This retreat is designed for a broad spectrum of participants:  yoga students (new and experienced), yoga teachers, therapists, trauma workers, survivors and any individual interested in trauma-informed yogic practices. 

Yoga Instructors: earn a Yoga Alliance CE approved 50 hour Trauma-Informed Yoga Certification that allows you to teach Trauma-Informed Yoga classes.

Licensed Therapists: earn 30 Indiana CE Hours for LMHC, LCSW, LMFT in Using Yoga to Heal Trauma.  If you live outside the state of Indiana, you may request your home state licensing board to approve these credits.

Participants:  Learn to use the practices of Healing Trauma with Yoga for your own personal healing journey.  You do not need to be a professional to attend this retreat; it is designed for all. 

The retreat provides an overview and understanding of what trauma is, how it affects us, how to use yoga as part of the healing process, and how to incorporate components of trauma-informed yoga into your life, classes, or clinical practice. We will also cover the benefits of trauma-informed yoga for students who are not necessarily traumatized but who are experiencing everyday or chronic stress. We will focus all of our practices on healing and regulating ourselves from stress and trauma.

USE DISCOUNT CODE "EARLYBIRD" AT CHECKOUT TO RECEIVE $200 OFF UNTIL SEPTEMBER 15, 2022.

During the day, wake up with morning breath work, meditation and healing yoga in the yoga hall, cooled by ocean breezes.  Yoga is followed by a scrumptious, plant-based breakfast featuring local exotic fruits.  Then dive into experiential workshops that teach you how to bring trauma-informed awareness into your life.  Later, there is time to soak in the salt water pool or explore white sand beaches, peaceful harbors and rocky shorelines; go hiking (in many different ecosystems), snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing or kayaking.  Enjoy a delicious lunch, visit colorful local festivals, historical and ecological tours and much more.  Return to a gentle, therapeutic yoga class in the afternoon to unwind from a day of relaxing, Caribbean style.

In the evening we gather in the oceanview gallery porch for dining on a sumptuous gourmet 100% plant-based dinner prepared from local organic produce while the sun sets beautifully behind the water.  Then enjoy our evening trauma-informed program or additional evening activities such as therapeutic yoga, dancing, star gazing, or free time.

Denise Hyble, LMFT, LMHC, RYT200

Denise’s approach as a yoga teacher is to help people feel connected to their body, quiet their minds, stimulate a healthy nervous system, and release tension in the body caused by stress, anxiety, or trauma.  Denise teaches gentle, mindful yoga. She sees yoga as a means of listening to the truths of our bodies rather than only the “shoulds” of our brains.  Her teaching technique uses a combination of gentle asanas, breathwork, meditation, and somatic yoga.


Denise is also a gestalt psychotherapist in private practice specializing in trauma and PTSD work. Healing from trauma has been her focus and her passion both on the yoga mat and in the therapist’s chair.   She is trained in Yoga to Transform Trauma, TRE (Trauma and Tension Releasing Exercises),  Neurogenic Yoga, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Emotional Freedom Technique, Gestalt Physical Process, Restorative Yoga and Embodied Life.  Denise also created and teaches an online series on Yoga for Stress, Anxiety, and Depression.

Having raised two adult sons, she now lives in Bloomington with her husband, dog, and cat. In her spare time Denise can be found gardening or knitting. 

Matece Skow, CMT, E-RYT500

Matece Skow, Founder of Nourishing Heart Yoga, has been fostering compassionate growth and healing for students and clients for the past 24 years. She facilitates safe and nurturing environments for the transformation of body and heart through the practices of yoga, breathwork, meditation, essential oils, hands-on healing, and massage.

Matece directs and teaches the Nourishing Heart Yoga 200 Hour and 300 Advanced Hour Yoga Teacher Training programs.  By design, she works with small groups, so as to develop close relationships with students and trainees. She devotes her attention and energy to meeting students where they are, helping each individual experience yoga in their own way, according to their own understanding and capability.

An avid traveler, Matece has led numerous international and domestic retreats and trainings.  Through her travels and online yoga classes, she has had the pleasure of sharing yoga with people all over the globe.  Returning to the midwest from northern California where she taught and studied yoga in the Silicon Valley for 8 years,  she currently enjoys the adventure of being more rooted in her town of Bloomington, Indiana, with her husband and young son.

If you choose to participate in the training component of this retreat you will obtain not only an intellectual understanding of trauma and Trauma-Informed yoga, but also the ability to offer Trauma-Informed Yoga classes to a variety of populations.  You will also achieve a more profound awareness of the self, which is integral to the effectiveness of all types of therapeutic yoga classes. If you are not a yoga teacher, this training will provide you with skills you can use with patients and/or clients.  If you are not a therapist or a trauma worker it will help you to discover methods for your own self-regulation.

Through lecture, self-inquiry, group discussion, asana practice and breath work we will cover:

• What trauma is and how it is expressed in the body
• Types of trauma and adverse childhood experiences, and how the nervous system and mind rewire in response to these traumatic events
• What trauma-informed yoga is and is not
• Symptoms of trauma and applicable trauma-informed practices to support nervous system regulation
• The significance of the vagus nerve in trauma and the role yoga plays in its ability to function optimally
• Holding space in the seat of the teacher 
• Trauma-informed teaching tools and cues to create a safe and sacred place for students to heal
• Breath awareness and practices, and its relation to trauma-informed yoga
• The importance of heart­-rate variability (HRV) on the body’s ability to manage stress
• How tremoring (Neurogenic Yoga) can help us heal from trauma and stress
• Resource growing to induce the relaxation response and support nervous system regulation. Will include but not limited to these topics: boundaries, embodiment, sound/mantras, chakras/nadis,  Bhavana, Sankalpa, and more

As this retreat is designed for a broad spectrum of participants:  yoga students (new and experienced), yoga teachers, therapists, trauma workers, survivors and any individual interested in trauma-informed yogic practices, there are two different ways you can participate.  

How it works:  the Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training Certification is a total of 50 hours.  30 hours happen during the retreat and those who wish to earn their certificate in Trauma Informed Yoga may then complete an additional 20 hours of online education with Denise and Matece, post-retreat.

Participant Path: this is someone who is coming on the retreat for their own personal knowledge and healing journey with no intention to share the information in a professional setting.  All classes and workshops are optional.  The 30 hours of Trauma-Informed Yoga Training are included within the retreat with no additional cost.

Certificate Path: this is someone who would like to become a certified Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher and share Trauma-Informed Yoga in a professional setting, whether that is teaching Trauma-Informed Yoga classes or sharing the techniques of Trauma-Informed Yoga with clients in their professional practice.  The 30 hours of Trauma-Informed Yoga training included during the retreat are required as well as an additional 20 hours after the retreat of online training and homework.  For those seeking certification, there is a $300 fee associated with the additional training hours.  When registering, you will see this as an "Add-On". 

Accreditation for Therapists: 

Using Yoga to Heal Trauma. 

30 Indiana CE Hours for LMHC, LCSW, LMFT provided by and in partnership with Inner Resources Training Institute.

Inner Resources Training Institute is an approved provider for: 
The Indiana Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapist, and Mental Health Counselor. Boards have approved this organization to provide category 1 continuing education units for LSWs, LCSWs, LMFTs, and LMHCs. Provider # 98000765A 

Association for Play Therapy Approved Provider #07-200

To ensure that the credits you receive are applicable for your purposes, please contact the agencies for which you are seeking credit directly. You must attend the entire session to receive credit, no partial credit will be issued. Inner Resources Training Institute follows all CE guidelines and maintains responsibility for the program. 
Cost of CE $25

Accreditation for Yoga Teachers: 
The program is accredited by Yoga Alliance as 40 Contact and 10 Non-Contact CE hours.  

Students will demonstrate the following as evidence of successful completion of the Nourishing Heart Yoga Trauma-Informed Training and Retreat.

Retreat:

• Fulfillment of all required class time during the identified dates 
• Complete all Journal (Daily Reflection) assignments after each day of training

Onsite Training Total Time = 30 hours

Independent Post-Retreat within three (3) months of training dates: 

• Complete Journal Exercise (Daily Reflection) after each day of Onsite Training - (approx 1.5 hour) 
• Complete the Required Reading assignments identified in the manual under “Works Cited” -(approx 11 hours) 
• Complete a one page written book review for all required reading assignments -  (approx 1.5 hours) 
• Compile a specific and comprehensive listing of targeted organizations, agencies within your local area that provide trauma recovery and/or related services, i.e., safe shelters for victims of domestic violence, Special Victim’s Units, rape crisis centers, children’s centers, centers providing low/no cost medical or mental health services in under-served areas. List a minimum of 10-12 agencies - (approx 2 hours) 
• Compile a specific and comprehensive listing of local therapists within your area that provide individual mental health services with trauma specialization for use as referral resources. List a minimum of 10-12 individuals that provide a diversification of traits including gender, race, LGBT, sliding fee and/or payer assistance, etc. - (approx 2 hours) 
• Complete two online course units on the Mighty Network. - (approx 2 hours) 
• Provide all of the above in addition to a copy of your Yoga Teacher Certification 
• Follow the Yamas & Niyamas as evident in our personal words and actions 

Independent Post-Retreat Time = 20 hours

Total Retreat & Post–Retreat Time =  50 Hours

We will offer a few included adventures during the week in which you will be welcome to participate: 

Snorkel lesson

Guided snorkel along Frederiksted Pier

Guided nighttime snorkel along Fredreiksted Pier

Swimming and sunning at Rainbow Beach

Shopping/dining trip to Christiansted that includes a yoga class and an organic fruit smoothie at the local’s yoga studio

Guided snorkel of the Coral Restoration Project in Butler Bay

Basketweaving class

Historical walking tour of Butler Estate

All this adventure will flow beautifully with our daily program. 

You can expect a wonderful flow to your days.  There will be opportunities to practice trauma-informed yoga and meditation at least once daily, with a spacious balance of personal time to truly relax, let the teachings sink in, and enjoy the island pace of life.

This location was chosen for the retreat specifically because it is on the quiet side of the island, away from distractions and tourists.  If you are hoping for a week of reconnecting with yourself, with the ocean, with spirit, then this retreat is for you.  If you are hoping to learn the invaluable healing techniques of trauma-informed yoga either for your own personal healing journey or to share with others, then this retreat is for you.  The emphasis will be on slowing down, resting, and rejuvenating the body, mind, and heart while enjoying the serenity of the pristine natural ocean environment.

We will focus all of our practices on healing and regulating ourselves from stress and trauma.

Throughout the week you can expect to practice trauma-informed yoga that is gentle, beginner-friendly, contemplative, and easeful.  No prior yoga experience is necessary.  If you have been practicing for a while, you will enjoy the slow pace of the classes that allow for tremendous depth and exploration in the postures. 

The breath work and meditation practices are accessible and straightforward.  The focus will be on depth and cultivating a mindful presence through open and loving awareness.  Journaling and writing will also be woven throughout the week as well.  

Savor three organic, vegan, plant-based gourmet catered meals daily:

•A Full Breakfast; fresh exotic, local fruits; coffee & tea; fresh squeezed juices and smoothies; and baked goods

•A Tropical lunch daily all prepared from fresh local produce.

•A Two Course dinner each evening with dessert.

All food is vegan. 

We can accommodate allergies & sensitivities, please make sure to list them when you sign up.

Feather Leaf Inn is a short 30 minutes drive from Henry E Rohlnson Airport (STX). 

American Airlines is the main carrier to St. Croix, though you can find flights on other carriers.

Roundtrip transfers from the airport are included at no additional charge.

Transportation on arrival and departure day will be made according to the flight schedule of our participants. We will do our best to keep your wait at the airport to a minimum!

All prices listed are per person.

•If you are traveling with friends, please write in the comments section of your checkout, whom you would like to room with.

•If you are traveling alone, we are happy to pair you in shared accommodations.

If you intend to become certified in Trauma-Informed Yoga, you will need to complete an additional 20 hours of online education and homework.  There is an additional $300 fee to cover these additional hours.  This option will be available to you at check out as an "Add On" option.

USE DISCOUNT CODE "EARLYBIRD" UNTIL SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 TO GET $200 OFF!

Sample Daily Schedule (subject to change)

Day 2

7:00 am Morning Meditation, Breathwork & Yoga: RECONNECTING to our body.

9:00 am Breakfast

10-11:00 Workshop:  Physiology of Stress & Trauma 

12:00 pm Lunch

1:00pm Free Time

4:30pm Afternoon Yoga 

6:00pm Dinner

7:30 pm YTT: What is Trauma-informed Yoga, What it is not 

Impact of Trauma, Embodied Awareness

Day 2 THEME:  UNDERSTANDING how the brain and the autonomic nervous system responds to trauma and stress.  We will look at what a healthy stress response looks like in contrast to unresolved stress and trauma. 

We will look through the lens of the polyvagal system to understand the role of the vagas nerve in emotion regulation, social connection and fear response. 

Day 3

7:00 am Morning Meditation, Breathwork & Yoga: NOURISHING our nervous system.

9:00 am Breakfast

10-11:00 Workshop:  Polyvagal Theory and Survival Strategies 

12:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm Free Time

4:30 pm Afternoon Yoga 

6:00 pm Dinner 

7:30 YTT: Tools for Teaching 

Day 3 THEME:  LEARNING how each of us survives through adaptation. Looking closer at fight, flight, freeze, fawn.