WOMEN'S YOGA PROGRAM HELPS TEENAGERS COPE

YVONNE CAREY, Special to The Herald

RoseAnn Britschgi's commute to work, her long hours on the job and her diet made her feel ``out of alignment.''

So the 31-year-old Coral Springs resident rekindled an interest from her high school days and began a new career as a yoga instructor.
Last week, Britschgi showed 15 Cypress Bay High School students how to cope with work-related stress with an introduction to all forms of yoga during a monthly program for at-risk young women in the public school system.

``I'm going to teach them how to integrate yoga as a lifestyle,'' Britschgi said.

Founded in 1997 by WTVJ- NBC 6 news anchor Jennifer Valoppi, Women of Tomorrow Mentor & Scholarship is now in its eighth year and reaches more than 1,500 students in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties.

About 175 South Florida professional women mentor small groups in monthly sessions to develop self-esteem, effective life skills and techniques for turning obstacles into opportunities.

Unifying the heart, mind and body, Britschgi said, is the central focus of yoga, which literally means ``union.''

The program aims to instill in young women a peaceful state of mind, a strong, flexible body, and the balance of both.

Britschgi advocates the practice of yoga instead of taking anti-depressants, anti-anxiety drugs and pain killers.

Christie Schade, an 18-year-old senior who plays varsity volleyball for Cypress Bay High and the Weston Thunder Volleyball Club, said incorporating yoga into her life seemed the solution to her problems.

``This might teach me to focus inside myself instead of just pushing it to the limit every time,'' Christie said.

Britschgi practiced the poses and sun salutations with the girls so they could try different styles.

``Sometimes my students come into class and they say, `I need a real workout today,' '' Britschgi said. ``So I make them stretch for an hour. Just stretch. And take lots of different breaths.

``Yoga forces you to slow down. To see what happens in your body when you work or perform tasks.''

Shari Bush, communications director for Cypress Bay High, said the school has a new speaker every month for the group.

For information, visit www.womenoftomorrow.com.