WHAT WE DO
"Yoga is an art, a science and a philosophy.
It touches the life of man at every level, physical, mental, and spiritual…
It lifts its practitioners from the clutches of pain and sorrow,
and enables them to live fully, taking a delight in life.”
- B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
It touches the life of man at every level, physical, mental, and spiritual…
It lifts its practitioners from the clutches of pain and sorrow,
and enables them to live fully, taking a delight in life.”
- B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
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Our Mission
The Mission of Firefly Yoga International is to promote psychological and physical healing for survivors of trauma by providing evidence-based yoga programming, creating a network of trauma-informed yoga teachers, and contributing to the fields of public health and yoga through scholarly research. |
Adrianne Mathiowetz Photography
Trauma-informed yoga can serve as a potent complement to the overall package of mental and emotional health services often required by those who have experienced trauma. Firefly Yoga International continues to develop its international network of yoga teachers trained to offer trauma-informed yoga to a variety of populations in their communities. Firefly trained yoga teachers are prepared to facilitate trauma-informed yoga classes and/or ongoing programs at agencies where trauma survivors already access other support services, such as domestic violence shelters, veteran’s services agencies, and more. Firefly-trained teachers offer trauma-informed yoga through the lens of social justice, tailoring classes to the unique needs of each group they serve.
Since 2014, Firefly has worked to increase access to the many benefits of trauma-informed yoga:
Since 2014, Firefly has worked to increase access to the many benefits of trauma-informed yoga:
- Firefly Program: The Firefly Program offers specially designed classes to trauma survivors, combining yoga, conscious breathing exercises, and guided relaxation in a safe and supportive environment.
- Firefly Training: The Firefly Training empowers yoga teachers and others with a practical toolbox for offering trauma-informed yoga classes in their own communities. The Firefly Training is a 30-hour training over three days, designed for those who have completed a standard 200-hr yoga teacher, but welcomes therapists, clinicians, and other social service agency workers.
- Research: The Firefly Program and Firefly Training were designed based on existing research, demonstrating how yoga can be used as a tool for healing when it is taught in a specific way to individuals who have experienced trauma. Firefly also contributes to the growing evidence base on trauma-informed yoga by closely monitoring and evaluating the impact of its programs and trainings, in an effort to better inform future initiatives in this field.