Health and human service providers have expressed growing interest in the benefits of yoga to help individuals cope with the effects of trauma, including anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite the growing popularity and strong appeal of yoga, providers must be mindful of the limited evidence regarding the efficacy of yoga in treating trauma effects as well as trauma-related mental health symptoms and illnesses. Therefore, the current research seeks to answer the question: Is trauma sensitive yoga an effective intervention for survivors of sexual violence?
My proposed doctoral research aims to examine the effectiveness of a trauma-sensitive yoga intervention with survivors of sexual violence both face-to-face and online through a mixed-methods design.
I am a highly skilled and dedicated registered psychologist and researcher, providing treatment plans for clients with varying mental health disorders, while specialising in survivors of sexual violence. Earlier in my career, I was awarded a scholarship from the Government of Japan to represent New Zealand on the Ship for World Youth – Global Leadership Programme.