Yoga for Refugees Healing from Torture and Trauma: A Mixed Methods Evaluation

Additional authors: Kedar Maharjan, Mariano Coello Background: As worldwide displacement continues to increase, so too does the number of refugees experiencing torture and trauma. There is increasing recognition of the... [ view full abstract ]

Additional authors: Kedar Maharjan, Mariano Coello

Background: As worldwide displacement continues to increase, so too does the number of refugees experiencing torture and trauma. There is increasing recognition of the importance of the brain and body in the development and maintenance of trauma-related symptoms and increasing interest in the use of mind-body therapies such as yoga as part of multi-modal treatment. However, there has been very little published research on the use of yoga with refugees.

Aims: 1) To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a yoga group program for refugee participants. 2) To identify possible physiological, psychological and interpersonal benefits of the program. 3) To explore counsellor and participant attitudes and opinions about the program.

Methods: Following the success of a two-month pilot, The Refugee Yoga Project offered free weekly yoga classes in South Western Sydney to eight groups of refugees. They were co-led by a yoga instructor and a counsellor, with the support of an interpreter. We collected physiological and self-reported psychological data at three time-points (baseline, mid-point and follow-up), held client focus groups and conducted qualitative interviews with counsellors. Process outcomes (attendance and client satisfaction) were also measured.

Results: Preliminary data provides evidence for the acceptability and sustainability of this program for refugee clients, with benefits observed across physical, psychological and interpersonal domains. We will present both quantitative and qualitative outcomes and discuss the challenges of implementing a multi-method evaluation with this client group.

Conclusion: Weekly yoga classes show promise as an adjunct treatment for refugees who experienced torture and trauma. We will discuss our experiences with tailoring both the program and the evaluation to participants with a range of backgrounds, physical abilities and literacy levels.