Fitness for Healing: Trauma-Informed Approaches

Help clients feel safe through movement 

The National Council for Behavioral Health estimates that 70% of adults in the U.S.A. have experienced some type of trauma-related event at least once in their lives. And more than two-thirds of children have reported at least one traumatic event by age 16. While we may not know the exact cause of someone’s trauma or all the specifics they experience, we, as certified health and fitness professionals, can understand how to better interact, support, and assist people in their healing process.

In this panel discussion, experts in the areas of trauma and trauma-informed fitness techniques address the impact of death, accidents, and other traumatic life events, how that may show up in client relationships, and how you can create positive interactions. For some clients, simply being in the fitness space may be a traumatic or triggering event. Ultimately, you’ll learn how to mitigate difficult scenarios while remaining within your scope of practice and maintaining a supportive relationship with your clients.

Meet the panel:

Mariah Rooney, MSW, LICSW, Co-Founder/Co-Director of Trauma Informed Weight Lifting

Mariah’s writing and research have explored trauma-informed approaches to weight lifting, posttraumatic outcomes among combat veterans with histories of interpersonal violence, and trauma-sensitive education. 

Chelsea Haverly, LCSW-C, Creative Director of Hope Ignited, Co-Founder of Anchored Hope Therapy, LLC, clinical social worker and certified Victim Assistant Specialist, III through the State of Maryland

Chelsea specializes in trauma-informed organizational change management, creating safe and secure work environments, and managing complex change at the personal, professional and interpersonal levels to mitigate burnout. 

Bill Brown, C-IAYT, Executive Director of Prison Yoga Project (PYP)

Bill oversees PYP, a non-profit organization that supports trauma healing and resilience building for people impacted by the criminal justice system, including incarcerated people, staff, and their friends and families, through yoga and embodied mindfulness practices. 

Upon completion, you will be able to:

• Understand what trauma is and how it may manifest in clients within a fitness space
• Recognize different types of common trauma responses
• Explore trauma-informed approaches for your client sessions while remaining within your scope of practice
• Consider more inclusive fitness approaches to support all clients on their fitness journeys