What is Yoga Therapy?
Certified Yoga Therapist with IAYT
Pregnancy, birth, childhood, and parenting can be stressful and if you agree, know there is nothing "wrong" with you- it is simply a hard time! Whether you consider a child growing up in a world where everyone else sets the rules, or a mother balancing career, household and purpose, it's easy to feel like your needs aren't being met. This accumulates and may sneak into your thoughts, words and actions, or suddenly burst to the surface in unskillful ways.
I know this from my own bumpy experiences of pregnancy and motherhood—when stress increased, executive functioning and emotional balance decreased. Depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, rage, substance use... I've been there, and later steeping in "mom-guilt" while also not quite seeing clearly that something was off.
The solution was not to sit in a lotus pose and suddenly levitate (it doesn't work!), but settling down and tuning in was a huge turning point, and yoga supported this process.
Yoga Therapy vs Yoga
A certified yoga therapist offers a comprehensive individualized treatment plan that considers:
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detailed intake assessment
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musculoskeletal health
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physiological health
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mental health
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biopsychosocial model of care
Being a kind and compassionate human in tough moments takes more than will, it requires skill. You can develop the skills to find more equanimity (balance), as well as breaking a cycle of parenting behaviors that you may have inherited from your own caregivers. Modeling loving behavior and thoughtful responsiveness is the most generous gift you can give to your children, and you have the capacity to do it!
FAQs
What is yoga therapy?
Yoga therapy taps into your natural healing ability to restore balance and motivate true, lasting change. Rather than viewing many factors of life as separate, yoga respects the interrelationship of your mind, body, breath, nervous system, environment, habits, interests, relationships... all the aspects that make you unique. In the US, the word "yoga" has become synonymous with the practice of certain movements and postures of the body, but that is not yoga therapy. A common misconception is that "yoga" requires flexibility or physical strength, when in fact these ancient healing methods are accessible to everyone regardless of physical condition. As a yoga therapist, I do not diagnosis or view you as a health "condition" to be fixed. Instead I will listen deeply to you, learn about your life experiences, and together we will personalize a plan to empower your physical, energetic, mental, intellectual and spiritual health.
What are some conditions that yoga therapy can help support?
Yoga therapy is both a preventative and approach to healthcare and supports a person through other situations including: * Mental and emotional health challenges, including perinatal mental health disorders * Physical healing and adjusting to life following childbirth * Pain management and physical discomfort * Neurological issues * Stress, anxiety and depression * Adjusting lifestyle and habits following major illnesses * Insomnia and general sleep distress * Reducing or transforming old patterns and habits * Healthy aging, including menopausal transitions
How does yoga therapy work?
Yoga therapy begins right where you are today, complementing your current healthcare. A therapy applied in one area, such as a calming breath technique, can also affect other areas like releasing tension in the body, creating new neural connections in the brain and slowing thought patterns in the mind. Depending on your unique interests and goals, sessions might include: * relaxing or stimulating breathing techniques * gentle or vigorous physical movements * mindfulness practices for home and work * customized meditations * use of mantra or affirmation * guided or self-directed imagery * intention setting * exploration of yoga philosophy, such as ethical behavior, self-inquiry, social observances, psychological blocks and beliefs, and connection to spirit
I can't slow down my mind, or be still in my body. How could yoga make a difference?
It's a common misunderstanding that practicing meditation or yoga means your thoughts will stop. What is more likely to happen is that you will start to observe your thoughts, and most importantly recognize that thoughts just come and go- you are not your thoughts. With a little practice, the quieter moments that arise between thoughts do grow longer- there's that spaciousness appearing again!
You've got this!
20 min
1 hr 15 min
125 US dollars
1 hr
100 US dollars1 hr 15 min
125 US dollars1 hr
100 US dollars
Rachel
"She has a gift of creating a warm and nurturing community, sharing her expertise and knowledge of the body, and establishing a safe environment to connect with others and feel welcomed. It's hard enough to create this kind of community in person and yet Andrea is able to do it all online."
