What is yoga therapy?

Yoga therapy is the meeting of yogic practice with the holding of a therapeutic relationship. At its heart is a whole-person approach that honours the interdependence of body and mind. This approach recognises how the different dimensions of our experience connect. It considers the physical body and its systems, the breath and vital energy, the mind with its thoughts and emotions, and the spiritual dimension, understood as inner wisdom and states of clarity and joy.

Yoga therapy is different from a typical yoga class. Rather than following a set sequence in a group setting, sessions are one-to-one and client-focused. They are collaborative and responsive to what is happening in the moment, held by a compassionate therapeutic presence that makes room for whatever wants to surface.

The first session includes a brief holistic assessment to understand what feels most helpful to focus on. From there, an initial plan is created which remains flexible and may evolve over time. Sessions may include breath-work, subtle and dynamic movement, restorative practice, sensory awareness and meditation - practices explored to enable greater awareness and balance across all layers of being.

Yoga therapy addresses a wide range of challenges, including:

• Anxiety and depression, PTSD and C-PTSD, trauma recovery, grief and loss, insomnia, fatigue and burn out.

• Abuse recovery, relationship difficulties, life transitions, existential crises, shame and guilt, connecting with others.

• Musculoskeletal imbalance, respiratory symptoms, injury, menopause symptoms, autoimmune symptoms.