2011 • NYS Psychologist - New York State Psychological Association

They were requested to find a comfortable seated position in
a chair, to keep their spine as straight as possible, and to shake
their hands as if trying to shake a “bug” off their body. Next the
children placed their hands palms up on their knees or thighs.
They closed their eyes and took long, deep breaths, as if they
were blowing out the candles on a birthday cake. They were
asked to feel the breath flowing in their bodies and to observe
how their body was feeling.
After a few minutes the children were guided to focus upon
their hands and to imagine that they were breathing through their
fingertips. They were directed to focus more on the tips of their
fingers as they began to feel the vibration of the breath (prâna)
flowing in and out. As they continued to concentrate on the prâna/
energy flowing into their hands and becoming weightless, the children
were encouraged to allow their hands to slowly float up from
their knees. They were reminded to keep focus on the feelings/
sensations in their hands and their breath as their hands began to
move.
After a few moments the children moved their hands towards
their face. Keeping their hands 1-2 inches away from their face,
they allowed their hands to move gently around their face, head,
and neck, giving their aura a prânic bath. Next the children were
asked to let their hands flow to an area of the body that needed
attention/healing. It was observed that children placed their hands
on their heart, forehead, and even the knees.
At the conclusion of the exercise, children discussed what
accessing prâna felt like for them. They revealed that heat and an
electrical pull were felt in their hands and facial features. Their
sensations varied from scary, weird, jerky, and shaky to sleepy
and calm. Two children were not able to experience the flow of
prâna. One child noticed that prâna did not flow evenly in his body
(Migdow, 1999).
Dinosaur imagery was used because dinosaurs are popular
with children. They learn about dinosaurs in school and through
the media. Dinosaurs’ huge body size, which includes long arms
and legs and large mouth, facial, and torso features fascinate
them. Children like to imitate dinosaurs’ squawking sounds and to
dramatize their fearlessness, especially lumbering through a forest
looking for food to survive.
The guided meditation was selected to provide a safe, enjoyable
opportunity for the children to explore their imagination about
being a dinosaur, and how their body felt after being a dinosaur,
and to stimulate the children’s potential to develop relaxation techniques,
especially under stress.
Outcome
Workshop feedback and observations were used to determine
the outcomes of the workshops. All age groups presented
an increase in awareness about physical and emotional responses
to trauma. Adults expressed better control and the feeling of
resiliency in accepting traumatic events. Children were more
spontaneous after participating in creative expressive and movement
activities (Wiener, 1999).
Conclusion
Yoga therapy can help people of all ages to heal after traumatic
events. It encourages the exploration of thoughts, feelings,
body sensations, and behaviors related to traumatic events in a
safe, supportive environment, recharging and healing the body
and mind and helping to restore it to a condition of harmony and
balance. Thus, Yoga Therapy can thus be an effective stressreducing
technique that provides the individual/s time and structure
for psychological integration and adaptation. Furthermore, I
encourage psychologists to utilized Yoga Therapy to help their
patients deal with symptoms of chronic Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (Neria, Y. et al., 2010; DiGrande et al., 2008). In closing,
Yoga Therapy is fitting to be a useful tool for psychologists who
continue to help the survivors of 9/11 and for others suffering from
PSTD, for example our military men and women returning from
Afghanistan and Iraq Wars.
Additional Workshops
Child Study Teams of the Department of Special Education. ( 2002)
Psychological First-Aid for Post-Traumatic Stress Reactions: Helping
Children and Teachers Heal. Psychological Intervention in the Aftermath
of Trauma. New Jersey.
New York State Psychological Association (2002-2004). Committee
on Disaster Relief.
Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ (2003). Psychology and Spirituality.
University of Dentistry and Medicine. (2002, Winter). Healing and
Recovery after Trauma—Project Hart. Led groups of children and
families in the county of Hudson in the communities of Bayonne, Hoboken,
and Jersey City.
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Vol. XXIII No. 2 • Fall 2011 • NYS Psychologist