Corlette yoga instructor Skye Swan has partnered with the not-for-profit organisation Frontline Yoga to deliver a free weekly trauma-aware yoga class for those with PTSD, their families and carers.

“I’m aware of what PTSD is and how it can affect people and the people in their lives,” Mrs Swan said.

“I began collaborating with Frontline Yoga and found that the closest classes were in Newcastle and Maitland.

“I said ‘we can do this here’ and we began the process of bringing it to Port Stephens.”

Frontline Yoga is a free program for current and ex-serving police, firefighters, paramedics, Australian Defence Force personnel, healthcare workers, lifesavers, RFS and SES volunteers plus their families and carers.

Sessions are aimed at helping individuals develop strength, resilience and practical tools to deal with occupational stress. 

Mrs Swan took up yoga for her own health and well-being.

Wanting to help others, she became a teacher in 2010 and began running yoga classes at the Australian Army training facility Puckapunyal where her family was posted at the time.

At the following posting, in Townsville, Mrs Swan began working with a group of people with PTSD.

Yoga became part of their weekly training program.

Now, through Frontline Yoga and with the help of one of Port Stephens Council’s International Women’s Day scholarships, of which Mrs Swan was a recipient of, she is able to continue helping those with PTSD but in Port Stephens.

Mrs Swan said she has received a steady stream of interest in the classes since beginning to advertise through flyers and posters that it will start up this month.

Frontline Yoga classes will be held each Monday, starting April 30, between 10.30am and 11.30am at Core Central.

Updates on classes will be made on the Core Central Facebook page.

Inquiries can be made by emailing skyeswanyoga@gmail.com.