YinTuition
Yoga
Therapy
What is Yoga Therapy?
Yoga therapy applies yogic tools - postures, breath work, meditation and more - to address an individual’s needs physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. Yoga therapy can address a range of concerns and goes beyond conditions and individual systems or parts. There is no need for any previous experience in yoga, or any level of fitness - yoga therapy is accessible for anyone.
Yoga therapists have worked with people with a wide range of issues and conditions and helped relieve their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
Yoga therapy can be applied for
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chronic pain (low-back pain, arthritis, PMS, fibromyalgia, etc.)
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neurological issues (stroke effects, MS, Parkinson’s, TBI),
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mental health (anxiety, depression, PTSD, insomnia)
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illness support (cancer, diabetes, heart disease),
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healthy aging (osteoporosis, balance and fall prevention, menopause), and
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overall well-being.
Yoga therapy “clients are usually not coming to learn yoga, but to get help with or relief from some symptom or health condition that is troubling them. In most cases, the instruction focuses on their condition and how the yoga techniques can help them feel better or improve their function, rather than on the techniques or methods of yoga practice” Gary Kraftsow, C-IAYT
Yoga Therapy Consultation
Yoga therapy is done on a one to one basis (or, occasionally, for small groups of participants with similar issues).
The therapist evaluates the Client’s condition and offers practices to address their issues. Yoga therapy is always tailored to the individual as a whole person.
The first session is longer (75 - 90 minutes), because this is when the direction of the therapy is identified. All follow-up consultations are 60 minutes long. After each session the Client has a series of exercises to take with them and practice at home. The length and frequency of the home practice is agreed in advance and it is reviewed and modified as necessary.
The sessions are usually once a week, but this also depends on the client's preferences and needs. The length of the therapy programme can vary, however, to start noticing a difference, a few weeks will be necessary and commitment and determination positively influence healing.
