Purpose:

Although the effects of yoga on psychiatric symptoms in psychiatric care are gaining increasing recognition, research within forensic psychiatric care, particularly on sub-jective experiences, remains limited. To address this gap, the present study aims to describe patients’ experience of trauma-adapted yoga (TAY) as a health-promoting activity in forensic psychiatric care.

Methods:

Twelve individual semi-structured interviews with patients in forensic psychiatric care were conducted, and data were analysed using inductive content analysis.

Findings:

The patients’ experience of TAY as a health-promoting activity was captured in an overarching theme, “To feel that one is connected to mind, body, and soul in a way that can promote a sense of well-being in an uncertain existence”. This overarching theme contained four themes: Strengthening the body, finding a calm place within oneself, something to do solely for oneself but together with others, and prerequisites for doing yoga.

Conclusion:

The findings emphasize that TAY has the potential to be a valuable health-promoting activity for patients in forensic psychiatric care by facilitating their resources to manage stressors in everyday life. Therefore, it should be offered as a complement to other reatments to promote patients’ health and well-being in forensic psychiatric care.