What is Yoga Therapy?
“Yoga therapy is a self-empowering process, where the care-seeker, with the help of the Yoga Therapist, implements a personalized and evolving Yoga practice, that not only addresses the illness in a multi-dimensional manner, but also aims to alleviate his/her suffering in a progressive, non-invasive and complementary manner. Depending upon the nature of the illness, Yoga therapy can not only be preventative or curative, but also serve a means to manage the illness, or facilitate healing in the person at all levels.” – TKV Desikachar and son.
In Yoga Therapy we work to foster awareness of the mind-body connection. By understanding how your stress level and overall emotional state affect your physical state we are able to offer various techniques to aid the healing path. Some of these techniques involve breathing practices, therapeutic yoga postures, mental exercises, nutrition education, and herbal recommendations. Rest assured your Yoga therapist will take the time to get a complete evaluation of your physical, mental, and emotional condition to best aid your holistic approach to regaining health.
What health concerns can Yoga Therapy address?
The background and training of each Yoga Therapist can vary somewhat. Each yoga therapist may specialize in different aspects of health. I commonly focus on stress reduction and life-style changes that the client feels confident in implementing. I feel my role is to teach the client practices that can be done on the client’s own, at home, to improve health. My goal is that you become your own expert when it comes to your health; exploring and evolving with your health practices over time. Below is a list of health concerns that Yoga Therapy can address. If you have an issue not listed, simply contact Katie to see if Yoga Therapy is right for you. Katie@fit-llc.com. 928-814-6083.
Addiction, Anxiety, Asthma, Bipolar Disorder, Cancer, Cardiac/Stroke Recovery, Chronic Pain, Depression, Grief/Loss, Migraines, Obesity, Sleeping Disorders, Stress, Symptoms of Aging, Weight Loss
What is the education and training of a Yoga Therapist?
A Yoga Therapist will have completed a 200hr Yoga Teacher Training. The background and education of each Yoga Therapist will vary. Katie completed a 500hr Yoga Therapy Training at Ananda Seva. Katie is a registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance www.yogaalliance.org. Katie is a Registered Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists www.iayt.org. Katie has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Katie worked in mental health and family counseling as a Behavioral Health Technician for 3 years. Katie has been teaching public yoga classes since 2009.
Yoga Therapy is a fairly new field in the West. The International Association of Yoga Therapists has started a careful and formal effort to develop educational standards for the training of Yoga therapists. Following the structure and process discussed at the 2009 Meeting with Schools, IAYT has established an Educational Standards Committee. This committee, chosen from volunteers from IAYT Member schools, is charged with developing recommendations to the IAYT Board about entry level standards for the training of Yoga Therapists and related issues. Since there are currently no standards for the practice of Yoga Therapy and education of Yoga Therapists, it is important to verify your Yoga Therapist is registered with IAYT. Standards are coming soon. For more information visit www.iayt.org.
Is there research to show that Yoga Therapy works?
There is current research that shows the benefits of yoga for many health concerns. One of the best resources for such research is www.iayt.org. Dean Ornish M.D. has been a leader in research of yoga and health. Dr. Ornish created the Preventative Medicine Research Institute. A list of his peer reviewed medical journal articles can be found at www.pmri.org. Richard Miller PhD, psychotherapist and co-founder of The International Association of Yoga Therapists, is another leader in research in Yoga Therapy. For research by the Integrative Restoration Institute visit www.irest.us. These are just a few of the resources on Yoga Therapy Research