MAKING MENTAL HEALTH A HUMAN RIGHT
Mindfulness Based Mental Health
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’stermfora medically-endorsedcombinationofawareness,breath,and movementthateffectivelysupportsandtreatsallaspectsof mentalhealth:mind,bodyandspirit.Itincludesrestorative yoga,breathingtechniques,guidedmeditationsandmantras, supportivecommunity,andeducationabouttrauma’seffects onourbodiesandbehaviors.
OUR MISSION
Ourmissionistomakementalhealth ahumanrightbyprovidingequitable, inclusive,affordableandaccessible mindfulness-basedmentalhealthcare forourpost-pandemicworld.Kula’s mindfulness-basedmentalhealth programsareaneffective,scalable solutiontothementalhealthcrisis plaguingournation. Readaboutthementalhealthcrisis here.
Mental Health Is My Human Right
WHO WE SERVE
Wehaveapassionforunderservedand marginalizedcommunities,fillingthe seriousgapsinourtraditionalmentalhealth systembybringingmindf mentalhealthcaretothos theunemployed,theunin disenfranchisedanddispl andfoodinsecure,thoses abuseandviolence,andt bysystemicinjusticeand
Whenyouchoosetowork Karma,youarealsohelpin forpeoplewhomaynever encountermindfulnessor mentalhealthcaretobene programs.
WE MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE
Schools
Hospitals
Clinics
CommunitySpaces
CrisisCenters
AddictionRecoveryCenters
DomesticViolenceShelters
JuvenileJusticeFacilities
Prisons
OUR WORK IN HOSPITALS
MEDICALPROFESSIONALS ANDFIRSTRESPONDERS:
KulaforKarmacustomizesprograms fortheuniqueneedsofmedical professionalsonthefrontlinesof keepingourcommunitieshealthy andsafe.Weproudlyservethe mentalhealthneedsofthosewe countontosupportthewellbeingof usall.
Dr. Cynthia Rivera, Mt. Sinai Hospital Miami
Medicalprofessionalsfaceunique mentalhealthchallenges.Longhours, strenuousshifts,mentallyandphysically demandingsituations,constantcritical decision-making,andexposureto humansufferingcantakeatolloneven themostseasonedhealthcareworkers. Thisconstantpressurecanleadto burnout,compassionfatigue,and feelingsofoverwhelm.
Thereisapowerfultooltocombat thesechallenges:mindfulnessbasedmentalhealthcare. Regularsessionsandatoolkitof mindfulnesspracticesarecrucialfor medicalprofessionalsbecausethey reducestress,releasetraumafrom thebody,andenhanceresilience, ensuringsustainedmentaland emotionalwell-being.Sessions providethesolaceofasupportive, understandingcommunitywithinthe hospitalsetting.Mindfulness-based mentalhealthprogramsalso enhancefocus,emotionalregulation, andnervoussystemstability,leading tobetterpatientcareandimproved jobperformance.
CHRONICALLYILLPATIENTS:
PeoplewithchronicorcriticalillnessesbenefitfromKula’s mindfulness-basedmentalhealthcareprogramstohelpmanage pain,connectwiththeirbodies,relieveanxietyanddepression, anddirecttheirenergytowardhopeandhealing.Patientsmay bevisitedintheirroomsormeetinacommonspacefor sessions,andareabletostayseatedinchairsorbedsand connectedtomedicalequipmentduringthesessions.
Bone Marrow Unit at Hackensack Meridian Health in New Jersey
PARENTSOFCHRONICALLYILLCHILDREN:
Parentsofchronicallyandcriticallyillchildrenspendalmostall,ifnot alloftheirtimeatthehospital.Theirworstnightmare-theirchild gettingsickorbeingdiagnosedwithadisease-hasbecomereality. Theirliveshavechangeddramatically,theyaremakingstressful decisions,andtheyexperiencefear,anxiety,grief,isolation,loss,and overwhelmingpain.
Kula’smindfulness-basedmentalhealthprogramsgiveparentsa lifelinetocareforthemselvesinacalmingandnourishingsession whilebeingabletostayatthehospital.Wehelpparentsunderstand theirstresslevelsandfindself-compassion,regulatetheirnervous systems,nurturetheirownbodiesandminds,andgroundandcenter themselvestocarefortheirchild.Weprovidesupportivecommunity andemotionalreleaseinasafespace.
Danny Haywood, Clinical Supervisor at Bellevue Hospital NYC
THE KULA SOLUTION
Weprideourselveson trauma-sensitivemin mentalhealthprogra sitescreatedandcura formedicalstaff,chro patients,parentsofil adolescentpsychiatri
Weworkcloselywithh leadersandadministra therealityonthegroun theparticularissuesan eachpopulationwese developprogramsthat effectivelyfitandbene Itallbeginswithacon outtoustoday:
JenniCrumptonRoss, jenni@kulaforkarma.o 917-456-2222
PenniFeiner,ChiefOpe penni@kulaforkarma.o 201-657-3408
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE KULA SOLUTION FOR HOSPITAL STAFF:
Kula for Karma Hospital Solutions
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.
Wehavetensofthousandsof neuronsinourheartsandguts.The traumaexperiencetrappedinour musclememorycreatesdiscomfortin ourbodiestoalertusthatuntilitis released,oursystemwillstilloperate asifitisinimminentdanger.
Thisiswhy,whenleftunattended,we developunbearablefeelingsinour bodies(anxiety,depression,fear, grief,pain,etc.).Then,notbeingable toreasonwhyorchangeitwithour thinkingminds,weoftenbegintoact outinuncharacteristicways.This leadstoultimatelyengagingin unhealthyorriskymaskingor avoidancebehaviorsthatimpactour health,relationshipsorjobs.
It’samyththatmentalhealthis onlyaboutthemind.Mentalhealth conditionsdon’tnecessarilyarise fromourthinkingminds,they developfromthisbiological processinourbodies.
Cultivatingawarenessofourbodies andthefeelingswithinthem, combinedwithyogamovementsand controlledbreathingtechniques, havebeenscientificallyshownnot onlytoregulateandreleasethe nervoussystem,butalsotoimpact theexpressionofourDNA (addressingintergenerationalor inheritedtrauma)andcreatenew neuralpathwaysthathelpus developnewskills,perspectives,and habits.
Readjustafewsnippetsofthe prolificstudiesandstatisticsabout howmindfulnessmitigatesandheals traumabyclickinghereandscrolling down.
HOW WE IMPLEMENT
Kulaconductsprogramsin hospitalsthatgiveeachpopulation thetoolsto:identifytheirfeelings andwheretheyshowupintheir bodies,connecttothesafetyofthe presentmoment,choosetheirbest pathtowell-beinginanysituation, employself-careandself-regulation throughbreathingandaccessible movements,makebetterdecisions, developresilience,andlearnto foreseesituationsthattriggerstress.
Mostimportantly,weletpeople knowthattheyarenotalone,they arenottheonlyonesfacingthese feelings,andtheycanaskforand receivehelp. Wedothisbyprovidingcustomized classestaughtbytrained,traumainformedprofessionalteachers vettedbyKulaandplacedspecifically toconnectwithaparticulargroupof peopleinthehospitalsetting.
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.
WebelievetheKulateacherwhoworkswithyouremployeesor patientsshouldreflectwhotheyareinasmanywaysas possible.Weworkwithyoutoselectateacher(s)whobest reflectsthepopulationandwithwhomtheycanidentifyand connect.Therelationshipwiththeteacherbecomesahealing centerpieceoftheprogram.
Learnmoreaboutourteachershere.
OUR IMPACT
KulaforKarmaisanessentialpartofthesolutiontoournational mentalhealthcrisis,anduniqueinourfocusonincludingthemissing linkinmentalhealthcare:thebody.Inthefaceofmonumentalneed, ourprogramsarehavingamoredramaticimpactthanever.Our mindfulness-basedmentalhealthprogramsaremeetingpeoplewhere theyare,breakingdownbarriers,andprovidingdesperatelyneeded accesstoknowledgeandhealingpractices.Byworkingwithustoserve yourhospital,youarealsocreatingopportunitiesforKulatoserve countlessothers.
Hearfromseveralofourclientsbycheckingoutourmissionvideo,above. Watchandreadadditionaltestimonialshere.
Sam Waterston introduces the work and impact of Kula for Karma.
NEXT STEPS
