Nuçi’s Space has been helping musicians with depression and other mental health concerns for more than two decades.

The organization has found a new outlet to do so — wait for it — yoga.

Nuçi’s Space has joined with Rhett Crowe, a registered yoga teacher in Athens, to offer affordable and helpful yoga classes to musicians.

According to the nonprofit’s homepage, “Nuçi’s Space is a nonprofit health and music resource center in Athens, Ga.”

The objective of the organization is to prevent suicide by providing obstacle-free treatment for musicians suffering from depression.

The organization also aids in assisting those suffering from related disorders and seeks to assist in the emotional, physical and professional well-being of musicians.”

“I think this fits well with Nuçi’s mission,” Crowe said. “It gives people an opportunity to reflect and possibly get in better shape.”

Crowe said she is closely associated with Nuçi’s Space.

“I am a former recipient of their mental health services,” Crowe said. “I was the bass player for Guadalcanal Diary and myself suffered from depression. So as a broke and depressed musician I went to
Nuçi’s Space for help.”

Later Crowe started yoga classes to help herself out of a low point in her life.

“In my early 40s I felt myself shriveling up, like I was becoming those ladies hunched over in the grocery store that can’t reach the top shelf,” Crowe said.

She said she found yoga a good way to help her self esteem.

“I started yoga to get in better shape and stretch myself out, and came to realize yoga was dramatically helping with my depression.”

Crowe supported the Athens establishment through fundraising and organizing for events.

She said she later saw an opportunity to help musicians physically and mentally through yoga.

“I came to the staff with the idea of yoga classes for musicians,” she said.

Crowe said the project at Nuçi’s Space has long been a goal of hers.

“It has always been a vision and goal of mine since becoming a teacher to teach classes for Nuçi’s Space.”

Crowe said yoga is subject to a number of stereotypes.

People may come with unwarranted expectations about the type of people who do yoga and the level of difficulty, she said.

“Yoga is not what people think it is,” she said. “If you can breathe, I can find a yoga practice for you.”

Crowe emphasizes that the focus of the class is on the mental, rather than the physical.

“[Yoga] promotes mindfulness, or paying attention to the habits in your life,” she said.

She also said fitness level and body shape was not a barrier for participation.

“You don’t have to be in shape,” she said. “It is a tool to learn to deal with your life in a calm and confident manner.”

Om a Different Note

The Nuçi’s Space classes are offered Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Family Counseling Services of Athens for $5 with a scholarship from Nuçi’s Space.

In addition to the classes at Nuçi’s Space classes can be taken at the Mind Body Institute at Athens Regional, the Athens YMCA, the Total Training Center and the Studio in Athens.