Psychotherapeutic Yoga
Yoga therapy is the process of empowering individuals to progress toward improved health and well-being through the application of the teachings and practices of Yoga.
– International Association of Yoga Therapists’
Rather than focusing on yoga methods and practices,
yoga therapists fundamentally focus on their clients’ needs.
|| The Distinction Between a Yoga Class and a Yoga Therapy Session
…linked article →
Our Breathing changes …
…in response to the physical, emotional, psychological
and spiritual situations we find ourself in. For example, we may often hold
our breath when we are distressed and breathe more fully when we are
relaxed and flowing with the moment .
Although this example may seem
obvious and self-evident, it is surprising how often
Although this example may seem
we lose sight and awareness of these experiences. Breathing patterns can become
fixed, habitual and unable to change with these new (or all too familiar and
unwanted) situations.
Self-awareness and exploration of our breath provides a personal, safe,
effective base from which to access, express, release and re-integrate
different aspects of ourselves.n unconscious, distorted or alienated parts of
Aspects that are calling for attention through physical and/or emotional
illness, pain or tension. Breath work supports and facilitates release of
tension and recovery, expression, processing and re-integration of memories,
habitual thought patterns, beliefs and behaviours.
The fact that breath has no form is one of the reasons breath awareness is an
extremely effective way of bringing space into your life, of generating
consciousness. It is an excellent meditation object precisely because it is not an
object, has no shape or form.
– Eckhart Tolle
I remember playing as a child – experimenting with contorting my body in as many different shapes and configurations as I could imagine; it brought me a wonderful sense of fun, excitement and joy. I have also always greatly appreciated stillness, quite, and introspection. This physical playfulness and meditative appreciation , along with yoga’s endless potential to improve the quality of one’s life, is what keeps me engaged in my practice and therapeutic work.
I have practiced yoga most of my adult life with many different teachers. This has givenme personal and practical experiences with Anusara, Ashtanga, Hatha, Hot, Iyengar, Kundalini and Sivananda approaches to yoga. My professional training is in the Vanda Scaravelli inspired, 750 hour EstherMyers YTT program and associated retreats and workshops.
My professional Therapeutic-Yoga Practice, and teaching style/approach, is client/student-centred, inclusive, mindful and meditative, non-judgmental, self-inquiry and process oriented. It’s about relationships; with ourselves, with others and with our shared environment and universe.
My career and work experience includes the past 17 years as a psychotherapist and psychotherapeutic body-mind worker (Psychotherapeutic Postural Integration Master Practitioner). I volunteer teaching yoga in the Mood and Anxiety program at The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).
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