Center for Trauma and Embodiment

23 years of experience

Since 2002, CFTE has been dedicated to providing effective and evidence-based care for people around the world who have experienced chronic relational and systemic trauma and PTSD. When these experiences are not addressed due to financial barriers, ineffective treatment, cultural irrelevance, and stigma, a person’s mental and physical health is deeply impacted.

What we have learned

The impact of trauma extends to a person’s whole self, including their body. Talk therapy typically leaves the body out and focuses only on the mind; one part of what we are. The feelings of terror and the threat of danger are felt in our bodies. The trembling, the pit in your belly, the urge to flee, the urge to fight, the shutting down and going numb. These are not pathological responses; instead, they are biological responses to survival.

“With [TCTSY, Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga], I reclaimed my body. That is a gift because I so hated my body. Or I claimed it, not reclaimed because I was so young. I claimed it. It was a long process to consider myself not an outline. ... I think [TCTSY] helped define me.” - a participant, from Rhodes (2015)*

Evidence-based care

Using Yoga as our foundational and philosophical underpinning, we created TCTSY, which has been validated as an evidence-based, clinical intervention through decades of research. We offer a yearly training program for mental health professionals, educators, community leaders, and yoga teachers that is accredited by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) and Yoga Alliance. With over 1,000 facilitators in more than 50 countries, we estimate that over one million people have tried one of our care models and interacted with our organization. We have given over $200,000 in scholarships so that healing can stay in communities.

CFTE is a leader in embodied mental health care

Building on the success of TCTSY, CFTE has introduced Trauma Informed Weight Lifting (TIWL), and ReScripted, a therapeutic care model that utilizes an ensemble of trauma therapists and incorporates improv and play for foster youth in residential and group homes. In 2026, CFTE will launch Trauma-Informed Mindful Eating (TIME) and Trauma Informed Physical Therapy (TIPT). Our variety of care models meets trauma survivors where they are most comfortable.

Honoring the past and launching our future

With the generous support of JRI, we became our own independent nonprofit on July 1, 2025.

For our CFTE launch event, we honor JRI not only for the impact they have had on CFTE’s history but, more broadly, on our community here in New England as a premiere social service agency caring for our most vulnerable youth and families since 1973.

We thank the Broad Institute for sponsoring this event and providing their beautiful space and food. We are honored to have as our guest speaker, Sumbul Siddiqui, Esq., Cambridge City Councillor and former Mayor.

We are thrilled to honor Lee Hawkins with our first CFTE Impact Award. He is an award-winning journalist and author who calls on us to look honestly and deeply at the brutal legacy of racial violence and trauma so that we can create a future together where healing is not only possible but a cultural norm.

Panelist Discussion moderated by Dave Emerson: Trauma in Public. Trauma and PTSD are not only clinical issues but massive societal and cultural realities that require big, courageous, and creative thinking to address at the necessary scale. Join Lee Hawkins, Ranjeev Benjamin, and Karestan Koenen for this important discussion.

Your Support

With your support, we can fully fund and launch our care model expansion and provide twice as many scholarships for our certified and accredited trainings. Thank you for being part of our CFTE community!

Sliding-scale individual admission tickets are available for $50 or $100.

2 Raffle ticket experiences.

Boston/Near Boston Raffle: Salt room session for four at Wentworth by the Sea Resort & Spa; two tickets to the Boston Symphony; $100 gift certificate to Bricco restaurant near the Symphony.

CFTE Online experience Raffle: 45-minute online mentorship session with our Executive Director, Jenn Turner; one ticket to our yearly 3-day online conference.

Can't attend the event? No problem. We will be livestreaming our event on November 13th from 9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Tickets are $15, and we will also send you the recording! This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about CFTE and to support our mission to heal.

Sponsorships available

Power Lifter: $7,500

Logo on our event page and at the event; 8 guest tickets; Online Embodied Organizational Workshop for your employees with our Executive Director, Jenn Turner. In this 90-minute workshop, your organization will be introduced to CFTE's core components of power sharing, choice, agency, and autonomy in the workplace. Jenn will offer an overview of this comprehensive training that she and her colleague, and CFTE Board member, Dr. Tiffany Johnson-James, have developed.

Mindful Mover: $5,000

Logo on our event page and at the event; 6 guest tickets

Change-Maker: $2,500

Logo on our event page and at the event; 4 guest tickets

If you'd like to sponsor the event but are unable to attend, please contact Mindy Levine, our Donor Engagement Coordinator, at mindy@healwithcfte.org to request a personalized pledge form. Thank you!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

*Rhodes AM. Claiming peaceful embodiment through yoga in the aftermath of trauma. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2015 Nov;21(4):247-56. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2015.09.004. Epub 2015 Sep 24. Erratum in: Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2018 May;31:390. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2017.12.017. PMID: 26573451.

Broad Institute Presents the Launch of CFTE

Honoring 23 years & celebrating our launch as a nonprofit