solemarch - yoga for trauma
Solemarch - yoga for trauma is a 25 hour weekend training, meant to lay the foundation for teaching yoga to people who have experienced trauma.
We live in an incredibly diverse society, with equally diverse life experiences. How anyone responds to any one type of traumatic experience varies from person to person. There is no right or wrong way to respond to any stressful event, but how we treat each other and ourselves sometimes requires more care and consideration.
After more traumatic experiences, such as rape, war, systemic racism, car accidents, losing a loved one or physical, sexual or verbal abuse, to name only a few, most of us would benefit from a type of yoga or meditation practice that is unlike your typical “open” class. For a traumatized individual, those classes can seem intimidating, alienating and simply not comforting. In this training, you will learn some methods and concepts of teaching a class for those who’ve experienced trauma and need something different from conventional offerings of yoga.
We will explore the impact of racial trauma and how important it is to hold space for the lived experiences of people of color. We will explore serving different populations such as communities of color, rape and domestic violence survivors, and veterans and the military community.
This training will include lecture, practicing yoga for trauma and practice teaching sessions.
other teacher trainings
I participate in several yoga teacher trainings as a faculty member at studios throughout the U.S and internationally, while also leading my own trauma training via Solemarch. As a faculty member, I offer training on trauma, cultural appropriation, sequencing, philosophy and hands on assisting.
upcoming trainings:
solemarch - yoga for trauma teacher training
october 2025
the looking glass
basel, switzerland
sign up TBD
“Lucky for me, I was fortunate enough to take Sangeeta Vallabhan’s first Trauma Yoga Teacher Training in NYC. I have been a student at quite a few Yoga Teacher Trainings, & this is definitely one of the best. Sangeeta is my favorite type of teacher, in that the importance of what you’re learning is both reinforced & reflected in the qualities of the person who’s teaching the class. She’s a natural educator. The classes were a healthy balance of being informative, fun, experiential, conversational, & hands on. By the time we got to ‘practice teaching‘, I made it through without falling to pieces like I normally would. In fact, I was shocked to discover how much I enjoyed the process, as well as learned. Sangeeta never ever makes you feel stupid, & is always available to offer honest, as well as caring support.”
“Sangeeta’s solemarch - a trauma informed yoga training gave me a greater understanding of how to teach a class with kindness, compassion, and mindfulness. Sangeeta’s approach creates a safe space that empowers students to learn, practice, make mistakes, and continue to grow. There were many aspects of trauma I did not understand and this training opened my eyes to how influenced we are by different life experiences. With a new understanding of the effects of trauma I feel empowered to offer a safe space for others to explore yoga, reconnect with their bodies, and begin working on their own healing. This training was a life-changing experience for me and I would recommend it to anyone who is hoping to offer yoga as a tool for healing.”
“Sangeeta’s Solemarch Trauma-Informed teacher training provided the perfect blend of education/research, lived experience and meaningful discussion. Sangeeta is very clear and intentional in her instruction - whether in an asana practice, meditation or a training with such significant content as trauma informed yoga. Sangeeta reminded me that this practice is not “one-size-fits-all”, and taught me that the agenda of a trauma informed yoga class is that there is no agenda; it’s about letting students experience movement and the breath in a safe space. I remember coming out of the training weekend with a deep sense of compassion for my own experience and a continued curiosity and appreciation for what trauma informed yoga can bring to all of us.”