What is Yoga Therapy?
"Yoga therapy is the professional application of the principles and practices of yoga to promote health and well-being within a therapeutic relationship that includes personalized assessment, goal setting, lifestyle management, and yoga practices for individuals or small groups.
The goals of yoga therapy include eliminating, reducing or managing symptoms that cause suffering; improving function; helping to prevent the occurrence or reoccurrence of underlying causes of illness; moving toward improved health and well-being.
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As part of a living tradition, yoga therapy continues to evolve and adapt to the cultural context in which it is practiced, and today, it is also informed by contemporary health sciences. Its efficacy is supported by an increasing body of research evidence, which contributes to the growing understanding and acceptance of its value as a therapeutic discipline."
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~ International Association of Yoga Therapists ~
What to expect from a yoga therapy session
Yoga therapy can empower individuals to have new choices in their recovery process. You will be invited to be compassionately curious and enquire into your habitual patterns, patterns that may not serve you and that may be holding you back. You will be encouraged to explore new pathways that can foster a sense of agency, self worth, dignity and resilience.
Whether you are dealing with stress-related symptoms, emotional distress, going through life transitions or need help with the challenges of the ageing process, yoga therapy enables you to be in charge of your own wellbeing.
The first yoga therapy session includes a breathing and/or physical assessments to identify any potential dysregulated breathing patterns or unhealthy physical postural holdings. Each yoga therapy session is tailored to the client's unique presentation and needs, using therapeutic mind-body practices, breathwork, somatic inquiry, movement education and neuromuscular re-patterning. Somatic therapy, where appropriate, is a way of working with the nervous system by tuning into one’s body sensations to help calm and regulate. In doing so, it helps to bring back a sense of safety that was lost due to rumination, worry, trauma. It is all about tuning into the physical sensations of your body as you are held in a safe space in order for releasing to take place.
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Mat or chair-based practices offered are evidenced by a wide array of neuroscientific research, also inspired by my own embodiment and mindfulness studies and are accessible to all levels of physicality, mobility, presentation, gender or age.
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I'm based in Heathfield, East Sussex, where I run a clinic on Thursdays at Heathfield 92, next to the Heathfield GP surgery. Appointments in other settings may be available at different times.
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Contact me to receive further information or to discuss your interest in yoga therapy.
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