As well as offering practical solutions to helping Ukrainians reach the UK and integrate into life here, we also understand the importance of caring for people’s physical and mental wellbeing following an intense and ongoing time of trauma.
Our team knows first-hand the benefits of practising yoga to help calm the mind in a world that has been turned upside down. We are working on providing a programme of trauma-informed yoga classes to members of the Ukrainian community in the UK.
Yoga has been shown to have powerful effects for those who have undergone traumatic experiences, helping to slow a racing mind and focus on the present moment.
One study found that trauma-informed yoga significantly reduced the symptoms of PTSD and was as effective as medication and other psychological therapies.
In 2022, our team at BHSU helped to launch a free beginners course for Ukrainians in partnership with Ashtanga Yoga Bristol. The course provided weekly classes and brought together people who had travelled from across Ukraine to find safety in Bristol. Interpreters were on hand to help students and teachers to gain as much as possible from the classes.
Building on this success, we are looking to create bespoke courses across the UK for Ukrainians, offering a holistic practice that understands the ongoing challenges Ukrainians are facing in the aftermath of war.