Trauma‑Adapted Yoga in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (TAY‑CAP)
Now running in real care settings. We are integrating Trauma‑Adapted Yoga (TAY) with standard child & adolescent psychiatric care to help young people build self‑regulation, reduce distress, and improve quality of life.
Active programs at (1) SUNY Upstate University Hospital (USA) and within (2) Västra Götalandsregionen (Sweden) child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP).
TAY‑CAP brings a trauma‑adapted, choice‑based yoga curriculum into clinical CAP. Sessions are delivered by trained clinicians and instructors as a complement to care‑as‑usual, never as a replacement. The approach combines movement, breathing, relaxation and present‑moment awareness with strong emphasis on predictability, agency and safety—key needs in trauma‑informed mental health care.
Our work is active today in two systems. In the United States, SUNY Upstate University Hospital has made TAY part of adolescent inpatient programming, is training multidisciplinary staff, and is expanding to outpatient programs via ongoing studies. In Sweden, University West and regional CAP services (Västra Götalandsregionen) are launching a randomized clinical study to evaluate effects on quality of life and psychological well‑being among youth with ADHD.
Where we’re active
United States — SUNY Upstate University Hospital (Syracuse, NY)
- TAY is a regular part of programming for the adolescent inpatient psychiatry unit; 24 staff members are being trained to expand offerings. Outpatient adolescent programs are encouraged to try TAY as part of ongoing research.
- Local lead clinicians include child & adolescent psychiatry faculty and advanced practice providers collaborating with TAY trainers.
Link: Upstate News: “Specialized form of yoga expands rollout at Upstate to aid patients” (May 23, 2024). Upstate Medical University
Sweden — Västra Götalandsregionen with University West
- BUP‑TAY randomized study in CAP (ages 12–18) focused on youth with ADHD, comparing TAY + standard care to standard care only; includes questionnaires and interviews with adolescents and parents. External partners: BUP Göteborg, BUP Skaraborg, Sjöstadens vårdcentral (Mariestad), Vård Syd AB/Villa Bergerska HVB (Oskarström). Funded by Stiftelsen Sunnerdahls Handikappfond. Project time 2026–2028.
Link: University West — BUP‑TAY project page. Högskolan Väst