Yoga for Men’s Mental Health

Men’s mental health matters. This Movember, BWY teacher Vincent De Freitas shares how yoga and meditation can create space for resilience, recovery and self-compassion.

Former firefighter and BWY-trained yoga teacher Vincent De Freitas knows firsthand how difficult it can be for men to talk about mental health, and how yoga and meditation can help create space for resilience, recovery and self-compassion.

A lifeline in the fire service

Men’s mental health is often overlooked, with stigma still preventing many from seeking support. Firefighters face particular pressures: exposure to trauma, high-stress incidents and disrupted sleep can all affect mental wellbeing. Yet, as Vincent’s experience shows, conversations about mental health have not always felt easy or safe.

Vincent joined the London Fire Brigade in 2002. In July 2005, he was part of an early response team deployed to King’s Cross following the terrorist attacks on the London Underground.

“Stress levels were high,” Vincent recalls. “Our job was to guard the bomb site and usher people away so that the bodies could be recovered. While we weren’t the first on the scene, what we saw was distressing.”

On returning to Kingsland fire station in Hackney, rather than joining the banter and dark humour that colleagues often used to distance themselves from what they had witnessed, Vincent sought out quiet space to meditate.

“Meditation is my ritual,” he says. “It helps me relax, regain clarity and find self-compassion when I need it. I often use the ‘so hum’ mantra to tune into rhythmic breathing and declutter my mind. It helps me revisit feelings and release the weight of what I have experienced.”

It was a fellow firefighter who first taught Vincent the mantra. With quiet space in short supply at the busy station, he often practised in the breathing apparatus room — and sometimes climbed the station tower to find somewhere peaceful.

“I was often a source of amusement for the rest of the watch,” he says. “There was a huge cultural stigma around mental health at that time. Counselling was available, but many people did not want to appear weak in front of colleagues. Meditation felt like the next best thing.”

Making yoga and meditation accessible

When his fire station closed in 2013 because of budget cuts, Vincent returned to work as a personal trainer. But his passion for meditation kept growing, and he began to see how he could share it more widely.

To make meditation more accessible, he began incorporating yoga postures into his classes. In 2019, he started BWY’s Level 4 Yoga Teacher Training Diploma with tutor Hana Saotome.

“Most people just dip their toes into meditation,” Vincent says. “With yoga becoming more popular, I believed that introducing meditation alongside a more physical practice would make it more accessible.”

During his training, Vincent was diagnosed with Ménière’s disease, an inner-ear condition that caused significant hearing loss in one ear and recurring vertigo. He feared it might end his teaching ambitions.

“I am very grateful for the invaluable resources and support extended by BWY, especially during that challenging period,” he says. “The support from Hana and my course peers was instrumental in helping me navigate it and reigniting my passion for teaching.”

Despite the impact of his condition, Vincent completed his training in 2021 without deferring. He was also inspired by the memory of his grandfather, a yoga devotee who brought his practice from Trinidad to the UK.

“He was an early supporter of yoga during the resurgence of the self-help movement in Trinidad in the mid-1960s,” Vincent says. “That is where my love of yoga and meditation was born. It has passed from him to my mum and now to me. Meditation is literally in my blood!”

Bringing yoga to underserved communities

Today, Vincent is known as The Meditation Man — the name of his business and a nickname given to him by his partner, Kate. Together, they run a health hub in Norwich offering yoga and meditation to all.

Vincent is especially committed to helping men and underserved communities access yoga and meditation. He works with the Prison Phoenix Trust, supporting prisoners and prison staff to develop mental resilience and emotional wellbeing.

His experience in the fire service has shaped his trauma-informed approach. He uses invitational, non-triggering language to help create a safe environment, and has learned how important it is to build trust with prison staff.

“You are teaching both prisoners and prison officers,” he says. “The fire brigade was a similar experience — navigating high-pressure situations while fostering teamwork and mutual respect is key.”

In February 2025, Vincent achieved accreditation at Hollesley Bay, a category D prison for young adults near Suffolk. He now teaches regular cover classes for prisoners and staff, and is setting up a Community Interest Company to secure funding for long-term access to yoga in prisons.

“Prisons aren’t working,” he says. “A punishment mentality can make things worse. We are trying to change behaviour, and yoga in prisons can support rehabilitation and change.”

Taking yoga off the mat

Vincent’s story is a powerful reminder that yoga is not only about what happens on the mat. It is about how we meet difficulty, care for ourselves and support others.

“Yoga isn’t just about what happens on the mat,” Vincent says. “It’s about how you carry that practice into daily life — how you respond to challenges, how you support others, and how you cultivate resilience and compassion. If we can take that off the mat and into our communities, we can create real, lasting change.”