“You made my time [while incarcerated] that much easier to bear, and I will never forget that. You fill the world with grace.”
— T, participant in LAP's program for incarcerated women.
Light a Path (LAP), is driven by volunteer certified yoga/fitness instructors who offer mindful movement classes for people who are incarcerated, and those in recovery at community partner locations. Rooted in eliminating racism and empowering women, LAP classes offer tools for building resilience, cultivating empathy and compassion as well as opportunities to heal unresolved trauma. Volunteers are trained in racial justice, physical responses to trauma, and trauma-informed wellness.
Prospective volunteers can expect to interview, receive training, and continued learning. Volunteer facilitators commit to a minimum of 1 class per month. Light a Path is currently accepting applications for volunteers with certification in yoga, strength training, dance/Zumba, and other mind-body practices.
For More Information, contact:
LAP Coordinator
lightapath@ywcaofasheville.org
828-254-7206
WHAT IS THE
PURPOSE
OF BEING
TRAUMA-INFORMED?
● Cultivate trust and encourage a mutual relationship with student/teacher
● Institute choice and cultivate/practice agency
● Increase awareness of sensations, emotions and bodily states/what’s going on inside the body (to know oneself)
● Decrease hyperarousal; teach + practice self-regulation (safety + stability)
● Cultivate ability to modulate, tolerate and recover from sensation and physiological arousal(without chasing sensation)
● Minimize harm + create culture of consent
● Create opportunities for new ways of being in relationship with ourselves and others
YWCA LIGHT A PATH PRINCIPLES OF TRAUMA INFORMED INSTRUCTION
● We are here to serve participants.
● We are aware that our participants are living with/have experienced trauma.
● We strive to minimize harm or triggering.
● We show up as our full selves while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
● We give participants agency and choice over their body and their actions. Everything is an invitation or suggestion.
● We create a culture of consent.
● We are clear about what participants can expect from us, from describing the session, to conducting class, to our scope of practice.
● We consistently show up, becoming a reliable presence for participants.
● We take care of ourselves and continue to learn, grow and maintain our practice.
Transform lives today with a simple act of generosity – your donation of $25 or more supports Light a Path, and can provide a graduating participant with a yoga mat, block, and strap bundle, kickstarting their mindfulness journey as they return home.
Donate now and make a lasting impact!
Please add "LAP" to the comment section to make your donation specific to this program.
A black and white photo of an older woman with curly gray hair, wearing a sleeveless shirt, raising one arm and holding her own shoulder with her other hand, showing a moment of self-care or stretching.
Instructor lying on a mat leading a seated exercise class for five women in a gym or studio with plain walls and shelves on the left side.
Group of fitness participants in a yoga class, in a downward dog pose
A group of people participating in an outdoor yoga or exercise class in a park, with a woman leading from a seated and spread-legged pose near a large tree.
Two women sitting on exercise mats in a gym or fitness setting, engaging in a stretching or yoga class, wearing gray T-shirts and athletic shorts.
A person practicing yoga or meditation sitting cross-legged with one hand resting on their knee and fingers in a mudra pose, black and white photograph.