Trauma Sensitive Yoga: Yoga Village and the Community Resiliency Model

On this episode of Resiliency Within, host Elaine Miller-Karas welcomes Heather Lilly,
co-founder and past Executive Director of Yoga Village in Wilmington, North Carolina,
for a thoughtful conversation about the integration of the Community Resiliency Model
(CRM) with Trauma-Informed Yoga. Together, Elaine and Heather explore how these
complementary, body-based approaches can help individuals and communities
strengthen resilience, regulate the nervous system, and support healing in the face of
stress, adversity, and trauma.
Drawing from years of experience serving diverse populations, Heather shares the vision
behind Yoga Village and its commitment to making trauma-informed practices
accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds. Elaine and Heather discuss how CRM
skills naturally align with trauma-informed yoga practices that cultivate mindful
awareness, self-compassion, and a deeper connection to the body.
Their dialogue highlights the growing recognition that healing is not simply a cognitive
process but one that involves the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. Through stories,
insights, and practical wisdom, they explore how integrating CRM and trauma-informed
yoga can help create safer, more compassionate communities where individuals can
rediscover their strengths and capacity for well-being.
Join Elaine and Heather for an inspiring conversation about resilience, healing, and the
transformative power of bringing together evidence-informed practices that help people
reconnect with themselves and with one another.