Mental Health United States Project #36061

Trauma Informed Yoga for the Incarcerated

by Yoga 4 Change, INC

Project Report | Apr 4, 2023
"...motivates me to keep coming back to yoga"

By Breanna Tivvis | Director of Development

Our 2022 Annual Report is live!

In 2022, we taught trauma-informed yoga classes to 19,525 individuals across the state of Florida, including 3,615 individuals experiencing incarceration. We offered 87 weekly classes, in partnership with 61 facilities. Facilities including jails, the court system, behavioral health facilities, schools, detox centers, recovery centers and other nonprofits. Yoga 4 Change partners with carceral facilities and court systems across the state of Florida. We currently have partnerships with the 4th Judicial Court System in Duval County, all 3 facilities ran by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO), Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Correctional Facility, Seminole County Sheriff’s Office Correctional Facility, and Orange County Sheriff’s Correctional Facility.

Our 2022 Annual Report is attached. This document shows the data self-reported by participants, collected and evaluated, by community served. Individuals experiencing incarceration reported a 13% increase in mood, 27% decrease in stress and 14% decrease in physical pain after one class.

In addition to quantitative data, Yoga 4 Change also collects qualitative data. Here are a few quotes from participants at the carceral facilities where we teach:

“This program helps me overall mentally, health, physically, mind and body and stresses. This program has made me feel good about myself again and want to workout and join class on the outside. Yoga 4 Change and a gym work out, as well as finding work to take care of myself and have a new clean life, drug free, spending time with my family again. Yoga helps me think more positive way of thinking and doing stuff now.”
“Since taking this wonderful course, I have been a lot more mindful, and I feel accomplished. I am more at peace each time I go to a class. Hopefully I can re-sign up or go when I am released.”
“I pay attention to myself more. I believe yoga has helped with that some. It has motivated me to have self-compassion for myself.”

Links:

Who We Are Video

Attachments:

2022 Annual Report (PDF)

1 Attachment

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Dec 5, 2022
December Update

By Breanna Tivvis | Director of Development

Aug 12, 2022
Full Return of Carceral Programming

By Breanna Tivvis | Director of Development

Yoga 4 Change is currently teaching 13 weekly in-person classes in partnership with correctional facilities across the state of Florida and 2 virtual weekly classes in partnership with the 4th Judicial Court System in Duval County. The uncertanities of the COVID-19 pandemic had some facilities unable to allow external programming. Programming in carceral facilities has resumed in Jacksonville, the three facilities managed by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office have begun allowing external programs. As of May 2022, we have been teaching at the John E. Goode Pre-Trial Detention, James I. Montgomery Correctional Institute and Community Transition Center, in addition to the John E. Pol correctional facility in Orlando and the Department of Juvenile Justice in Tampa. Correctional facility data, year to date, shows that adult individuals experiencing incarceration have an average of 19% increase in mood, 31% decrease in stress and 20% decrease in physical pain.

Here is a few post-survey qualitative data from individuals who are incarcerated:

·Love the positive messaging and neutral pace. I’ve learned a lot and I’m enjoying the program.

·It has helped with my back and anxiety. Looking forward to doing [yoga] after I leave MCC.

·I have a new find [found] love inside me for Yoga that I didn’t know I had. It’s so great to have this chance.

·The entire program has allowed me to actually focus upon being in the here and also, the hereafter…Yoga 4 Change has made me a believer in the power to change for the self-betterment.

·I have a better understanding and appreciation for my body.

·I LOVE this class. It has helped me with my stress and depression.

If you're interested in learning more about data and evaluation, how we collect it and how we use it, Check out our free YouTube Live event with the Yoga 4 Change Research Team on August 17th at 12:30pm.

Attachments:

Correctional_Data_Overview_Mid_Year_2022_1.pdf (PDF)

2 Attachments

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