What is Yoga Therapy?
Yoga Thera is the individualized application of yoga tools – including postures/movements, breathwork, meditation, and more – designed to address a person’s unique physical, mental, emotional, and physiological needs, facilitating healing, recovery and overall wellbeing.
A Typical Yoga Therapy Session Involves:
- An assessment is done to understand the client’s physical, physiological and mind layers.
- The client is guided through gentle mindful movement in the form of Yoga poses coordinated with breath, breathing practices and meditations. This is done in standing, seated and/or lying down with the support of a wall, chair, pillows and bolsters as needed. Often a combination of movements and positions are selected and put together in a sequence designed to help manage/improve presenting health concerns that aid in working towards an individual’s goals.
- Client’s are provided with a home practice to work on between sessions. This may be in the form of drawings, photos and/or recordings.
Tools Used in Yoga Therapy Include the Following:
- Postures (asanas) and gentle movement
- Breathing techniques (Pranayama)
- Concentration and meditation practices (Dharna/Dhyana)
- Visualization/imagery
- Sound
- Therapeutic massage
- Yoga Philosophy
- Ayurvedic techniques – oil application and essential oil usage
- Usage of props (bolsters, props, straps)
