WHO WE ARE
FoundedinNewJerseyin2007,KulaforKarma wasapioneerinteachinghealingmindfulness practicestohelppeopleincrisisstrengthen theirmentalandphysicalhealth.Sincethen, Kulahasgrownintoanational501(c)3 nonprofitorganization.
We believe every human being deserves the space, time, and tools to understand, manage, and improve their mental health.
Our expert staff and teachers curate custom mindfulness-based mental healthcare programs to meet the specific challenges and needs of a wide range of populations.
WHAT WE DO
IN SANSKRIT, THE ANCIENT LANGUAGE OF YOGA, OUR NAME MEANS:
“COMMUNITYFORSERVICETOOTHERS”
Kulaprovidesmindfulness-basedmentalhealthcareto children,teens,andadultsexperiencingtrauma, addiction,andmentalhealthconditions.
“Mindfulness-basedmentalhealthcare”isKula’stermfor amedically-endorsedcombinationofawareness,breath, andmovementthateffectivelysupportsandtreatsall aspectsofmentalhealth:mind,bodyandspirit.It includesrestorativeyoga,breathingtechniques,guided meditationsandmantras,supportivecommunity,and educationabouttrauma’seffectsonourbodiesand behaviors.
OUR MISSION
Ourmissionistomakemental healthahumanrightbyproviding equitable,inclusive,affordableand accessiblemindfulness-based mentalhealthcareforourpostpandemicworld.Kula’s mindfulness-basedmentalhealth programsareaneffective,scalable solutiontothementalhealthcrisis plaguingournation. Readaboutthementalhealthcrisis here.
Mental Health Is My Human Right
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
TheCOVID-19pandemiccreatedamentalhealthcrisisin theUnitedStates.DatafromtheUSCentersforDisease Control(CDC)showsthepandemicbroughtmentalhealth challenges,addictiontendencies,andlong-buriedtraumas tothesurfaceformillionsofAmericans.
TheCDCsaysalmostathirdofU.S.adultsnowreport symptomsofdepressionoranxiety,aboutthreetimesas manyasin2019,andonein25adultshasaseriousmental illnesslikebipolardisorderorschizophrenia.
MILLIONS
MENTAL ILLNESS EACH YEAR:
70%
ofyouthinthejuvenilejusticesystemhave adiagnosablementalhealthcondition. (nami.org)
35.8%
ofpeoplewhoidentifyasmultiracialwere morelikelytohaveexperiencedamental illnessinthepast yearcomparedtoany otherrace/ethnicgroup.(nami.org)
4 x more
LGBTQ+youtharefourtimesmore likelytoattemptsuicidethantheirpeers. (thetrevorproject.org)
$193.2 billion
AcrosstheU.S.economy,seriousmental illnesscauses$193.2billioninlostearnings eachyear.(nami.org)
1 out of 8
Mentalillnessandsubstanceusedisorders areinvolvedin1outofevery8emergency departmentvisitsbyaU.S.adult. (nami.org)
45,979
numberofpeoplewhotooktheirownlives in2020,or1personevery11minutes. (cdcgov)
32.1 %
In2020,32.1%ofUSadultswithmental illnessalsoexperiencedasubstanceuse disorder--17millionindividuals(nami.org)
37%
ofadultsincarceratedinthestateand federalprisonsystemhaveadiagnosed mentalillness.(nami.org)
THE KULA SOLUTION
ThesolutionincludesKulaforKarma’suniquelyscalableand scientifically-backedmethodofmindfulness-basedmentalhealthcare, comprisingrestorativeyoga,guidedmediationandawareness exercises,breathingtechniques,andtraumaeducationinasupportive communitysetting.
Weteachpeopleincrisishowtraumalivesintheir bodiesandaffectstheirself-image,decisions,and behavior.Wegivethemtoolstocalmtheirnervous systems,balancedysregulatedemotions,cultivate clarityandfocus,andmanageanxietyanddepression.
Sincestudiesshowthattraumalivesinthebody,we understandthateffectiveholisticmentalhealthcare mustintegratethemind,bodyandspirit.Consistent mindfulnessandyogapracticescombiningbreathand awarenesswithmovementhavebeenshowntochange theexpressionofDNAandcreatenewneuralpathways thatleadtonewperspectivesand habits,andheal individual,familial,socialandancestraltrauma patterns.
Schools
Hospitals
CommunityCenters
AddictionRecoveryCenters
DomesticViolenceShelters
JuvenileJusticeFacilities
Prisons
JobTrainingPrograms
GrouporTransitionalHomes
Spaceswherefirstresponders
serve:Doctors,nurses,EMTs, firefighters,police,etc.
Tolearnmoreaboutwhatwedo,visit kulaforkarma.org/what-we-do
OUR WHY
WHY MINDFULNESSBASED MENTAL HEALTH?
TIMErecentlypublishedanexpose reportingthattraditionaltherapyand mentalhealthcareisnotsolvingour mentalhealthcrisis.Asseminal traumaexpertsDr.Besselvander Kolk(TheBodyKeepstheScore)and Dr.PeterLevine(Somatic Experiencing)haveshown,trauma livesinthebody.Forthisreason, Kulabelievesthemissinglinkin mentalhealthcareisthebody.
Traumatypicallyisnotprocessedby themind,becausetraumatic experiencesbypassthefrontalbrain (theseatofreasoning)andthesignal goesstraighttotheprimitive amygdala(theseatoffightorflight andsurvival).
Thisnaturalprocesskeepsusalive underunthinkablecircumstances. Yetthesympatheticnervoussystem getstriggeredtofight,flee,fawnor freeze,andthoseunresolved instinctsgetstoredinthebody,down tothecellularlevel.
That’swhyourmemoriesoftrauma areoftenblurryandfragmented,or evenremainhiddenforyears.And that’swhytherapyonlytakeshealing sofar.Traumaisn’twhathappened orthefragmentednarrativeinthe mind,it’sanimprintinthebodythat impactseveryaspectofthehuman being.
1. 4.
Arecentstudyshowsthat mindfulness-basedstressreductionis aseffectiveasanantidepressantdrug fortreatinganxietydisorders. (sciencedaily.com)
2.
Trauma-informedgentleyogaleads to30%reductioninsymptomsofposttraumaticstress(PTSD),including fewerintrusivethoughtsandless dissociationfromthebody.(nih.gov)
3.
After10weeksofgentleyoga,52%of thewomen[inastudy]withtreatmentresistantcomplexPTSDnolongermet thecriteriaforPTSD.(nih.gov)
Researchsuggeststhatcontrolled breathingcanhelptoreduceanxiety, depressionandstress,andthatitcan helptoimproveoverallwell-being. (PsyPost.org)
5.
Constantfatigue,inabilitytofocus, anxietyanddepressionhavebecome fartoocommoninourculturetoday. Mindfulnessisoneofthemostsimple andbestpracticestocombatthis epidemic.(sciencedaily.com)
6.
Yogapracticeprogressivelytunesthe braintowardaparasympathetically drivenmodeandpositiveaffective states.(Villemureetal.(2015)
ThisiswhyKulaequipsourclientswithtoolsto identifytheirfeelingsandwheretheyshowupintheirbodies recognizethementalandphysicalsymptomsoftrauma connecttothesafetyofthepresentmoment choosetheirbestpathtowell-beinginanysituation employself-careandself-regulationthroughbreathingoraccessiblemovements makebetterdecisions learntoforeseeandaddresssituationsthattriggerstress.
Mostimportantly,weletpeopleknowthattheyarenotalone,andtheycanaskforand receivecompassionatehelp.
OUR TEACHERS
KulaforKarmaspecificallytrainsourteacherson mindfulnessfortrauma,addiction,andmentalhealth.All RegisteredYogaTeachers(RYT),manyofourteachersalsohave additionalcertificationsinmultiplemindfulnessand breathworkpractices,aswellasadvanceddegreesand experienceasmentalhealthprofessionalssuchaslicensed psychologistsorlicensedsocialworkers(LCSW).
Ourteachersestablishtrustandcreateengagementwiththose weserve,addressingeachgroup'suniqueneedswith compassion,patienceandnonjudgement.Theycreate customized,turn-keysolutionsformindfulness-basedmental healthprogramstailoredtopeopleintheircurrentenvironment, andmakethepracticesaccessibletoall.
WebelievetheKulateacherwhoworkswithyouremployees, patients,orstudentsshouldreflectwhotheyareinasmany waysaspossible.Weworkwithyoutoselectateacher(s)who bestreflectsthepopulationandwithwhomtheycanidentify andconnect.Therelationshipwiththeteacherbecomesa healingcenterpieceoftheprogram.
Learnmoreaboutourteachershere.
WE ARE WHAT WE DO
EveryoneonKula’sstaffisnotonly deeplyeducatedinmindfulnessfor mentalhealth,butalsohaspersonal experiencewithovercomingtrauma, addiction,andothermentalhealth issues.Wereflectthepeopleweserve atthedeepestsoullevelthatconnects usashumanbeings,andworkwithour clientsfromaplaceofnonjudgmental compassion,empathyand understanding.
Fromfortyyearsinrecovery,to ComplexPTSD,totraumafromsexual assault,ourstaffandteachershave relieduponandcontinuetoutilize Kula’smindfulness-basedmental healthpracticesinourownhealing journeys.
Wearecommittedtobeingledbythose weserve,includingimplementing feedbackfromclients,hiringteachers whoreflectourclients,andbuildinga diverseadvisoryboardthatrepresents thecommunitiesweserve.
Learnmoreaboutourleadershipand staffatkulaforkarma.org/our-team
A VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF MINDFULNESS-BASED
MENTAL HEALTH CARE
Kulawasagrassrootsideaandeffortin responsetolocalobservationsthathas grownintoanessentialnationalmental healthmovementthatisperfectly positionedtospeaktothisverymoment inhistory:thepost-pandemicmental healthcrisis.
Aswefaceanever-changingand extremelychallengingmentalhealth environment,Kula’sgoalisto proactivelyaddressthedesperateneed foraccessible,equitable,inclusive, affordableandconsistentmentalhealth careforunderservedandmarginalized people,andfirstresponders.
Kulameetsthispost-pandemicmoment inhistorybyexpandingoursciencebackedmindfulness-basedmental healthcareprogramstopeopleliving withtrauma,addiction,andmental healthissues.
Kulaisworkingtocreateprograms speciallyanduniquelydesignedfor LGBTQ+andBIPOCcommunitieswhose healthandwellbeinghavebeen impactedby,andremainvulnerableto, systemicinjustice,discrimination,and socialviolence.
Historiesofoppressionand discriminationcreateancestraland familialtraumapassedalong generationsandsociallocations. Mindfulness-basedmentalhealthoffers healingmodalitiesshowntoguideus outoffightorflightsurvivalmodeand changetheexpressionofDNAto empowerandheal. .
Webelieveeveryhumanbeingdeservestohavetheappropriatespace,tools, andresourcestounderstand,manageandimprovetheirmentalhealth.Help usmakethisvisionareality,andmakeMentalHealthaHumanRight.
Reachouttodayforaconversationabouthowwecanbringeffective mindfulness-basedmentalhealthcareprogramstoyourfacilityorsiteand thepeopleyouserve.
SignupforourMentalHealthMovementnewsletterhere.
JenniCrumptonRoss,President+CEO
Jenni@KulaforKarma.org 917-456-2222
