A silent reform is sweeping through Women's Probation Home in Ranchi's Namkum.

The inmates of the home ' nearly 50 in number ' are trying to connect with their inner voices with sessions of yoga and meditation, which sources said, besides calming them down had done a lot to improve their self-esteem.

The sessions, which have also brought significant changes in the mental health of the inmates, were introduced in the last week of February after officials perceived that they needed help and were going through a torrid time staying with each other.

A handful ' around six that officials said suffered from extreme "mental imbalance" ' had also been sent to Kanke-based Central Institute of Psychiatry for a compulsory 15-day treatment and medication session after which they are undertaking yoga and meditation classes at the home.

According to Amita Ekka, who is in-charge of the home, the stress counselling and cognitive therapy sessions were necessary for the development of the distorted personalities of the inmates, who hail from various parts of the state like Latehar, Ranchi, Hazaribagh and Daltonganj.

While most of the inmates are destitutes, there are some who are awaiting court orders after being charged with eloping.

"When they are brought in, the women go through an emotional crisis. They often end up bickering and fighting with each other. It becomes very difficult to control them. The peaceful atmosphere of the home is also affected," Ekka said.

She added that they had also conducted a week-long special Art of Living camp in the last week of February. The inmates had to attend two-hour sessions (from 7am to 9am) during the seven days. The camp included a little bit of yoga and meditation but mainly focussed on spirituality. The results left the authorities beaming.

"I was surprised to find that the girls showed dramatic changes in their behaviour after the Art of Living course. They appeared to be more fit mentally and were able to control their anger," Ekka pointed out. About the six inmates who had been sent to Central Institute of Psychiatry in the first week of February, she said they had come back with a lot of positive attitude.

"These girls were under tremendous mental trauma. But they have come back healthy and calm from their counselling. Not only do they smile more often now, they are also concentrating on their lessons," Ekka said.

Here is the original post:
Yoga does wonders at probation home

Courtney Hergesheimer | DISPATCH

Volunteer Candy McDowall teaches yoga to youths in the Huckleberry House, a shelter for runaways. The goal is to give the teenagers, some of whom are prone to impulsive outbursts of anger, a technique to help them manage their emotions.

The Columbus Dispatch Wednesday March 6, 2013 4:34 AM

This is not the typical yoga class.

The students are wearing baggy jeans, not form-fitting yoga pants. The music in the background is hip-hop and pop, not new-age instrumental. Theres constant laughter and chatter Stretches are hard, one teenager complains and friendly teasing about passing gas and taking naps.

Its a class for at-risk youths who live in a shelter for runaways, and the easy vibe so often present in pricey yoga studios has no place here.

This class is at Huckleberry House, a nonprofit shelter for teenagers at 1421 Hamlet St. Candy McDowall, a former Huckleberry House counselor, has been teaching the weekly classes there for six months.

McDowall came back to Huckleberry House after taking training through Yoga Gangsters, a nonprofit organization that tries to take yoga to at-risk people. She teaches the classes as a volunteer.

Each class has a different mix of kids, because each week, new kids arrive at and leave Huckleberry House. McDowall bantered right back with the five teens in one recent class, but shes also keenly aware of her role.

Many of the Huckleberry House residents are there because an adult has beaten them up or sexually assaulted them, and they might be nervous about another adult touching them. Some are there because they cant get along with their parents, and might have trouble listening to grown-ups telling them what to do.

Original post:
Yoga classes help at-risk youths manage stress