Take a deep breath
Deirdre Hoey, LCSW-C discusses yoga as alternative therapy.
Q: What is the role of yoga at Health Care for the Homeless?
Our yoga groups are therapeutic. Some clients have difficulty sharing with people in traditional support groups. Others exist from shelter to soup kitchen and back each day with little or no personal interaction. Yoga is an opportunity to physically release anxiety but still be part of a group experience. Many clients have also had difficult encounters with the behavioral health system. Yoga—and my presence as a therapist—can be a non-threatening first step toward care. Yoga has been proven effective in the treatment of trauma and depression.
Q: Why do you need a therapist in the room?
Twice a week, our volunteer yoga instructors lead the class. As a therapist, I’m there to help clients navigate the emotions that get stirred up when your mind gets quiet. I also make the process of connecting to other services easier.
Q: How do clients respond to yoga?
Daily life for people without homes often consists of lines, crowds and time constraints. It’s all about survival. To leave that outside the door and practice some calmness results in a lot of unexpected relaxation. Clients often say, “I didn’t know I could feel this way. I’m going to come back.”
More Recent News
Get to know the artists who will present their work at our Client Art Show on Thursday, April 30.
We are thrilled to welcome Nikia Woodard, our new Director of Human Resources! Get to know Nikia, and her favorite snack…
After a year of serving as Practice Manager of West Baltimore, Alkema Jackson is moving into the new role of Director of Practice Operations, Community Sites! Read on to learn more about Alkema’s approach to this new position…
Meet Christana Greene, our new Director of Compliance! With more than five years in the compliance field—most recently as Senior Quality and Patient Safety Specialist at GBMC Healthcare—Chrissy brings frontline insight to the role. She began her career as a medical assistant, gaining firsthand experience in what it takes to keep care safe and operations running smoothly. In her new role, Chrissy is focused on building a compliance culture grounded in safety, integrity and accountability. Read on to learn more about Chrissy...