KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — During the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline workers faced trauma and stress that many hadn't ever faced before. It resulted in a whole new kind of burden that weighed on their bodies and minds.
"Every call that we go on as a first responder when those calls come out, you never really know what it is," said Emily Lawrence, who works with AMR Knoxville. "We're already running on a lot of stress, then we get a call and we're running here and then we're at a pandemic level."
Now, yoga instructors are trying to help them relax by offering a donation-based class. Renegade Yoga Center announced that first responders and frontline workers would have a chance to try removing some of that stress during their class.
The classes are held on Thursday nights at 7:30 p.m. Health care workers, police officers, firefighters, EMTs and many others can participate for a chance to find some peace.
"Stress on your body, stress on your mind, stress on your emotions, stress on your job, stress on your family — just stress," said Lawrence.
Tristen Sellers, one of the instructors, said she worked as an EMT for 15 years before teaching yoga. She said workers can face stigma when seeing help with anxiety, depression and mental health.
"I feel like this is a really good environment to come and explore that," she said.
She said that the classes are meant to offer a safe environment where people can try to take care of themselves, which helps them take care of others.
"You have to take care of yourself if you want to care for others," said one of the participants.