Katie also known as Veda is the yoga program manager at the non-for profit A Sound Life. An Australian charity that brings the healing power of trauma informed yoga and meditation, interactive music, and music mentoring to vulnerable communities

Katie found yoga during the hardest time of her life. While it came to her under the guise of an exercise that would help her ‘look good’ she had no idea how good looking her life would be come because of this ancient practice. After a run of significant traumas Katie found herself deep in addiction and maladaptive behaviours that lasted 13 years. During this time, she lost her practice, which in turn meant she lost herself in a sea of pain, shame, and confusion. 

After a spiritual awakening in 2015 Katie returned once again to the mat which supported her as she went on a deeply healing and awakening journey. Studying yoga and the healing arts, becoming a certified Sattva meditation and Kriya teacher as well as a vinyasa, hatha and yin teacher. It was through these practices and studies she found her healing and her vehicle for healing others. So, when the job opportunity to become A Sound Life’s yoga program manager came to her, she jumped at this uncannily aligned chance to keep spreading the healing power of yoga, to those who need it most. 

A Sound Life is a beautiful creation, birthed by two true modern day yogi’s Edo and Jo Khan, both yoga and meditation teachers, and incredible musicians. It was through sharing the power of music and yoga to vulnerable children in India and Bali, that they had strong guidance to come back to Australia and start to share it with vulnerable people in hospitals, healthcare facilities and community centres.

What makes A Sound Life so special is that they focus on the healing power of these ancient practices of music, yoga, and meditation, aligning with trauma experts to balance the eastern beliefs with western science. Making these sometimes seemingly distant and inaccessible practices more appealing and comprehendible through the western understanding of healing. Western or modern sciences are proving every day what the east has been saying for thousands of years and it is through these science-based results on the effects of yoga on trauma that are helping to bridge the gap.

Katie “As I’m sure most of the readers know the healing power of yoga but imagine not being able to access it because of a lack of education and accessibility? Of course, someone can just jump on YouTube with Adrienne but how can you if you don’t know or understand about its healing power. We are helping to provide trauma informed yoga practices to those who may never have tried it, ever. It is through their first-hand experience of our invitational language that helps to build their autonomy, it is through the practice that reconnects them with their body after sometimes extremely traumatic disconnection and it is through the healing power of breath and movement that helps them to come into the present moment in safe, therapeutic spaces.”
 
For 10 years now the charity has brought free trauma informed yoga, music, meditation and mentorship to over 56,100 at-risk people. Some of the facilities A Sound Life provide their therapeutic programs to are Drug and Alcohol rehabilitation centres, Domestic Violence shelters, teen refuges, hospitals, youth at risk, aged care, mental health facilities, Down syndrome NSW and Cerebral Palsy Alliance. They have delivered over 5,150 sessions across NSW, QLD and Victoria and are dedicated to continue growing their reach in order to serve more at-risk communities

A Sound Life also provides so many people the opportunity to be of service to others, to cultivate grace by giving. So many of our volunteers say ‘I have received more than I ever gave.’ 

Katie “There is a beautiful energy felt whenever I call a new facility or school to explain what we do and to offer programs to them, you can feel the opening of their hearts and a lighting of their souls when you tell them we will be bringing these services to them for free. The same goes for the participants. What I see is a knock-on effect as we give, those who receive are changed. By the programs and by the freely given love, time and energy by our phenomenal volunteers.” 

Katie “After everything I’ve been through and have been able to traverse all I want to do is empower others to do the same. ”

Lastly A Sound Life , while founded by Edo (a male) is an all-female run and led core team with their female CEO being 1 of only 19% in Australia. So as you can imagine there is a lot of love, nurture and care all throughout this wonderful not for profit. A Sound Life has positively impacted many lives in the past 10 years, but there's still so much more to do! We are on a mission to make music, yoga and meditation accessible to everyone so they too can experience the phenomenal healing powers of these incredible modalities.

To find out more please visit A Sound Life here 

or follow A Sound Life on Instagram @asoundlifecharity 

and if you feel called to donate your time as a volunteer or an ambassador you can do so here 

and to financially support this incredible cohort of big-hearted yogi’s please do so here