Yoga is the world’s oldest holistic system of self-development, integrating body, mind, and spirit. The science of Yoga began its development in India over 5,000 years ago and has evolved into a contemporary mind-body health and wellness system. There are many ‘schools’ of yoga that include a diversity of teachings and techniques, yet all schools of Yoga commit to the same core values of cultivating health, fostering personal growth, and creating compassion for oneself and others. Practices range from strictly physical fitness to meditative and contemplative that can merge as a holistic lifestyle. Yoga is a highly adaptable practice, as it can be modified to be appropriate for any person regardless of body type, emotional state or level of physical condition or mobility. The basic elements of yoga include physical postures, breathing techniques and mindfulness or meditation. A skilled teacher can effectively customize the yoga program to ensure safety and to honor the client’s goals and personal cultural or spiritual beliefs.
Health Benefits of Yoga
Teaches self-awareness
Builds flexibility, strength and endurance
Improves postural alignment and range of motion
Increases balance
Increases circulation and oxygen intake
Promotes weight loss
Decreases chronic pain
Builds confidence
Relaxation Response of Yoga
Reduces:
Muscle tension
Blood pressure
Pulse rate
Respiratory rate
Insomnia
Depression and anxiety
Harmful effects of chronic stress
Improves:
Cardiovascular efficiency
Respiratory efficiency
Energy levels
Digestion and elimination
Immune function
Concentration and memory
Quality of sleep
About Yoga
Yoga Therapy Defined
Yoga Therapy is like basic Yoga since it uses a wide range of practices that promote all-round positive health, from postural and breathing exercises to deep relaxation and meditation. Yoga Therapy is unique, however, since the exercises are customized to the individual’s particular medical conditions or goals. Clinical research shows evidence that Yoga Therapy is effective in treating many specific conditions. A treatment plan can be created using Yoga Therapy alone or in conjunction with conventional medical treatments. In my personal experience working with clients, I have found yoga to be successful in treating many chronic conditions that have persisted despite conventional treatments.
Yoga Therapists may come from a variety of backgrounds, but should hold a professional degree as a health care provider or have extensive training in anatomy, physiology, and functional biomechanics. They should be competent in adapting the principles of yoga to the client’s unique needs. Their level of education is important because it ensures they will be familiar with disease processes, normal healing times, and most importantly, contraindications to participation in yoga. The Yoga Therapist should be informed of diagnosis, prescriptions, and previous or current treatments pursued to create the safest and most appropriate sessions.
Private Yoga Therapy services are sought for several reasons. Here are just a few:
1) To ensure safe body mechanics before entering a group yoga class. This is especially important if there has been a recent injury or if re-injury is possible.
2) For a person who regularly attends yoga and has been injured.
3) For a person seeking a customized home exercise program. This is relevant to someone who likes to exercise in the privacy of their own home or travels regularly.
4) To address a individual physical or emotional conditions not addressed in group settings.
5) For the person who likes to be empowered with control over their own healing.
By encouraging clients to learn an independent practice and self-awareness, Yoga Therapy has potential to reduce the use of medications and expenditure on doctor visits and prescriptions.
"Yoga therapy is the use of the techniques of Yoga to create, stimulate, and maintain an optimum state of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health." Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., P,T.
My Story
“It's helpful to realize that this very body that we have, that's sitting right here right now... with its aches and its pleasures... is exactly what we need to be fully human, fully awake, fully alive.” Pema Chodron
I’ve been blessed with good physical health so far in my life. I’ve had a few dings here and there, but nothing serious. Having a clean bill of physical health doesn’t make life all peaches and cream, though. I was awarded a mega dose of anxiety early on in my years that has hung around like a loyal lap dog. I developed insomnia as a child that I’ve been dealing with along the way. Graduate school was the pinnacle of all time stress for me – working part time, studying and in school full-time, living away from family, and accruing serious debt. A friend counseled me during that time and said, “You don’t have to feel this way. There are treatments that can make this go away.” I’ve had treatments and worked with specialists since then which have helped. One of my doctors reminded me that I earned my anxiety honestly, through genetics that is. We weren’t sure if the sleep disorder was a byproduct of the anxiety or if it was the other way around. We agreed the goal was to regulate sleep which would result in being calm and focused during the day. He explained that my symptoms were the result of my ‘hardware’ and not my ‘software’. He thought that I could practice yoga and mindfulness to improve my general health, but that it wouldn’t really affect these conditions.
Six years ago I began a personal practice that included yoga. It will sound simple, but I believe I learned to manage my anxiety through training to recognize the anxiety as it arises. Armed with awareness, I can treat the anxiety before it gets out of control. To find stable ground when my thoughts start to race and my focus trembles, I do sequences of breathing techniques and exercises, depending on where I am and how I’m feeling. Meditation has also positively impacted my ability to reduce overall stress and to improve communication with my family during these times. I’ve learned to discern when bouts of anxiety arise and to acknowledge internally, “these feelings I’m having aren’t like the ‘usual’ me. I must be getting anxious. I don’t have to feel this way.” I can stop what I’m doing and take just a couple of minutes to slow down my breathing and clear my head. I’ve found that my quality of life is much improved and I sleep better than most. I like that I can ‘treat’ myself. I am empowered to know that I do have control and can actively help myself.
My desire to help other people integrate mind-body principles into their rehabilitation and wellness experiences has inspired me to become a Physical Therapist. Now a Doctor of Physical Therapy, I am enthusiastic to integrate medicine with the science of yoga in my clinical practice. I believe that cultivating mindfulness and self-awareness in any case will maximize healing and long term quality of life.