I hope this blog post can bring awareness to anyone reading about teaching yoga to people that are not currently served well by the yoga community. In particular, I’m talking about teaching yoga in jails, recovery centers, halfway houses, inpatient therapy, or certain community settings.
These sensitive populations often get huge benefits from yoga, but many yoga instructors don’t think they have the skill set or the confidence to teach in a non-traditional environment. Hopefully this post gives you a little idea of what to expect, and maybe encourages you to consider teaching in one of these environments, because it is really rewarding and really fun!
How I started teaching in a rehabilitation center
In August 2017, I had just completed yoga teacher training. Some friends and I decided to rent out some space in a community center to practice teaching yoga to friends and family while we looked for jobs.
The first day, a friend and I arrived a few minutes early to prep, and the group that rented the space before us was still there. One of the women (who turned out to be the founder of the organization) saw our yoga mats and struck up a conversation. We talked about how we had just completed yoga teacher training. Her eyes lit up as she exclaimed, “Wow! That is too funny. My yoga instructor just put in her two weeks’ notice and I’m looking for another one. Would either of you be interested in teaching women in recovery from substance abuse?” The friend I was with said no, but I agreed to get coffee with her a few days later.
The realities of teaching in a non-traditional environment
Teaching in a jail, halfway house, or recovery center is a pretty different experience than most studio or community classes. Some reasons are:
1. Many of these facilities do not have the resources to purchase yoga equipment. I’m lucky to have a studio with mats, blocks, and straps, but sometimes you need to supply your own mats.
2. Space can be difficult. Sometimes these organizations do not have a huge space to practice in, so you might be crammed in a front hallway or makeshift room or something. You may not know where you’re going to be teaching until you show up to class. Sometimes, my organization has unexpected meetings and I get moved at the last minute to a smaller space (that’s the story of how I learned to teach chair yoga).
3. Students often come in late due to group, medical, or counseling sessions running over.
4. Depending on the organization, there may be very strict rules about your relationship with students. It is your job to be aware of those rules. You likely signed a contract about it.
5. Sometimes, students might be bringing their children to class if they can’t find adequate childcare.
What are my students like?
1. They are diverse. They have a wide variety of ability levels. They come from a huge range of income levels, sexual & gender identities, and ethnic backgrounds. Some students are excited about yoga, and others genuinely don’t want to be there. Many have had quite difficult lives.
2. They don’t have a ton of yoga experience. Most of the women I teach have never done yoga before, and if they have, it’s usually because they did it when they were in jail or another recovery facility.
3. Their physical ability and energy levels are all over the map, and injuries are common. A lot of my students are actively experiencing symptoms of withdrawal, so sometimes they have to leave to be sick or they just need to lay down and take a nap. I’ve also had three or four students in the last year that have recently been hit by cars, and they want to come to yoga as part of their physical therapy. The best way to deal with a large variety of injuries and abilities, I’ve found, is to have one-on-one time with students where you can get a little more understanding of their physical condition and offer lots and lots and lots of different options for each posture (while encouraging students to listen to their bodies).
Is this kind of teaching for everyone?
If you are a generally empathetic person and can get along with all different types of people, you might enjoy teaching in a jail or halfway house. You also have to be adaptable (which comes with practice). You can prep and do sequencing, but you’ll most likely have to change it depending on how the class goes and the energy in the room.
Getting a Curvy Yoga certification was so helpful in offering accessible sequencing for many of my students. If you feel ill-prepared to teach a sensitive population, invest in trainings! A trauma-sensitive training paired with a Curvy Yoga certification can work wonders.
I hope that this post at least informed and hopefully inspired you to check out different opportunities in your area working with underserved groups! It really is rewarding, fun, and a fantastic way to grow as an instructor. I love to connect with other passionate instructors, so if you’re in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and/or you want to contact me, please feel free to be in touch at astivland (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks for reading!
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Allison Stivland is a yoga instructor based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In addition to her 230-hour yoga instruction certification, she is certified in curvy yoga and has completed seminars in trauma-sensitive yoga and yin yoga. She holds a dual bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota in psychology and public health and has a particular interest in using yoga to restore and encourage her students’ positive relationships with their bodies. She is a strong advocate for inclusion within the yoga community and works to create a classroom environment where people of all backgrounds and identities feel welcome. She has been teaching in a Minneapolis center for recovery from substance abuse since September 2017.