Lev El Lev Launches New Campaign to Support PTSD Sufferers Through Yoga
Lev El Lev Israel has launched a new campaign to fund trauma-sensitive yoga sessions for PTSD sufferers, helping veterans cope with daily life after structured retreats.
The Lev El Lev Israel association is launching its new campaign, "Respiring Anew, Living Anew," aimed at funding specialized yoga therapy sessions for individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. The initiative focuses on bridging the critical gap between structured therapeutic support and the daily reality of returning home.
"People think the hardest moment is the retreat itself, but the hardest moment comes two days later. At home, when the group is no longer there, but the body is still on high alert," explains CEO Shmil Atlas. The organization provides long-term assistance for at least a year and a half, entirely free of charge, supporting combat veterans and their families through community building, somatic practices, and personal mentoring.
As part of this comprehensive care framework, participants attend weekly trauma-sensitive yoga therapy sessions designed to provide breathing and regulation tools. These exercises help manage hyperarousal and emotional flooding outside the classroom. However, the association emphasizes that yoga is not a substitute for clinical PTSD treatment, noting that empirical evidence remains limited.
"These tools do not cure post-traumatic stress disorder, but they help people live with it," Atlas concludes, highlighting the pragmatic approach of the ongoing fundraising campaign.
