After hurricanes, program aims to help alleviate stress
People who work in hurricane-affected areas often talk about the stress the long rebuilding process can take on people and the anxiety stirred up during hurricane season
SLIDELL, La. (AP) — The 10 women gathered on yoga mats in a New Orleans suburb, the lights dimmed.
“I'd like to invite you to close your eyes," instructor Stephanie Osborne said in a soothing voice from the front of the room. The only other noises were the hum of the air conditioner and the distant sounds of children playing in a nearby field.
For the next hour the women focused on various mindfulness exercises designed to help them deal with the stress of everyday life.
The six-week mindfulness program in Slidell, Louisiana, is the brainchild of Kentrell Jones, the executive director of East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity, who was concerned about the health of her colleagues and others affected by Hurricane Ida, which ripped through this region east of New Orleans last year.
