Yoga Therapy :

Yoga therapy aligns your unique and precise health needs with yoga practices which the yoga tradition - and also medical science- find to have specific therapuetic effects. 

For example, with lower back pain, there are a range of specific yoga positions and postures which will assist in strengthening and supporting the back and even soothing the symptoms of a herniated disc. Likewise, with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), there are gentle, specialised ways of regulating the nervous system and fostering the safe return of an awareness of the body. Specific yoga postures can also be used to reduce heightened sensory arousal and promote emotional regulation with autistic clients.

Sessions may include breathing techniques, postures, meditation, relaxation techniques, or the promotion of behavioural changes.

Yoga Therapy is offered either through a course in a small group setting focused on a specific condition (e.g. the Minded Institute Yoga Therapy 8 Week Course for Stress, Anxiety & Depression) or in a series of bespoke one to one sessions co-created with you to respond to your unique needs.

How is it different to Private Yoga?

Private yoga is simply a one to one class with your teacher; this can be moulded to your goals and needs but is not directly therapeutic in nature. As yoga therapists we have been trained to understand a wide range of conditions from a physiological, medical, psychological and yogic perspective - and to understand which practices show evidence of supporting specific aspects of treatment (often working alongside medical treatments and/or talking therapists). You will also be invited to explore a wide range of what yoga encompasses; from physical movement to breath work, philosophy, chanting, mudras and mindfulness.

As a MInded Yoga Therapist I am bound by a specific code of ethics and some regulatory practices; and, as with talking therapists I operate under Supervision from other experienced therapists in my specific interest areas (which is why Yoga Therapy costs more). This also means that I have a responsibility to stay within my scope of practice, and will be working with a supervisor to discuss any potential clients and make sure that I would be the right therapist for you.

Training is an additional 580 hrs of yoga, anatomy, bio-medical and psychological training beyond a yoga teachers existing 200 hrs, lasting 3 years. This training, unlike many Yoga Teaching qualifications includes graded exams (4), research essays and graded supervised client work. My qualification with the Minded Institute is accredited by both the British Association of Yoga Therapists and the National Council of Integrative Psychotherapists.