Why Yoga is a Lifeline for Domestic Abuse Survivors: Healing the Body, Mind, and Soul

For many survivors of domestic abuse, healing isn't just about moving on — it's about reclaiming your body, restoring your peace of mind, and finding safety within yourself again. That’s where yoga becomes so much more than just stretching or fitness — it becomes a lifeline.

A recent long-term qualitative study by Şengül Akdeniz and Özlem Kaştan reveals just how profoundly yoga can impact physical, emotional, and mental well-being — particularly for those who carry trauma in their bodies.

The Science Behind the Healing

Over two years, the researchers interviewed adults who had been practicing yoga long-term. Nearly every participant reported significant improvements in both their mind and body. Their findings are especially relevant for those recovering from the deep wounds left by domestic abuse.

Key benefits included:

• Reduction in physical pain and increased flexibility
  
  
• Better sleep quality
  
  
• Stronger coping mechanisms for anxiety and stress
  
  
• Higher self-esteem and emotional resilience
  
  
• Development of positive personality traits, such as calmness and mindfulness

These aren’t just physical improvements —they’re emotional anchors. For survivors, every one of these changes represents a step toward reclaiming autonomy and confidence.

 
From Trauma to Transformation

Before starting yoga, participants in the study often described themselves as isolated, emotionally drained, fatigued, and trapped in negative thought cycles. This mirrors what so many survivors face after abuse: a shattered sense of self, often accompanied by chronic physical symptoms like tension, pain, or insomnia.

Yoga became a turning point.

It was described not only as a form of exercise but as a path to balance, awareness, and healing.Many perceived it as a secure environment — a ritual that restored their connection with their own bodies according to their own terms.. For survivors, who may feel like their bodies were taken from them through violence or control, this is monumental.

 
Yoga as Resistance and Reclamation

Practicing yoga isn’t just about recovery — it’s about reclaiming the body as your own. It provides:

• A calm space in contrast to the chaos many survivors have endured
  
  
• A non-verbal healing tool when words feel too hard
  
  
• A gentle, empowering way to rebuild trust in oneself
  
  
• A moment each day that says, “I deserve peace.”

Even metaphors shared by the study’s participants echo this journey. Many described yoga as a guide, a form of emotional support, a peaceful refuge, and a source of inner strength.

 
Long-Term Commitment, Long-Term Change

The most profound results came from those who practiced consistently over time. While yoga can create noticeable short-term relief — like reduced stress or better sleep — the deep transformation happens through long-term practice. Survivors especially benefit from building this into their routine, creating stability and self-connection over time.

This mirrors what many trauma therapists now support: sustainable, body-based practices are essential to recovery — and yoga leads the way.

 
A Note to Survivors

If you’ve experienced domestic abuse, please know that your healing is possible — and it belongs to you.

Yoga may not solve everything overnight, but it can be your steady, quiet companion on the path forward. You don’t need to be flexible. You don’t need to be spiritual. You just need a moment. A mat. A breath.

With every stretch, with every exhale, you remind yourself: I am here. I am healing. I am whole.