Yoga Therapy

A Definition

Yoga therapy is designed to help an individual practitioner work through various issues with the hope of regenerating harmony and balance within the body, mind and spirit. There is not a single definitive description of yoga therapy, simply because the methodology to the approach has to be cultivated from the needs of the individual.

That being said, the most common therapeutic principles involve an integration of asanas, pranayama and the philosophical application of yoga and meditation.

Often, an individual will seek out the assistance of a knowledgeable yoga therapist, who will in turn apply the holistic principles of yoga to address a concern. This may include:

• A physical ailment, such as asthma, migraines or injury recovery
• A mental or emotional block, such as stress, grief or trauma recovery
• A need for spiritual growth
• Immune system strengthening
• Improve positive energy/thinking

Each therapist has a different approach to the healing process. Some use a combination of Auryvedic medicine and a form of yoga, particularly Ashtanga yoga. Depending on where they were trained, other therapists will incorporate the primary therapeutic principles well as other practices, such as herbal remedies, energy calibration, chakra cleansing, meditation, massage, Rolfing (a form of massage and muscle manipulation) and detoxification.

Therapy sessions may be conducted one-on-one, which is most common, or in a group. Group classes can be very beneficial depending on the circumstance. For example, many therapists helping people live through cancer treatment may host a full session, so that all may benefit from the positive community and spiritual reinforcement the practice promotes.

How to Find a Therapist

There are certain centers around the world that train yoga therapists, including the International Association of Yoga Therapists and the Kripulu Center for Yoga and Health.

Many yoga therapists first start as certified yoga instructors and then expand their base of knowledge to include other disciplines, such as healing arts, touch therapy, energy work, and Ayurvedic medicine. Your local yoga studio may have an experienced therapist. You can also search for one on the IAYT site.

However, a yoga instructor and a yoga therapist are not interchangeable classifications. There are certain considerations for evaluating a yoga therapist. Standards include, but are not limited to:

• Meeting Yoga Alliance guidelines
• Attaining a certain number of training hours and years of teaching experience
• Extensive additional training in selected specialties

Do not hesitate to talk with other students of therapists and ask for any licensing and certificates. Thousands of yoga instructors are qualified, conscientious and dedicated individuals, but a student in search of specific healing needs to choose a therapist as carefully as a primary care physician.

Yoga Therapy is Not an Exact Science

Common with many alternative healing methods, yoga therapy has not been tested in clinical trials. After all, as just one example, a condition as abstract and individual as the manifestation of stress is hard to measure. Many practitioners of alternative health strongly recommend consulting with a your primary care provider about physical problems and integrating alternative remedies as a supplement to general care.

Yoga therapy is truly an individual decision. However, if a form of exercise and meditation combined with a more healthful eating plan and lifestyle improves your wellbeing, it can only enhance everything else you do.