What we do
Healing is for all of us.
Since 2005, Yoga Behind Bars has provided trauma-informed yoga and meditation to our neighbors who are incarcerated — and walked alongside them as they come home. Our work is rooted in the belief that every person has the capacity to heal, grow, and contribute.
Inside programs
Where we teach
We teach weekly classes in prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities across Washington state — including women's facilities, men's facilities, and youth detention. Our teachers show up consistently, with trauma-informed training and deep respect for every student.
Classes are freely available to all who choose to participate. We meet students where they are — no experience required, no judgment, no prerequisites.
40+ facilities served across Washington. 8,000+ students have practiced with us.
The evidence
The numbers tell the story
60 of every 100 people released return within three years. For incarcerated yoga practitioners who attend four or more classes, that number drops to just 8.
These aren't just statistics — they represent families reunited, communities strengthened, and cycles broken. Trauma-informed yoga works, and it works because it treats people with dignity and gives them tools they carry for life.
60
of every 100
people released from prison or jail return within three years.
8
of every 100
incarcerated yoga practitioners who attend four or more classes return — a 92 percent success rate.
Reintegration support
Walking alongside people coming home
The transition out of incarceration is one of the most vulnerable moments in a person's life. We don't stop when someone is released — we connect people coming home to community yoga classes and peer support so the practice continues on the outside.
Our reintegration programs build bridges between the inside and outside, reducing isolation and supporting long-term wellbeing.
Teacher training
Training the next generation of teachers
System-impacted people are some of the most powerful advocates for healing-centered practice. Our teacher training programs certify people who are incarcerated as yoga instructors — so they can lead classes inside, and carry the practice into their communities after release.
These programs deepen our reach and honor the expertise of the people we serve.
The practice
Trauma-informed, every time
Every class we teach is grounded in trauma-informed principles — invitational language, choice-based movement, no hands-on adjustments without consent.
We start from the question "what happened to you?" — not "what's wrong with you?" That shift changes everything about how people experience the practice.
Yoga is a tool for reconnecting with the body, regulating the nervous system, and finding agency — tools that are powerful inside and out.
Support our work
Join us on November 13
Every ticket and every donation directly funds programs for people who are incarcerated across Washington state. Come be part of the healing.