YOGA OUTREACH 2023

Creating Balance – New Zealand

One Year Women’s Integral Yoga & Mindfulness Program for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Golden Bay

Priyadhara, co-founder and director of Creating Balance, Anahata Yoga Health & Education Trust (AYHET) and Te Whare Mahana’s Community Mental Health Service offered a trauma informed, integral yoga and mindfulness program to a group of vulnerable, at-risk and rurally isolated women diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in Takaka, Golden Bay. The goal was to assist this group of women on their journey towards self understanding, healing, health and well being. 13 women participated in the program.

Golden Bay High School (GBHS) Youth Mindfulness & Well Being Program

GBHS Youth Mindfulness & Well Being is a community initiative to support positive youth development and well being. in Golden Bay through a wholistic yoga and mindfulness program. The program was made possible through the collaboration of:

• Creating Balance
• Anahata Yoga Health and Education Charitable Trust (AYHET)
• Creating Balance
• Golden Bay High School (GBHS)
• Mohua Social Services
• Takaka Police
• Community’s support 19 students, between 12 and 17 years of age, participated throughout the school year. The facilitator observed that students often arrived to a yoga class quite hyper, excited, stressed, tight, tense and with irregular breathing patterns and that they would leave the class feeling relaxed, calm, grounded, and with lighter spirits. Students also showed progress in their physical coordination, strength and flexibility as well as in their ability to establish a harmonious breathing pattern which is key to their mental and physical health, and to bringing balance to their nervous system. Students expressed how relaxed and calm they felt after a class and how they enjoyed taking a break to focus on themselves and their well being.