As part of Loyola Marymount University’s recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, LMU CARES is offering a special trauma-informed yoga class on April 21, 2025, from 11 a.m. – noon PDT on O’Malley Lawn. The class will be led by Abigail Gawart, a graduate student from Chesterfield, Missouri, studying clinical mental health counseling, who brings both personal passion and professional experience to her teaching practice.
For Gawart, yoga has always been about more than just movement. After completing her 500-hour certified yoga instructor class, paired with 200 hours of vinyasa training and 300 hours of hatha yoga training in Southeast Asia, she felt called to explore trauma-informed practices, an approach that recognizes the body doesn’t always catch up to your mind in processing emotions. “I was already a yoga teacher and then I decided that I wanted to become a psychotherapist,” she said. “I found that a lot of what I was learning at LMU through learning how to be a therapist and how to create a safe experience for bodies really lent itself well to yoga. I ended up getting some additional training so that I can do yoga that’s strictly therapeutic.”
Unlike a traditional yoga class, trauma-informed yoga focuses less on perfect poses and more on choice, breath, and body awareness. The language is invitational rather than directive, allowing students to move or rest in whatever way feels best. “Everything is invitational,” Gawart explained. “It’s really an experimental place to play around with movement, whereas in a traditional yoga class, you’re being told what to do.”
The class is designed to connect with LMU’s Student EXP pillar of integrating mind, body, and spirit, intentionally connecting the layers of who we are. Beyond that, Gawart hopes the class provides something simple yet powerful. “I hope that folks will take away that yoga can be a really beautiful way to connect with yourself and a really beautiful way to move through challenging experiences.”
For anyone who might feel nervous about trying yoga for the first time, especially in a trauma-informed setting, Gawart recommends that you listen to your body. “Trust your inner wisdom and if it feels like it’s something scary, but doable, show up.” For those who are interested in attending the class, wear comfortable clothes, bring an open mind (and a yoga mat), and come exactly as they are. No previous yoga experience is required.
Outside of LMU, Gawart continues to deepen her yoga journey. She’ll be teaching a yoga-teacher training this summer with YogaSix in Culver City, California, starting June 5, and welcomes anyone interested in progressing their yoga journey to reach out. RSVP to her trauma-informed yoga class on LEO here.
