Trauma-Aware vs Trauma-Informed - What’s the Difference and Why It Matters
There’s often confusion around the terms trauma-aware and trauma-informed — and while they’re closely connected, they’re not quite the same thing.
Understanding the difference can support us, as teachers and space-holders, move from good intentions into embodied action.
What It Means to Be Trauma-Aware
Being trauma-aware means acknowledging that trauma exists and that it can shape how people move, breathe, respond, or engage in a class.
It’s the awareness that anyone in the room could be carrying something unseen — physical, emotional, or psychological.
Trauma-aware teachers hold this awareness quietly in the background of their teaching.
They understand that what feels safe or grounding for one person might feel overwhelming for another, and they approach their classes with compassion and sensitivity.
Awareness is the first step.
It’s the moment we shift from assuming everyone in the room experiences safety in the same way, to recognising that safety is deeply individual.
What It Means to Be Trauma-Informed
Being trauma-informed goes a step further.
It’s about intentionally integrating that awareness into every part of how we teach — our language, our tone, our pacing, and the culture we create in the room.
For example:
A trauma-aware teacher might think, “Some people may not want to lie flat on their back.”
A trauma-informed teacher says,
“You’re invited to rest on your back, your side, or in any position you might like to explore.”
It’s a small shift, but one that changes the cue.
It replaces assumption with agency.
Being trauma-informed means teaching in a way that gives students permission to choose what feels right — without having to justify it.
It’s less about what shapes we guide people into and more about the language, tone, and intention behind the guidance.
It’s Not a Style — It’s an Approach
Trauma-informed yoga isn’t a special class or a new style; it’s an approach.
It can be woven into any class — flow, yin, restorative, power — through the words we use, the energy we hold, and the environment we create.
It’s not about removing joy, silence, or stillness.
It’s about offering these things as options, rather than expectations.
And it’s definitely not something we tick off once and move on from.
This work asks for ongoing reflection, feedback, and care — from ourselves and for our students.
You Don’t Need to Talk About Trauma
Being trauma-informed doesn’t mean talking about trauma in class.
It means creating conditions where people can feel safe enough to be in their bodies — to rest, to move, or to choose not to.
It’s teaching in a way that centres safety, choice, and agency — for everyone, regardless of what they’re carrying.
Why This Work Matters
Because every cue, every tone, every bit of language contributes to how a student feels in the space.
And when our words invite choice instead of command compliance, we begin to shift the power dynamic of teaching — from directing to inviting.
This work is simple, but not easy.
It requires consistency, self-awareness, and a willingness to keep learning.
But when we teach this way, we don’t just help people feel safe — we help them remember that they already are.
Want to learn more?
If you’re ready to understand why this work matters and how to bring it into your classes, you’ll love my short online course:
The Power of Language in Movement Spaces: From Directing to Inviting
A 60-minute self-paced course designed to help you teach with more awareness, clarity, and compassion — and create spaces that truly feel inclusive and supportive.
Just $40 for the month of October.
