After EMDR: How One Therapist Built a Body-Based Trauma Framework
- Corena Hammer
- 5 hours ago
- 6 min read
One of the questions therapists ask me most often is: 'I already have EMDR. What's the next somatic training that complements it?'
Rather than answer that question myself, I thought it would be more meaningful to ask one of our graduates.
Ashley Wright, LCSW, CYP integrates EMDR, Brainspotting, Parts Work, elements of Somatic Experiencing, NARM, and Clinical Yoga Institute training in her trauma practice.
Here's what she had to say...
If you could only keep one thing from your Clinical Yoga Institute training, what would it be, and why?
— This is such an incredibly difficult question! So much of the training has shaped my
current practice with clients that it has become deeply integrated into the way I work,
making it hard to separate into individual pieces. If I had to choose one area, though, it
would be the section on Ayurveda.
Understanding the foundational principles of the doshas, how they can manifest in clients; behaviors and symptoms, and the influence they can have on day-to-day functioning has been incredibly valuable in determining appropriate interventions. It is a framework that complements the growing body of research on nervous system regulation while providing a practical structure that simply makes sense for supporting clients—and myself—in finding greater balance.
It also offers a broader perspective on what the nervous system is doing and what it needs in order to feel supported.
Tell us a little about your practice and the clients you most enjoy working with.
My practice is Bloom Therapy & Counseling in St. George, Utah which I started in
March 2023. I specialize in working with adults who have experienced complex/developmental trauma as well as sexual trauma. I also enjoy supervising
associate-level clinicians who are interested in working from a somatic perspective.
Before Clinical Yoga Institute, what modalities were you already using?
I had been using TF-CBT, Sandtray and expressive art therapies as well as some
mindfulness practices. At the time most of my work experience was with children and
teenagers so I had been getting a play therapy foundation. I had recently shifted into
working solely with adults and I got trained in EMDR and learned the basics of parts
work and I loved both!
I had a mentor early on in my learning that consistently said “the trauma is experienced in the body, so why would we not include the body in the healing?” I was well-primed for a comprehensive somatic course like this one.
What made you decide to add Clinical Yoga Institute training after learning EMDR, Parts Work, and other trauma approaches?
A friend of mine told me about the program and as soon as I read through the
course information, I was committed to finding a way to pay for and take the
training. I felt I had a fairly good base for understanding trauma and the
impacts on the body, but I wanted more depth into somatic approaches.
I have always had an interest in yoga so that was a big draw of course, but to then be
able to combine that with my passion of trauma therapy felt like a perfect fit for
me. I had no idea that I would gain so much more valuable information through
the course besides yoga asana (which was all I really knew about yoga at that
point).
You mentioned that Clinical Yoga Institute became the foundation for nervous system
attunement in your work. Can you describe what you mean by that?
Going through the course was my first real exposure to Polyvagal Theory and
nervous system states which was incredibly helpful, but the nervous system
approach really sunk in from learning the basics of Ayurveda and the Chakra
system. The way they complement the emerging research on the nervous
system and trauma recovery is incredible and the blend of eastern wisdom and
western research in the CYI training is everything I ever wanted in a somatic
training!
Having a multifaceted perspective on nervous system states gives me more skill in identifying nuanced and subtle shifts in my client’s nonverbal communication in session which allows me to offer more effective interventions.
Working with complex trauma often brings clients with people- pleasing tendencies and they are often highly skilled at masking. Often clients will act as though they are okay but internally they are destabilizing internally.
Being able to attune to their more subtle nervous system shifts has been incredibly helpful especially in being able to provide a lot more resourcing interventions that I might otherwise miss.
How do you decide when to use EMDR, Brainspotting, Parts Work, or another
intervention?
Most of this decision is determined by the client. In part, by what the client has
requested from their sessions with me, but more by the degree to which they
can tolerate a somatic experience. I have found that EMDR works best with
clients who have an acute trauma or at least an experience that has a more
clear beginning and end.
Brainspotting, Parts Work and yoga have worked better for my clients working through complex trauma that have lead to deeply ingrained patterns of behavior. A lot of this decision is based on the somatic attunement skills that I learned from the CYI course. When it comes to yoga as an intervention, I use various forms of that to help my clients re-establish a relationship with their own body and in working with survivors of sexual trauma, that’s foundational to everything.
How does Clinical Yoga Institute training help you make those decisions?
The CYI course give such a comprehensive foundation to understanding the
nervous system and how to support the body through the difficult and often
painful work of trauma recovery. Between the Ayurvedic perspective of the
Doshas, The Polyvagal Theory, and the Chakra System, I feel I have a deeper
understanding for the nuance and complexity of the nervous system and tend
to be more cautious in how I “dose” an intervention.
Starting smaller helps me know what my clients can actually tolerate and helps them build confidence in their ability to do somatic work. Previous to taking this course, I make my fair share of mistakes in pushing clients into deep processing too quickly because I didn’t fully understand the scope of the imprint their trauma left on their system.
The CYI course helped me see the bigger picture.
Has the training changed the way you relate to clients outside of specific interventions?
Yes, absolutely. In particular, the principles of trauma-sensitive yoga have
become a standard part of my practice with clients. Learning how to intentionally set up the environment, use trauma-sensitive language, and structure yoga classes and client sessions in ways that minimize triggers while fostering a sense of safety and neutrality has fundamentally changed how I interact with clients from our very first session.
It has given me greater confidence in my ability to provide therapy without adding unnecessary stress to the people I work with, whether we are practicing yoga asana or engaging in other therapeutic approaches.
If a therapist is already trained in EMDR or Brainspotting, why would you recommend
adding body-based training?
These training are both incredibly helpful in my practice in different ways, but
truthfully, sometimes they are both too intense for what a client can handle
initially.
Trauma-sensitive yoga and other elements of the CYI course are often
a softer and more accessible place for clients to start in their trauma recovery
work as they are just beginning to dip their toes into a somatic connection.
What surprised you most about the Clinical Yoga Institute training?
I was genuinely surprised at the breadth and depth of yoga. I only knew yoga
as a physical practice of doing the most impressive handstands. I was
surprised and pleased to learn that yoga is so much more than performative
fitness.
It really comes down to a mind-body connection and mindful acceptance of what is while working to create new patterns in so many ways beyond physical structure. I still have a lot to learn about yoga and I still consider myself a beginner in actually embodying the practice but I appreciate what it has added to my personal life and clinical work and it’s exciting to know that there is more to learn! Learn More Here
Is there anything you'd tell a therapist who's wondering whether another trauma training is worth the investment?
Do it! I think it’s more than worth the cost of the training for what it has added to
both my professional and personal development.
This is more than a trauma training, it’s a holistic structure and perspective that will help you be more effective with your clients no matter which other modality you choose to use.
Where can people learn more about you and your practice?
They can find me on Psychology Today or at my website
www.bloomtherapyandcounseling.com. I also recently started a podcast with a
colleague of mine called No Couch Required and it can be found on most
podcast platforms!
Thank you Ashley!
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Name and Credentials: Ashley Wright, LCSW, Clinical Yoga Practitioner, RYT-200
Practice Name: Bloom Therapy & Counseling
Practice Website: https://www.bloomtherapyandcounseling.com/
LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-wright-bb6bb990
City and State: St. George, Utah