Living Well Program for Domestic Violence Victims

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A first-time community partnership called "Living Well" is helping local domestic violence victims heal, mind, body, and spirit.

At Blue Moon Yoga in Northeast Fresno the instructors often tout the physical and mental benefits of yoga. Director Britney Andrews explains, "A consistent practice in yoga, helps to reduce your heart rate, lowers your blood pressure, helps to alleviate and actually lower stress." Now those same benefits are being extended for free to domestic violence victims at Fresno's Marjaree Mason Center. Andrews says, "Helping women who are already trying to help themselves is amazing and any support they can use, we're happy to help."

A new community partnership called "Living Well" introduces MMC clients to workout studios like Blue Moon, the Bar Method Fresno, and Rhonda Murphy's Rhonda's Fitness... to provide healing through classes in fitness, cooking and nutrition, as well as mental health.

The program is made possible by a $47,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente. Kaiser physician Dr. Angela Kuo has firsthand experience treating domestic violence patients: "In addition to the physical violence, they have a higher risk for things like depression, drug and alcohol abuse, anxiety, chronic pain, headaches, abdominal pain."

But often their health needs go ignored. And the majority of the Marjaree Mason Center's clients earn under $9,000 a year... so they normally wouldn't have access to these kinds of resources. The center's director says empowerment and self care are key to getting her clients' lives back on track: "You absolutely need to take care of yourself internally, physically, and emotionally if you want to move on from any trauma."