Crash Course In Yoga Therapy
by Jess Maitri
LCSW, Yoga Therapist, Tauma Sensitive Yoga Teacher, Reiki Master
What is yoga therapy?
Combining Mental Health Therapy and Yoga
Yoga therapy is a new concept to many and one that I feel deserves some explanation. For that I present to you my crash course in yoga therapy. Here I will lead you through what you need to know about yoga therapy to start on your journey toward self recovery.
According to Michael Lee, founder of Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, yoga therapy is, “The practice or method that produces a change from one state of being to another state that is enhancing.” While this is obviously a bit vague, I will add that it is the combination of mental health therapy and yoga — connecting with your body to understand that the experience of sensation — is normally connected to something larger and more holistic.
To combine these two definitions, I will say that yoga therapy is the recognition of past physical experience, and the sometimes less-than-concrete seeds from which these experiences arise. When recognized and honored, yoga therapy is about holistic recovery, healing, and transformation.
What do you do in yoga therapy?
The Role of the Yoga Therapist
As a yoga therapist, my role in a session is to help my clients connect with their body-based experiences to uncover what is happening in their hearts and minds. Donna Raskin candidly described yoga therapy as a practice that,
“combines assisted yoga postures, breath awareness, and nondirective dialogue based on the work of Carl Rogers, in which the therapists acts as a sounding board, repeating much of what the student says to allow her to stay with her own train of thought. ”
How It Begins — The First Session
A traditional intro session in my practice begins with a discussion of your life as it stands at that moment. What is hurting you or holding you back? What is challenging you, testing you, etc. Then I guide you through simple movements, some you may be familiar with as yoga shapes or movement. During this bodily movement, you really listen in to your body and notice what is hurting or bothering you. One person may experience an ache in their back, knee, or shoulders. While another may favor one side of the body. While I never push people to where they are in pain, it is important to note the experiences of edge. We use this information after our guided movements to process the larger meaning behind sensations experienced in the body. Sessions can be in pairs or groups, but the same basic principles apply.
What is gained through yoga therapy?
Connection, Transformation, Balance
Western medicine focuses primarily on physical healing or mental health. Yoga therapy embraces the idea that these two are profoundly interconnected. The health of one does not necessarily guarantee the health of the other. And true transformation acknowledges that you can’t change just one part of yourself without affecting all other parts.
My practice, Yothera, offers a new, holistic approach to your well being that supports a balanced life, a healthier relationship with yourself, and a chance to live more authentically.
Link up with Jess at Yothera.com