Creating a Brave Space, Part 1: What this Means in our Yoga Classes
- kathrynpara
- Sep 23, 2025
- 8 min read
Updated: Sep 25, 2025
Recently, I have received a lot of feedback expressing how very needed my classes are, and some questions about what "Trauma Informed Teaching" means. Here's what people are saying, and how I respond, or how I would explain why I teach how I teach. I try to create a brave space. Notice I didn't say safe space. That's because I can't all it a safe space unless I can account for the internal climate of everyone in the room, including you. What I can do is create a space in which we can all find our brave, authentic selves.
In this blog article, I'll explain what we do to create a brave space, with a tiny bit about some aspects, and I will expand upon different aspects in later articles, I'll talk a tiny bit about my why this is important to me. Please note that this article will be updated as I learn more.
About creating a "Brave" yoga space:
The space is co-created by the students. I try my best to create a space in which you can find and be your bravest, truest self. This means establishing the space in a way that anticipates any point where any person may feel uncomfortable for whatever reason and designing my classes to smooth those points. It also means being sure this is clear for attendees.
Creating a brave space, for me, means that I teach toward the pillars of:
Trauma-informed
Accessibility-minded
Equitability-minded
Community building
Healing and wellbeing for individuals and community
SEL-Social Emotional Learning (I'm a trained Social Emotional Learning Facilitator)
Positive body image, without a focus on this
Positive body experience, wherever you are in your body's journey. Just have your doctor's permission and clarity about what you can and cannot do.
All Bodies focus- means more cuing, slower pace, more variations.
"Upside down teaching", which is how I describe teaching to the modification, with the option to go further.
Equitable Access- I want everyone to be able to access my classes. I will provide scholarships where needed or alternative pricing (always reach out).
To belonging and community-building (with time to get to know each other and time to come early to orient)
Holding Space for my students and community
To providing space and tools for healing
Universal Design- For universal design, where we anticipate everyone's needs, and do our best to build the space and class for each person within the plan for the whole.
Well-being, healing and mental health supports: To be clear, I am not a mental health professional. Yoga, mindfulness provide tools that many mental health practitioners recommend. Tools for mindfulness help support you creating an environment and structure in your life to build well-being
No-judgement. Period. We strive for this, and I strive to convey this to my students.
Multiple students have said something like this:
I have been wanting to try yoga for years, but I couldn't find a space that offered what I needed, until I found your class. - M, a Recent Student
My response:
I am so honored to create the space that is needed by so many. Thank you for trusting me with your time and practice. This is important work for me, and I am constantly, actively, looking for ways to improve. Here's what I do.
A bit about my "why":
As I explain what I do and why it matters, I should share with you that I needed the type of yoga, classes, teaching, professional development and community that we are building to exist, too. I am disabled, which I sometimes call "vary-abled", because my body works well sometimes, and other times, it works very poorly to the point where being upright or standing is a challenge.) I will write more about this in the future. For now, the point I want to make is that one of my strengths as a teacher is that I have a body and brain that work differently at different times with different sizes and circumferences, different mobility and flexibility, different brain function and different concerns with both the way my brain works (which I realize is awesome, but with challenges), and my mental health as I retired from the military.
One of my strengths as a teacher is that I have a body and brain that work differently at different times - Kathryn
My strength
My challenges have become my strength as a teacher, because I teach to these differences. Not always perfectly, but with the compassion, understanding, intention, learning, work and hungry pursuit of knowledge and technique is there to learn how to do this. I am always listening for how I can do these things better, and always acting on them as I am able. We are working to embody these aspects as a team as well! I'm still a new yoga teacher, being certified in Spring of 2024.
My challenges have become my strength as a teacher, because I teach to these differences. -Kathryn
Tools for healing
For decades, I was creating, finding and sharing tools while building community, through women's circles, regular story times, concerts, professional development and simply my way of being to learn, create, and to convey tools. If you know me at all, you have likely experienced some of these.
Yoga teachers can be disabled, too!
It all came together, with a renewed purpose that was rooted in the work I have been doing in 2023, when I was able to go to yoga teacher training with Breathe for Change, and that shifted my world. Seriously. Do you know how many people I know who are disabled and teach yoga? I lost track. I have amazing colleagues all over the country, and the world.
The Breathe for Change TEACH method focuses on their Trauma-Informed, Equitability, Accessibility, Community-Centered, Healing-Oriented framework. You likely noticed that framework integrated into the list above. In this training, we begin by working on our selves in all things, so we can teach from a spirit of embodiment. I've taken 200 hour, Trauma Informed Yoga for Youth (RCYT) and 300 hour training with them, and at the time of this writing, I'm about to finish my Master's of Education with them!
Perfection within progress.
In a brave space, perfection is about progress, not in how the pose looks, or how you look in the pose. It's about showing up for yourself, slowing down, and tending to your self.
Perfection is in showing up, and in progress. Not in how the pose looks, or how you look in the pose.
In fact: Here's a little ditty I wrote about that! Recorded for classroom and fun.
Frolic the Fox loves to sing this to children, and Kathryn Para loves to sing this to adults. This is also recorded onto some little buttons for classrooms!
"Life's about connection, not perfection!" -Kathryn, in her song!
What Trauma-Informed Teaching Means:
A student recently asked, "What does trauma-informed teaching mean? In Trauma-informed teaching, I teach to the room as if someone, or anyone, may have something in their past that can elicit a trauma response, whether they know it or not. Whether diagnosed or not. I include aspects of predictability, choice, voice, and clear context and framing as much as I can. I also teach in a supportive, non-judgmental way. Everything is an invitation, not a requirement, which means I use language in class that doesn't tell you what to do, or what I want you to do. You are able to choose.
I'll write more about that soon in another blog article.
What does trauma informed mean?- M, a recent student
Please be aware of your limitations, as well as any doctor’s recommendations and tend to whatever you needs are for any part of the class.
Sometimes, simply showing up is the success we need.
Are you certified in trauma-informed teaching?
Yes. Three times so far. In each of my official, credentialed trainings for 200 hour, 300 hour and RCYT (Registered Children's Yoga Teacher), I have gone through trauma-informed training in the certificate. I'm certified x3.
Photo: Kathryn wears a, All Bodies Yoga t-shirt crafted by a beloved class member. Students take a photo after a yoga class with a mini-sound bath savasana (ending). Kathryn and the Togetherly Team (Christina Jankovitz and Terrie Hartman of Lotus and Lillies Wellness).
Body Positivity an Embracing the body we have, right now:
About body image, weight, flexibility or ability I hear things like:
I have had concerns about my body size, shape and flexibility and I appreciate that you don't praise or glorify skinniness or stretchiness. -sentiment conveyed by a few recent students
Yes, this is important. Many of us have trauma around body image, size, shape and function. I'm sorry that many have been to classes where outward body aspects have been glorified, shamed, or even promoted as the purpose or outcome of the class. This is not how we do things here, and I'm glad to create a healthier space.
Thank you for teaching in a bigger body, and using cues to help me understand how to bring yoga to my body.- M, another student.
You're welcome. I do not promote yoga as a weight loss, nor do I focus on weight. Nor do we focus on diet, though aspects of mindful eating come up, this is not about weight loss. I hope to always provide a healthy environment for this, and to not elicit trauma response in this capacity. I have lived in different body sizes and circumferences, and it is critical to be able to teach to these. Please, always let us know where we can do better!
Adaptations/ Modifications:
This is part of being in community and part of trauma-informed teaching: honoring your choice and voice and giving you options. While I've found a groove here, I am always working on getting better at this, and as I meet more students, I will learn from each of you!
Thanks for teaching with cues and props that give me different options based on my ability.- K, a recent student
Upside-Down Teaching in Yoga Class
In considering props, modifications and adaptations, I teach a bit upside-down. I think Upside-down teaching in yoga class can be right side up when teaching to create a brave space. With each of the poses or movements (called asanas), rather than teaching the super stretchy version of poses first, with the modifications following, I teach the modification first. I will teach the modified version, with props (see below), with options to go further. I will let you know where we are going, and then give options for how to find the pose in your body. You are welcome to go directly to the expression of the pose that fits you best.
Upside-down teaching in yoga class can be right side up- Kathryn
I also teach to the props:
Chairs, blocks, blankets, bolsters, straps for stretching. We will walk the props around with us as we do the poses on different parts of the mat.
Pose options (modifications/ adaptations) are not lesser versions.
They are the best version for your body, as it is at the time you are doing the pose.
Of course, the world is learning about this, and so am I. I am always looking to learn, so please let me know if you see a way I can improve.
What to expect- an invitation
Finally, I like to help create a brave space for you by inviting you to come early, or to have a bit of one-on-one time. I like to invite new students to an early arrival, and I've put together a "What to expect" email. We'll publish that soon, so you can see it before signing up. If you sign up for class and drop a note in the form, we'll send you that email. I do read your responses, and sometimes craft a class around specific needs.
I'l' see you soon!
Kathryn Para
RYT-200, RCYT, SEL*Facilitator (Breathe for Change)
Main Source: Breathe for Change
Kathryn Para's Trauma-Informed Training was with Breathe for Change and Yoga Ed. (now part of Breathe for change). Where she refers to principles, this is usually her reference. We're working on a reference sheet to send you to places where you can geek out like us.
If you are interested in training, click the link here, and see what they are about!
This is an affiliate link, for a company I fully believe in. Using this link may help pay for my tuition as I continue in their training. I have sent many people here, without an affiliate link.
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