How to Release Trauma by Twerking
Jayden Aubryn is an innovative healer who has quickly become an expert in their field. As the founder of TISE Consulting and Therapy and co-founder of Chaotic Healing, they specialize in making healing accessible and fun.
You may have heard that twerking releases trauma. But what is Twerking? How do you twerk? And why does it release trauma? More than just a popular dance trend, twerking has deep cultural roots and powerful healing potential. By focusing on the hips, the area where stress and emotions are often stored, twerking can help release tension, build strength and mobility, and support emotional resilience in a fun, embodied way.
What is twerking?
Twerking is a hip-centric dance style that originated among Black Americans. Its origins come from a dance style called Mapouka, which originated in the Ivory Coast. During the slave trade, this hip-based movement style traveled to the Caribbean and eventually to New Orleans.
In New Orleans, this dance style was heavily influenced by New Orleans bounce music, a subgenre of hip hop. The integration of New Orleans bounce music and Mapouka-derived movement is how twerking, as we know it today, was created.
Why does twerking release trauma?
Twerking, being a hip-centric dance, introduces fun movement that can release the emotional and physical tension stored in our hips. Twerking teaches your hips to be strong and mobile. With twerking also being a dance form, there are additional mental health benefits that come with dancing.
What’s so special about the hips?
When our bodies sense danger, our hip muscles tighten and contract, creating tension. The fear and trauma that caused that tension must be intentionally released. If not, those hip muscles will stay tense, and the emotions will remain stored in that area.
While that physical process applies to emotions in general, there are a few other factors that increase the amount of trauma stored in the hips.
Traumas in the hip area. Humans experience a lot of trauma in the hip and pelvic area, sexual trauma, spankings, and medical traumas like UTIs, pap smears, and prostate exams, to name a few.
Frequent sitting. Communication with our body is bidirectional. When we are afraid, our hip muscles tighten, and when our hip muscles tighten, our body gets scared. When we sit for long periods of time, our hip muscles tighten. The body then interprets that hip tension as a reason to be stressed or afraid.
Poor pelvic floor health. Behaviors like sucking in our stomachs, holding our urine, chronic coughing, and improper exercise technique can all put extra strain and tension on the pelvic floor.
Taboos. Often, people are uncomfortable discussing or touching the hip and pelvic region. We are not taught how to isolate and move our hips. This lack of awareness and movement leads to stiff hips and increased tension.
How to use twerking to release trauma
Like most healing methods, there are some ways to use twerking to release trauma that are more effective than others. At its core, twerking is a great way to have fun and relieve stress. However, more intention is needed to release deeply stored traumas. Otherwise, you’d see a lot more people sobbing from traumatic releases at the club.
There are 5 main components to using twerking to release trauma:
Learn to twerk. This may seem obvious, but twerking, like any dance style, has a technique that must be learned. A common mistake for beginners is trying to move their backs instead of their hips.
Increase mobility. Learn to isolate your hips, move them in different ways, and expand your range of motion. This not only makes twerking easier, but also counters stiffness from long days of sitting.
Increase strength. Twerking is an athletic dance that will quickly have you sweating. Improving leg, hip, and glute strength will help you twerk for longer. Improving our physical strength also increases the resilience needed to process difficult traumas.
Dance. Learning basic dance skills will make twerking feel more natural and fun. Dancing also has a long list of benefits for both mental and physical health. When it comes to trauma release, dance helps us move out of survival mode and into thriving mode. When we dance, we can practice creatively expressing ourselves in a way that is safe, embodied, fun, and without judgment.
Releasing trauma. It’s important to learn which types of hip movements, and at which intensities, your body feels safest releasing traumatic energy.
How can you start releasing trauma by twerking?
While the idea of twerking to release trauma can sound fun, it can be intimidating to know where to start. Luckily, you don’t have to figure this out on your own. Consider purchasing the Twerking for Trauma 30-Day Course.
Twerking for Trauma is a self-paced course that requires 15 minutes each day. In it, you’ll practice all five components of releasing trauma through twerking, improving mobility, gaining strength, mastering twerk techniques, learning dance skills, and releasing stored energy.
Whether you want to process trauma, loosen up your stiff hips, or simply pick up a new hobby, purchase the Twerking for Trauma 30-Day Course now.
Read more from Jayden Aubry
Jayden Aubryn, Psychotherapist and Consultant
Jayden Aubryn is an accomplished psychotherapist, personal trainer, and consultant with two professional licenses and eight active certifications. As a lifelong dancer, artist, and healer, they believe in utilizing the healing powers of movement, food, music, art, and BDSM. Traditional therapy and medicine are not accessible or effective for everyone. Jayden's mission is to empower people with the knowledge they need to make their healing journey successful and fun.
