“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” — Pablo Picasso
That’s the thread woven through this week’s episode with my dear friend Jill Weiss Ippolito, founder of UpRising Yoga.
Jill’s story is a full-circle transformation; from an angry, hurting teenager to a joyful healer bringing trauma-informed yoga and life skills to youth in juvenile halls. She found a gift that saved her own life: breath, presence, and the slow return to self. And then she did something extraordinary… she gave that gift away, again and again, to the kids who need it most.
In our conversation, she takes us inside the processing units at juvenile hall: where resistance softens into resilience, where one breath can become a lifeline, and where hope often looks like a simple practice done with love.
Tune in to hear how a $10, ten-day yoga pass became a mission, how community shows up when we “look for the helpers,” and how one person’s gift can change the world.
~Full blog post on charity-matters.com & podcast episode 95 is up now!

Thank you Heidi Johnson for our collaboration and conversation!

​Dear Friends,

Happy New Year 2026—and thank you for being part of our community!
Because of your support, UpRising Yoga brings trauma-informed life skills into juvenile halls and trains others to carry this work forward. Together, we’re creating spaces rooted in healing, activism, compassion, and real change.
At the heart of it all is a belief in love, laughter, and the power of presence to transform lives.
If you’re moved to give, a tax-deductible donation helps sustain and expand this work. I’m deeply grateful you’re here. Drop a note- I'd love to hear from you!
With love,

Jill “So Chill” Weiss Ippolito
Founder/Director, UpRising Yoga

Dear Friends,

Join Us in Creating Change! 
At UpRising Yoga, we believe change begins with people like you.
JOIN the November Everyday Yoga Challenge with a bold goal: raise $50,000 by November 30 to bring Yoga Life Skills into Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall and expand our reach in 2026.

Why does this matter? Because kids in juvenile hall are often terrified, anxious, and alone. Many have never learned a healthy way to calm their nervous system or believe in themselves.

With your help, we can offer students and staff:

•  Nervous system regulation tools when fear and anxiety hit.
•  Mindset coaching to build hope instead of despair.
•  Breathing & movement practices that builds confidence and creates resilience.

 Help us launch the UpRising Yoga Trauma-informed yoga training for more instructors, so we can double our impact- teaching in more facilities.

Every time we step onto the mat, we can dedicate our practice to those suffering. When we do, we not only ease their pain—we also ease our own. This is yoga as activism. This is community care.

How you can help power our mission:

Donate: Every tax-deductible dollar counts.
Contribute now to help us reach our goal.
Share: Share this campaign with your friends, family, and on social media. Your advocacy can amplify our impact.
Volunteer: Your time and skills can make an impact too—help us spread the word or coordinate this campaign.

Together, we can show kids in juvenile hall that they are not forgotten, that they matter, and that a new future is possible.

Thank you for supporting our mission—your support is invaluable. 

With love and gratitude,

Jill “So Chill” Weiss Ippolito
Founder, UpRising Yoga

http:// https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/peer-to-peer/rise-up-for-impact

Happy to connect with you! Jill “So Chill” Weiss Ippolito here— trauma-informed educator, coach, comedian, and the founder of UpRising Yoga. If this is our first newsletter in a while, thank you for your patience. I’ve been deep in the work — rebuilding, refining, and reigniting what matters.
Here’s a quick look at what’s been going on in the last month:

•  Led a 2-day CE workshop at CAMFT: We explored trauma-informed tools like vagal toning, reparenting, and somatic inquiry — content that’s changing how therapists care for themselves and others.
•  Sold out The Comedy Store: Healing through humor isn’t just a catchphrase — it’s a calling. I brought comedy and vulnerability to the stage, and the audience met me there.
•  Close to finalizing our probation contract: Ready to launch UpRising Yoga’s programMING inside juvenile halls — a full-circle moment that started with my own story.
•  Writing a book: It’s part memoir, part guide — raw stories and real tools to navigate transformation, joy, and recovery from systems that weren’t built for us. 

I’ve undergone my own deep shift — now I’m helping others create theirs.Let’s keep this connection alive:  Reach out- respond to this emailFollow me on Instagram @jillsochill @yoga_for_healing_trauma @UpRisingYoga

Subscribe on Substack @fallingintobalance for insights, resources, and upcoming events. (We’re pausing Mailchimp due to costs ) Donate to help keep us alive!
Let’s make healing accessible, embodied, and a lot more fun!
With care,
Jill "So Chill" Weiss Ippolito
www.yogaforhealingtrauma.com

Ways we can work together:

•  Book me to speak or perform — from keynotes to comedy, I bring evidenced based healing techniques, lived experience, and laughter to every room.
•  Deep Shift Coaching for individuals and organizations.
•  Bring UpRising Yoga to your org: Especially if you serve youth, first responders, justice-involved populations, or educators.
•  Donate: Your support helps us keep going — into locked facilities and underserved communities.
•  Save the Date: June 27 at UnCabaret — I’ll be performing at LA’s favorite alt comedy show, generously hosted by the legendary Beth Lapides as a fundraiser for UpRising Yoga. I’m so excited!

​

For years, UpRising Yoga has brought trauma-informed yoga into juvenile halls, offering young people a moment of peace in an otherwise chaotic system. We’ve seen firsthand how these practices create transformation—how a single breath can help shift anger, anxiety, and trauma into something more manageable. And yet, despite our proven impact, getting back into these spaces has felt like climbing a mountain while carrying the weight of bureaucracy on our backs.

After a long hiatus, we are finally on the brink of returning. Our team has been cleared—our background tests are officially approved. This was a moment of deep relief for me, as I had my own worries about the process. But just when I thought we had broken through the biggest barrier, another one appeared: insurance.

Yes, insurance. A single policy stands between us and these young people who need us the most. We’re currently navigating the process of securing a quote, a task that should be straightforward but instead feels like another hurdle designed to keep programs like ours out. Why should bringing healing and mindfulness to incarcerated youth be so difficult? Why are systems that claim to support rehabilitation so resistant to it?

It’s frustrating. But it’s also fuel.

This moment is a reminder of why we do this work in the first place. If it were easy, the need wouldn’t be so urgent. If it were simple, it wouldn’t be transformative.
​
So, we keep pushing. We keep advocating. We keep fighting to make sure that the young people who need these tools the most actually have access to them. And I will not stop until we are back inside, mats on the floor, breathing together again.
If you’ve ever fought for something you knew was right, you know the feeling. You know the exhaustion. You also know the fire that keeps burning despite every setback.

And we’re not giving up.

If you’d like to support us in this battle—whether through connections, resources, or simply sharing this story—please reach out. Because this work matters. And because every young person in that facility deserves the chance to find their breath again.

Follow:
https://substack.com/profile/256574619-jill-sochill/note/c-100601654

Dear Friends,
As 2024 comes to a close, I’m taking a moment to pause, reflect, and soak in the lessons and accomplishments that have shaped this whirlwind of a journey. This year has been about growth, creativity, and living life with passion.
Last year, I blasted out full force, diving into a kaleidoscope of creative expansion: stand-up comedy, performance art, acting, storytelling, keynote speaking, writing, painting, yoga practice, coaching, and keeping UpRising Yoga's doors open.

Whew! It’s been a ride, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
One of the most joyful parts of 2024 was embracing my split persona, Jill So Chill, with a heart full of passion and celebration. How did I pull that off? By practicing contrary action—celebrating ahead of time, pumping myself up with joy, going where the love is, insisting on doing what I love, and following the path that energized me most.
Behind the scenes (and often center stage) was my incredible husband, Nick Ippolito, my biggest cheerleader, reminding me to keep going. The unwavering support of close friendships, my success team, and family created a safety net that allowed me to leap higher and dream bigger.
This year, I also leaned deeper into my morning rituals of spiritual connection and writing, which fueled my purpose to transform trauma into laughter and joy.
A highlight was performing Trauma-Rama on stage—a dream come true. But life had its twists: just a week later, I faced a health scare that jolted me awake to focus on what truly matters most. That moment of clarity has shaped my vision moving forward.
Some 2024 accomplishments that I’m proud of include:

• Expanding Trauma-Rama performances.
• Growing UpRising Yoga’s reach to serve more communities.
• Writing, painting, and keeping the creative juices flowing.
• Visiting family on both coasts and starting a long-awaited home upgrade project.

As we step into the new year, I’m excited for what’s to come. Some major announcements are already in motion—stay tuned for the big news!
To everyone reading this, thank you for being part of my journey. Whether you showed up to a performance, supported UpRising Yoga, joined a class, or simply cheered me on from afar, your energy fuels my mission to create, laugh, and heal.
Here’s to a beautiful 2025 filled with celebration, connection, and doing what sets our souls on fire!
With love and gratitude,

Jill "So Chill" Ippolito
Executive Director, UpRising Yoga
Deep Shift Coaching

Dear Friends,
As we gather with loved ones to reflect on 2024 and embrace the holiday season, I want to share my deepest gratitude for your support and dedication. At UpRising Yoga, we are driven by the mission to bring healing and empowerment through yoga to incarcerated and underserved communities, and this work would not be possible without you.
This year has been one of incredible growth and impact for UpRising Yoga. Together, we expanded our reach, introduced new programs, and deepened our commitment to creating a world where trauma can be met with compassion and healing. Through partnerships with probation departments, schools, and community organizations, we have continued to offer trauma-informed yoga trainings that equip individuals to bring these transformative practices to those who need them most. We are especially proud of the strides made in advocating for restorative approaches to justice and well-being.
Highlights of 2024 include:

• New Partnerships: We have forged meaningful collaborations with institutions eager to integrate trauma-sensitive programming, including yoga sessions tailored for youth in juvenile detention and system impacted individuals. 
• Keynote Speaking: Thank you for inviting me to offer Twist & Laugh: Chair Yoga & Self Care.
• Trauma-Informed Trainings: This year, we offered online training to dozens of yoga instructors, educators, and mental health professionals, empowering them with tools to bring healing practices to their own communities.
• Community Impact: UpRising Yoga offers online coaching participants through direct programming, providing tools for resilience, self-regulation, and connection. The feedback we’ve received affirms the life-changing impact of this work.
• Advocacy Efforts: We have been honored to be part of larger conversations around reforming probation culture, with the goal of making restorative practices an integral part of justice systems nationwide.

We extend the invitation to include new team members and board members who bring passion and expertise to further propel our mission. Please join us! 
While we celebrate these accomplishments, we know there is so much more to be done. As we look ahead to 2025, UpRising Yoga remains steadfast in our commitment to fostering healing and equity through mindfulness and restorative practices. We invite you to join us in this journey by continuing to support our work, whether through donations, volunteering, or simply spreading the word about our mission.
If you’d like to learn more about our programs or contribute to our year-end campaign, please visit uprisingyoga.com. Your support helps us remain adaptable and ready to meet the needs of our community.
Thank you for believing in the power of healing, collaboration, and transformation. Wishing you a joyful holiday season filled with love, peace, and connection.
With Blessings,
Jill Ippolito (pic with husband Nick Ippolito)
Executive Director
UpRising Yoga