Yoga as a mental health intervention

September 30, 2014

Where does the mind meet the body? This question has been swimming in my head since I moved east of the Anacostia River in 2004. I’ve been teaching yoga for six years, at over 10 locations and to over 300 students. I participated in more than 7 yoga teacher training intensives. I blogged over 150 articles and recorded two yoga DVDs.  I’ve met amazing people, participated in innovative programs and established life-long friendships. But I still see huge voids in long term health changes. Specifically in the mental health of residents east of the river.

IMG_3263 

Yes we have witnessed grassroots health changes.  Yet, I have come to accept that my mission to share the power of yoga east of the river must take a different path. I  admit that I suffered from a savior syndrome in my community. My passion for health coupled with my personal experiences turned me into revolutionary health renegade. We have more yoga health resources for preventive physical health but still lack culturally powerful interventions for mental health. Where can you go if you are depressed, angry, anxious or moody? The yoga mat has been a place where many people find a neutral space. But we still don’t have qualified experts in our neighborhood to help the everyday person dealing with life’s challenges.

IMG_1820

Yoga is not Enough

I quickly learned that transforming health in Anacostia would require more than weekly sun salutations or monthly blog posts. People needed more in depth interventions. People needed more sustainable health resources, knowledgable instructors, welcoming health centers and a political will  to create long term health changes. After class some students wanted to talk more about what they were feeling or how much more balanced they felt. Yoga has the power to open up a deeper awareness and it is important to have help along the way.

Therapist as the Guru?

In the yoga tradition, gurus served as the wise and stable advisor to many yogis who sought more support through their practice. I often call my yoga teachers for deeper advice. Getting into a pose is one thing, but having someone walk you through getting through the emotions of a pose pull back the layers and fear that accompany the healing effects of yoga.

Journey into Mental Health

When I started this journey in 2009, I knew that yoga had the power to shift the health of the community. The yoga system is so robust, yet so affordable and simple.   The health issues were ignored and undervalued. There was no good reason that black health disparities were so vast in a wealthy town like Washington DC.  So I took action. There are many people along the way who supported me, funded a shared vision and grew the mission beyond just rolling out a yoga mat.

I wanted to give attentive individualized health services.

I wanted to give more targeted preventive health services.

From Conversation to Collective Action

What started off as a conversation over sweet potato fries with my friend and artist Amber Robles Gordon turned into our first yoga program for youth in Anacostia. 

 


We received financial support from the Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative, DiversCity Fund, DC Social Innovation and the Center for Disease Control. The money helped me to host retreats, launch a series of training DVDs, videos and yoga workshops that have helped grandmas to grandkids.

Mind, Body Justice Yoga Retreat

“Mind, Body & Justice” Yoga Retreat at Yogaville in 2014

 

IMG_3009

Yoga at Athleta in Georgetown.

The Media Storm

But the big shift came when Vicky Hallet of the Washington Post kicked off  a media tidal wave. Her article elevated the conversation of health in the hood resulting in MSN  profiling the emerging growth in Anacostia.

Local media coverage helped kicked off a movement.

Local media coverage helped kick off a movement.

From this media storm, I received letters from men in prison wanting support for meditation. I have met amazing, supportive, encouraging and loving neighbors who have become my friends and shoulders to lean on. We even featured a series on DC TV. 

DCTV show featuring yoga for  mind body balance.

DCTV show featuring yoga for mind body balance.

I realized that my naïve and somewhat egocentric mission, to create a holistic health culture east of the river, did not begin or end with me.  There were residents like Melvin Deal, Sean Smith, Misty Smith, and John Glosser who’d been toiling the ground for years. Collectively, I began to feel excited to see the vision for  holistic health in Anacostia take shape.

Whole Foods Market at St. Elizabeth's

Whole Foods Market at St. Elizabeth’s

 Now we have a cleaner Anacostia river, a bustling Farmer’s Market at the Arc, Whole Foods Market at St. Elizabeth’s, the new Community Wellness Center at the Anacostia Arts Center, Go-Go Fitness, Patrice Jones boot camp, and African cooking workshops. All of the time, energy and lip service by the community has finally manifested into real change.

Content with Completion

At this point, I feel confident that my mission is accomplished to spread the power of yoga in Anacostia.  Luckily, the yoga journey never ends. My journey as the “Anacostia Yogi” has not come to end. But it is time to venture down a new road.  There is always a part of me that wants to remain relevant and involved.  I am now studying for a  Counseling PhD at The George Washington University!  My dream is to apply this knowledge to open an innovative healing space the fuses modern counseling  with the ancient system of  yoga.

Roots planted. Time to grow. Tree pose at St. Elizabeth's campus.

Roots planted. Time to grow. Tree pose at St. Elizabeth’s campus.

Soul of Service

For the past 5 years, I have been a seva yogi and a practitioner of service.  I can walk away from my experience in Anacostia knowing that I gave my everything to creating a new conversation for self-directed health in our communities.  The next level is chart a new approach toward health that includes culturally relevant  mental health interventions.  Look out for new videos, new meditation downloads and new perspectives on raising the quality of health services for communities like our little village east of the Anacostia!

Thank you to the collective who are reshaping health east of the river. I love you!

Zaccai Free, Dave Gould, Maya Breuer, Faith Hunter, Erika Richardson, Amber Robles Gordon, Sean Smith, Darius Graham, Melvin Deal, Nikki Peele, Vicky Hallett, Maceo Thomas, Veronica Davis,  social activists in Ward 7 & 8, REEL Health, Aisha Hughes, Black Women’s Health Imperative, GWU GSHED, DC Social Innovation, Linda Lang, UDC, Faith Hunter, Wanakhavi Wakhisi, Michanna  Murphy, Gopi Kinnecutt, Yirser Ra Hotep, Alicia Gill,  Jessica Solomon, The Feminist Wire, Jesse Fenty, Tano Mazi, Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick, Khadijah Tribble, Corey Morgan, St. Elizabeth’s Campus, Tendani Mpulbusi, JoAnne Hawthorne, Tika, Taheera, Candice Renee, JoAnn, Tiffany, Ty, Jada, Yvette, Arnyell, Marion, Stephen and Ashley and all the other people who supported a yoga class by attending, donating or offering an encouraging word.

IMG_2843

 

This post is in celebration of National Yoga Month and National Mental Health Week! Share your story of how yoga matters

Come check out my last semester of yoga classes The Washington Ballet at The Arc on Mondays at 7:15pm!

 

Sponsored by MPH@GW Public Health



READ THE COMMENTS OR ADD YOURS

READ THE COMMENTS


  1. CakeSpy says:

    I can’t say how much I love this post! I love the mission, but also appreciate how intelligent you have clearly become about the challenges. Keep on fighting the good fight – you are making the world a better place! <3

    • sari says:

      Thank you Cakespy!

      Yes, unfortunately this is really a fight. As we can see around the world, health is a global security issue, a mental health issue and a quality of life issue. I would love to stay in my yoga bubble, but it won’t do me or the classes I teach any good!

      Thanks for commenting!

  2. Theresa Scovill says:

    Fantastic! I am so inspired to continue what I have just started. I recently began a yoga program at a psychiatric hospital and have found that there are so many road blocks, so many misconceptions, and so much to learn and teach. If you can do this in Washington DC, I can surely do this in a hospital with a limited number of students. Thank you for your work. The small ripples we make in the pond will resonate throughout time indefinitely! Namaste.

  3. Amelia Jones says:

    I really admire how yoga teachers take the extra step to be of help especially in extending a variety of health services. Yoga can really improve the mental health of a person because it helps clear the mind and rearrange thoughts by finding inner peace and balance. More power to all yoga experts who make a difference!

  4. Dani says:

    Good post and like the mentioning of Yoga as robust system yet affordable and simple. Really appreciate the Yoga Teacher’s help offered to the community in Anacostia as well as Yoga workshop which helped the old and kids in the community.

  5. Sarah Allan says:

    Awesome post! I totally agree that yoga is affordable and simple. That’s one of the main reasons I love it so much. I’m sure the community in Anacostia received a lot of great help. You have definitely inspired me to take up yoga again. Hopefully then I’ll be able to fit into the clothes my husband bought me from Hard Tail Forever (haha!) Anyway, good luck in the future, and I hope your yoga brings you to many new places as well as brings us many new blog posts! I look forward to them.

  6. I simply wished to appreciate you yet again. I do not know the things that I would’ve taken care of without the ways discussed by you on this question. Completely was a frightening condition in my view, however , viewing your well-written fashion you treated it made me to weep with gladness. I am happier for the assistance and thus have high hopes you recognize what a great job that you are putting in educating others using your webblog. More than likely you haven’t met any of us.

  7. curry 4 says:

    I together with my pals ended up looking through the best thoughts found on the website and unexpectedly I got a terrible suspicion I never expressed respect to the web blog owner for those secrets. Most of the ladies are already consequently very interested to see all of them and have in effect surely been using those things. Thank you for truly being considerably considerate and then for choosing variety of really good useful guides millions of individuals are really desirous to learn about. My very own honest apologies for not expressing appreciation to you sooner.

  8. This actually answered my drawback, thank you!

  9. I enjoy you because of your own hard work on this web site. My niece really loves going through investigation and it is easy to understand why. My partner and i learn all about the dynamic method you present functional tactics on the blog and as well inspire contribution from people on that matter so our own child is actually understanding a lot of things. Take pleasure in the remaining portion of the year. You are performing a wonderful job.

  10. My spouse and i got quite contented that Albert could do his survey because of the ideas he was given from your blog. It is now and again perplexing to just continually be giving for free helpful tips some people may have been trying to sell. And now we recognize we have the blog owner to thank for that. The specific illustrations you’ve made, the simple web site menu, the friendships you can aid to promote – it’s got mostly incredible, and it’s really letting our son in addition to our family feel that this matter is amusing, which is certainly very essential. Thanks for all!

  11. I precisely wanted to thank you very much all over again. I do not know the things I might have carried out without these pointers revealed by you concerning this subject. Previously it was a traumatic scenario in my opinion, nevertheless taking note of a new specialised tactic you dealt with it forced me to jump for joy. I’m thankful for this help and believe you realize what a great job that you are carrying out training the rest through a blog. Most likely you’ve never got to know any of us.

  12. A lot of thanks for your whole efforts on this site. My niece loves participating in research and it’s easy to see why. We know all regarding the powerful medium you offer useful secrets through the blog and therefore foster response from other ones about this topic then our princess is in fact discovering a lot of things. Take advantage of the remaining portion of the year. Your conducting a fabulous job.

  13. I have to show some appreciation to you for rescuing me from this particular dilemma. Right after browsing through the world-wide-web and getting techniques that were not productive, I figured my life was gone. Being alive without the presence of approaches to the problems you’ve sorted out through your good blog post is a crucial case, and the kind that might have in a negative way affected my career if I had not discovered the blog. Your primary talents and kindness in dealing with all the stuff was important. I am not sure what I would’ve done if I hadn’t come across such a thing like this. I’m able to now look forward to my future. Thanks a lot so much for the specialized and amazing help. I will not hesitate to suggest the sites to any person who needs care on this subject.

  14. nike react says:

    I wish to show my affection for your kind-heartedness supporting people who have the need for guidance on this one subject matter. Your personal commitment to passing the solution all-around was unbelievably insightful and have truly allowed men and women like me to arrive at their dreams. Your entire invaluable information can mean this much to me and extremely more to my fellow workers. Warm regards; from all of us.

  15. My wife and i ended up being so more than happy when Peter could conclude his homework from the precious recommendations he gained out of your site. It’s not at all simplistic just to continually be releasing guidance that many the others have been trying to sell. And we all know we’ve got the writer to appreciate for that. The specific explanations you made, the easy site navigation, the relationships your site make it possible to instill – it is most superb, and it’s helping our son and our family consider that that concept is pleasurable, and that is particularly mandatory. Many thanks for the whole lot!

  16. My spouse and i ended up being delighted when John could do his basic research through the entire ideas he had from your own blog. It is now and again perplexing just to happen to be offering procedures which usually some others could have been making money from. And we all recognize we now have the writer to give thanks to because of that. Most of the explanations you made, the straightforward blog navigation, the friendships your site help create – it’s got most terrific, and it’s really making our son and our family consider that this issue is cool, and that’s pretty essential. Thanks for the whole lot!

  17. I wish to show my appreciation to the writer just for bailing me out of this incident. Because of researching throughout the online world and getting concepts that were not productive, I believed my entire life was well over. Existing without the strategies to the issues you have sorted out as a result of your entire report is a serious case, and ones that could have adversely affected my entire career if I hadn’t come across your blog. Your main know-how and kindness in playing with all areas was crucial. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if I hadn’t encountered such a subject like this. I can at this time look forward to my future. Thank you very much for the reliable and results-oriented help. I will not be reluctant to suggest your web blog to any person who needs to have guidelines about this subject matter.

  18. yeezy boost says:

    I wish to convey my appreciation for your kindness in support of folks that absolutely need guidance on in this concept. Your very own commitment to passing the solution all-around became wonderfully useful and have surely enabled others much like me to attain their goals. Your personal helpful publication denotes a lot a person like me and further more to my colleagues. With thanks; from all of us.

  19. Spot on with this write-up, I truly think this web site needs much more consideration. I抣l probably be again to read rather more, thanks for that info.

  20. you’ve an important blog here! would you like to make some invite posts on my weblog?

  21. kobe shoes says:

    This website is known as a stroll-through for all the information you wanted about this and didn抰 know who to ask. Glimpse here, and also you抣l undoubtedly uncover it.

  22. This web page is known as a walk-by means of for the entire info you wished about this and didn抰 know who to ask. Glimpse here, and you抣l positively uncover it.

  23. I was very happy to seek out this internet-site.I wished to thanks on your time for this glorious read!! I definitely having fun with every little little bit of it and I’ve you bookmarked to check out new stuff you weblog post.

  24. very nice put up, i certainly love this web site, carry on it

  25. Can I just say what a aid to seek out somebody who really is aware of what theyre speaking about on the internet. You definitely know how one can deliver a difficulty to light and make it important. Extra people have to learn this and understand this aspect of the story. I cant consider youre not more widespread because you positively have the gift.

  26. yeezy says:

    This really answered my downside, thanks!

  27. yeezy says:

    I was more than happy to find this internet-site.I wished to thanks for your time for this wonderful read!! I undoubtedly enjoying each little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to take a look at new stuff you blog post.

  28. golden goose says:

    I抎 need to check with you here. Which isn’t something I normally do! I enjoy reading a submit that will make folks think. Additionally, thanks for permitting me to comment!

  29. An fascinating discussion is value comment. I believe that it’s best to write extra on this subject, it may not be a taboo topic however typically persons are not enough to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers

  30. Your house is valueble for me. Thanks!?

  31. curry shoes says:

    I抎 should test with you here. Which isn’t one thing I normally do! I enjoy studying a publish that will make people think. Also, thanks for permitting me to remark!

  32. There are some attention-grabbing closing dates on this article but I don抰 know if I see all of them middle to heart. There is some validity however I will take maintain opinion till I look into it further. Good article , thanks and we want extra! Added to FeedBurner as properly

  33. This web site is known as a walk-via for all the data you needed about this and didn抰 know who to ask. Glimpse here, and you抣l definitely uncover it.

  34. That is the fitting weblog for anyone who wants to find out about this topic. You understand so much its almost onerous to argue with you (not that I really would want匟aHa). You positively put a new spin on a subject thats been written about for years. Great stuff, simply nice!

  35. supreme says:

    I wanted to post a small comment to be able to thank you for all of the remarkable concepts you are posting here. My time intensive internet look up has at the end been recognized with incredibly good insight to exchange with my partners. I would claim that most of us site visitors are very much endowed to live in a wonderful place with many wonderful individuals with valuable hints. I feel pretty blessed to have used the webpage and look forward to really more enjoyable minutes reading here. Thanks once again for everything.

  36. I want to express my respect for your kind-heartedness giving support to folks that should have assistance with this important niche. Your real commitment to getting the message throughout had become exceptionally good and have constantly encouraged some individuals like me to arrive at their targets. The valuable information denotes so much a person like me and extremely more to my colleagues. With thanks; from everyone of us.

  37. I have to get across my appreciation for your generosity supporting persons that need help with the situation. Your personal dedication to getting the solution around has been certainly effective and have in every case encouraged individuals just like me to arrive at their desired goals. This interesting instruction denotes a great deal a person like me and further more to my office colleagues. With thanks; from all of us.

  38. I precisely had to appreciate you once more. I’m not certain the things that I could possibly have done in the absence of the entire ways provided by you directly on my problem. It became a alarming situation in my view, however , seeing the well-written avenue you managed the issue took me to cry over fulfillment. I’m just happy for this guidance and thus trust you really know what a great job you were putting in teaching most people thru your web blog. I am certain you have never encountered all of us.

  39. golden goose says:

    I needed to draft you this very little note to help say thank you once again on your spectacular principles you have discussed on this site. It has been simply seriously generous with people like you to deliver easily what exactly many people might have distributed as an e-book to get some money for themselves, even more so seeing that you could have tried it if you considered necessary. The basics as well served to be the great way to be aware that other people have a similar keenness much like my very own to know a little more on the subject of this problem. I’m sure there are some more pleasurable times ahead for many who read through your website.

  40. I intended to compose you that bit of word to finally give many thanks as before with your superb things you’ve contributed in this case. It was certainly incredibly generous of you to convey freely just what a lot of people could have sold as an e book to generate some profit on their own, primarily given that you might have done it in case you desired. Those tricks as well acted to become a fantastic way to be certain that other individuals have the same zeal the same as my personal own to learn a little more with regard to this problem. I believe there are many more pleasant opportunities ahead for many who find out your blog.

  41. balenciaga says:

    I precisely desired to thank you so much once again. I do not know the things that I would have handled without the type of ways documented by you over such theme. Certainly was the scary scenario for me, however , encountering this specialised mode you resolved it took me to leap with joy. Now i am happy for this work and even trust you know what an amazing job you were doing instructing the mediocre ones using a web site. I am sure you have never encountered any of us.

  42. golden goose says:

    I want to show some appreciation to you just for bailing me out of such a scenario. Right after surfing throughout the internet and seeing opinions which are not pleasant, I thought my life was done. Being alive minus the solutions to the problems you have sorted out by way of this guideline is a serious case, and those that might have adversely damaged my entire career if I hadn’t encountered your blog. Your mastery and kindness in taking care of all the stuff was helpful. I am not sure what I would’ve done if I hadn’t come upon such a thing like this. I’m able to at this moment look forward to my future. Thanks so much for your professional and sensible help. I won’t think twice to recommend your web page to any individual who should receive direction on this area.

  43. My husband and i got quite more than happy when Ervin managed to round up his studies with the ideas he acquired from your web page. It is now and again perplexing to simply always be handing out thoughts which usually a number of people have been selling. And now we know we need the blog owner to thank because of that. All of the illustrations you made, the simple web site navigation, the relationships your site aid to foster – it’s most impressive, and it’s facilitating our son and us imagine that that content is thrilling, and that is exceptionally pressing. Thanks for all the pieces!

  44. I in addition to my guys ended up checking out the good pointers found on the blog and then unexpectedly got an awful feeling I had not thanked the website owner for those secrets. Those women became stimulated to learn them and already have pretty much been enjoying those things. Thanks for simply being very considerate and also for considering this form of brilliant subjects most people are really desirous to be informed on. My personal honest regret for not expressing appreciation to earlier.

  45. My wife and i got now joyful Jordan managed to finish off his basic research from your ideas he grabbed from your web page. It is now and again perplexing just to find yourself giving for free guides which often most people could have been selling. And now we figure out we now have the blog owner to appreciate because of that. Those explanations you’ve made, the easy website menu, the friendships you will aid to engender – it is many incredible, and it is letting our son and us imagine that the matter is exciting, and that’s pretty mandatory. Many thanks for everything!

  46. I wanted to write you the bit of remark to help give thanks again for those unique tactics you have discussed at this time. It is really surprisingly generous of people like you to deliver openly just what many people might have offered as an ebook in making some bucks on their own, precisely seeing that you might well have tried it if you wanted. Those suggestions likewise served as a great way to recognize that other people online have a similar passion like my own to grasp a little more pertaining to this matter. I’m certain there are millions of more pleasurable situations in the future for individuals who take a look at your site.

  47. golden goose says:

    I wish to get across my affection for your kindness giving support to persons that require help on your concept. Your very own commitment to passing the solution around came to be incredibly beneficial and have all the time permitted girls just like me to reach their goals. The interesting instruction signifies so much a person like me and even further to my office workers. Thanks a ton; from everyone of us.

  48. hermes belt says:

    I precisely needed to thank you so much once again. I do not know what I would’ve accomplished without those concepts contributed by you about my area of interest. It was before an absolute daunting crisis in my opinion, however , seeing a new expert strategy you dealt with the issue made me to jump for fulfillment. Now i’m happy for your guidance and in addition hope that you are aware of a great job you happen to be carrying out instructing the rest with the aid of your blog post. Most likely you haven’t got to know all of us.

  49. golden goose says:

    I’m commenting to make you know what a fantastic discovery my cousin’s princess experienced browsing yuor web blog. She came to find a wide variety of issues, which included what it’s like to have a marvelous helping mindset to get others without difficulty fully understand a number of hard to do matters. You really exceeded visitors’ expectations. Thanks for delivering the practical, trustworthy, explanatory and even easy guidance on that topic to Emily.

  50. jordan shoes says:

    I intended to compose you that tiny observation to finally say thanks as before on the incredible guidelines you’ve discussed above. This is certainly surprisingly open-handed with you to grant unreservedly all a number of people would’ve marketed as an e-book to make some bucks on their own, chiefly seeing that you might have done it if you ever desired. These secrets additionally worked to provide a good way to be sure that other individuals have the same zeal like my own to understand a little more with respect to this issue. Certainly there are some more pleasant sessions in the future for individuals who read carefully your blog post.

  51. I needed to write you that bit of remark just to say thanks a lot as before for the extraordinary tips you’ve discussed on this website. It has been so tremendously generous with you to grant unreservedly just what numerous people might have supplied as an e-book to help make some profit on their own, and in particular now that you might have done it if you considered necessary. These creative ideas as well acted as a fantastic way to be certain that the rest have similar keenness like mine to know a lot more when considering this issue. I’m certain there are thousands of more pleasant moments in the future for those who read carefully your blog post.

  52. My husband and i ended up being quite joyous when Louis could deal with his survey through the precious recommendations he grabbed while using the weblog. It is now and again perplexing to just possibly be giving freely thoughts that many most people have been trying to sell. So we take into account we have got the writer to appreciate for this. The specific illustrations you made, the straightforward site menu, the relationships you will help to promote – it’s most awesome, and it is helping our son in addition to our family do think that concept is interesting, and that’s truly fundamental. Many thanks for all the pieces!

  53. adidas yeezy says:

    I wish to express thanks to you for bailing me out of this particular challenge. Because of browsing throughout the online world and seeing principles which are not beneficial, I figured my entire life was gone. Existing minus the approaches to the difficulties you’ve resolved through the guideline is a critical case, as well as those which may have negatively damaged my career if I hadn’t noticed your blog post. Your own personal capability and kindness in touching every aspect was important. I’m not sure what I would have done if I hadn’t discovered such a stuff like this. I can also now look forward to my future. Thanks so much for this specialized and result oriented help. I will not be reluctant to refer your web site to any individual who wants and needs support about this situation.

  54. I simply needed to appreciate you once more. I am not sure what I might have implemented without those ideas revealed by you directly on such a problem. Previously it was an absolute frightful difficulty in my position, but seeing a new skilled strategy you handled the issue made me to weep for joy. I am happier for the guidance and even pray you comprehend what a great job you are providing teaching the others thru your web blog. I am certain you haven’t encountered any of us.

  55. I enjoy you because of each of your labor on this web site. My daughter really likes making time for investigations and it’s really obvious why. Many of us learn all concerning the compelling mode you deliver very important tips and tricks on your web blog and therefore improve response from people on this situation so our girl is certainly starting to learn a great deal. Have fun with the remaining portion of the year. You’re carrying out a dazzling job.

  56. kd shoes says:

    Thank you for every one of your effort on this website. My aunt loves managing investigations and it is obvious why. My partner and i notice all relating to the lively way you render both useful and interesting things on the website and therefore increase contribution from other individuals on the concern while my simple princess is becoming educated so much. Take pleasure in the rest of the new year. You’re performing a superb job.

  57. I have to convey my gratitude for your kind-heartedness giving support to persons who really want help on in this theme. Your special commitment to passing the solution all around came to be particularly informative and has in every case enabled workers just like me to realize their goals. Your important guidelines indicates so much a person like me and substantially more to my office colleagues. Thank you; from all of us.

Comments are closed.