a society, to heal.”
“If one has had trauma, if one deals with depression / anxiety, perhaps it’s never going to 100% go away, but it can get much better.”
“It’s a worthwhile endeavor for people to be introspective and try to figure themselves out. I would say for one’s mental health and wellness they really need to examine themselves.”
Take a Listen on Your Next Run
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Mentioned in this podcast:
Run To The Top Winners Circle Facebook Community
Book: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Book: Emotional Wellness by Osho
Dr. Pam Peeke at TEDxWallStreet
Follow Beth on:
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