Relationship as Resource:

a New 2S/LGBTQ+ Community Program + Research Study

Embracing 2S/LGBTQ+ joy.

We're thrilled to invite members of our 2S/LGBTQ+ community to participate in a Partner-Integrated Yoga Therapy Group and research study!

This initiative is born out of a desire to address mental health disparities within our community and to harness the strength of our collective support to give and receive mutual aid during challenging times. This group will focus on yoga and embodiment practices done in pairs to nurture social connection, joy, and well-being.

Group Details

This group and research study explores the impacts and experiences of partner-integrated yoga therapy on 2S/LGBTQ+ mental health. Group enrolment is free of cost for study participants. You will need to sign up with a partner, who could be a friend, chosen family member, or significant other–anyone you are comfortable working closely with to give and receive support.

In a 2S/LGBTQ+-led and affirmative environment, you and your partner will be guided in mindful movement, breath awareness, restorative yoga, and gentle touch practices to foster deeper connection and overall well-being. There will be an emphasis on exploring the nuances of giving and receiving ongoing consent. You will be supported to integrate the techniques by practicing them with your partner between sessions to deepen the impacts on your well-being in daily life.

Study Details:

Location: SFU Harbour Centre

Time: Tuesdays, 6:30 - 8:00 pm, October 7th (with rolling intake - must attend 6 out of 8 sessions)

Practices: Mindful movement, breath awareness, and gentle touch with a partner of your choice.

Interested in participating? Take our eligibility survey.

Study Details

Potential Benefits

  • Improve Your Well-being: Strengthen your social connectedness, and your mental health.

  • Build Community: Connect with fellow 2S/LGBTQ+ individuals in a supportive environment.

  • Contribute to Research: Help us evolve the understanding of mental health in our community.

  • Receive a $100 Honorarium upon completion of the study.

Commitment: Attend at least 6 out of 8 group sessions, complete biweekly journals (15-20 minutes), complete standardized mental health questionnaires, and participate in a one hour interview with your study partner before and after completion of the sessions.

See “Study FAQs” below for eligibility criteria, or take our eligibility survey to express your interest (note: you and your partner will both need to fill out the eligibility survey).

Study FAQs

  • You may be eligible if you :

    Are age 19+

    Have a partner (inclusive of friends, significant others, and family members) to participate with

    Are comfortable exchanging consensual (non-sexual) touch with your partner 

    Are 2S/LGBTQ+

    Have a desire to improve your mental health

    Are able to safely engage in study and intervention without significant risk to mental health status

    Have no concerns about intimate partner violence or abuse between partners

    Have no prior extensive pair yoga experience

  • The commitment involved is to attend at least 6 out of 8 sessions, practice with your partner between sessions, complete biweekly journals, and participate in a one-hour interview with your partner before and after the sessions.

  • Your data will be stored securely in a server compliant with FIPPA requirements, which is accessible only to the researchers involved in the study.

  • Participants will be provided a $100 honorarium to be sent by e-transfer following completion of the study.

  • We are a team of researchers from Simon Fraser University and University of Victoria, who are members and allies of the 2S/LGBTQ+ community ourselves. We are passionate about improving mental health in the 2S/LGBTQ+ community, where disparities are a significant concern. Our study takes a strengths-based approach, focusing on community resilience and well-being. We're committed to respectful research that celebrates the community's strengths. Our aim is to explore how partner yoga therapy can build connections and support, ultimately helping to create culturally sensitive interventions that promote positive mental health and community cohesion.