Ifell in love with yoga in my 20s. I loved the way I felt after a class, especially one led by a knowledgeable and intuitive teacher who encouraged me to go within. That has been a mainstay in my personal yoga practice and my work as a yoga therapist to this day.
When I started my journey as a yoga instructor, my purpose was clear. I wanted others to feel this sense of being that I felt. I grew up in the days of “no pain, no gain” and that is hard to ignore. My philosophy is to be curious and listen to my intuition. If there is pain or discomfort, I am pushing too hard. I have learned to listen to what my body is trying to tell me.
In my search for ways to help myself and others, I have taken courses that integrate healing and yoga, including Therapeutic Yoga, Trauma informed Yoga, Yoga for Cancer and Chair Yoga. 2019 was an extremely traumatic year for me and four members of my family, all of whom were diagnosed with cancer. I did my best to help and advocate where I could—but failed to take care of myself.
By mid-summer I realized I was spiralling and needed to focus on my own mental health. The knowledge I had gathered by then helped me to find calm and hope, and the self-awareness gained from this knowledge saved my life. In October of 2019, I went to my doctor with a vague feeling of dis-ease. An ultrasound found a tumour in my left ovary! I’m convinced that if I hadn’t heard the faint whispers from my body, I might not have survived.
A whirlwind of scans and specialist appointments led to a radical hysterectomy at the end of December. After my surgery, I continued to search for specific therapies to enhance my recovery. My research brought me to the International Association of Yoga Therapy (IAYT) where I found an accredited school to take the training. Although the training was two years
and a financial commitment, I thrived on learning and applying my new-found knowledge. Here’s a summary of what I learned and how I apply it.
Yoga therapy is the specific application of yoga techniques that primarily include postures/exercises, breath work, and meditation techniques. Yoga asanas (postures) are the aspect of yoga practice that most people believe constitutes yoga, and it is logical for them to conclude that yoga therapy might not be for them because it will require movement and flexibility. In fact, yoga therapy can help people who can’t move at all, including ease for those facing end of life.
Yoga therapy can support the recovery of your physical, mental and spiritual health when you’re not at your best, as for example when you’re stressed, ill, in chronic pain because of physical and/or neurological factors. When you are in relatively good health, yoga therapy can help you to maintain that state as you age.
What can you expect if you visit an accredited yoga therapist?
Individualized Approach: Yoga therapy is tailored to your unique needs and health concerns.
A qualified yoga therapist assesses your physical condition, emotional state, and overall health to create a personalized treatment plan.
Integration of Yoga Practices: Yoga therapists use a combination of yoga practices to address your specific health challenges. This could include physical postures to improve strength and flexibility, breathing techniques to manage stress and anxiety, and meditation for mental and emotional well-being.
Mind-Body Connection: Yoga therapy views balancing and harmonizing your mind–body system as an integral part of promoting healing and wellness. Linking breath with movement encourages embodiment that brings awareness to what your body needs, ultimately trusting that your intuition is supporting your healing Holistic Healing: Rather than focusing solely on symptom management, yoga therapy seeks to address the root causes of health issues. It considers lifestyle, diet, and emotional factors as important elements of healing.
Complement to Medical Treatment: Yoga therapy is often used as a complementary approach alongside conventional medical treatment. It can help manage and alleviate symptoms of various health conditions, including chronic pain, anxiety, depression, cardiovascular issues, and more.
Prevention and Maintenance: Yoga therapy is not limited to addressing your existing health problems. It can also be used for preventive purposes and for maintaining your overall health
and well-being.
Self-Empowerment: One of the underlying principles of yoga therapy is to empower you to take an active role in your own healing process. It teaches self-care techniques that can be incorporated into daily life. (source: modified from IAYT information summary for clients)
What have been my personal experiences as a yoga therapist who applies the guidelines of the IAYT? Here are three case studies that illustrate some practical applications of yoga therapy.
Jala came to me with a rotator cuff injury that she hadn’t been able to resolve. From her initial assessment, it was apparent that she was trying to push through the pain. We worked with meditation and journaling to “talk” to her shoulder and send it love. I also suggested some movements; along with the meditation and journaling work, they improved self-knowledge of her shoulder joint and how to move with minimal discomfort. Jala was back to almost full range of movement in several weeks.
Joanie suffered with pain in her left knee for years. She had visited a physiotherapist and was given exercises to strengthen and support her knee. When we started working together, I could clearly see that her gait was off, which appeared to be a response to the pain in her knee. On further investigation, I saw that she had a bunion and a fallen arch on her left foot. Exercises to strengthen her foot, self-massage on her calf muscles, and orthotics to correct the foot deformities were beneficial.
Lulu is a current patient who suffers from anxiety. I was already working with her using yoga movement, meditation, and breath to address this issue. She needed to obtain an acceptable physical assessment before she turned 75 to renew her driver’s licence. After conducting this assessment, Lulu’s doctor advised that she had high blood pressure and would not be allowed to renew her licence unless she agreed to take medication to lower it. This contributed to her feelings of anxiety as she wanted to drive, but not if it meant being dependent on drugs. Lulu had a month before the renewal deadline (her birthday); we got to work. I prescribed a routine of daily yoga/meditation focusing on breath and daily walks of at least 20 minutes. We also adjusted water intake and sleep schedule. When she went in for another checkup two days before her birthday, her doctor found that she had normal blood pressure. Lulu continued with her regimen and had her blood pressure tested at intervals. She hasn’t needed blood pressure medication for a year now.
Teamwork is the foundation upon which a successful therapist-client relationship is based. It is what has worked for me and my clients in cases like the examples I provided. I have found that when I prescribe an approach like a specific movement or lifestyle change, it is much more likely that my client will achieve success by diligently following this advice with curiosity about the process—and it helps to have the belief that it could work. I will suggest modifications as necessary as the treatment progresses. If my client isn’t committed to the process for some reason, we’ll discuss why this is, adjust as necessary and where modifications are unlikely to work, we’ll explore other alternatives. One of the main reasons that yoga therapy works so well is that it is not a treatment done to you. Yoga therapists give you the tools to tap into your intuition about what your body and mind need to heal. We help clients solve their unique problems through self-awareness and healing approaches that work for them. It’s our goal to set you free!
“Listen to the whispers before they become screams.” (Cherokee Proverb)