What is Therapeutic Yoga ?

Yoga, as most of us understand, consists of a range of mind-body practices that includes postures, breathing exercises, philosophy and meditation techniques. Therapeutic Yoga tailors these practices to meet the specific health needs and goals of a group or individual. Therapeutic Yoga helps promote overall health, as well as assisting in reducing symptoms associated with common medical conditions. Understanding that mind, body, and spirit are connected, Therapeutic Yoga covers a broad range of therapeutic modalities, incorporating elements from both physical therapy and psychotherapy.

Therapeutic Yoga is delivered as a series of sessions, typically one-on-one with the client or in small groups. The yoga therapists perform an assessment interview to determine the client's specific needs related to their symptoms or medical condition. The therapist then selects methods, including linking movement to rhythmic breathing, relaxation techniques, meditation, and other yogic tools to help manage symptoms and empower clients to overcome challenges and improve self-care and functionality. Physical yoga postures or asanas may represent only one small part of an individual client's program. 

Therapeutic Yoga advocates believe that since yoga is a holistic discipline — teaching that the mind, body, and spirit are connected — therapeutic yoga can go beyond the results that are possible with physical therapy.

What is the difference between a Yoga Teacher and a Yoga Therapist?

Both yoga therapists and yoga teachers offer practices that are designed to enhance health and well-being. A yoga teacher is certified with 200 hours of training. A certified yoga therapist must complete at least 800 hours of rigorous training, in addition to the 200 hours needed to become a yoga instructor. This includes training in anatomy, physiology, and yoga theory, as well as topics that bridge the gap between Eastern and Western philosophies of medicine and healthcare. Yoga therapists must also log at least 150 clinical hours working with clients, generally done in one-on-one or small group settings.

Yoga therapists, therefore, have the capacity to individualize treatment, integrating evidence-based protocols with traditional meditation, postural, and breathing techniques to better meet the needs and goals of their clients. Yoga therapists are trained to modify and adapt their yoga sessions to the specific and sometimes sensitive needs of their clients, including those who are dealing with prior trauma or mental, or physical health issues.

Why do Therapeutic Yoga ?

Clinical research has shown that yogic practices such as meditation, mindfulness, breathing techniques, and postures can reduce symptoms and improve outcomes in a multitude of conditions, such as:

·      Low back pain

·      Hypertension

·      Anxiety

·      Depression

·      Irritable bowel syndrome

·      Congestive heart failure

·      Insomnia

Yogic practices have also been found to improve:

·      Quality of life measures in patients with breast cancer

·      Weight management

·      Blood sugar regulation

·      Stress resilience

·      Attention

·      Emotional self-regulation