Yoga Therapeutically Applied for Mental Health

How do the practices of yoga and mental health diagnosis and experiences intersect?

This is the key question in a yoga practice that supports mental health.

There are some rules…..First, your yoga practice does not ever discount or take the place of other interventions that you already have in place. Yoga practice is a support to whatever else you have got as a support already. Second, there are no fixed prescriptions and no one pose to ‘fix’ a mental health experience. Third, it takes time. Yoga practice is about better managing and understanding how you feel. Over time we use this to ‘manage’ the cycles and the unexpected ups and downs of the mind more effectively.

It’s the LONG GAME.

Having said that, like therapy a number of sessions will have better effect as you build on and integrate skills you learn.

Therapeutic Yoga is best applied individually although there are exceptions. So one-on-one sessions are recommended however, in time the skills you learn can be applied in group yoga classes.

If you are already a yoga practitioner we might look at how to modify your practice to eliminate anything (like poses or breathing) that could be counter productive. We can seek ways to manage side effects of medications. We can begin to understand what practices have what effects and incorporate spirit into the necessary medical interventions in place.