Prison Program teaches prisoners how to manage their stress, aggression, and trauma, building a foundation for a new life.

About Prison Program

a project of IAHV, a partner nonprofit of The Art of Living

The Prison Program objective is to make a life-transforming difference in the lives of all people within the criminal justice system, by teaching skills for reducing stress, healing trauma, and providing practical knowledge of how to handle one’s emotions, live to one’s highest potential and contribute to society.

Prison Program aims to reduce offender recidivism and end the repeated cycle of violence and abuse. Without tools to process past trauma and present stresses, incarcerated individuals often cope with their negative emotions such as anger, guilt, mistrust, and frustration with unhealthy behaviors and attitudes- including violence, addiction, apathy or lethargy. The Prison Program offers practical methods for participants to transform these negative emotions for true rehabilitation and develop the core human values innate in all human beings, such as service to others and compassion.

Reported Benefits

As a result of the program, participants begin to reduce and manage stress in their lives. They sleep better, think more clearly, and begin to take responsibility for their actions. By handling stressful situations better, they gain confidence in their ability to have self-control and make positive changes in their behavior.

Course participants report:

• Normalized Sleep Patterns
• Reduced depression & anxiety
• Increased confidence in having self-control
• Increased energy & clarity of mind
• Increased resilience to daily stressors of life
• Decreased interpersonal conflict
• Decreased engaging in destructive behavior
• Improved immunity & physical well-being
• Freedom from traumatic scars of the past
• Greater positive outlook on the future
• Decreased apathy & lethargy

The Program

IAHV Prison Program is adaptable to serve the needs of institutions, justice departments, and social work agencies. We work in tandem with probation departments, family and juvenile court systems, administrators and correctional officers of penal institutions. We form strategic alliances with social service agencies and organizations whose clientele deal with the aftermath of crime and violence to offer tools that alleviate the experience of trauma.

IAHV Prison Program teaches advanced breathing practices that create dynamic cleansing effects on the body and mind. Participants learn how to use their breath to gain relief from the accumulated effects of stress and negative emotions. The program also teaches practical life skills that enable participants to accept responsibility for their past actions and to handle future conflict and stressful situations successfully. Ideally, the program becomes a partner with the institution/agency as the stress and anger management component of the facility.

The cornerstone of the program is a breathing technique called Sudarshan Kriya. This unique practice transforms overpowering emotions and restores calm and alertness. It becomes a no-cost, self-empowering tool individuals can use anywhere, anytime. The course also includes practical life-skills training to help participants become more aware, and more in-charge, of unhealthy mental habit patterns.