Data collecting is a crucial part of what makes Yoga 4 Change so impactful to the communities it aims to serve. Having individuals such as Dr. Jennifer W. Bourgeois and Dr. Danielle Rousseau on the Research team is a huge component of what maintains the validity of the Yoga 4 Change data and curriculum.
Dr. Bourgeois tracks program statistics by managing changes for data collecting software, ensuring accurate results of the participant impact from Yoga 4 Change programming. Dr. Bourgeois first became aware of Yoga 4 Change while she was working on her dissertation and getting her PhD in Administration of Justice. After that, Dr. Bourgeois started following the organization and “somehow, I realized there was a need for this… it was a combination of all my passions”. She was hired as a Data Specialist on the Yoga 4 Change Research Team in early 2022. In addition, Dr. Bourgeois has also worked to bring a similar concept of yoga to the carceral system in Houston, Texas, where she lives. As of March, she has started teaching trauma informed yoga at a women’s residential facility.
Director of Research for Yoga 4 Change, Dr. Danielle Rousseau, and a team of individuals co-created a curriculum rooted in evidence that shows yoga improves on ones physical and mental health. The curriculum aims to show the experiences the individuals have while practicing yoga, in each of the four population groups that Yoga 4 Change serves. There are a series of processes to find “a program that is customized in order to best fit each study,” said Dr. Rousseau, she also mentioned that what makes Yoga 4 Change different is “we are collecting data, using a purpose driven yoga curriculum that is rooted in evidence as well as the experiences of the populations we teach.” Historical data shows that after one class there is a statistically significant decrease in stress and physical pain, as well as a statistically significant improvement in mood. Looking at the effects of the Yoga 4 Change program, there are different levels of self-improvement that result from doing yoga, such as: emotional awareness, regulation, self-compassion, and mindfulness.
Overall, data collecting has become a team effort from the yoga teachers, then onto the research team to analyze and evaluate. Data collection proves that Yoga 4 Change has built a strong core program that continues to serve underprivileged communities.
The whole Yoga 4 Change team counts on the Data Specialist, Dr. Jennifer Bourgeois who is a Professor of Criminal Justice with a passion for social justice, criminal justice reform, and yoga. Along with the Director of Research Dr. Danielle Rousseau who is an Assistant Professor at Boston University, focusing on trauma services and gender advocacy while also being a licensed therapist and certified yoga teacher.
*Save the Date for August 17th at 12:30pm for a YouTube live with Jenn and Danielle to talk the “what, how and whys” of data. Questions encouraged!
Blog written by Julianna Martinez
