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Part 1: Self-Care Beyond the Surface
Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga has always resonated deeply with me because it offers a holistic approach to healing that extends beyond the physical forms or shapes. It speaks to the need for an embodied experience—one that nurtures not only our bodies but also our minds and hearts – perhaps, our overall well-being. In my practice, this means recognizing that self-care is not just about taking time for ourselves in an external sense, but about cultivating an internal space where we can be present, attuned, and gentle with our own experiences. In this way, self-care becomes a deeply integrative process, a practice of offering compassion to ourselves even when it feels difficult or unfamiliar.
In 2022, I found myself at a point where I had reached the pinnacle of my purpose in mind-body movement facilitation. I was holding spaces for retreats and workshops through a trauma-informed lens, and I felt deeply connected to the work I was doing for others. However, life has a way of reminding us that we are never separate from the complexity of our own experiences. I began to notice that, in the midst of holding space to others, I was experiencing signs of trauma exposure responses within myself. These responses emerged after I was unexpectedly refused migration to Canada—an event that left me feeling deeply shattered, unsettled and disconnected. The emotional weight of this experience was heavier than I realized, and soon I began to struggle with dissociative moments and a sense of numbness that distanced me from my own feelings. I found myself less responsive to the pain of others, and I started to engage in negative thought patterns, constantly comparing every situation to the worst-case scenario.
This shift in my emotional state prompted a critical question: How could I continue to hold space for others when I wasn’t able to hold space for myself fully? This inquiry was not about self-blame or judgment but about recognizing the need for care, compassion, and patience as I worked through my own trauma responses. I asked myself: How can I truly understand what my clients experience if I am disconnected from my own body, my own needs?
It was during this time that I turned to one of my trusted mentors, Ria Tirazona—someone who deeply understands the complexities of trauma work as both a registered psychologist and a trauma-informed mind-body facilitator. She created a space where I could process the chaos within me without pressure or expectation. I made the difficult but necessary decision to step back from my roles as a mother, wife, and facilitator. I chose to create a space where I could simply be with myself, acknowledging my own needs and vulnerabilities without the weight of others’ expectations.
In the safety of this space, supported by someone who truly understood the journey I was on, I was able to begin the process of reconnecting with my body. It didn’t take long—just one week of self-nurturing and slowing down—before I began to feel the shift. I started to experience a different kind of interoception, which refers to the deep awareness of what is happening inside our bodies. This was not just an intellectual practice of noticing sensations, but an experiential, embodied process that allowed me to “befriend” the uncomfortable feelings and chaotic emotions that I had been avoiding. Instead of pushing them away or trying to silence them, I learned how to simply be present with them—accepting the messiness of my inner world without judgment.
Through this experience, I learned that self-care is not simply about stepping away from our roles or responsibilities but about returning to ourselves—about pausing, breathing, and acknowledging our humanity. This practice of radical self-compassion taught me the importance of tending to my internal world before trying to care for others. It reminded me that, in trauma-informed work, the ability to hold space for others is intimately connected to the capacity to hold space for oneself. This was a lesson in surrendering to the process, in recognizing that my own healing was just as essential as the healing I was guiding others toward.
By honoring my own needs and creating space for vulnerability, I was able to return to my work from a place of deeper authenticity. I’ve come to understand that self-care is not a luxury, but a necessity on the path toward healing—both for myself and for those I am honored to support. Through my TCTSY learning journey, I’ve been gently reminded to reflect on this past experience, not to reopen old wounds, but to relearn how self-care plays a vital and nurturing role in our lives.
Mindfulness with Krish 