A qualitative study of LoveYourBrain Yoga: a group-based yoga with psychoeducation intervention to facilitate community integration for people with traumatic brain injury and their caregivers

Abstract

Purpose: To explore participants’ experiences in a group-based yoga with psychoeducation intervention designed to facilitate community integration for people with traumatic brain injury and their caregivers.

Materials and methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 people with traumatic brain injury and three caregivers who had completed LoveYourBrain Yoga, a 6-session, manualized, group-based yoga intervention that incorporates breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, and psychoeducation. Interviews were analyzed using content analysis.

Results: We identified seven themes: ease of participation, belonging, sustaining community connection, physical health, self-regulation, self-efficacy, and resilience. All participants valued the community-based yoga studio environment and multifaceted structure of the program. Participants reported improvements in strength, balance, flexibility, and attention control, and a greater sense of belonging, community connection, and ability to move forward with their lives. Participants reported ongoing use of tools (e.g., breathing exercises) to cope with negative emotions and stress. About half of participants sustained relationships built during LoveYourBrain Yoga and felt more capable of accessing other activities in their community.

Conclusions: LoveYourBrain Yoga successfully promoted community integration for people with traumatic brain injury. It also facilitated diverse and meaningful physical, psychological, and social health benefits, which suggest that it may be an effective mode of community-based rehabilitation.

Implications for rehabilitation

• Traumatic brain injury survivors often struggle to participate in their community, the ultimate goal of rehabilitation

• Yoga is a holistic therapy with many benefits, yet is not accessible to the traumatic brain injury population at the community level

• Participants in a community-based yoga with psychoeducation intervention in six states experienced diverse and meaningful physical, psychological, and social health benefits

• Group-based yoga with psychoeducation may be an effective mode of community integration and community-based rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury survivors

Keywords:

• Traumatic brain injury
• community integration
• yoga
• resilience
• qualitative
• meditation

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the LoveYourBrain Foundation staff, particularly Kimberly Baker, for facilitating recruitment.

Disclosure statement

All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form and declare: KD is employed by the LoveYourBrain Foundation, a nonprofit, for whom she led the design of the curriculum for the LoveYourBrain Yoga program. KD is married to the Executive Director of the LoveYourBrain Foundation. KD, DF, and SG received a grant from the Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire to support this research. DF and SG have no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire.