Community Connections: Yoga Behind Bars

In a society that often equates justice with punishment, Yoga Behind Bars (YBB) offers a different path — one rooted in relationship, embodiment and care. Since 2008, YBB has been transforming the way we think about justice and healing by bringing trauma-informed yoga and meditation to people living behind and beyond bars. The organization’s mission is both simple and radical: to support individual healing while working toward a more just and compassionate society.  

YBB defines trauma-informed yoga as an accessible, inclusive practice that helps individuals reclaim agency through choice, nervous system regulation and body awareness. Its approach acknowledges the deep impact of trauma on the mind and body while also emphasizing the power of possibility. Rather than focusing solely on trauma symptoms, YBB’s classes highlight personal empowerment, resilience and the capacity for transformation. Each YBB class is taught by instructors who are trained in the principles of trauma-informed care. These educators create safe, respectful and non-coercive environments where students are invited — but never required — to engage in ways that feel right for them. The practices are designed not only to support physical and emotional well-being, but to actively resist re-traumatization by honoring each participant’s lived experience and autonomy. What makes YBB's work especially powerful is its commitment to leadership development for those directly impacted by incarceration. Through teacher trainings and community partnerships, YBB supports liberated individuals in becoming certified yoga instructors, creating a ripple effect of healing and transformation that extends far beyond prison walls. Participants often describe YBB classes as a rare space of peace and agency — where they feel seen, respected and capable of transformation. This impact isn't just personal; it has meaningful effects on institutional culture and community reintegration, challenging harmful narratives and fostering pathways to collective well-being.  

We are proud to uplift the work of Yoga Behind Bars, an organization that embodies what it means to center healing in the pursuit of justice. By offering tools for self-awareness, resilience and connection, YBB helps build a world where accountability, care and community go hand in hand. To learn more or get involved, visit yogabehindbars.org. 

Community Partner Testimony: “Being chosen as a Community Connections Partner with the Seattle Symphony is an incredible honor that affirms and elevates the mission of Yoga Behind Bars. This partnership not only increases visibility for our work, but also strengthens the bridge between healing-centered, justice-driven programs and the broader cultural community. It serves as a powerful reminder that everyone deserves access to beauty, healing and belonging. This collaboration expands our reach and amplifies the message that healing is possible when community, creativity and care come together.” 

Yoga Behind Bars (YBB) is one of more than 70 partners in the Seattle Symphony’s Community Connections program, which provides complimentary tickets to nonprofit organizations across the Puget Sound region. 

Coming Up: The Education and Community Engagement team presents a Community Concert in Tukwila that finds the Seattle Symphony performing with students of the Foster High School Band (October 29). The following month, Yoga Behind Bars presents When Freedom Moves, a performance of rhythm, resistance and release to inspire healing, transformation and collective power. Through poetry, live music, visual art and more, both incarcerated and liberated voices will show how creativity transcends oppression and moves us toward freedom (November 22).

Yoga Behind Bars is a grant recipient of the 2024/2025 Community Stages Fund, which gives support to ALAANA, LGBTQ+ and female artists in the Puget Sound region.