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This virtual session is another step forward for the organizers and volunteers to be creative and innovative, embracing the challenges of language and digital illiteracy, alongside the opportunities to a greater reach across the internet to potentially include many more participants and teachers.
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INTRODUCTION
Although the practice of all yoga is potentially therapeutic, yoga therapy (YT) is the specific application of yogic tools, including postures, pranayamas, meditation, and more, to address the physical, mental and emotional needs, unique to the individual (Yoga Therapy. Health, 2020). Due to the versatility and effectiveness of the many tools of the practice, YT, an emerging area of yoga, acknowledges the multidimensional nature of the human and is now embraced by integrative medical practices as yoga continues to grow in the west. Yoga therapists have a comprehensive set of yogic and ayurvedic practices to help support regulation and resilience in the mind-body system. YT is the specific use of these practices by a trained practitioner. As yoga teaching certification programs require practicums and yoga therapy programs more specifically require a wide variety of practicums with and for special populations, community engagement in applied scholarship provides many great avenues for learning, internships, service, leadership, and shared humanity alongside building community. Organizations which provide programs for marginalized populations are receptive to the collaborative efforts of local volunteers, as well as academia. Organizations creating best practices for meeting the needs of special populations with yoga/yoga therapy can provide programming for continuing education for yoga teachers, yoga therapists, and volunteers. All of these groups can work together, meeting the unique needs of special groups and individuals, using creative ways to apply learned methods, while empowering all involved with accessible, trauma-informed yogic practices to support well-being.
Yoga teacher certification is a comprehensive process with specific guidelines and standardizations set by two organizations in the US and internationally: Yoga Alliance (YA) and the International Association of Yoga Therapy (IAYT). Certified teachers must register with a professional organization and are held accountable for continuing education requirements. This project is designed to involve local yoga teachers (registered and in-training), yoga therapists, yoga teacher training schools, area nonprofits serving the immigrant and refugee population, local volunteers, and interns from area schools, to bridge a collaborative effort in building community using the well-being practices of yoga and yoga therapy.
Yoga Therapy for Refugee and Immigrant Women is an ongoing and evolving community service project since spring 2019. Three 8-week sessions of volunteer-oriented yoga practice included: Spring 2019, Fall 2019, and Winter (Jan - March) 2020. In May 2020, this project earned a national “Seva” award from IAYT. Yoga teachers and yoga therapists across the country are interested in duplicating the program. This project provides many opportunities for community engagement while giving attention to immigrant and refugee women, empowering all participants with an accessible, mind-body practice, addressing (indirectly and directly) social, physical, emotional issues. A continuing education course for yoga teachers and yoga therapists in the area of trauma-informed teaching practices (still in the design stage) will be offered to volunteer teachers, after June 2021. Yoga Therapy for Immigrant and Refugee Women incorporates empowering women, addressing the special needs of this marginalized population, and (re)establishing protocol around diversity, inclusivity, and equity are the evolutionary steps of this current age, long overdue.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Yoga Therapy for Immigrant and Refugee Women’s project is to foster friendships/relationships between immigrant and refugee women with women in the community, area nonprofits, and local yoga teachers, while contributing to overall good health and empowerment, through a YT class program. The YT class project provides many seva (service) opportunities for yoga teachers and yoga therapists (even for yoga teachers in training), students from local college campuses, and collaborative efforts between local nonprofits which serve the immigrant and refugee populations, and the community volunteers. Additionally, this YT class project aligns with the mission of the YA, IAYT, and the Yoga Service Council.
Vision Statement
The vision of Yoga Therapy for Immigrant and Refugee Women is to support immigrants and refugees to successfully resettle locally through the building of community and well-being practices through a yoga therapy class program. The metrics of this project will create new best practices for using YT to serve the immigrant population, not just women, provide internships for area college students, create course work for YA certification and continuing education program, IAYT accreditation programs, and the Yoga Service Council (YSC), so as to become internationally recognized and duplicated.
Value Statement
This community-based program impacts physical, mental, and social health, and makes the healing benefits of yogic practices accessible through nonprofit and academic partnerships, with a focus on sustainability. The use of YT in this project is for improved health, well-being, and quality of life for the individuals and communities involved, in a safe environment in which diversity, inclusivity, and equity for all is met with respect and is celebrated. Partnerships with individuals, organizations, and institutions in service and research in this project will apply ethical principles to teaching, research, and community engagement, inviting interdisciplinary collaboration, creativity, and innovation of best practices.