Philly native returns to city to help her community heal through yoga

Jasmine Allen is putting the finishing touches on her new trauma-informed yoga studio in Brewerytown. It's a dream she moved back to Philly to start after spending seven years in Los Angeles.

• "This is a city where a lot of young Black people don't get support, especially for all the stress and trauma that happens just living in the city," Allen told Axios. "It was important for me to take all the things I've learned about trauma, yoga and wellness and bring it back to my hometown."

What's happening: Allen held a soft debut of her new studio, Soul Haum Yoga, last weekend.

• While she hasn't set an official opening date yet, Allen is offering classes to people of all ages and abilities throughout the month.
• "Yoga should be for everyone, and that's the intention of Soul Haum Yoga," she said.

Background: Allen has been teaching yoga classes for several years, but Soul Haum is her first brick-and-mortar business.

• She also offers an online yoga membership, where she reaches about 200 people from all over the world.

How it works: Allen provides all types of yoga, including chair, vinyasa and restorative. The difference with trauma-informed yoga is that the instructor is trained in how trauma affects the mind and body.

• The goal is to provide a safe space for individuals to reconnect with their bodies. That could mean, for example, reminding students that they don't have to remain in positions that make them uncomfortable or asking for consent before touching.
• Allen also uses therapeutic methods like sound baths and somatic experiencing.

What she's saying: "It's about coming in with intention and understanding you don't know what someone may have experienced and knowing that yoga is a very intimate and vulnerable space," Allen said.

• "If we're not careful with how we teach, we can cause more harm," she added.

What's ahead: Allen told Axios she wants to develop Soul Haum Yoga into a community wellness center.

• In addition to offering memberships and individual classes, she also provides free classes for those who can't afford to pay, called "Community Flow."

Visit: 2719 W. Girard Ave. Sign up for classes using Allen's online calendar.