Veterans Yoga Project to rally venues across the country to raise PTS awareness, funds for yoga programs that support resiliency among veterans and families

Yoga venues across the country are mobilizing for the Sixth Annual Veterans Yoga Project Gratitude Week.

Hundreds of teachers will host classes November 8-18, 2019, to thank veterans for their service to the country. The week-long event is designed to call attention to trauma-related conditions and the power of yoga as a tool for healing. Donation-based classes will raise funds for yoga programs for veterans and their families in the communities where funds are raised.

“I’ve witnessed firsthand how important a consistent yoga and meditation practice is for veterans dealing with Post Traumatic Stress (PTS),” said Dr. Daniel Libby, a clinical psychologist and Executive Director of the Veterans Yoga Project. “The success we have seen is the reason we are on a mission to bring yoga to all veterans.”

More than 2 million American veterans are struggling with these PTS symptoms and an average of 20 American veterans commit suicide each day. The downward spiral that begins with physiological dysfunction leads to overwhelming symptoms, difficulty managing everyday stressors, “burned bridges,” and significant legal, medical, and financial difficulties.

Launched in 2011, Veterans Yoga Project works in partnership with veterans, active-duty military personnel, student veteran organizations, and non-profit organizations. Veterans Yoga Project-trained instructors teach more than 100 free yoga classes each week for veterans and their families around the country and Germany.

“The skills and the connections fostered in our programs support the evolution from post-traumatic stress to post-traumatic growth for veterans with whom we work,” Libby said.

Veterans Gratitude Week launched in 2014 with 96 classes in 25 states. Last year, 500 classes were taught across all 50 states. The week-long fundraising event has raised more than $326,000 in the last five years. This year, Veterans Yoga Project has a fundraising goal of $100,000 through 600 classes across all 50 states.

“Participating in Veterans Gratitude Week is more than just thanking a veteran for their service,” Libby said. “It’s a tangible way to give back to those who have sacrificed in service of our country.”

Here in the Mat-Su Valley, Yoga OM (Wasilla) and Midnight Sun Yoga Center (Palmer) will have classes in honor of the Veterans Yoga Project on Friday, November 8, 2019. MTA Center will be dedicating their regularly scheduled yoga classes during this week to the Veterans Yoga Project.

About Veterans Yoga Project: An IRS-recognized 501©(3) charitable organization, Veterans Yoga Project’s mission is to support recovery and resilience in the lives of our veterans, families and communities.