Yoga Therapy Today – A House of Peace
In response to the ongoing immigration crisis at the border between the United States and Mexico, Casa de Paz SLV — “House of Peace” in English — has now served more than 2,000 asylum seekers, refugees, and new immigrants with therapeutic yoga practices and more.
Originally published at yogatherapy.health/2023/12/07/a-house-of-peace
In response to the ongoing immigration crisis at the border between the United States and Mexico, I founded Casa de Paz SLV in January 2019. This organization—“House of Peace” in English—has now served more than 2,000 asylum seekers, refugees, and new immigrants with therapeutic yoga practices and more.
The health data on displaced people* show high levels of posttraumatic stress disorder: many of these people are not only displaced, they are victims of gang violence, human trafficking, family separation, detention, and more. Yoga—arguably trauma-informed practices in particular—can help people learn to self-regulate trauma symptoms, so these new residents can again learn to be whole people living in and contributing to their new society.
Trauma-informed yoga for refugees, asylum seekers, and new immigrants
Because we are working with mental health and complex trauma, Casa de Paz SLV volunteers go through a fairly rigorous interview and trauma-informed training process as well as training in how to ground people. Most who apply to work with us are already trained in this way and are certified and licensed in their professions; most are also bilingual.
With our physical yoga, we tend to avoid poses that open up the emotional body too much. We teach a lot of practices that create resilience, such as warrior pose, boat, and other core strengtheners.
We will often share a series of poses that we repeat, like a sun salutation class, so clients have a routine they can do on their own and with others. When we have a base location for several days, we hold a “share yoga” series, which is more like a training of trainers: a basis for sharing yoga together and with others.
Gaining acceptance because yoga works
At the border in Texas, yoga is not well-known as a way to assist with mental health and trauma. The more people saw the effects of the yoga on the clients we served, however, the more we were accepted. The most common feedback we receive is that clients feel more “relaxed.” What we witness is more joy, connection to self and emotions, a sense of safety, and community—all experiences that help to promote self-regulation of trauma symptoms.
The need is growing
In the past 5 years, the United States has seen significant waves of immigrants from Mexico, Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine, and the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi, where we have recently started working. Casa de Paz SLV runs on a slim budget with a mostly volunteer staff. Funding is primarily through private donors, not through grants. The vision is to expand services in the unaccompanied-minor detention facilities and other shelters. Basic supplies, especially food, are needed—and so is yoga. Trauma-informed yoga is a support and therapy that can change and even save lives.
Gina Barrett, MIA, E-RYT 200, C-IAYT, is the 2022 winner of the John Kepner Seva Award, which IAYT presents in partnership with the Give Back Yoga Foundation to recognize the efforts of change-making yoga therapists.
*The Refugee Health Technical Assistance Center provides data on displaced populations.
This article was adapted from a longer version published in the Summer 2023 issue of Yoga Therapy Today, available to members on IAYT’s website.
Yoga Therapy Today – The New Immigration Crisis: Creating Trauma-Informed Yoga Programs for Asylum Seekers, Refugees, and New Immigrants
The International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) has published an article about Casa de Paz SLV’s work with refugees in their summer 2023 issue of Yoga Therapy Today. Written by Gina Barrett.
Asylum seekers, new immigrants, and refugees are displaced and adapting to a new culture as they attempt to create new lives in a new country. The past decade has seen a wave of people fleeing climate-related natural disasters, war, and starvation. These waves will continue as climate change affects food sources and causes natural disasters worldwide. Wars and gang violence continue to also cause people to flee their countries of origin around the world.
Data provided by the Refugee Health Technical Assistance Center show that rates of PTSD and major depression in settled adult refugees range from 10% to 40% and 5 to 15%, respectively, while children and adolescents have rates of PTSD as high as 50% to 90% and major depression ranging from 6% to 40%. Refugees may also suffer from panic attacks, adjustment disorder, and somatization. According to the center, the number of traumas someone has experienced, delayed asylum application process, detention, and the loss of culture and support systems all contribute to the risk of developing mental health problems (https://refugeehealthta. org/physical-mental-health/mental-health/).
Complex trauma is when a person has survived multiple traumatic experiences, often the result of such displacement. Yoga—arguably trauma-informed practices in particular—can help people learn to self-regulate trauma symptoms, so these new residents can function in society, make a living, and support themselves and their families.
In response to the ongoing immigration crisis at the border between Texas and Mexico, I founded Casa de Paz SLV in January 2019.
Yoga, meditation and holistic remedies help asylum seekers heal
A Colorado-based migrant advocacy group held a nationwide webinar Wednesday to teach the benefits that yoga, meditation and holistic remedies can have on traumatized refugees.
McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — A Colorado-based migrant advocacy group held a nationwide webinar Wednesday to teach the benefits that yoga, meditation and holistic remedies can have on traumatized refugees.
The organization, Casa de Paz SLV, hosted the program called Emotional Wholeness Holistic Trauma Support for Asylum Seekers, New Immigrants & Refugees.
It was free for nonprofits and migrant advocacy groups and stressed that most refugees suffer physical and emotional damage during their journeys and when they relocate to a new country.
Gina Barrett, director of Casa de Paz, said it’s called “complex trauma,” which means multiple experiences.
Barrett was awarded the 2022 SEVA Award for Humanitarian Service at the Border by the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
“This webinar is really helping people to go a little deeper in understanding the effects of trauma, and it’s complex. It’s complex trauma, which means multiple experiences,” Barrett said in response to a question from Border Report.
“The immigrant journey is incredibly dangerous and trauma-full,” she said.
Offering basic yoga stretches, neck massages, art therapy using rocks or paper to color and express their feelings with, are simple methods that can help, Barrett and other panelists said.
“Our bodies hold trauma. They hold emotion. It lives in the body,” said yoga therapist Mona Flynn, founder of the nonprofit the Yoga Connection told participants. “But we are capable of surviving and erasing some of the heaviness.”
Flynn’s organization also offers yoga for women, immigrants and refugees and Yoga Connection won the 2020 SEVA award.
Migrant advocacy groups estimate that as many as three out of four women are raped as they try to journey north to the United States. Many children, including boys, are often victims of rape, as well.
A 2020 report by Doctors Without Borders found most migrants endured some type of violence during their migration. They also reported coming from countries with high violence rates, such as the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.
“The high levels of violence in the Northern Triangle of Central America (NTCA) is comparable to that in war zones where MSF has been working for decades—and is a major factor fueling migration north to Mexico and the US,” the report said.
The report found 61.9 percent of respondents said that they were exposed to a violent situation during the two years prior to leaving their home country. Forty-five percent cited their exposure to violence as a key reason for fleeing. And more than 75 percent who came with children reported leaving due to violence, including forced recruitment by gangs.
Barrett’s organization has made 10 trips to the Rio Grande Valley and has worked with over 2,000 migrants including asylum seekers released from detention centers in South Texas by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and those granted humanitarian parole into the United States by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers
Her group also has crossed into northern Mexico and offered yoga, art therapy, and massage for migrants living in refugee camps in Matamoros and Reynosa.
Barrett describes seeing migrants who appear “shattered” after being released by ICE, or after being allowed to cross into the United States.
“I just feel that people can’t be educated enough about this and these little simple ways that we shared today could help so many people,” she said.
She said her organization is now working to expand internationally.
Article published in Border Report by Sandra Sanchez can be reached at Ssanchez@borderreport.com
Winner of IAYT's SEVA Award for 2022: Trauma-Informed Yoga for Asylum Seekers and New Immigrants
Originally published in Yoga Therapy Today, a publication of the International Association of Yoga Therapists (www.iayt.org). Shared with permission.
CRESTONIAN RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR HUMANITARIAN SERVICE AT THE BORDER
On Saturday June 9, 2022, at the SYSTAR (Symposium on Yoga Therapy and Research) Conference in Chicago, Crestone, Colorado and Conway, Massachusetts resident, Gina Barrett, was awarded the 2022 International Association of Yoga Therapist SEVA award for holistic trauma support at the border of Texas and Mexico. Barrett founded C
As featured in The Crestone Eagle Vol 33 No. 7
On Saturday June 9, 2022, at the SYSTAR (Symposium on Yoga Therapy and Research) Conference in Chicago, Crestone, Colorado and Conway, Massachusetts resident, Gina Barrett, was awarded the 2022 International Association of Yoga Therapist SEVA award for holistic trauma support at the border of Texas and Mexico.
Barrett founded Casa de Paz SLV in January 2019. She had been hearing about the complex trauma experienced by families coming into the US for asylum and felt she could help. Gina has been a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist for over 20 years, with a specialization in assisting clients with regulating the symptoms of sexual assault trauma.
The teams of practitioners that Gina brought to the border served mostly young families, some elders, and those in the LGBQTIA+ community. Most were from countries In Central America. Services included trauma-informed yoga classes, chair massage, art therapy, play a narrative therapy and other holistic private sessions for trauma and wellness.
Casa de Paz SLV provided seasonal week-long trips to various centers in Texas and Mexico. During the pandemic, an online support program was created that includes “support chats” with a licensed social worker, a private Facebook group and a YouTube channel with over 20 practices for trauma self regulation. All programs are run by volunteers and private donors. Casa de Paz SLV has also received some small grants for art supplies and yoga programs.
Seva Award and grant from International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) recognizes therapists bringing yogic practices to unserved populations. This award offers seed funding and publicity for well-defined and well-planned service projects. In addition, Casa de Paz SLV received yoga mats donated by Give Back Yoga Foundation in partnership with Lululemon and Gaiam in support of their work at the border.
COLORADO RESIDENT RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR HUMANITARIAN SERVICE AT THE BORDER
Chicago, ILLINOIS, June 2022 - On Saturday June 9, 2022, at the SYSTAR (Symposium on Yoga Therapy and Research) Conference in Chicago, Crestone, Colorado and Conway, Massachusetts resident, Gina Barrett, was awarded the 2022 international Association of yoga therapist SEVA award for holistic trauma support at the border of Texas and Mexico.
Barrett founded Casa De Paz SLV in January 2019. She had been hearing about the complex trauma experienced by families coming into the US for asylum and felt she could help. Gina has been a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist for over 20 years, with a specialization in assisting clients with regulating the symptoms of sexual assault trauma.
Barrett had been spending winters at the border and began to research how she could be of service. Initially, Gina delivered supplies and served at shelters. Soon she saw that there was a need to bring teams of volunteer practitioners to the border to provide mental health support.
When Gina began to volunteer in 2019, there were only about 100 migrants waiting at the border. Since then, the numbers waiting at camps and in crowded apartments in Matamoros and Reynosa, Mexico averaged about 3000.
The teams of practitioners Gina brought to the border served mostly young families, some elders, and those in the LGBQTIA+ community. Most were from countries In Central America. Services included trauma informed yoga classes, chair massage, art therapy, play a narrative therapy and other holistic private sessions for trauma and wellness.
The complex trauma experienced was from many forms of gang violence where they were being forced to comply or be beaten, cut or raped. Often families reported being threatened that the whole family would be killed. Many were grieving lost family members. Some migrants also experienced kidnapping and some form of human trafficking while on their immigration journey into the US. The trauma of being displaced for an unknown period of time with little or no resources was the most present and unsettling concern for migrants. Many were completely reliant on the support of others to survive at the border for many months or years before being able to enter the US. The asylum-seekers were highly vulnerable in this waiting situation.
Casa De Paz SLV provided seasonal week long trips to various centers in Texas and Mexico. During the pandemic an online support program was created that includes “support chats” with a licensed social worker, a private Facebook group and a YouTube channel with over 20 practices for trauma self-regulation. All programs are run by volunteers and private donors. Casa De Paz SLV has also received some small grants for art supplies and yoga programs.
Seva Award and grant from International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) recognizes therapists bringing yogic practices to unserved populations. This award offers seed funding and publicity for well-defined and well-planned service projects. In addition, Casa de Paz SLV received yoga mats donated by Give Back Yoga Foundation in partnership with Lululemon and Gaiam in support of our work at the border.
The situation at the border is always changing and Casa De Paz SLV does their best to respond. On our last service trip in April 2022, all migrants waiting at the Reynosa refugee camp were being bused into the US and the camp was closed.
We are currently exploring continuing to support unaccompanied minors living in shelters in the US until they are put in foster homes or turn 18. We also encourage asylum-seekers and new immigrants to attend a 3 - 10 day trauma informed retreat on a ranch in Crestone Colorado. This fall, we are offering an online trauma informed training for nonprofits that work with asylum-seekers and new immigrants. Volunteers and donations are needed to continue these efforts. To learn more and offer your support visit, www.casadepazslv.org