Breakthroughs and Barriers: Teaching Trauma-Informed Yoga in Carceral Settings

Trauma‑informed programming has expanded across carceral systems, yet little is known about the individuals who deliver these interventions. This qualitative study examines the experiences of 10 trauma‑informed yoga (TIY) instructors employed by a nonprofit organization providing programming across multiple carceral settings in Florida. Through semi‑structured interviews and inductive thematic analysis, we explore instructors’ motivations for teaching TIY, the personal benefits they derive, and the challenges they encounter in correctional environments. Instructors were motivated by their own histories of trauma and healing and by a desire to serve marginalized populations with limited access to wellness resources. Participants described personal benefits such as grounding, gratitude, and emotional regulation that reinforced their commitment to this work. They also reported significant barriers related to institutional unpredictability, correctional staff interactions, physical and logistical constraints within facilities, and the unique needs of incarcerated participants. These results highlight the reciprocal nature of TIY instruction as both service and personal transformation and underscore the importance of institutional support, trauma‑informed training, and clear communication to promote program sustainability. This study contributes to the limited literature on carceral program providers and offers implications for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers seeking to strengthen trauma‑informed programming in correctional settings.