Highlands in Bloom is a licensed residential treatment center in Agoura Hills, California. Our clinical program is developed and overseen by Clinical Program Director Stacy McNeal, PhD, LMFT and Medical Director and Psychiatrist Dr. Todd Hill. Yoga at Highlands in Bloom is delivered as a trauma-informed somatic practice focused on nervous system regulation, body awareness, breathwork integration, and the release of tension and stored emotional material held in the body.
Yoga as Clinical Practice
Trauma-informed yoga adapts traditional yoga practice to the specific needs and sensitivities of individuals who have experienced trauma, chronic stress, or nervous system dysregulation. Rather than focusing on physical achievement, flexibility, or athletic performance, trauma-informed yoga prioritizes safety, choice, present-moment body awareness, and the development of a compassionate relationship with one’s own physical experience. It recognizes that the body holds the residue of trauma and chronic stress in the form of muscular tension, postural patterns, breath restriction, and nervous system dysregulation, and that gentle, intentional movement can access and begin to release this stored material in ways that cognitive therapy alone cannot reach.
Yoga and Nervous System Regulation
The combination of movement, breath, and present-moment awareness that characterizes yoga practice produces direct and documented effects on the autonomic nervous system. Yoga activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reduces cortisol, lowers heart rate and blood pressure, improves heart rate variability, and supports the shift from sympathetic activation to the rest and regulation state that is impaired in anxiety, PTSD, burnout, and chronic stress. Regular yoga practice has been shown to increase vagal tone and improve the nervous system’s capacity to regulate its own activation and recovery over time.
Yoga and Autoimmune Conditions
Research on yoga in autoimmune and chronic illness populations has documented benefits for pain management, fatigue reduction, inflammatory marker reduction, quality of life, and psychological wellbeing across conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and lupus. The gentle, adaptable nature of trauma-informed yoga makes it accessible for clients whose physical capacity is limited by pain, fatigue, or inflammation. Classes at Highlands in Bloom are specifically adapted to the physical realities of clients managing autoimmune conditions, ensuring that yoga is a supportive and therapeutic practice rather than a source of additional physical strain.
Yoga at Highlands in Bloom
Yoga classes at Highlands in Bloom are offered as a structured component of the residential program, facilitated by experienced instructors trained in yoga approaches. Classes are designed to be accessible to all participants regardless of prior experience or physical capacity, with no expectation of prior yoga experience. Yoga is integrated with breathwork, somatic awareness, and mindfulness practices throughout the residential program as a support for nervous system regulation and whole-body recovery.
FAQs
Do I need yoga experience to participate at Highlands in Bloom?
No prior yoga experience is required. Classes at Highlands in Bloom are accessible to complete beginners. The emphasis is on present-moment body awareness and nervous system regulation, not physical achievement or flexibility.
Is yoga safe for clients with autoimmune conditions?
Yoga at Highlands in Bloom is specifically adapted for clients with physical limitations, pain, and the fatigue that commonly accompanies autoimmune conditions. Modifications are available for all poses and instructors are trained to work with the physical realities of chronic illness presentations.
How does yoga help with PTSD?
Research on yoga and PTSD has demonstrated meaningful reductions in PTSD symptoms through yoga’s effects on nervous system regulation, body awareness, and the integration of trauma stored in the body. Yoga provides a non-verbal pathway to processing trauma that complements the cognitive and emotional work of clinical therapy.
Is yoga at Highlands in Bloom religious or spiritual?
Yoga at Highlands in Bloom is offered as a somatic and nervous system regulation practice grounded in its physiological and psychological benefits. It is not framed as a religious or spiritual practice and is adapted to be accessible for clients of all backgrounds and belief systems.
Take the First Step
Highlands in Bloom accepts clients from across California and the United States. Our admissions team is available daily for a complimentary, confidential clinical consultation. Call us at (805) 892-6313 or visit highlandsinbloom.com/contact. We are in-network with Blue Shield of California and Aetna and accept most major PPO plans.