Trauma-Sensitive Body Scan Meditations for Healing and Presence

In this episode of the Mindfulness Exercises Podcast, Sean Fargo explores how to lead trauma-sensitive body scan meditations with compassion, choice, and safety. Designed for mindfulness teachers, coaches, therapists, and wellness professionals, this session offers practical tools for guiding clients who may carry trauma in their bodies.

Discover how to balance awareness with grounding, introduce choice and agency, and cultivate safety in every meditation experience. Sean also walks you through a full trauma-sensitive body scan practice—helping you embody these teachings yourself before sharing them with others.

If you’re a mindfulness or meditation teacher, this episode will deepen your understanding of how trauma impacts the body and how to create inclusive, healing spaces for your clients.

• 00:01 — Introduction: Why trauma-sensitive practices matter for mindfulness professionals • 01:30 — The Impact of Trauma on the Body: Understanding vigilance, numbness, and tension • 02:40 — Gratitude & Self-Compassion: Gentle practices to shift from scarcity to abundance • 03:54 — Mindful Movement: How physical awareness supports grounding and safety • 05:35 — Preparing for the Body Scan: Setting up comfort, safety, and empowerment • 06:25 — Guided Body Scan Begins: Step-by-step awareness from head to toe • 11:08 — Grounding & Safety Techniques: Using breath and gravity as anchors • 13:30 — Pendulation: Moving between comfort and discomfort with care • 14:43 — Empowering Client Choice: Restoring agency and safety in the body • 15:59 — Working with Emotions: Welcoming sensations with curiosity and compassion • 19:02 — Titration & Pacing: Introducing small doses of attention safely • 20:32 — Rupture & Repair: Reestablishing trust when difficulty arises • 22:44 — Subtle Energy Awareness: Sensing life force within the body • 23:22 — Integrating Practice into Daily Life: Micro meditations and mindful pauses • 24:47 — Closing Reflections: Healing as integration, not erasure • Trauma-sensitive mindfulness prioritizes safety, choice, and empowerment. • Techniques like pendulation and titration help clients regulate and stay present. • Your own embodied awareness is essential to guide others effectively. • Healing is not about erasing the past—it

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About the Podcast Mindfulness Exercises with Sean Fargo is a practical, grounded mindfulness podcast for people who want meditation to actually help in real life. Hosted by Sean Fargo — a former Buddhist monk, mindfulness teacher, and founder of MindfulnessExercises.com — this podcast explores how mindfulness can support mental health, emotional regulation, trauma sensitivity, chronic pain, leadership, creativity, and meaningful work. Each episode offers a mix of: • Practical mindfulness and meditation teachings • Conversations with respected teachers, clinicians, authors, and researchers • Real-world insights for therapists, coaches, yoga teachers, educators, and caregivers • Gentle reflections for anyone navigating stress, anxiety, burnout, grief, or change Rather than chasing peak experiences or spiritual bypassing, this podcast emphasizes embodied practice, ethical teaching, and mindfulness that meets people where they are—messy, human, and alive. If you’re interested in: • Mindfulness meditation for everyday life • Trauma-sensitive and co...