Student Testimonial: Jessa | Mexico Training

I started getting into yoga as a young teen, about 13. During this period in my life, I was highly competitive with myself and would take classes that guaranteed a workout – “power yoga” was the class I usually attended – and I stuck with it regularly for 6 years. I remember by 16 I knew I would one day take a YTT training, even if I had no intention of teaching full time – I just felt that it was something I needed to do. Then at almost 19, my life changed drastically, and I was no longer doing yoga. My anxiety was high, life was hectic – and things that normally brought me joy or inner peace I found no time for anymore. I was also a couple of years into taking antidepressants, which served as a band aid to past traumas and ongoing mental health challenges that I did not have the time to face.

Fast forward a few years, and yoga was still in the back of my mind. I began researching the various training available. With my hectic school and work schedule, I knew I wouldn’t be able to take a month off to do my certification, but the thought of doing a fully online program didn’t sit well with me either – I had always dreamed of the fully immersive experience. With my background in harm reduction, mental health, and working with folks who use substances, as well as my education in social work, I also loved the idea of incorporating yoga into therapeutic measures.

Stumbling across School Yoga’s hybrid trauma-informed 200-hour YTT felt like it was pulled straight out of my imagination – perfect for what I was looking for! I was nervous, but I reached out, and long story short I was eventually booked, set for beautiful Mar de Jade in Chacala, Mexico, October 2024. Earlier in the year leading up to it, I tapered off my antidepressants and ultimately ended up experiencing excruciating protracted withdrawal, which turned my world upside down. I had to relearn how to regulate my nervous system and find ways to manage my symptoms. Two things saved me that year – hiking, and yoga. Finally, I found myself back in a regular routine with yoga, and I felt adequately prepared for my training! Unlike a decade prior, I was no longer striving to be the most “athletic”, the most “advanced” person I could be in class; rather, it was about being present for myself, meeting myself where I was and taking it one moment at a time. I connected to the more spiritual, mindful part of yoga than I had before. And as the trauma-informed framework would teach me, meeting myself where I am is fundamental to trauma-informed practice. It is not about being able to bend the furthest, holding a steady headstand, keeping “perfect” angles, instead it’s about showing up, and honoring what our bodies are capable of.

When I applied for the YTT, I was excited to learn that they offered inclusive scholarships for students, including members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Being eligible for a scholarship, I applied, and I was ecstatic to learn I was approved!

Participating in the training was a once in a lifetime experience. The group initially met online for a couple of weeks over zoom, and then we flew to Mexico for the final 10 days. The group was very supportive of one another, and the resort was set in a very rural area, with beautiful landscapes nestled right by the ocean. While incredible, nothing beat the food that we had. Recipes so incredible, we requested them after!

Overall, it was an amazing experience and prepared me for a future of teaching yoga through a trauma-informed lens. Ideally, I would love to incorporate the knowledge I have gained into my own future social work practice. I also hope to combine it with my experience of psychiatric medication withdrawal and mental health struggles and utilize trauma-informed yoga to support others going through similar experiences. Thank you, School Yoga Institute! I look forward to joining you again in the future for my trauma-informed 300-hour training!