Newport Academy Integrates Yoga into Teen Addiction Recovery Program

Adolescent alcohol and drug rehabilitation program Newport Center showcased its breakthrough yoga teen addiction program this week at its Newport Beach headquarters. Incorporating yoga therapy into addiction recovery plans for teenagers ages 12 to 17 facing substance abuse issues, the program will emphasize wellness through physical strengthening, emotional centering, meditation and breath work.

Tailored to students’ ability levels, Newport’s yoga classes employ gentle, breath-centered flow, with an emphasis on mat exercises, yoga postures, balance, strength and flexibility. Each class in the center’s yoga program consists of four components, including preliminary verbal check-in, group discussion, yoga practice and meditative visualizations.

"Yoga provides an opportunity for teens to learn relaxation, reflection and self-refinement," Katie Sheldon, group yoga therapist at Newport Academy, explains. "The purposed neuromuscular movements of yoga combine with conscious breath work to strengthen the body, calm the nervous system, provide mental clarity and promote healing on a physical, emotional and psychological level."

With a health-focused background spanning more than a decade, Sheldon has focused on the role of yoga in disease prevention and behavioral modification in both clinical and academic settings.  She received her Master’s Degree in Public Health from Tulane University with an emphasis in Maternal and Child Health and a second degree from Loyola Marymount University's Yoga Therapy program. In addition to her work at Newport Academy, Sheldon also maintains her position as Yoga Program Director at the Soul at Home wellness center in Tustin, Calif., instructing private and group classes.

"Katie's work aligns with the holistic, multi-faceted and integrated focus of our recovery program at Newport," asserted Jamison Monroe, Newport Academy's founder. "Through yoga classes, teens gain skills they can utilize in recovery -- including a heightened connection with their physical selves, a greater sense of purpose and an attitude toward effecting positive change."

Newport’s yoga program provides the time-honored practice to students as a form of replacement therapy, encouraging students to utilize the enduring stress reduction, mental focus and endorphin release yoga provides in lieu of the temporary relief associated with drug or alcohol use. Yoga classes at Newport Academy aim to foster group support, promote positive outlooks and help teens visualize concrete long-term objectives. The program also spurs students toward introspection and motivational change, with class themes such as habit-changing, balance, kindness and goal-setting.

Those interested in Newport Academy’s yoga-integrated addiction rehabilitation program can learn more by accessing the yoga teen addiction treatment  online or receive a complimentary assessment by calling (866) 382-6651.

About Newport Academy

Founded in 2009, Newport Academy offers customized, gender-tailored residential treatment programs for adolescents battling drug and alcohol addiction. The holistic treatment regimen offers substance abuse addiction recovery for the mind, body and spirit while providing ongoing schooling in a safe, sober and social environment. Situated 15 miles from downtown Newport Beach, the teen rehabilitation center also offers specialized therapeutic programs for adolescents, such as equine therapy, creative arts therapy and Dual Diagnosis capacity for those with co-occurring disorders.