Yoga is a mind and body practice with origins in ancient Indian philosophy. It combines physical posture, breathing and meditation techniques, which have demonstrated improved mental health, sleep and quality of life outcomes for Veterans suffering from PTSD.
According to the National Center for PTSD, approximately 7 out of every 100 Veterans will experience PTSD at some point in their lives. Some also struggle with chronic pain, depression and anxiety. These challenges can make it difficult for Veterans to transition back to civilian life and find ways to manage their symptoms.
Dr. Daniel Libby recognized the potential benefits of yoga and mindfulness while providing psychotherapy for Veterans recovering from PTSD. “One of my Veterans approached me and told me that he had stopped taking his sleep medications because now he could meditate to go to sleep. That moment was profound,” he said.
Dr. Libby began offering free yoga classes to Veterans in his community, which quickly grew into a larger organization dedicated to serving the unique needs of the Veteran population. He founded the nonprofit organization Veterans Yoga Project (VYP) in 2011, with the aim of providing accessible and effective healing practices for Veterans and their families. Today, VYP provides yoga and mindfulness resources, teacher training programs, and community building opportunities to support recovery and resilience among Veterans and their loved ones.
On the journey to recovery and building resilience, the first step can be the hardest one. VYP has several ways to help Veterans get started:
Learn about Yoga and Mindful Resilience
Access a practice library with a wide variety of resources for you to learn about yoga poses, experience a guided meditation or practice mindful movement. Explore the library to see what you could integrate into your daily routine.
Find a free online yoga class
Search the schedule of yoga classes specifically for Veterans, their families and caregivers. Classes are offered daily and cover stretching, breathwork, and stress management from beginning to advanced levels.
Attend an in-person class
Search the class locator to find free, in-person classes. Classes are taught throughout the country by graduates of VYP’s Mindful Resilience Training for Trauma Recovery program.
Get training to teach Mindful Resilience
VYP’s goal is to make mindful resilience techniques available to all Veterans. To accomplish this they offer several training programs for those wanting to teach in their community with sliding-scale scholarships available to cover the cost of the program.
The sharing of any non-VA information does not constitute an endorsement of products and services on the part of VA. Veterans should verify the information with the organization offering.
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I practice with Yoga4Caregivers – they have fabulous teachers and their classes are focused on supporting caregivers through slow, mindful yoga, tai-chi and other classes too. They are also free! There is also a private Facebook Group and a virtual free monthly meet-up too. They were started by a former VA social worker. This resource should be made more widely known to caregivers – http://www.yoga4caregivers.com
Thanks so much for all the helpful offerings to the Veterans, especially the one I use in Birmingham.
The online yoga classes be watched on You Tube?
I have previous experience chair yoga for four years until two hip replacements and desire to get with the class once again.
Whee are they free ??
Need more info on how to join
Please try again.
https://veteransyogaproject.org/vyp-classes
To get a free account, then book a class.
I teach the Gentle Yoga for Low Back Care class on Wednesdays and Yoga Nidra Meditation on Sundays. Thanks!
Are they in house practices
IT IS UNLIKELY THAT PEOPLE WILL TRAVEL VERY FAR FOR THIS YOGA OFFERING. LOCATIONS ARE GENERALLY FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.
I have used the VYP live on-line classes. They are great and I can do yoga in my livingroom.
Similar to MSG (R) Chris R. Bell May 2, 2023 at 8:47 am enquiry:
Qi Gong/Tai Chi, archery [legacy, compound, crossbow depending on ailments and abilities; target and possibly hunting and fishing, especially where animal control and invasive species management could use some help], myriad outdoor activities, recreational tree climbing, beekeeping and Therapeutic Slovenian type beehive therapy, etc.
Under the Mission Cares Act, with Preventative Maintenance, Pain Management and Mental as well as Physical Health considerations… Care In The Community (CITC) considerations to encourage and pay for local activities [with some level of vetting], especially when there isn’t something local. On-line is fine for some activities, and some times, but the human interaction and camaraderie in-person adds another level of service and support.
In my case, I’m paying out-of-pocket for Tai Chi/Qi Gong; I believe targeted compensation
I’d also like to mention, for anyone reading this… As a Service Disabled Veteran (Retired Army/DOD), I was issued an H-Wave through Ortho, which is free if Veterans go through the referral process and may benefit from it. Between Qi Gong/Tai Chi [classes and Youtube], Yoga, PT, H-Wave, and Lidocaine [patches & Lotion/Liquid] and heating/cooling pads, with occasional acupuncture as VA CITC has pretty limited number of visits based on dollars versus maintenance considerations/recommendations,
I’ve ‘managed’ to stop all Prescription Pain Killers.
“Motion is Lotion”… even when it hurts, find ways to move that work for you. Meditation and Mindfulness exercises [e.g.- Deep-Breathing] also help with Mental Health, which may also alleviate physical pain to some degree. All the best in your endeavors along the Journey :-)
I’d also like to suggest Military Installations collaborate for activities that could benefit Veterans/retirees as well as active duty, families… I don’t get to many bases, but where I have (FL, GA, VA, MD, CA… Army, Air Force, Navy) things like fishing docks, outdoor trails/paths/backroads and beaches, invasive and overpopulated species [plants & animals], etc. are not being maintained/funded, and apparently the Will/willingess to prioritize open space and the environment is low/insignificant; it wouldn’t take too much creativity to make improvements if the willingness and funding were there, which also would impact morale and quality-of-life.
How much did the H wave itself help? This is the 1st I’ve heard of it. I’m in the same situation you were.
Thanks!
Use to have a Yoga class in The VA Clinic in Jay, Oklahoma. Would love to have it back. It was videoed from our Fayetteville facility. My wife was able to attend. We loved it. Then Pandemic hit. Would love to have it start up again.
So, there are no veterans in P.R.?
It seems like there are several states with no yoga classes … it looks like this program is being offered by the “veterans experience office” (never heard of them before) – and they probably are only listing classes where they’ve found volunteer yoga instructors (free yoga classes).
Since there are a lot of us here wanting this, maybe it’s time the VA actually started to pay for this so that it would be more widely available (not sure it’s a priority for the VA … until we push it).
Of course, they have online availability too, so I guess we all have some sort of access if we can connect to the online classes (but there are a ton of YouTube yoga videos, and online is just not the same as in-person).
[Editor: The “Veterans Experience Office” is the VA office who sends the weekly “VeteransResources” news email.]
Hi,
I live in Venice Fl. I can’t find any around here.
Any help??
I am a Veteran and have a VA card. I use the VA for Checkups, vision & hearing.
David Barrelle
Hey David! I hear you that there aren’t any around here specific ally for Veterans (I’m from Englewood and live in North Port). In case you weren’t aware, there is a free yoga class on the beach (Englewood Beach) every morning. I haven’t been, but wanted to throw it out there in case you were interested. From what I know, they ask for a $5 donation, but it’s not necessary. https://www.lovinglightyoga.com/
Yoga classes in person at Top of the world or In Gainesville for Veterans I’m a Navy Female veteran.
I’m interesting how can I get involve?
I am already in an yoga class and really enjoy it.
I have suffered with PTSD symptoms over 10+ years , and out of all the treatments, counselings and medications I tried the one thing that truly is helping me is practicing mindfulness meditation and yoga. So I definitely recommend anyone to at least give it a try!
I have been offering free yoga classes for veterans for 5+ years. VA hospital refers veterans to me. USN veteran. Why are you only referring to select studios?
Trying to sign up for yoga but it asks for a person who referred
I would like to register for sessions
“Practive Library” and “Schedule of Classes” links do not work in Safari.
The “Class Locator” link and the “No-cost access” link do not work in this article. I would like to find more information about the Teacher Training. I am a disabled Vet and tried to get the VA to help pay for Teacher Training approximately 6 years ago with no help. I did end up taking what was called a master class but it was not a teacher program. I would love to be able to teach class at our local Legion Hall and offer it free to Vets.
links time out errors
Why cant veterans access silver sneakers?
None of the links work! Tried multiple times. Trying to find an in person yoga and it won’t load.
I would like to try
Your links don’t work.
How Do I get this type of help with Yoga? I don’t see a link or anything. I am a veteran.
Thanks
Links are not working….attempting to access the in-person link & it times out everytime. EVEN the VeteransYogaProject.org doesn’t work…
Links don’t work?
No link for class locator
There are no in person VA Yoga classes near me. North Ms.
Is there a way for a referal from VA to attend a local VA class paid for by the VA?
links to register for yoga classes do not work
Can’t seem to activate any of the links to schedules for locations, etc
I am a Veteran that lives in El Paso, TX, can you please provide free yoga classes as we have many Veterans that will benefit from yoga classes.
I was unable to access link to search for for classes near me
Evenings after 6pm or weekends.
Taichi is also available as part of the Whole Health for Life program. I am one of the veteran instructors
None of the hyperlinks are working for the yoga schedules or the class locator. Is there something specific I need to to get them to function properly?
QUESTION: Why isn’t there a ton of Yoga classes in the Tampa-St . Petersburg area with the largest concentration of veterans in the US??? The CW “Bill” Young Bay Pines VA Center has the largest mental health facility in the country and NO Yoga classes. Why not?
Why isn’t there a more concerted effort to offer similar type classes, i.e., Tai Chi, to help veterans with not only mental issues but recuperative stretching, etc?
There is Taichi available via online through the Whole Health for Life program. I teach for Vision8 every Wednesday at 1400
Were you able to get the links to work?
I understand your point and I feel that now people are realizing that these mindfulness practices are a great help and benefit to Veterans and that the VA is starting to recognize this. So hopefully in to your area VA will start providing these programs for in person sessions and online. Please feel free to visit our website below, we provide online guided meditations for Veterans.
Good Morning MSG Bell. Last year I deployed to my second tour in Iraq as the lead Behavioral Health Officer and wondered the same thing…no yoga at our large tactical base…so I started one. I simply reclaimed an abandoned Boeing airline hangar, brought in large rugs, placed yoga mats on them, and advertised. At first we projected Yoga with Adrienne from YouTube in the wall (her MOVE hatha yoga series), THEN a real live yoga teacher appeared and she taught the classes! You might be surprised what can happen if you coordinate a space and go from there. It sounds like the Veterans Yoga Project is a great place to start. By the way, we had over 1000 people visit our Yoga studio during our tour. I got in the best shape of my life!