Yoga Therapy Treatment for Holistic Healing
By Katie Pine, C-IAYT Yoga Therapist and Owner of Reconnection Yoga Therapy, LLC
Yoga therapy is a comprehensive, accessible treatment modality that is rapidly gaining popularity in the United States. This treatment model allows 1,000-hour certified practitioners known as C-IAYT Yoga Therapists, who are registered yoga teachers who have gone on to receive 800 more hours of specialized training in the therapeutic application of yogic tools and practices, to work one-on-one with clients via a comprehensive assessment, goal setting, and treatment planning process.
In the U.S., that specialized yoga therapy training occurs at a school that has been approved and accredited by the governing body for yoga therapy, the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). IAYT defines yoga therapy as “the professional application of the principles and practices of yoga to promote health and well-being within a therapeutic relationship that includes personalized assessment, goal setting, lifestyle management, and yoga practices for individuals or small groups.”
Yoga therapy training programs focus on the therapeutic application of Yoga and Ayurveda (“Science of Life”) techniques and practices to support conditions such as:
chronic pain
chronic stress
neurological disorders
mood disorders
sleep disorders
addiction
anxiety
depression
grief cancer
and many others.
Once certified, Yoga Therapists offer their clients lifestyle management and personalized movement, breathwork, somatic and nervous system practices and tools to support holistic, long-term healing. This kind of personalized, holistic work is rising to fill the gaps that many people still feel after trying treatment modalities that only address healing on one level of a person’s being. Many such services attempt to address the symptoms of imbalance or dis-ease on a physical or a mental level alone or focus on treating a “sick” patient with quick fixes and without looking at the patient’s system as an interconnected whole.
Alternatively, the ancient tradition of Yoga is rooted in the mind-body connection and believes that any part of this interconnected system — comprised of body, mind, and spirit — can influence the rest of that system. To support holistic healing throughout this system, the Yogic model of health addresses every aspect of our being rather than isolating parts of the body or the mind. Underlying this work is the belief that we are all inherently whole, connected to one another, and capable of lasting health and healing.
The ancient tradition of Yoga is rooted in the mind-body connection and believes that any part of this interconnected system — comprised of body, mind, and spirit — can influence the rest of that system.
The one-on-one work of yoga therapy often showcases how the way and pace at which we live in our modern society can easily create imbalances and disconnection from our body-mind-spirit system. These modern, disconnected ways of living obscure the truth of our inherent wholeness and create the symptoms of illness or dis-ease that Western medicine seeks to isolate and treat.
By comparison, yoga therapy treatment seeks to address healing comprehensively on every level of a person’s being through a supportive blend of personalized practices and treatment plans that address the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of an individual.
Yoga therapy treatment plans can include a combination of breathing techniques (pranayama), somatic movement, awareness practices, yoga poses (asana), guided meditations or meditation techniques, nervous system regulation tools, Ayurvedic tools, sleep practices, affirmations and mantras, mudras (symbolic or ritual gestures of the hands), routine building, lifestyle changes and more.
When they are personalized to fit your unique makeup, lifestyle, and goals, the implementation of Yogic treatment tools and practices can help yoga therapy clients form a foundation of awareness, connection to Self, and self-regulation that empowers them to continue their inner work and whole person healing long after sessions with their Yoga Therapist have ended.
As a Denver-based private practice Yoga Therapist, here are some of the most common questions I get about this treatment modality!
What is the difference between a yoga class, a private yoga session and yoga therapy treatment?
While all Yoga is therapeutic in nature, yoga therapy treatment is different from a yoga class or a private yoga session in that it involves an intake process, personalized postural and breathing assessments, goal setting, and the creation of a therapeutic treatment plan that we integrate into your life to support moving you toward your goals. Many Yoga Therapists also work both in person and virtually, to support clients all over the world.
Clients seeking yoga therapy are often looking for relief from ailments or to create more balance and ease in their lives, as opposed to a physical routine or a workout, although this is never the full extent of what Yoga has to offer us. Oftentimes in yoga therapy work, follow-up sessions are also utilized after the personalized client treatment plan is implemented, so the client and their Yoga Therapist can check in on how the treatment practices are working and can add in new tools or practices as the client advances along their healing path.
The International Journal of Yoga Therapy has more information in their article here about the difference between a yoga class and a yoga therapy session, and between yoga teachers and yoga therapists.
What are the benefits of yoga therapy?
The benefits and effectiveness of Yoga and yoga therapy treatment are extensive and are being supported more and more by evidence-based research in both the East and the West, conducted by institutions like the American Addiction Centers, the Global Wellness Institute, and Scientific American, among many others.
Scientific American attests that on a scientific level, “yogic practices have increasingly been shown to enlarge areas of the brain associated with dampening stress, directing attention, and actualizing our sense of self, as found by studies done by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.” (“How Yoga Changes the Brain”) These enlarged areas of the brain that yogic practices cultivate can support better decision-making, a healthier sense of self, less emotional reactivity, and more ease in daily life.
The addiction treatment center New Method Wellness outlines some additional evidenced based benefits of yoga therapy, including:
Improved mood
Better stress tolerance
Increased mental concentration
Reduced fatigue
Emotional healing
Healthier lifestyle habits, such as diet and exercise
Restored connection with oneself
Self-empowerment (“Wellness Methods: Yoga Therapy”)
Additionally, this “2021 Yoga Therapy Initiative Trends” article by the Global Wellness Institute is a recent, comprehensive assessment of the emergence of yoga therapy as a holistic healing and wellness modality, the integration of yoga therapy into Western healthcare as a complement to modern medicine, the effects of Yogic breathwork as a powerful healing modality, and the growth of yoga therapy as a field and a recognized profession.
They state that yoga therapy and its underlying treatment principles provide a “proven, tactical plan for optimizing health and is the key to understanding the mission of wellness for the modern human being.”
During the course of my work with yoga therapy clients, I have noticed some common outcomes that many of them experience as a result of their work with me and their dedicated practices. These outcomes include:
Increased awareness of the body, breathing, mental patterns, and emotional responses
Decreased anxiety
Improved sleep
Decreased physical pain and tension
Deeper breathing, increased diaphragm activation during breathing, and the ability to use the breath as a regulation tool
Stronger core, more flexibility, and healthier joints
Better routines in place to support morning, evening, and work transitions
Increased ability to identify, meet and move through triggers and emotions
Increased self-compassion and self-care
What can I expect from a yoga therapy session?
Many Yoga Therapists have a consultation and intake process that takes place before your first in-person or virtual session. These consultations and intakes inform the kind of session you will have, the assessments you will undergo, and any client/therapist discussion in your initial session. From there, the Yoga Therapist works with you in your session to review any postural, breathing, or emotional imbalances, unconscious patterns, lifestyle, current routines, and areas where Yogic tools and practices can be implemented to support returning your system to balance. My sessions begin with an intake review and move into those assessments, followed by the practical application of some yoga-based tools and practices I think will suit your needs, the outlining of some take-home practices for you based on your feedback around the practices we tried together, and a grounding or relaxation experiential to leave you feeling balanced and renewed.
The International Journal of Yoga Therapy further outlines that Yoga Therapists “look for ways to help their clients reduce or manage their symptoms, improve their function, and help them with their attitude in relation to their health conditions. After assessing clients, therapists establish appropriate goals, develop a practice intervention, and then teach clients to practice that intervention. In this sense, [yoga] therapists choose yoga techniques in relation to how they will specifically benefit individual clients.” (“Yoga Therapy: The Profession, The Distinction Between a Yoga Class and a Yoga Therapy Session”)
What if I’m not flexible or have never tried yoga before?
A certain level of flexibility, physical strength, or any previous experience with yoga is not needed for yoga therapy treatment to be successful because the work between a Yoga Therapist and their client is personalized, meets the client where they are at, and is made up of accessible practices and holistic treatment plans components that fit easily into the client’s current life.
How long does yoga therapy treatment take?
Yoga therapy treatment time can vary from a one-time assessment or practice session to a package of sessions, including treatment planning and follow-up services which can span weeks or months. Many clients I work with come back for occasional follow-up sessions following the completion of their original treatment plan package, to add in new therapeutic techniques as they encounter transitions or life changes. My goal for my clients is that the yoga therapy practices we choose for them become integrated into their lives and add supportive tools to their healing toolkits, so they are empowered by the healing process and do not need regular sessions with me once their plan becomes a part of their life.
The kind of work and the timeline for your personalized yoga therapy treatment is determined collaboratively between you and your Yoga Therapist.
Who is a good candidate for yoga therapy?
Anyone seeking to reconnect with themselves and find more ease, balance, and/or lasting symptom relief is a wonderful candidate for yoga therapy! As outlined here, yoga therapy treats a wide variety of conditions and experiences and is tailored to your specific needs, abilities, preferences, and goals.
Some of the recent goals clients of mine have come to me to work on together include:
Find a connection to breathing more regularly and when experiencing tension or stress
Increase self-love
Improve nervous system function and sleep quality
Decrease anxiety
Create healthier routines and supportive habits
Release anger and meet trauma triggers with body-based tools
Increase strength and flexibility
Decrease pain and tension
Work on regulation techniques for the body and mind
Get the feet, knees, hips, and core working together to be able to ski and cycle without pain
Understand where stress is held in their body
Experience the journey back toward structure, balance, and oneness.
Thank you for investing your time into learning about this treatment modality! You can learn more about yoga therapy and my private practice by visiting www.reconnectionyogatherapy.com
About Katie Pine
Katie Pine is a C-IAYT Yoga Therapist with more than 1,000 hours of specialized training in the therapeutic application of yogic practices. In her Denver-based private practice and online, Katie works holistically with clients experiencing anxiety, stress, burnout, and pain via a comprehensive assessment and personalized treatment planning process, whereby her clients find the specific yoga-based tools, practices and routines that help them restore balance to their lives as they reconnect with themselves. Katie also offers accessible, trauma-informed yin yoga and meditation classes, and is passionate about helping her clients and students slow down and regulate within themselves.
Meet Katie and learn more about how Yoga Therapy can help you find more ease, balance and healing on The Embody Lab’s Therapist Directory.
If you’re interested in understanding more about how somatic practices can help you, consider working with a Somatic Therapist or Practitioner. The Embody Lab’s Somatic Therapist and Practitioner Directory can help you find the right practitioner to support your journey towards more self-compassion, connection, and authenticity. Explore our directory and find the support you need.
