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. The Healing and Resilience Through Yoga project will provide classes in trauma-informed yoga and stress reduction techniques for survivors of domestic violence, veterans, and first responders in Laramie County, Wyoming. The program will deliver a structured, non-clinical wellness intervention designed to improve emotional and mental well-being while equipping participants with practical stress-management skills and resilience-building techniques.
Services will be delivered by certified yoga instructors trained in trauma-informed care and supervised by the Rocky Mountain Karma Project (RMKP), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
COMMUNITY NEED. There is a clear need for accessible, preventive, trauma-informed wellness services that complement clinical mental health care. Laramie County experiences high levels of trauma exposure and behavioral health risk. In 2025, the Laramie County Sherrif reported 67 domestic violence cases that were court adjudicated, 371 protection orders were issued and 427 victims contacted victim services. These figures underrepresent true incidence due to underreporting.
Wyoming ranks among the highest states nationally for suicide rates, with elevated risk among veterans and first responders due to chronic trauma exposure and occupational stress. In 2024, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon signed a proclamation recognizing the importance of suicide awareness and prevention for veterans and first responders. The proclamation emphasized that every veteran's and first responder's life is valuable and called attention to the elevated risk of suicide among these populations
Project Objectives (Measurable Outcomes) To serve 75 unduplicated participants and deliver 24 trauma-informed yoga/wellness sessions
PROJECT DESIGN. All programming is adapted for trauma sensitivity, accessibility, and physical limitations. Each session will include trauma-informed yoga (gentle movement, grounding, breathwork) mindfulness and relaxation techniques. Community partners, including Safehouse (a shelter for victims of domestic abuse and their children), veterans service , law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and mental health providers. Community partners will assist with referrals, outreach, and participant support.
Instructor Qualifications. Instructors will hold 200-hour yoga certification or higher and complete trauma-informed yoga training prior to instruction Instructors musth ave experience adapting practices for vulnerable populations
ROTARY MEMBER INVOLVEMENT. Rotarians will actively support the project by assisting in outreach and registration efforts, project coordination and oversight, and class evaluation and reporting.
SUSTAINABILITY. Following the grant period, the program will continue through ongoing classes offered by RMKP using trained instructors, sliding-scale fees, donations, and sponsorships. Collaboration with community partners will continue. This project will build long-term community capacity rather than a one-time service event.
EXPECTED IMPACT. The project will equip participants with practical, evidence-informed tools to reduce stress, improve emotional regulation, and strengthen resilience. It will also expand collaboration between Rotary and community agencies serving populations at elevated risk of trauma, violence exposure, and suicide.
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