“Often times I walk away from the session just in awe and wondering how you lead these programs. You have so much power and strength in guiding survivors through our healing process as a survivor yourself. You have the most warm, gentle, generous spirit that is an honor and true pleasure to be in the presence of. You are doing incredibly important work, and I hope you know and feel the gratitude by me and the rest of the participants. I constantly am reminded and learning of what it looks like to reclaim joy, and how to navigate the world with a love-lead, healing lens when I look at you. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us, Zabie!”
-YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
“Hi Zabie! I am currently taking your online virtual 8-week course for Healing Sexual Trauma Through Yoga. I am just beginning it, but you’ve already absolutely changed my life. I was drawn to your practice because it was online/virtual and my trauma has made my anxiety so bad that it’s hard to talk to people at all or be present and trust and feel comfortable with others. It is all very sensitive right now. But your practice is absolutely perfect for people like me. Thank you for your time and for inspiring me and helping me truly heal in more ways than I could have ever imagined for myself....I just hope you know it feels like this has given me my life....I am so glad the universe put you in my path so I could heal with you, grow with you, and learn from you. “
-YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"For the first time, in a very, very long time, I feel like my body is my own."
-YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"The community in this room was unlike any other. Never have I felt so understood without speaking a single word about my assault."
-YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"Opening up and lifting my arms to the sky and letting my heart shine made me feel alive and empowered."
-YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"My body is my own and I am the only one who knows how to live in it truthfully."
-YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"Today's practice taught me how to start to love my body again."
-YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"I learned there is power in all of us. I feel so relaxed and not as exhausted. I have a great feeling inside. Today is the mark of change."
-YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"I learned so much from this program, not only did I learn yoga but I also learned more about myself and my body. I learned to take care of myself, to be conscious of signs that point to me doing the opposite of self-care. I learned how to read my emotions, to pay attention to my surroundings, and to be more assertive and strong. But most of all I learned how to let myself become the person I am meant to be, to let myself see me for me. It allowed me to view myself in a positive light."
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"Since the assault, I've regarded my body as something almost like a traitor or foreign. This program has helped me feel more comfortable in my skin. I feel strong and beautiful. I feel like I'm in control of my body again.”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"I gained my body, spirit, and mind back. I gained confidence, openness, and courage. I gained strength, assertiveness, and knowledge to carry me for a lifetime. I gained myself back."
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"This program helped me find my inner voice. Peace. Some courage to be myself and communicate my needs/wants to others. I'm learning how to speak up for myself. This yoga class has changed my life."
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"I want to thank you again for doing what you do, Zabie. The program changed my life. As I went out and started sharing my story with more people, my heart broke at how many women and men have been victims and felt comfortable sharing with me. Many of them haven't had opportunities to heal, like I was given. I'm so blessed for having gone through the program and I want to give back in some way. Even after the program, I continued my practice and learning to change my relationship to my body and to connect back. I loved it so much and appreciated what yoga gave me, I got my 200 hour. I'm still on a journey, but it's a lot less scary than what it was."
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"The class on boundaries and assertiveness was the most profound lesson for me. I learned about choice and the right to say no."
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"The theme on acceptance most resonated with me. I feel like for the first time in a long time, I know what I feel, and can accept those feelings."
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"I gained myself back. I feel that I have taken a step, to feeling worthy of love, of looking forward to a time where I am wholly experiencing this world around me. I am not defined by my trauma, and although I have gone through this trauma, I am capable of healing. I am enough."
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"I found a way to be calm at my most stressful and emotional times.”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"Prior to the program, I was having difficulty with eating. When I would get stressed, either emotionally or with school, I would have a panic attack and eat until I "felt better. I felt that the satisfaction from eating, as if I was hungry, calmed me down. I have gained 30 pounds since I was raped, but I am proud to say that since the beginning of yoga, I have been able to control my emotions way better and have stopped eating/binging. "
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"I learned that being who I am is enough."
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"Because of this yoga program, I was able to become intimate with my boyfriend again. Because of this yoga program, I was able to feel like I was whole again in a way I could not recognize. Because of this yoga program, I was able to move from a place of anger to a place of forgiveness and inner-peace."
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"I learned that I am important, my feelings matter, and that I am beautiful the way I am. I learned how to take time for myself and set boundaries. I feel so grateful that I was able to take part in this."
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
“Along with yoga, I am also attending counseling in which, because of yoga, I have been able to open up more when it comes to talking and expressing myself.”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
“It really helped me heal; each session would make me feel lighter and happy with myself, something that I never allowed myself to be.”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
“I can now manage painful experiences well without breaking apart.”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
“Thanks to the program I am able to feel more in control of my body again as well as my spiritual self. The skills that I learned here have helped me gain much needed control.”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
“The moment I met Zabie I felt safe, important and cared for. Through this program I learned to love myself. I learned that I am valuable, beautiful, and not damaged. I learned how not to run away from my struggles and confront them. I learned that I am valid and that I need to love myself and help myself to heal.”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
“Zabie has forever changed my life. Before I was lost and numb. She has shed light into my life and guided me to be the strongest I’ve ever been. She has showed me the positive aspects of my life and taught me to be loving, open and confident.”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"I can finally breathe."
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"This program has helped me recognize my own inner strength as well as the physical strength of my own body.”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"I love how relaxed I feel after every class and empowered. I felt like I could tackle anything I needed to do.”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
“I felt home.”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
“The class on boundaries changed me in different ways I can’t explain.”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
“I look forward to yoga on Tuesday nights. I use to have a hard time looking forward to any day ahead.”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
“Zabie made me feel comfortable prior to the program starting. She made me feel that it was okay not to do the same postures as everyone else. She helped me feel safe."
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"I just wanted to take a quick moment to let you know how much I appreciate all that you are doing for us! It really means the world to me, every week I come out of yoga feeling so rejuvenated and thankful for allowing myself to take care of myself. Meeting you has been such a wonderful experience you bring so much light into my life."
-YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"I think before the program, I've just been avoiding what has happened rather than living with it. I journaled during the darker times immediately after the incident but I never had the courage to look back at what I wrote. When we did the letter to future self activity in the beginning of the yoga program, I wrote to myself that I hope I will find the courage to read that journal entry again by the end of the program. I am happy to say that I was finally strong enough to read the journal entry and your yoga program really helped me a lot in this healing journey. I was able to grow and be a stronger version of myself and give myself some grace and self-love."
-YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
"Thank you for adding color to my life."
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
“You empower me so much. Your belief in me makes a significant difference in the way I see myself in the world. I feel like I can do good for the world because you’ve taught me to do good for myself.”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
“Zabie, you have facilitated such a growth in me and allowed me to get my life back. I feel more empowered and stronger than ever. Yes, yoga was/is a significant part of my healing & self care but you as a person and what you’ve done for me has changed my life. Thank you for being you. You make the world a better place each and every day”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
“Loving myself tons more now”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT
“I’m learning to feel safe inside my own body. Breathing and making conscious decisions has helped me take my power back. I can choose to stay in a comfortable place or I can choose to stretch myself as fas as I choose to….the most important thing here is that I have a choice. I have choices. I am no longer trapped or tied down by my past. Thank you Zabie for being light in my life and for choosing light. Your dedication to yourself does more for others than you know. It is now a daily choice to lift my head and keep going and continue on this path of light. I may fall off track for a moment but lately it has been easier to remember that I am still on the path of goodness. I no longer say, “I am here but I’m a survivor.” I say, “I am a survivor and I am here.” #livingoutloud”
- YOGA AS HEALING PARTICIPANT