Vibe Yoga offers free trauma-informed yoga classes for military and first responders and free meditation classes

Recognizing the healing she experienced from yoga for her own trauma, Lindsay Smith has opened Vibe Yoga at 13461 Parker Commons Blvd., Fort Myers, with the hope of bringing the benefit of yoga to all ages and skill levels.
Vibe Yoga offers more than 20 classes weekly, including restorative, gentle, chair, all levels, power, yin, mat Pilates, group meditation, kids, mommy and me, yoga for athletes, teens and kids, and Warrior trauma-informed yoga for the military and first responders. Stand-up Paddle Board yoga is available at locations throughout Southwest Florida, as well as unique events such as a free community yoga for grief, private yoga, book club, yoga for mental wellness and power lunch express. A tearoom, with products, accessories, beverages and snacks encourages participants to mingle.
Upcoming special events include:
• Parents’ Night Out with Kids Yoga, Aug. 13, 20 and 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. for kids ages 2-12, including mindful activities and crafts, breath work, story time and movement.
• Yoga for Mental Health Professionals Workshop, Aug. 14, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., attendees review evidence-based research about the benefits of yoga for mental health.
• Yoga for Elementary School Teachers Workshop, Aug. 29, 4 to 5:30 p.m., attendees review techniques to embrace mindfulness, yoga, breathwork and meditation in the classroom.
“The benefits of yoga are needed now more than ever in this COVID era,” said Lindsay Smith, founder of Vibe Yoga. “Most of us are living in a state of ‘Fight or Flight’ with highly activated nervous systems. By introducing yoga to the body and mind, we are attempting to activate the ‘Rest and Digest’ state of our nervous systems, which is a healthier state. As a result, we offer classes specifically intended for people to try yoga regardless of body size, age, mobility, injury, history or physical and emotional challenges.”
Smith is one of two instructors south of Tampa certified by Warriors at Ease to lead the trauma-informed sessions, which are free for active and veteran military and first responders. In addition, Smith is working to become a Warriors at Ease affiliated studio so that she can teach other instructors the healing techniques.
“I am a mom of four with another on the way, a military spouse and very passionate about being involved in our community,” Smith says. “My love for yoga came about after saying goodbye to the hospitality industry after more than 20 years. During my course work, I began to realize how yoga benefits much of the community, but also the military population, first responders and individuals with trauma. Helping these individuals soon became my number one passion.”
Smith encourages and pays the studio’s yoga instructors to plan a free “karma” yoga session for the charity of their choice once a quarter and offers free drop-in, 30-minute guided meditation sessions for the community on Thursdays from 4 to 4:30 p.m.
Other classes are offered Monday through Saturday. Private sessions, yoga retreats, class packs and monthly memberships are available. Discounts are available for veterans, members of the military, first responders and students. For more information about Vibe Yoga and its specialties, visit www.vibeyogaswfl.com or email VibeYogaSWFL@gmail.com.
About Vibe Yoga:
Vibe Yoga is a Fort Myers yoga studio at 13461 Parker Commons Blvd, Suite 204, geared towards making every person feel welcomed and comfortable. Lindsay Smith, the owner of Vibe Yoga, is only one of two yoga instructors south of Tampa certified by Warriors at Ease to lead trauma-informed yoga, which is offered free to the military and first responders. For more information about Vibe Yoga, visit vibeyogaswfl.com/check out Facebook and Instagram pages @vibeyogaswfl, text 239-221-6195, or email VibeYogaSWFL@gmail.com.