Making the Body Safe

I'm waiting at CHEO for my class to start. I teach yoga to kids in an Eating Disorders Program here at the hospital.

I don't get a lot of feedback from them about what the yoga does for them. My job is to provide them a safe space to explore themselves and leave the talking to the counselors basically. We do talk, don't get me wrong, just usually not about yoga, but about dating and proms and smoking and "stuff."

I do have an intention with them though. And that's to make sensations available to them in a safe way so they're not overwhelmed. People with disordered eating issues sometimes need to just down to their bodies' messages. I'm encouraging them to gently listen to those messages.

The type of yoga I lead with this group is similar to any group I lead, however, it's slower, and there's more emphasis on listening to the body and it's just generally gentler.

They're heeeeere....