Trauma-informed Yoga to Empower People Affected by Domestic and Sexual Violence

Exhale to Inhale (ETI) is a non-profit organization that is doing the amazing and much needed work of bringing trauma-informed yoga to those affected by domestic and sexual violence. A startling statistic I learned in speaking with ETI staff about their work: In the United States, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 7 men will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime and someone is sexually assaulted every 98 seconds. Working in psychiatry, I frequently encounter patients who have experienced intimate partner violence and/or sexual assault. The impact on emotional well-being and functioning can be devastating, especially when a person does not have the needed resources and support to cope with the trauma. Yoga is an empowering practice that can help improve mental health outcomes in people affected by domestic and sexual violence, and it teaches people effective skills to help with trauma recovery, self-regulation, and fostering resilience. There is a growing body of scientific evidence that demonstrates the efficacy of yoga as an adjunctive treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which often occurs in survivors of abuse.

ETI directly serves survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault by offering trauma-informed yoga to this community. They also offer yoga classes and self-care workshops to staff at domestic violence shelters and organizations, and they provide trauma-informed teacher training to certified yoga teachers. Their volunteer staff demonstrates Seva, or selfless service, by offering these classes and workshops for FREE. I encourage you to watch this brief documentary video to learn more about ETI, and if you feel inspired, please donate to the cause. Just $25 will sponsor a survivor to attend an ETI trauma-informed yoga class!

Watch video: https://youtu.be/Zf7qgSio4kc

Visit https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/itstimetoheal-exhale-to-inhale/exhaletoinhaleinc to offer a donation!