‘Paws and Reflect' event combines dog yoga and solemn Sept. 11 reflection at CT university

An event to honor and remember was held at Southern Connecticut State University. 

The university held its Paws and Reflect 9/11 Remembrance event on Wednesday for the second year in a row. 

Sgt. Cynthia Torres with SCSU’s police department was the organizer of the event. 

Sgt. Torres shared she was on the job on Sept. 11, 2001. She said she wants to make sure people remember the importance of the day. 

“I wanted to make certain that we honor the day and that we keep it sort of in the forefront of the narrative for both our students and our community,” Torres said.

The event also included a yoga session with the university’s K-9 facility dog team. 

“We thought on this day where there’s a lot of raw emotions, we’d have people come together in yoga and practice and meditation,” said Torres. 

Stephanie Corbeil, founder of TAO Dog Yoga and Adventures, said the event was about creating connections, adding that dogs can help make those connections. 

“On a day like today, it is really about coming together and choosing to come together in a day of remembrance and reflection but also continuing to choose that as we move forward in our lives,” Corbeil said. 

One woman who attended the yoga class said the dogs helped her break through emotional barriers. 

“The dogs put everybody at a level playing field and sort of take down the stress of the day,” Cynthia Luzik said. 

Another participant shared he thought the event was a good way to process the memory of the 9/11 attack.

“As you see everybody was laughing and smiling so I think the dogs being around in the yoga is the best combo to have,” Kwadir Delgado-McIntire said. 

Sgt. Torres said she hopes to continue the event annually.