Category: Veterans Yoga

Sharing and oldie but a goodie. Gentle Yoga for low back care with Gail P-B.

Yoga for Back Pain | Best Movements for Back Pain Relief | Beginners Yoga class with Gail P-B.

I teach for Veterans Yoga Project (VYP)in their Online Yoga Studio. One of the more popular classes for folks that have some issues with their back tissues is the Gentle Yoga for Low Back Care Class, hosted on VYP online yoga studio.

I teach this class at 12:30 Central Time (think Texas). A sixty-minute class on Wednesdays It is geared towards beginners, and I also give alternative yoga postures for those of us, who do not wish to get down to the floor–so keep your chair handy!

Gear you’ll need for this class is a block, a strap, and having a chair, and blanket it nice too. Don’t forget your yoga mat, if you have a slippery floor surface!

Gear for Healthy Backs Beginner Yoga Class with Gail
Gear for Healthy Backs Beginner Yoga Class with Gail

Typically we start out on our backs or seated on the chair for those of you who want this option.

What we do in class

  • Breathing
  • Mindful Movement
  • Meditation
  • Guided Rest & Relaxation
  • Gratitude Practice

I hope to see you in class! Here’s the link to get a free account and then book a free yoga class

https://veteransyogaproject.org/vyp-classes

Veterans Yoga Project Live Yoga Classes

Veterans Yoga Project Live Yoga Classes -Thursdays at 11 AM Central Time, 12 Noon ET and 9 AM PT – Gentle Yoga for Low Back Pain Class.

Streaming Live Online Yoga Classes for Veterans
Streaming Live Online Yoga Classes for Veterans on Veterans Yoga Project Facebook Page

Here’s the latest yoga practice that I’ve done for Gentle Yoga effort over on Facebook Live at #VYPonlinestreamingclasses.

Gentle Yoga for Low Back Care – a Healthy Backs Class for easing back pain. Yoga Teacher, Gail Pickens-Barger, Yoga Vista Low Back Care Specialist. Teaching for the online effort for Veterans Yoga Project.
Five tools for Veterans. Breathing, Mindful Movement, Meditation, Guided Rest & Relaxation and a Gratitude Practice
Yoga with Gail Pickens-Barger, Adaptive Yoga Teacher
#YogaForVeterans
Yoga for Veterans – from the Veterans Yoga Project folks!
PTSD Infographic. Yoga for Veterans. Yoga with Gail
PTSD Infographic. Yoga for Veterans. Yoga with Gail.

Yoga for Veterans – Veterans Yoga Project

Yoga for Veterans – Veterans Yoga Project – Nederland, Texas

PTS(D) AND YOGA? WE CAN EXPLAIN.

IN THE U.S. ESTIMATES OF PTS(D) AMONG VETERANS ARE:

PTSD Infographic. Yoga for Veterans. Yoga with Gail
PTSD Infographic. Yoga for Veterans. Yoga with Gail

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

You have questions? We’ll do our best to answer them.

WHAT IS VETERANS YOGA PROJECT?

Veterans Yoga Project is an educational and advocacy organization dedicated to improving the health and well being of military veterans through yoga and meditation practice. Working in partnership with veterans, active-duty military personnel, student veteran organizations, and other non-profit organizations, Veterans Yoga Project supports recovery and promotes resilience among veterans who are living with post-traumatic stress or other trauma issues.

WHAT IS VETERANS GRATITUDE WEEK? 

Each year, VYP hosts two annual fundraisers, VYP Gratitude Week and Light-A-Candle Memorial Day, supported by donations from yoga classes, individuals and organizations. Held the three weeks surrounding Veterans Day, VYP Gratitude Week encourages yoga studios to host donation-based classes to support veterans in a tangible way. In many cases, these classes have brought together veterans and civilians in an environment where veterans can share their military experience with their community.

HOW DOES YOGA HELP VETERANS?

While magnified by media reporting, only 30% of veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or trauma-related issues. Practicing yoga can undo the nervous system dysfunction that underlies PTSD symptoms.

WHY SHOULD I GET INVOLVED WITH VYP GRATITUDE WEEK?

Less than 1% of Americans have ever served their country, however, veterans experience a disproportionately high suicide rate. VYP Gratitude Week is a way for those who have not served to both give back to veterans in a tangible way and to better understand the challenges of military service.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO HOST A DONATION-BASED CLASS?

Our goal for 2019 is to host 500+ classes in all 50 states. We can use all the help we can get to raise awareness and encourage participation.

How is the money raised from VYP Gratitude Week used?

Veterans Yoga Project is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization and depends upon the support of donors to take care of veterans in need. 100% of the proceeds will go to VYP’s mission to support recovery and resilience to our veterans, families and our communities.

VYP AMBASSADOR

Gail Pickens-Barger, Yoga for Veterans Project Ambassador #vypfamily
Gail Pickens-Barger, Yoga for Veterans Project Ambassador #vypfamily

GAIL PICKENS-BARGER | NEDERLAND, TX

Gail Pickens-Barger is a yoga teacher with over 20 years of teaching experience.

She first used yoga during the birth and pregnancy of her first child.  Fifteen years later, became a yoga teacher.  Gail’s 200 hours was through YogaFit International Training Systems, and more recently her 500-hour certificate was through Lex Gillan’s The Yoga Institute.  Gail recently finished a Yoga Nidra course through Wise Owl Yoga and the Mindful Resilience for Trauma Recovery through the Veterans Yoga Project. Currently, Gail is studying to become a Low Back Care Yoga Teacher through the Yoga Vista Academy.

In addition to teaching a weekly beginner yoga class and a chair yoga class, Gail teaches a free Kids Yoga class to the Pre K class at her church and teaches Adaptive Yoga for Multiple Sclerosis for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Gail originally came into contact with the Veterans Yoga Project, after reading an article on Baxter Bell’s Yoga for Healthy Aging Website.  In the article, it talked specifically about volunteering to provide a free yoga class for veterans and to raise funds to support the Veterans Yoga Project during Veterans Gratitude Week.  Gail likes to do karma yoga for raising funds for local food missions, raised funds for church playground equipment, Girl Scouts and such, and the providing free class for veterans and raising funds seemed like a worthwhile effort.

So for the past five years, Gail has hosted several classes to benefit the Veterans Gratitude Week for VYP.

More recently Gail was contacted by the local VA to present chair yoga to the vets in the Beaumont/Orange Texas area.  In doing so, Gail came into contact with Brianna Renner, who assisted her tremendously in providing a class format, that would present the 5 tools that VYP uses in providing classes.

Gail has gone onto doing the Mindful Resilience training provided by Veterans Yoga Project and hopes to in the near future provide a weekly class to area veterans.