How to Heal Trauma Through Movement with Tracy Lynn
There is freedom in moving our bodies. Movement can be a catalyst to better understand your body and yourself. Through moving, you can feel, heal, and express. Whichever modality of movement you choose—yoga, dance, or even martial arts—you can connect with your body and allow yourself to be who you want to be. These can even help you learn how to heal trauma.
In today's episode, Tracy Lynn shares with us her experience with dance, yoga, and movement. She explains how movement has allowed her to gain more freedom, hold more space, and express herself better. She also shares with us the value of permitting ourselves to feel the emotions that come up within us. Doing so allows us to break out of the boundaries set by the systems of capitalism, patriarchy, and perfectionism. Tracy reminds us that we can show up for ourselves through movement and other tools that can help us feel and do better.
Listen to this episode if you want to know more about how to heal trauma by connecting with your body and self through movement!
Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:
Understand why movement can help you connect deeper with yourself.
Learn why movement can teach you how to heal trauma.
Understand the importance of letting go of perfection and allowing yourself to feel different emotions.
Resources
Connect with Tracy: Website | Email | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok
When The Body Says No by Gabor Maté M.D.
Quit Like A Woman by Holly Whitaker
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Episode Highlights
Tracy’s History with Movement
Movement has always been a part of Tracy’s life. It took time for her to transform it into what she now refers to as ‘an act of self-love.’
She shares the pressure she felt and the experience of growing up as a child of Olympic-level swimmers.
Tracy says that what she does now is a ritual; it’s a mash-up of different movement styles as a means of healing.
Re-learning to Connect with the Body
Tracy used to have zero regard for her body. But after getting sober, Tracy developed a new connection with her body through dance and movement.
She used to have an all-or-nothing mentality. After going through extremes, she realized she does not have to settle in one place or live her life in perfection.
Healing does not have to be done the way it’s shown on social media; the process is different for everyone.
Showing Up for Yourself
Movement can be used as a modality for healing. It can help if you’re looking for a way on how to heal trauma.
However, being knowledgeable about what you can do does not make you immune to feeling down.
It’s important to create an ecosystem in your life where you can show up for yourself and do the things that make you feel better.
Emotions Amidst the Pandemic
The pandemic has left us to collectively feel overwhelmed. Others have also felt a sort of absence.
Many have also experienced existential crises because of the pandemic.
We should allow ourselves to feel all our feelings and emotions. Otherwise, we may succumb to sickness.
Creating Space for What Matters to You
For many, the pandemic has certainly been a catalyst to re-examine and change aspects of their lives.
Similarly for Tracy, the pandemic has allowed her to learn how to hold people accountable for the trauma she’s experienced.
She was able to create space for the incredible reality she’s experiencing now.
Tune in to the podcast to hear more about the experiences and changes Tracy made in her life.
How to Heal Trauma
Tracy goes by her gut and intuition once she feels she is no longer in a safe space.
Remember that as we look for ways on how to heal trauma, there is no one correct way.
Tracy realized she can learn how to heal trauma by trying different means to dig into her untapped feelings and emotions.
The past few months have taught Tracy that there’s a lot of freedom in change, and anything and everything is subject to change.
Movement through Yoga
Tracy’s favorite thing about being a teacher is watching people unapologetically become themselves.
Yoga helps people become healthier, create better coping mechanisms, and gain more trust in themselves.
Yoga and movement enabled Tracy to be who she wanted to be.
Part of yoga is cultivating discernment to know what to do when you’re not on the safety of your mat or cushion.
Permit Yourself to Mess Up
Tracy emphasizes the importance of letting go of perfectionism.
Explore the tools that can help you discover more about how your body communicates with you.
Doing so helps you gain a deeper understanding of yourself by going beyond the body layer and trappings of the ego.
Allow yourself to feel even the uncomfortable.
Reflections on Yoga
Tracy notes that yoga is presented differently in the West.
She wants people to understand that the yoga and movements she teaches are not hers.
These are borrowed movements that she alchemizes in her body and uses to gain more freedom, self, breath, and space.
Committing to the Recovery Process
It’s important to embody what you preach and be yourself through the tools that help you align with your highest self.
It’s also crucial to constantly practice introspection and reflection.
Make an inventory of how, what, and why you’re doing the things you’re doing.
Be open to your authentic self.
How Tracy Feels Radically Loved
Tracy’s partner reminds her that no matter what she wants to do, she just has to start, to just be, and to just learn in the process.
Tracy sees the ultimate act of self-love as accepting herself as she’s doing this.
5 Powerful Quotes from This Episode
[07:41] “I can dance between both areas; I can vacillate; I can be here or there; I can fall apart and pick myself back up. And that’s kind of been my most healing transition. It’s realizing that I don’t need to look at [healing] through the lenses of perfection.”
[12:05] “Illness happens in us when we don’t let ourselves feel [or] when we suppress emotion.”
[22:22] “You can change; you can shift. And there’s a lot of freedom in that.”
[23:38] “Doing this yoga or this movement enables me to be who I wanted to be—who I suppressed, who I silenced, who I was afraid of putting out there. Because I honestly feel like our ultimate motivation for a lot of things is to actually just be connected to people.”
[30:38] “The way that I’ve alchemized [the movements] in my body as a traumatized person, as a person that’s been drug-addicted, as a person that’s been sexually abused and assaulted, and how it helped me just get a little bit freer, and get a little more fucking space, to breathe and be myself. To be the weirdo that I am.”
About Tracy
Tracy Lynn is a teacher, mover, and body explorer. She teaches and performs different styles of movement from modern dancing to martial arts, yoga, and more. For her, movement allows her to feel and connect with herself and with other people. Through the movements she teaches and shares, she hopes others can unapologetically be themselves.
Visit Tracy’s website to know more about her and what she does. You can also check her out on various social media platforms seen in the Resources section.
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