Bearing Burdens
My journey with yoga started at age 23 out of sheer necessity. I found myself desperately looking for tools to manage my own stress, which was a result of working as a sexual assault crisis coordinator right out of college. I was faced daily with the trauma of assault and abuse; spending many days and nights in the emergency room providing first responder support to women, men, and children who had just survived horrific experiences. I would often be called to the ER in the middle of the night to support a client during their examination and then turn around and spend a “normal” work day fielding crisis hotline calls, helping my clients through hours of questioning by detectives, and accompanying survivors of assault to court hearings. Less than two years into the job and suddenly I felt that my life was not my own. Not only was I surrounded by the trauma of others, but I was also growing keenly aware of how traumatic my own life had been, specifically my childhood. I found myself struggling with sleeplessness, poor digestion, a severe startle response, and a sense of disconnect from my then partner. I was experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress, similar to those of my clients.
Finding Freedom
A coworker took me to my first yoga class, which was held in the attic of a busy restaurant and was taught by a lovely, soft-spoken, 75-year-old woman named Jan. Who, for the record, did not look a day over 60. She taught a gentle/restorative class over the sounds of couple’s laughter and clanking silverware coming from the restaurant below. I left that first class in tears, feeling grief stricken for my clients and for myself. It was the first time in years that I was actually able to feel myself, to experience my body, and to see just how much I was suffering. My nervous system’s response to the trauma that I saw first hand and heard stories about everyday had kicked in a protective defense mechanism so powerful that I hadn’t been profoundly “in” my body for months, maybe even years. That meant that being guided to get in touch with my body again during that first class brought it all rushing to the surface. For me, it proved to be overwhelming, painful, and yet somehow incredibly validating.
The yoga class was the only one in town, so I showed up every week to “lay around on the floor and breathe”, which is how Jan described her classes. That little restaurant attic was where I began to feel more freedom in my breath and body than I had in my whole life. But, I also found myself yearning to know myself more deeply. I credit those few months spent in the little attic “lying around on the floor breathing” for wakening my passion for learning about trauma, how the body stores our experiences, and how to ultimately experience freedom. And more importantly, it ignited the desire to finally know myself.
Fast-forward nearly 18 years (and a whole lot of education, self healing, and experience) later, I’m still just as inspired and passionate about learning, growing, and sharing the science of the human organism through the practice of yoga and trauma release. The Neurogenic Yoga and TRE Dual Certification Program is a culmination of the vast work and experience of Dr. David Berceli, myself, and my colleague, Maria Alfaro. We’ve carefully developed a high-level, cutting edge training program that dives into the science of the nervous system, trauma recovery, and tension and trauma release methods while providing a safe and professional learning environment for all of our participants.
We invite you to join us if you are a yoga instructor who is excited to learn how to competently and confidently facilitate tension and trauma release in your private or group sessions, are ready to take your personal and professional practice to the next level by earning certificates in two revolutionary tension and trauma recovery methods, and love learning and are ready to receive professional coaching and mentoring by highly educated and experienced trainers.
Schedule your consultation/entrance interview HERE!
Jennica Mills, MSW, E-RYT 200
(E) jennica@neurogenicyoga.com
(P) (480) 223-8686
www.jennicamills.com
www.neurogenicyoga.com
Neurogenic Yoga
Neurogenic Yoga™ is a revolutionary technique in trauma healing and stress reduction.
This practice combines yoga asana and pranayama with the body’s natural, therapeutic shaking response. This shaking response in humans, much the same as the instinctual shaking in animals, is the nervous system’s way of discharging long-held tension and trauma, or unconscious muscle contraction in order to restore the body to wholeness. When the nervous system identifies threat, vibration or shaking in the body is designed to occur automatically. However, negative social constructs and beliefs around what it means to allow ourselves to shake, tremor, or show vulnerability, condition us out of this innate release mechanism at a very early age. Neurogenic Yoga reawakens our body’s intrinsic release mechanism for optimal health.
Neurogenic Yoga is a simple, gentle and profound practice that facilities the lengthening and relaxation of the psoas muscle and the release of physical and emotional stress and tension. During a Neurogenic Yoga™ practice, we safely self induce therapeutic vibration using yoga postures and breath. Often vibration begins in the legs and may spread throughout the entire body. This method is based on Dr. David Berceli’s technique of Trauma Releasing Exercises® (TRE®).
If you are a yoga teacher interested in training in Neurogenic Yoga, please contact Jennica directly.
About Jennica
Jennica Mills, MSW, E-RYT has extensive experience in facilitation of body-based therapies, trauma recovery, and sexual wellness. Her techniques give way to a unique perspective on how we can experience physical, emotional, and mental freedom.
Guided by the premise that we already contain the power to heal, be inspired, and experience connectedness, Jennica’s approach is designed to tap into the body’s innate intelligence to release stress and tension patterns that inhibit us from experiencing our fullness.
She holds a Masters in Social Work and is the co-founder of Neurogenic Yoga. She is an experienced Yoga Teacher, Sexual Wellness Coach, TRE Global Provider, and Tantra teacher. Jennica travels the globe leading certification trainings in Neurogenic Yoga and facilitates workshops in sexual wellness and trauma recovery. She maintains a private practice working with individuals and couples in Southern California.
Jennica is known for creating an easeful and safe environment for deep and powerful work while providing innovative tools and methods for transformation.