BY AMBER SMITH KENTUCKY
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Yoga is an ancient practice known to have many physical and mental health benefits. For Louisville-based yogi Carrie Irwin, yoga is a way of life.
“When you get on that mat, you release. Yoga is moving energy,” Irwin said.
Her time on the mat helped her overcome a dark time in her life. After years of struggling with alcoholism, she learned to find coping skills other than turning to her substance of choice.
“If I keep doing what I’m doing, on Oct. 7 I will celebrate eight years of complete sobriety,” Irwin said.
After learning about how yoga helped Irwin and others across the country in the recovery process, The Morton Center CEO Priscilla McIntosh decided to add the center’s newest class called Yoga for Recovery.
“While we have and have had expressive therapy for many years, yoga is something that was up and coming. There was so much evidence-based information out there to be able to give individuals a different track. Everyone’s recovery is different,” McIntosh said.
The Morton Center has been offering the class for eight weeks now and McIntosh said they’ve been getting a positive response. While many people started the first class as beginners, some are now asking how they can continue yoga beyond the Morton Center’s once a week class.
Irwin said it helped her sobriety journey, so it’s no surprise that others find it to be a helpful tool as well.
“Instead of running away and sitting down, you learn to stay with it and breathe through it to know that you can rise above anything. You don’t have to pick up a drink or a drug. The breathe and being centered can help you,” Iriwn said.
The Yoga for Recovery class is offered on Wednesdays at the Morton Center.
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