For the first time, the Holistic Life Foundation is bringing their 400-Hour Trauma Informed Yoga, Breathwork and Mindfulness Certification to Melbourne across three days.
Holistic Life Foundation, the BIPOC-led nonprofit based in Baltimore, Maryland is led by founders Ali Smith, Atman Smith and Andres Gonzales. For more than a quarter of a century, the trio have worked alongside thousands of people integrating mindfulness and yoga practices that foster resilience, pro-social behaviours, and healing trauma.
The Holistic Life Foundation are globally recognised experts in trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness. The foundation has grown from humble beginnings in Baltimore City in December 2001, where the trio’s yoga, mindfulness and meditative practices were taught in schools and drug treatment facilities.
Now, HLF have programs across Baltimore, Milwaukee, Chicago and Denver, as well as their groundbreaking satellite initiative partnership with the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory in Upstate New York.
Holistic Life Foundation in Melbourne
- When: 13–15 March
- Where: Mind Medicine Australia, Melbourne
- Sign up: here
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
View this post on Instagram
Holistic Life Foundation – the beginning
“When we started Holistic Life Foundation, we were serving 200 people in the community. Now, we’ve expanded our infrastructure and teaching base to work with thousands of people.”
Mindfulness was present in Ali Smith’s life from a young age. His father introduced Ali and brother Atman to yoga and breathwork, integrating it into the fabric of their childhood.
“He’d wake us up every morning and make us practice meditation before we could get to breakfast and cartoons.”
Ali reconnected with the practice after college by his godfather, who was a teacher in the field.
“It was transformative to us. We realised there was stuff in the practice that could impact everyone.”
The trio were encouraged to start their own foundation after college, coming together to form the Holistic Life Foundation.
“We put our two loves together, entrepreneurship and yoga and came up with the Holistic Life Foundation. We were convinced it could help any population.”
Ali, Atman and Andres were born and raised in Baltimore City, which has some of the highest Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) scores in the entire United States. The ACE scale is used to measure trauma, and two thirds of the adult population of Baltimore City sit somewhere on the spectrum.
Holistic Life Foundation made the change they wanted to see in their own community first. Now, they’ve expanded over five states in the US, expanding the teach-the-teacher model across some of the most trauma impacted communities in America, from mental crisis facilities, detention centres, homeless shelters to Fortune 500 companies.
“Everyone is struggling. If you can present the practice in a way that speaks to their struggles and helps alleviate their suffering, they’re gonna stick to it.”
The certificate is backed by research, with published results from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Pennsylvania State University showing improved emotional regulation, reduced stress, and increased resilience.
“We had to become trauma informed in everything we did, otherwise we were going to do more harm than good.”
Over 400 hours, participants will dive into the world of trauma led practices.
“Trauma is a universal experience. Firsthand, second-hand, generation trauma are present in most communities.”
The Holistic Life Foundation teach that the body and mind are built to heal from trauma, giving participants the tools and strategies to implement healing in the cycle of intergenerational trauma.
“We figured, we can’t go teach everybody, so why not help people who want to go and work in trauma heavy communities.”
There are no exclusions to participating in the certificate. It’s open to everyone working in or wanting to make change in communities where trauma is present. The cross-section of past students includes social workers, teachers, medical professionals, and people who want to serve their communities better.
Over the quarter of a century they’ve been teaching, the Holistic Life Foundation have seen 45 past students return to become teachers, the impact of their time in the program encouraging them to be the change they wish to see.
The one trait consistent amongst all who attend is a deep care for community, and a desire to see change.
The three days will be a gentle introduction to the certification, which is offered in 400 hours spread over a year and completed by monthly modules designed by the founders.
The three-day intensive will offer an opportunity to meet with the HLF founders, get familiarised with the online platforms and build a connection with the teachers who will support those undertaking the certification. An introduction to the foundational practices will be run by Ali and the team in discussions on trauma, breathwork and meditation. It’s also about building community, the bedrock of the Holistic Life Foundation’s proven success in their field.
“We were big dreamers. We always believed you could do whatever you put your mind to if you put some love behind it.”
The Holistic Life Foundation’s Trauma-Informed Yoga and Mindfulness Certification will be offering an immersive in person retreat at Mind Medicine Australia in Melbourne from 13 to 15 March.
For more further information and sign-up options head here.
This article was made in partnership with Holistic Life Foundation.
