S1 E20 From Prison Visits to Prison Yoga: Jen Lindgren’s Personal Journey of Healing, Trauma, and Purpose (Part 1)

Sometimes the work we’re called to do grows quietly from our own stories—through loss, unanswered questions, and a deep desire to create something different. In this episode, I sit down with Jen Lindgren, trauma-informed educator, movement facilitator, and Director of Training with the Prison Yoga Project. Jen’s work supports incarcerated individuals and communities navigating adversity—but her connection to this space is deeply personal. As a child in the 1990s, Jen visited her father during his incarceration. Years later, she returned to that same environment as a yoga teacher, holding space for others walking similar paths. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, we explore: - The impact of complex trauma and how it shapes identity - Movement, yoga, and breath as pathways to healing - What it means to return to places of pain with purpose - Forgiveness, self-compassion, and the human stories behind prison walls - How service to others can become a powerful part of our own healing This is a conversation about seeing beyond labels and reconnecting with the heart of what it means to be human. This podcast episode contains dialogue related to sexual abuse, please take care when listening. To read more about the Prison Yoga Project go to: https://www.prisonyoga.org/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show If you enjoyed this show, make sure you like, subscribe, follow and download the episode or simply leave a comment.  I would love to hear from you!  Please feel free to share your thoughts, episode ideas or simply to say "hello"! This episode is sponsored by Jackie Vandertuin Therapy.  With over 30 years of practice as a Certified Athletic Therapist and professor of Athletic Therapy, coupled with her experience as a yoga therapist, Jackie Vandertuin MSc, CAT(C), will help guide you in the management and treatment of various disorders including:  low back pain, sprains, strains, anxiety and depression.  Reach out www.jackievandertuintherapy.com  for a free discovery call. If would like to be a guest of this podcast, please reach out to jackie@jackievandertuintherapy with a short bio of your story and how yoga has helped you in your journey of healing. If you are interested in sponsoring an episode or this podcast, reach out to Jackie Vandertuin at jackie@jackievandertuintherapy.com. Stay in touch at: Website:  https://www.jackievandertuintherapy.com Instagram:  jackie\_vandertuin\_therapy Facebook:  Jackie Vandertuin Therapy To support the show, feel free to buy me a coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/theinnerpractice