The Art of Yoga Project specializes in rehabilitating incarcerated teenage girls, by using a holistic, gender-responsive, research?based approach to promote self?awareness, self -respect and self?control.  Our program combines health education, character development, yoga, meditation and creative arts to teach at-risk teen girls to identify the issues that cause them to make poor choices; manage their anger and impulses; become accountable for their actions and develop a productive outlet for their emotions and dreams.   Our mission is to lead teen girls in the California Juvenile Justice System toward accountability - to themselves, to others and to their community. By providing practical tools to effect behavioral change, we aspire to be a nationally recognized method for the effective treatment of at-risk adolescent girls, particularly in the juvenile justice system.

In the nation�s criminal justice system, California has the unfortunate distinction of having one of the highest rates of recidivism. Equally troubling is the lack of viable programs that appear to be reducing it. It is in this environment that our program with its rehabilitative approach  has gained the attention of leaders in the field who have the knowledge, wisdom and experience to recognize programs that work: �The Art of Yoga Project�s multi-dimensional technique is particularly effective for the girls in the juvenile justice system that have had histories of juvenile crime, substance abuse, severe physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect�I could not be more pleased with the leadership�and the impact on the girls�� ~ Supervising Juvenile Judge Marta Diaz �Yoga offers the girls at the camp an opportunity to focus on a much needed inward and positive direction. This also augments the impact of all the treatment services that the girls receive at the camI believe it helps them break the cycle of unhealthy behaviors that led them to the Cam40% often, 20% almost everyday. 90% reported that yoga helped them manage their anger either sometimes, often, or almost everyday. 80% of the girls agreed or strongly agreed that the program kept them from doing harm to themselves or others. From the participants: �I learned how to stay calm under pressure...not get frustrated or take out my anger on myself or other people.� �I was lost but I found myself... you made me realize change is always there.�