Firstly, as a student of mine, it is helpful for me to know if these are diagnosed or extreme levels of experience. This is particularly important for those with PTSD/complex trauma as there are certain elements of a class (breathing techniques etc) that I would specifically cue differently to ensure your comfort. Of course this is your personal business and anything you do confide in me is kept confidential. If you’re not comfortable sharing with me, I would usually try and include cues anyway that can help those with any of these conditions, or give options and reasons why, empowering you to check in with your own feelings and give you the power to choose what option feels best for you.
The most important thing after this is that you know it is absolutely no trouble at all. It is my job to ensure you have a safe and comfortable experience in your time on the mat with me and that includes making any adjustments both necessary and possible to ensure that is the case for you.
If you’re wondering whether yoga can help these conditions, in my personal experience with anxiety and depression-related symptoms, I found yoga extremely helpful (though it helped to have certain cues specific to me to adjust where needed). There are more and more case studies into the impact yoga can have on those with these conditions not just in the moment but also the long-term effectiveness, and it is for the most part very positive and in support. I would put the disclaimer on that though that it will vary depending on the type of yoga and what your personal triggers are. So that brings me back around to having knowledge of this – if there’s anything specific that I can know so that I’m able to make it as comfortable for you as it is in my power to do, then it’s all the more achievable.
If you have any further or more specific questions or concerns surrounding this, please reach out to me directly at jess@jlyoga.com.au and I will be more than happy to assist further.