While anyone can reap the benefits of a yoga class, an hour of relaxation is particularly worthwhile for college students, whose schedules and deadlines are often dictated for them.

“College students are often in a state of anxiety,” Dalton said. “They're stressed out, sleep deprived. My intention is that these classes provide a safe and comfortable environment that encourages them to slow down and truly rest. There aren't any expectations of how to perform. They're given choice over how they move their bodies.”

That choice is key, Dalton said. Students can keep their eyes open or closed, they can stay in poses for as little or as long as they like, or skip a pose altogether — they can even sleep for the full hour if that's what they would like to do.

“This is their practice. I’m just their guide, and they know what they need better than I do,” Dalton said. “I'm of the belief that there's no right or wrong way to do yoga. It’s based upon what feels good in your body and safe, understanding that a lot of people come into the room with trauma, and particular postures or even breathwork might be triggering to them. So throughout class, you'll hear me continue to invite them to honor their body and listen to what it needs.”

Dalton is the co-founder and director of The Healing Cottage in Middletown, Delaware. Prior to teaching yoga, she worked for more than 20 years providing trauma-informed care to many different populations, including survivors of intimate partner violence, victims of crime and their families, and people living with HIV/AIDS. After the unexpected death of her mother in 2021, she decided to shift her attention to sharing yoga and holistic healing with the community.

“Creating an environment that encourages students to slow down, rest and do some self exploration is important to me,” said Dalton, who has been teaching restorative yoga at UD since November 2021. “It's been nice to be back on campus to connect with the students. Their energy is infectious, but I also know they're stressed out, so I like to think that for one hour, during the week, they can come here and just be without having to do anything or have expectations of that.”

Angela Hoyle, a senior majoring in public policy, English and women’s and gender studies, comes to the class every week and said she likes that the class is trauma-informed and non-competitive.

“Crystal’s really good at meeting people where they're at and creating an encouraging space that’s about wellness and giving yourself a break instead of purely exercising and competing with the person next to you,” Hoyle said. “Every single time I leave yoga, I feel a million times better. The fact that Crystal places such an emphasis on mental health and taking care of yourself is what makes this very special and what keeps me coming back.”

In a restorative yoga class, athleticism and flexibility are not the focus.

“Yoga is more than the asanas, which are the postures. It's a personal journey of exploration of all parts of ourselves — our body, mind and spirit,” Dalton said. “It’s more meditative, more relaxing. We're not here for a workout. We're here for our work in, basically.”

Hannah Hurst, an Honors junior biochemistry major, has been practicing yoga for many years but had previously done it solely for exercise. It wasn’t until she experienced restorative yoga at UD that she realized that the benefits of the class transcend off the mat.

“At the end of a stressful week, it's so wonderful to just come here and be able to relax and let go of everything that happened that week,” she said. “I think being able to come to a place where you feel safe and you can kind of let the outside world go is really important.”

Kelly Oberheim, a sophomore human services major, said she enjoys the class because it’s a change of pace from her hectic schedule.

“It’s a really nice break, and it gives you an opportunity to look inwards rather than getting caught up in everything on your to-do list,” she said. “We often get caught up in the doing aspect of things rather than just being, so I think this is a good environment to just stay in the present rather than being concerned with what I have to do tomorrow. It relaxes you and gives your mind a minute to catch up and take a step back from the busyness of college.”