Accessible Yoga Podcast The Teaching on Protecting Your Energy with Zabie Yamasaki
“Am I observing or absorbing? Am I caring or carrying?”
Join host, Jivana Heyman, as he talks with Zabie Yamasaki, accomplished author and founder of Transcending Sexual Trauma Through Yoga. Zabie shares about her mission to empower survivors of sexual violence, highlighting her work on college campuses and how trauma-informed yoga supports survivors in their healing journey.
Together, Jivana and Zabie examine how body-based practices are complementary to talk therapy, as healing trauma requires integrating the body and mind. Zabie talks about her new book, "Protect Your Energy: A Gentle Guide to Nurture Your Nervous System, Cultivate Rest, and Honor Your Needs," which offers practices to nurture the nervous system. They also discuss the importance of boundaries and protecting your energy as a yoga teacher.
Later in the episode, Jivana and co-host Deanna Michalopoulos further reflect on boundaries, the yogic principle of brahmacharya (wise use of energy), and what it means to support students without taking on their burdens.
Topics include:
- Creating a safe and supportive environment for survivors
- The eight-week curriculum Zabie developed for college campuses and trauma agencies
- Yoga research projects
- Creating inclusive spaces for survivors of all gender identities
- The benefits of predictability, ritual, and repetition
- Avoiding burnout in teaching and service work
- The opportunity for connection and healing in community
- Teaching as karma yoga
Pre-Order Zabie's book, Protect Your Energy: A Gentle Guide to Nurture Your Nervous System, Cultivate Rest, and Honor Your Needs
Check out the podcast episode with Jivana discussing yoga as a compliment to talk therapy here.
Learn more and join the Trauma & Yoga Series: Exploring Power, Privilege & Healing, featuring Zabie Yamasaki and other guests, now available On-Demand: https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/trauma-and-yoga
We Want to Hear from You!
What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga
Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!
Connect with Zabie:
Zabie Yamasaki, M.Ed., RYT (she/her) is the Founder of Transcending Trauma through Yoga which is an organization that offers trauma-informed yoga to survivors, consultation for universities and trauma agencies, and training for healing professionals. Zabie has trained thousands of yoga instructors and mental health professionals and her trauma-informed yoga program and curriculum is now being implemented at over 30 college campuses and trauma agencies including the University of California (UC) system, Stanford, Yale, USC, University of Notre Dame, and Johns Hopkins University.
She has received countless awards in victim services and leadership, including the Visionary in Victim Services award from one of the largest rape crisis centers in California and the Voice of Courage Award from Exhale to Inhale.
She is the author of the book, flipchart, and affirmation deck, Trauma-Informed Yoga for Survivors of Sexual Assault: Practices for Healing and Teaching with Compassion
zabieyamasaki.com | IG: @transcending_trauma_with_yoga
Connect with Jivana:
Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org
www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman
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Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer