What Is a Yoga Therapist Qualified To Do?
Yoga Therapy Scope of Practice
Whether you are curious about yoga therapy, consider yourself a yoga therapist, or hold the C-IAYT designation by grandparenting, course completion, or portfolio review and evaluation, you may have wondered, “What is a yoga therapist qualified to do?” And it’s a good question! You may find answers in your own way, through conscience, teachers, inner wisdom, etc. There is also guidance from the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Here’s a summary of IAYT’s dos and don’ts for professional yoga therapists.
A yoga therapist is qualified to —
Practice in a way that responsibly reflects their yoga therapy education, training, and experience.
Assess each client using qualitative or quantitative yoga therapy assessment tools and maintain records according to applicable statutory requirements.
Assess and identify risk factors or contraindications to ensure the safety and appropriateness of the yoga therapy intervention and develop an appropriate therapeutic plan.
Develop a therapeutic plan or provide advice within the yoga therapy framework in accord with the client’s needs, goals, learning style, life circumstances, and resources.
Guide clients in implementing the therapeutic plan for prevention and health promotion.
Teach an integrated set of practices aligned with the client’s needs and goals and consistent with the yoga therapy framework.
Include yoga practices such as asana (postures), pranayama (breath work), relaxation, meditation, mudra (energetic gestures and seals), bandha (energy locks), mantra (sacred sounds), mindfulness, bhavana (imagery), sankalpa (affirmation/intention), yogic lifestyle, and dietary advice according to the yoga therapy framework, yoga philosophy, and other practices in the tradition in which the yoga therapist has received training.
Provide appropriate and regular follow-up and review.
Use and modify practices of yoga therapy to support and help the client manage their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.
Make adjustments to postures verbally and with gentle touch.
Provide clear goals for each yoga therapy session.
Provide clear instructions for any home practice recommended, with appropriate feedback mechanisms.
Foster the client’s support networks, independent practice, and self-responsibility for their well-being.
Provide clear processes for client feedback.
Provide guidance for lifestyle changes to create improved health and well-being according to the yoga therapy framework.
Have a basic understanding of typical disease states and associated symptoms, the effects of medications, and associated contraindications to inform the recommended practice.
Understand and integrate information provided by diagnoses from other qualified healthcare professionals.
Have a basic understanding of different treatments and procedures from a variety of sources, or be able to identify and source credible and relevant information on other healthcare modalities.
Have a basic understanding of various health reports.
Have a basic understanding of how to manage interpersonal issues that arise in therapeutic relationships.
Communicate with other health professionals to receive and provide referrals, be part of a multi-disciplinary team, and use referral/feedback processes to optimize client outcomes.
A yoga therapist is not qualified to —
Work with clients presenting with issues outside the therapist’s areas of competence and professional expertise.
Advertise themselves as a licensed healthcare practitioner (unless they are).
Perform physical adjustments, manipulations, or massage, unless qualified.
Undertake individual or group psychological counselling, unless qualified.
Recommend specific lifestyle or nutrition changes outside of a yoga therapy framework, unless qualified.
Diagnose a medical or psychological condition, unless qualified.
Advise about other health treatments, other than appropriate referrals, unless qualified.
Request diagnostic tests or procedures outside their professional areas of expertise or qualifications.
Interpret raw medical or psychological diagnostic test results, unless qualified.
Prescribe medication, unless qualified.
Prescribe nutritional supplements or herbs (from Western or Chinese or Ayurveda, etc.), unless qualified.
Advise clients about ceasing medication prescribed by another healthcare practitioner, unless qualified.
Perform any invasive procedures, unless qualified.
Make recommendations about treatment by another healthcare professional, unless qualified.
How Do I Become a Yoga Therapist?
Interested in helping others connect with their body-based experiences to uncover what is really happening now? Yoga therapy may be for you.