I was thirteen when I first stepped into a yoga class. At the time, I didn’t realise I was searching for something, I just knew that something inside me didn’t feel right. Anxiety often wrapped tightly around my chest, and the world felt unreal and distant. My breath was shallow, my mind constantly racing, and I didn’t feel safe, neither in my body nor in the world around me.
Coming from a background in dance, movement was already familiar to me. But yoga introduced me to something dance never had: the ability to breathe through anything. It became a practice not just of movement, but of presence, a way to anchor myself in the midst of chaos.
A Turning Point After Trauma
After a traumatic experience in my teenage years, I felt unmoored. Panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, and dissociation became familiar visitors. I didn’t have the language for it at the time, I only knew that I was struggling.
Yoga became a lifeline.
Not because it “fixed” anything overnight
But because it brought me into the moment.
Through slow, intentional movement and breath,
I began to feel my body again.
I learned to anchor myself in the now, even when the panic came.
Yoga gave me something I hadn’t felt in a long time: Agency. Presence. Peace.
Yoga as a Practice of Mental Health, Not Perfection
The beauty of yoga is that it meets you where you are. It doesn’t ask you to be flexible or calm. It simply invites you to come home to yourself, breath by breath, moment by moment.
Over time, yoga became part of how I manage my mental health. It helped me regulate my nervous system, soothe anxiety, and support my emotional well-being. And I’ve witnessed this in others, too.
Whether you’re living with:
• Anxiety or panic attacks
• Depression or grief
• Eating disorders or body image challenges
• PTSD or chronic stress
• Burnout or emotional exhaustion
Yoga can be a supportive companion. Not a cure, but a practice. Not a solution, but a space. A space to feel. To move. To be.
Finding What Works for You
What I’ve come to understand is that mental health is not a destination — it’s a relationship. And like all relationships, it requires ongoing care, attention, and compassion. Your mental health journey is unique. So is the support you’ll need along the way. Some days, it might be yoga. Other days, it might be a walk in nature, a therapy session, or simply rest.
The Key is Awareness
When we identify where our challenges lie, we can meet them with tenderness and choose practices that nourish us.
If you’re in a season of overwhelm…
If your mind feels noisy, or your heart heavy…
If your body carries the imprint of trauma or stress...
Start small. Start with your breath. Start with one movement, one stretch, one gentle return to presence.
Because you are not broken. You are becoming. And there are practices, like yoga, that can hold you as you heal.
Journal Prompts to Deepen the Practice
• When do I feel most grounded in my body?
• What are the early signs that my mental health needs care?
• What practices or spaces help me feel safe, soothed, and whole?
• How can I honour my body and mind with gentleness today?
Healing is not about perfection, it’s about returning.
Returning to yourself.
To breath.
To presence.
To the quiet wisdom inside you that knows how to heal.
Let yoga, or whatever practice calls to you, become a bridge from chaos to calm, from disconnection to wholeness. You are worthy of that return.
With Love, Sahar Zadah
