As we enter another year of uncertainty, fragmented programming and isolation, I am offering this space to those of you who are providing services to newcomers ways to support their wellbeing, and as well as your own. In the following months, I will share knowledge, practices and principles and develop resources that can be implemented into language or community programming for newcomers.
Yoga and other Wellness Practices with Newcomers offers immigrant and refugees opportunities to access mental and physical well-being and is a holistic way to addresses the much-documented and multiple barriers and challenges that newcomers face. Stress related to housing, jobs and finances are common to most newcomers, while unattended physical health issues, mental health issues including depression and anxiety, past experiences with trauma, uncertainties about loved ones left behind, and forced dependency are also common. Difficulties navigating new systems, as well as low confidence levels related to the need to “re-invent” themselves, cultural barriers and stigmas related to mental health further complicate the picture. The Covid pandemic has exacerbated all of these conditions and the challenges they pose.
Research indicates that yoga provides positive changes in overall health and mental health through practices such as breathing, movement and meditation. It encourages all of us to be in the present moment at a time when much seems out of our control, offers tools for self-care, and can give us a greater sense of safety, control and hope.
Through sharing knowledge and resources, and offering grounding practices, breathing techniques, gentle postures and meditation, I hope to help you as instructors or facilitators bring yoga principles and practices to your students or program participants. Whether these are practices that you lead your students in, or you use the ideas to help build lessons and activities around wellbeing, I hope that here you can find ways to share and support newcomers with ways to improve their wellbeing and sense of connection.
Please tune in here over the coming weeks for ideas and resources to support you in supporting newcomers to access yoga and other wellness practices. Let us know if you would like to work together to tailor these practices and resources to your current programming.