A Symphony of Silence
Students at UMFS’ residential foster care facility practice yoga twice weekly with Project Yoga Richmond ambassadors.
“I’ve never seen you look so relaxed!”
-UMFS teacher to a student after class
What if you were asked to share a “rose” and a “thorn” from your week? One highlight and one challenge...what would you say?
A student at UMFS, a residential foster care facility, shared that his “thorn” was a recent altercation with a peer. His “rose” was practicing yoga in PYR’s on-site class.
UMFS empowers high-risk children and their families through foster care and specialized education for children with behavioral and developmental needs and those struggling with mental health challenges. We recently introduced a twice-weekly yoga class for children ages 11-18 at UMFS’s residential facility in Richmond.
Led by PYR Ambassadors Dan Weiseman and Syd Collier, the students learn the basics of yoga along with self-regulation tools such as how to use breath and movement to work through difficult emotions.
“We are always trying to give our residents as many skills as possible to potentially utilize when they discharge from our program,” says Patrick Gill, a teacher at UMFS. “Our students have been through heartbreaking trauma and yoga is a proven strategy to help during the lifelong healing process.”
Given their traumatic circumstances, children in this program are in need of consistent positive reinforcement, love, and patience. Patrick is grateful for the opportunity to incorporate this class, “The PYR staff has been phenomenal at adapting to our population, meeting their needs, and teaching them the basics of yoga.”
Dan and Syd relish the opportunity to show up regularly for these students and teach them skills they can call upon for the rest of their lives.
“They are willing to communicate what they want and need,” Syd explains. “They also enjoy the relaxation at the end. Some of the students experience hyperactivity so they benefit from having space held for them so that they can rest and relax in a moment. It’s cool to see them find their way to a place where they can just chill.”
Dan elaborates, “We like to have a good time during the class and chat it up, but the hush that comes over the class during child’s pose or crocodile pose has a powerful, spiritual feel about it, like a shared symphony of silence.”
When you pay for your class or make a donation to Project Yoga Richmond, you play a key role in facilitating this “symphony of silence” for children who have experienced significant hardship. Because of you, they build resilience and have the time and space to further their healing. Thank you!