Time to retreat. Teen yoga getaways are trending.

Courtesy YogaFox

When Kelly Brookbank ERYT500 and Keith Fox met in 2008,
the two were both teaching for a yoga retreat held at Pura Vida Spa Resort in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Today, as co-directors and owners of YogaFox studios in Del Ray Beach, Florida, the now married pair continues to return to the beautiful wellness location, as leaders of an annual teen yoga retreat. 

Courtesy YogaFox

Well known for their Vinyasa style and “Yoga with Live Music” class, which welcomes 100 students weekly at the nearby Colony hotel, in 2011, the duo also founded Yoga Fest FL, an annual yoga festival that aims to bring yoga to the community. This year’s event drew 4000 attendees and 60 vendors.

“Our non-profit, MahaShakti Foundation benefits from the one day event. We work with veterans and at risk youth. Our teen programs are geared toward building role models, successful yogis and community service,” says Brookbank.

For the second year in a row, the Fox’s organization has scholarshipped and led a group of teens on a five-day yoga retreat to...
Pura Vida, which incorporates community service.

On this past July’s retreat, “We had fifteen teens. There’s yoga twice daily, a couple of excursions like zip lining and a visit to a waterfall. To give back to the community, we work with an environmental organization there. Erosion is a problem there, so this year, we planted 1000 trees and cleaned up a community park,” says Brookbank.

Healthful food is served (mainly vegan and vegetarian options) and only water, natural juices and smoothies are offered.

Stress management through meditation and breath awareness is practiced, which ranks very helpful with participating teens.

“They use yogic skills and principles to be leaders to one another. With all of the peer pressure out there, hanging out with yoga friends help teens get over trauma and become future leaders,” says Brookbank.

To apply for the free, annual teen yoga retreat, (airfare is not included) teens must meet a GPA requirement and pen essays about how yoga is helping them in their lives. For more information, visit yogafox.com.