Art of Holding Space: Trauma Sensitive Practices for Facilitators

A practical workshop for facilitators to explore the nuances of holding space with sensitivity to trauma.

Holding space has become common in the past two decades with the rise of yoga, movement, sound, and other healing art practices. However, most training does not include the sensitivity of handling trauma. It is inevitable for traumatic material to emerge during these environments. How do we manage that appropriately?

Holding space or facilitation brings up a power dynamic that needs to be discussed, acknowledged, and navigated with reverence. How do we handle cultural and racial sensitivities? What is contextually appropriate in the spaces we are working within? What are ways to integrate consent and boundaries in localised community building settings?

In this workshop we will explore the layered nuances of facilitation, discuss power dynamics. and the importance of choice in preparing, holding space for, and integrating empowering spaces.

There will be emphasis on the intelligence of the body through basics of embodiment and somatics, how our bodies development in the womb (embryology), ancestral and evolutionary influences imprinted in our bodies, spinal dynamics as the home of our nervous system (craniosacral), and potential components for recovery and rebalancing to support holistic well-being.

We will dive into a more intricate understanding of trauma and our central nervous system, trauma within the cultural context of Singapore/Asia, the potential lingering impact of trauma on the body; and how this can impact our work as a facilitator.

Languaging, setting boundaries, and shaping our ethical values as facilitators will be an active and engaging component. We aim to offer a perspective on the skills needed to navigate complex facilitation scenarios with integrity and compassion.

By the end of the workshop, participants leave with a deeper understanding of trauma-sensitive practices, along with practical references to support their ongoing application of these principles in their work.

We intend for this workshop to be an active collective process to unfold the valuable tools for facilitating in a way that expresses embodied empathy and nuanced somatic awareness for collective care and healing.

Who is this for?

• Facilitators, community organisers, yoga instructors, movement practitioners, sound healers, and individuals in healing arts practices
• People interested in holding space with sensitivity to trauma and integrating trauma-sensitive practices for groups or individuals
• Facilitators working within diverse communities, with a focus on Singapore/Asia
  Professionals seeking to navigate complex facilitation scenarios with integrity and compassion
• Emphasises creating safe and empowering spaces through incorporation of consent, boundaries, and trauma-sensitive approaches