Yoga therapy can be defined as the application of yoga for specific health conditions or to return to a state of balance. Yoga is recognized as an effective evidence-based treatment for many types of physical and mental disorders, and provides numerous benefits.
A yoga-based psychotherapy program is designed to be an adaptive practice, and appropriate for clients of all ages and physical abilities. It can be a complementary or stand-alone treatment modality for many mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, trauma, eating disorders, and substance abuse.
A fusion of three primary forms of the physical practice of yoga are utilized during this treatment process: Restorative, Meditative/Mindfulness and Yin Yoga.
Each form is empowering in its own way, and use different physical and mental approaches along with the guidance of a trained psychotherapist. Specific poses, breath work, stretching, meditation and focused reflection are important elements in individual sessions as well as group sessions.
Yoga is encouraged as an active way to support balance and holistic, lifelong wellness. Even clients initially resistant to yoga as a form of therapy recognize the positive physical and emotional changes achieved through this therapeutic practice of yoga.
Healing, recovery and connection
Physical and emotional stressors negatively affect a healthy mind-body connection. Through this special guided yoga practice, this connection is strengthened in a slow and subtle manner. The word yoga has its roots in in the ancient Indian language Sanskrit, and means to yoke or bind. Yoga allows you to reconnect mind and body.
Longer poses in these restorative yoga modalities allow time to reflect on feelings, emotions, fears or thoughts. This is an effective neurolinguistic tool, since clients with eating disorders tend to be all-or-nothing thinkers, and need guidance to move beyond polarized thinking and negative self-talk.
Yoga-based psychotherapy therapy is not strenuous, and a steady practice will increase circulation, enhance flexibility, can build muscle and improve overall physical health.
Connect with us today to learn more about how yoga-based psychotherapy can help you.