From Breath to Beadwork: Lessons Learned From a Trauma- Informed Yoga Series With Indigenous Adolescent Girls Under Youth Protection
International Journal of Indigenous Health January 11, 2021 Jessica Barudin 2 citations
A culturally adapted, trauma-informed yoga program for eight Indigenous adolescent girls (ages 13–17) from rural and remote Inuit communities in Quebec, Canada, who were under youth protection services in a residential facility, shows promise as a strengths-based strategy for relational healing. The weekly 60-minute sessions over 2018 and 2019 blended cultural teachings, group dialogue, trauma-informed yoga, circle sharing, guided meditation, breathing techniques, centring practices, and beadwork. The approach promotes cultural connectedness, safety, and resilience among girls removed from their communities, offering an introductory framework for health professionals and staff working with Indigenous youth in residential facilities.