Yoga on the inside
Making yoga practice ACCESSIBLE to EVERYONE
THRIVING not SURVIVING
Our Purpose….
At Yoga on the Inside we want people to THRIVE not just SURVIVE, as well-rounded members of our communities by providing ACCESS and opportunities to trauma-informed yoga and embodied mindfulness tools and practices.
The research tells us that these practices support individuals to :-
better connect with themselves and others - IMPROVE relationships
manage stress and anxiety, including emotional regulation
reduce impulsive behaviours
see a reduction of symptoms of trauma, including dissociation and other mal-adaptive coping strategies
What we do….
Yoga on the Inside provides individual or group classes to people who are experiencing (or have experienced) trauma or symptoms of trauma.
Through the practice of yoga and embodied-mindfulness, we invite people into this practice so that they can begin to develop a toolset of skills and techniques that they can draw upon on a day to day basis and more so, especially in times when life is uncertain, tense, or in turmoil.
A trauma-informed approach practice involves breath awareness, meditation, and body movement integrated with breath via asana or poses.
Our MISSION is to make yoga a practice that is accessible to ALL members of the community, in particular those who are on the fringes or marginalised.
The benefits of this practices creates a RIPPLE effect which benefits the WHOLE community.
Our Approach….
The yoga instruction provided by Yoga on the Inside is a ‘trauma informed’ style and approach to teaching which considers that the participants in our presence are highly likely to have experienced some form of trauma in their lives and hence this approach to teaching is one which has their physical, emotional and psychological state in mind at all times.
The facilitators at Yoga on the Inside have undertaken specialised ‘trauma informed’ training to enable them to incorporate the skills and strategies required to guide ALL clients (whether or not they suffer from trauma related symptoms or issues). The classes provided by Yoga on the Inside instructors cater to all students from beginners to advanced students.
What is a trauma-informed approach to instructing a yoga class?
A trauma informed approached to guiding a yoga class assumes that all of your students are survivors of trauma, as we have no way of identifying students who are trauma survivors.
Five Core Domains of trauma-sensitive yoga as developed by Dave Emerson in 2002 include :-
Environment - Space is welcoming, safe, comfortable for vulnerable students
Physical - Internal sensations important, for feelings of safety, self-acceptance
Assist - Allow space between teacher and pupil (refrain from physical touch)
Teacher qualities - Gentle, students stay in control
Language - Non-directive instructions
The Omega Institute describes that “trauma-informed yoga is based on a particular understanding of trauma, one that emphasizes its impact on the entire mind-body system, as opposed to particular mental states (e.g., troubling memories) viewed in isolation from the physical body. “Trauma,” Bessel van der Kolk explains, “is not just an event that took place sometime in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on mind, brain, and body.”
Our services
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Youth at Risk or in Detention
Program for youth in supported settings, eg PCYC, YMCA, or in detention
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Prison or Community Corrections
Programs within correctional facilities or in Community Corrections spaces
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Recovery Programs
Programs within recovery or rehabilitation spaces such as Substance Use Disorder (or Addition), Eating Issues, NDIS Participants with psycho-social disabilities
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Family and Domestic Violence
Programs delivered in collaboration with organisations that support people affected by Family & Domestic Violence
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Community Group Settings
Programs delivered within the community eg; free community classes
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Private Sessions
Private classes for individuals
Meet Our Facilitators
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Sonia Brown-Diaz
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Catherine Clancy
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Ana Viglione
Testimonials
