Out of every 100 veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, 11 to 20 have felt the life-altering effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Many cope with depression, short-term memory loss, headaches, numbness, anger, and insomnia. Some have turned to substance abuse and suicide.

Once vibrant and healthy, these men and women now live with nearly constant fear and anxiety. In many cases, theyve tried everything and have lost hope.

Marsha Lockom, an instructor with the Shore Bliss Yoga studio in Apollo Beach, is offering them a second chance. On the second Sunday of every month, Lockom teaches two intensive yoga classes specifically designed for recovering veterans. Both classes are completely free to all military and former military personnel.

Lockom says her main goal is to help them become more aware of their potential for happiness even after life in combat. She specializes in a type of yoga dealing with techniques such as guided meditation, and poses designed for grounding.

I use teaching methods that help the veterans be present in the moment and in their bodies: feeling whats happening when they move a certain limb, an arm or a leg, Lockom said. For example you wouldnt see a lot of balancing poses that would put people on edge. You would see them very connected to the ground.

Most veterans with PTSD deal with a symptom called hyper-vigilance, a term Lockom describes as a constant awareness of potential danger at any time. She says simply taking care with their positioning in a room is incredibly important; for example, she makes sure their backs arent to the door during class by placing herself between them and the exit.

Most of Lockoms teaching methods were learned through a program called Warriors At Ease. The nonprofit foundation trains yogis in the art of veteran healing. Since 2006, Warriors At Ease has worked with the U.S. Department of Defense to research and develop techniques that help veterans overcome their mental and physical instabilities.

Lockoms dedication to helping the injured began with her own journey of recovery after she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia a little over 15 years ago. An avid cyclist, a near-fatal slip on ice left her with a broken tailbone and ruptured spinal membranes. A common cold or flu virus seeped into her spinal cord, she said, which led to fibromyalgia and extreme pain.

I was so weak, even unloading a dishwasher was hard. I didnt like the way my life had changed.

In the same way many veterans are placed on endless medications to help deal with their daily trauma, Lockom was given pills to help her constant pain.

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Yoga instructor hopes to help veterans heal from trauma of war