Living Yoga Studio

About Us

Founded in 1998, Living Yoga brings the study and practice of yoga to kids, youth and adults in correctional facilities, drug treatment centers, and behavioral/mental health facilities.

The heart of what we do is beautifully simple; we bring teachers, skilled in the practice of yoga, to individuals who have experienced trauma in their lives. Yoga can give these individuals better, more effective ways of dealing with the destructive effects of trauma, helping them to heal and become healthier, more productive, more positive members of their communities. We do this work through a corps of highly trained, highly skilled volunteers.

We currently offer 30 weekly classes at 20 institutions, reaching 3100 students over the course of the year.

Our History

Living Yoga was founded by Sarahjoy Marsh in 1998 as a personal vision for social justice. Sarahjoy began with yoga classes for women in prison, but over her first three years of teaching, the program grew to include yoga classes for men in prison, for homeless youth, for drug and alcohol rehab programs (supporting adolescents and adults), and domestic violence shelters.

By bringing yoga into places where it was never before accessible, Living Yoga gave these students an opportunity to awaken to their humanity, heal their body, improve their self-esteem, and ignite the urge in them to then give back to others. Living Yoga helped students rekindle their sense of being a valuable part of a community. Sarahjoy also understood that being of service to others would transform the teachers, awakening them to their shared humanity with the students, increasing their personal sense of purpose, and offering the opportunity to be a part of a community dedicated to yoga and service.

With a handful of volunteers, Living Yoga became a 501(c)3 in 2002. Through service and volunteerism, our aim has been to transform lives, to connect community members working to heal and improve their own lives along with community members dedicated to service.

Throughout our 16 years of providing programming, we have broadened our target populations to include those that may later face incarceration if intervention and prevention tools are not provided, and we’ve increased our support for our students transitioning out of their mandated programs back into the larger community. Over the years, we have maintained long-standing partners such as Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, Minimum and Medium (2001), Central City Concern (2008), and Volunteers of America (2008).

Mission Statement

Changing lives by fostering healing and resilience in vulnerable and marginalized communities through trauma-informed yoga.

Vision

We envision a world in which all vulnerable and marginalized communities and those impacted by trauma have access to the healing power of yoga.

What do we mean when we say we work with vulnerable and marginalized communities?

We work with people whose lives have been shaped by trauma and interpersonal and structural violence. This includes communities impacted by incarceration, addiction, poverty, mental and behavioral health challenges, homelessness, sexual assault, and war. We especially focus our efforts in organizations that address the intersections of these issues.