We’re Reimagining The Criminal Justice System

People who practice yoga in prison, are less likely to return upon release. Most people in prison and jail suffer from chronic and complex trauma, stemming from early adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The yoga we teach aims to safely integrate this unresolved trauma by addressing the root cause rather than symptoms.

Because trauma lives in the body, it can only be addressed and integrated if the body is a central part of treatment and recovery. This is why our trauma-sensitive yoga and meditation programs are so effective. By teaching our students to breathe and connect to themselves (body-mind-heart), students learn how to manage stressors and fundamentally change the way their brains are wired. It is a new foundation upon which they can rebuild their lives.

Most of our students return to society, about 97%. When they do, we want them to thrive and be leaders for change. YBB students who complete their sentences and return home, are prepared to strengthen the health of their own families and communities, thus breaking the incarceration cycle.

Our definition
We define trauma-informed yoga as offering embodiment practices that encourage participants to reclaim their agency through nervous-system regulation. Our instructors have sensitivity and awareness of trauma and its symptoms, and understand its impact on the entire mind-body system. Teachers fully integrate knowledge about trauma into their teaching practices and actively resist re-traumatization.

An International Leader in Trauma-Informed Yoga.

Over the next three years we will continue to engage in community building and education events to drive awareness and inspire people to advocate for criminal justice reform.