Featured Member: DustOff Yoga
This week’s featured member, DustOff Yoga, is a local studio in Littleton, New Hampshire, dedicated to providing trauma-informed and accessible yoga practices for the community. Founded in 2020 by Jennifer Green, DustOff Yoga emphasizes mental health, inclusivity, and community engagement as central elements of its mission.
A Mission Rooted in Accessibility and Mental Health
Jennifer Green, owner and lead instructor, describes the philosophy behind the studio: “If I was going to teach, it had to be trauma informed, it had to be trauma sensitive, and it had to be accessible to anybody. And I mean that truly and fully.”
Her vision for DustOff Yoga was shaped by personal experiences with PTSD and depression. Recognizing the benefits of yoga in her own life, she committed to training in trauma-informed approaches and building a space where individuals of all backgrounds and abilities could feel welcome.
Unlike many studios that focus primarily on fitness, DustOff Yoga prioritizes mental health. “The premise is, if we focus on mental health first and then the portion of fitness after, the fitness comes into the mind is first, and the body is second, but they are linked together,” Green explains.
Trauma-Informed and Evidence-Based Practice
With a background as a trauma nurse and a master’s degree in nursing, Green brings both professional expertise and personal experience to her teaching. She has studied with leading researchers at the Trauma Center in Boston and with pioneers in trauma healing.
“I’m a real stickler for it,” Green notes. “It has to be evidence based. It has to have scientific backing. I have to know that the science is behind it, I have to know how it’s actually impacting somebody.”
Classes at DustOff Yoga incorporate education about the nervous system alongside movement and breath practices. For example, Green explains to students why extending an exhale can calm the nervous system. “Breath is like the leg switch of your nervous system. If I can train you to exhale longer than your inhale, it signals that all is well, to let down, to let go.”
This educational approach helps participants understand the benefits of practice and motivates them to use the techniques beyond the studio.
Accessible Yoga for All Abilities
DustOff Yoga is designed to serve people of all body types, abilities, and backgrounds. Classes are adaptable for participants with physical limitations, ensuring everyone has an opportunity to engage. Green shares, “At one point, we had somebody that is a paraplegic coming to class with everyone else. I understand how to adjust how I am cuing it so that everyone in the class can participate.”
By creating an environment where differences are normalized and respected, the studio ensures all participants feel supported.
Community Engagement and Financial Accessibility
The studio operates with a tiered pricing system to remove financial barriers. Members choose a level that reflects their ability to pay, whether they need support, can cover a standard membership, or are able to contribute extra to help fund community programs. “There’s no hierarchy,” Green explains. “You decide what you can afford.”
DustOff Yoga also organizes community service projects twice a year. Past efforts have included collecting socks for distribution to those experiencing homelessness, preparing birthday cake kits for food pantries, and donating books and pajamas for foster children. Green believes that healing is supported not only through personal practice but also through giving back. “If we talk about mental health, we heal in community, and we heal when we give,” she says.
Neurosculpting at DustOff Yoga
DustOff Yoga also offers Neurosculpting, a guided meditation technique designed to help reframe and retrain thought patterns. Neurosculpting combines mindfulness and neuroscience to support individuals in reducing stress, creating healthier responses, and fostering resilience. By engaging both the analytical and creative parts of the brain, the practice provides tools to manage daily challenges and shift long-standing habits. At DustOff Yoga, Neurosculpting sessions are structured to be accessible for all participants, aligning with the studio’s focus on evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches.
The River Room: A Space for Rest and Integration
This year, DustOff Yoga expanded with the addition of the River Room, a dedicated space for rest and integration practices. The room offers a quiet environment for those who may find group classes overwhelming or who simply need a place to reset.
Green explains the importance of the room: “The brain cannot heal from trauma or chronic stress unless it’s resting. We need a space where it’s quiet and it gives us a sense where we can let down.”
The River Room also supports therapists who wish to combine body-based practices with traditional counseling methods, offering another tool for local residents seeking healing.
Positive Impact in the Community
Students of DustOff Yoga frequently report meaningful progress. From athletes noticing improved balance and stability, to individuals experiencing greater confidence in their bodies, to those managing grief or stress, the benefits extend beyond physical fitness. One student shared with Green that after years of avoiding shorts and tank tops due to negative comments, they finally felt comfortable enough to wear them again.
For Green, these transformations reflect the power of combining yoga with trauma-informed principles. “We’re not just coming here to do yoga. We’re coming here, yes, to recover and heal ourselves from whatever it is, and it doesn’t matter what it is, just life in general. But there’s layer upon layer, so everything you experience when you walk into the studio is designed to assist mental health.”
Supporting Local Wellness
DustOff Yoga contributes to the vitality of the region by offering resources that go beyond exercise. Through accessible yoga, community projects, and evidence-based practices, the studio provides an important service to the North Country. DustOff Yoga demonstrates how local businesses can address real needs in the community, foster inclusion, and support the overall well-being of residents. You can also connect with DustOff Yoga on Facebook and Instagram.
