Samantha Eddy
  • Psychology
  • North Wales, PA

Samantha Eddy, From North Wales, PA, Holds Yoga Class in Honor of Veterans

2015 Nov 16

November 9, 2015: Stevenson University senior Samantha Eddy, helped organize and lead a yoga class of over 65 people as part of National Yoga for Veterans Day. The event was held in the campus gym as an effort to raise awareness of how yoga can help heal veterans' visible and invisible wounds. The class included students, veterans, and representatives from organizations such as Catch a Lift Fund, Veteran's Resource Podcast, Wakeful Warriors, Music 4 Vets, and IAVA. Not only did the class raise awareness, but it also raised over $400 for the Veteran's Yoga Project.

Eddy is a certified yoga instructor, and has a brother who served in Afghanistan, making this event one of excitement to her. She was excited about the opportunity to hold an event in Maryland with the help from a fellow yoga instructor. "It is absolutely imperative to find new ways for veterans to seek out help for their wounds," says Eddy .

Eddy explained the benefits of yoga to those individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder, allowing them to regulate their own awareness as well as their thoughts, through breathing exercises and poses. Eddy stresses that "Yoga can be a complementary tool for veterans. It is cost-efficient and there are numerous studies that have shown how effective it can be."