Common Yoga Therapy Myths, Explored
Let’s explore some of the common myths and misunderstandings around yoga and yoga therapy treatment!
MYTH: I have to be flexible to do yoga therapy work.
TRUTH: Physical poses are just one small part of yoga therapy treatment, if they are used in session at all. If physical poses would support your goals, they are customized for you to meet your unique anatomy!
MYTH: I don’t have a yoga body.
TRUTH: Every body is a yoga body! I understand why people can feel this way, as we’ve marketed yoga in the West to look like something only thin, athletic, able bodied people can do. In truth, if you are breathing then yoga can support you, and in yoga therapy we get to move far beyond the superficial and into the depths of what yoga truly is and has to offer.
MYTH: I don’t have time for yoga therapy treatment.
TRUTH: Yoga therapy treatment time can vary from a one-time assessment or deep relaxation session to a package of sessions including treatment planning and follow ups. Like everything in this work, the amount of time needed for treatment is tailored to meet your needs.
MYTH: I need to have a lot of disposable income to afford yoga therapy.
TRUTH: Yoga therapy treatment pricing varies, and most yoga therapists offer sliding scale or scholarship options for those who need them as part of their service to the community. For example, I am a practitioner with Open Path Healing Arts Collective, which is a nonprofit nationwide network of holistic health-focused professionals dedicated to providing healing arts care at a steeply reduced rate to people in need. You can find me here via their site if this applies to you.
MYTH: I’m not a good fit for yoga therapy.
TRUTH: Anyone seeking to find balance and healing is a wonderful candidate for yoga therapy! This work treats a wide variety of conditions and experiences, and is tailored to your specific needs, abilities, preferences and goals. Many clients come to me after they’ve tried other treatment methods and haven’t seen the results they want, and yoga therapy work can be a life changing experience that provides the missing link for them between their lives and lasting healing.
MYTH: Yoga therapy treatment doesn’t work.
TRUTH: There are extensive Eastern and Western studies supporting the benefits and effectiveness of yoga and yoga therapy treatment, many of which are referenced and provided within my other blog posts. Recent evidence-based research conducted by institutions like the American Addiction Centers, the Global Wellness Institute and Scientific American all find that the therapeutic application of yogic techniques can produce profound results.
Scientific American attests that on a scientific level, “yogic practices have increasingly been shown to enlarge areas of the brain associated with dampening stress, directing attention, and actualizing our sense of self, as found by studies done by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.” (“How Yoga Changes the Brain”) These enlarged areas of the brain that yogic practices cultivate can support better decision making, a healthier sense of self, less emotional reactivity and more ease in daily life.
The addiction treatment center New Method Wellness outlines some additional evidenced-based benefits of yoga therapy, including:
Improved mood
Better stress tolerance
Increased mental concentration
Reduced fatigue
Emotional healing
Healthier lifestyle habits, such as diet and exercise
Restored connection with oneself
Self-empowerment (“Wellness Methods: Yoga Therapy”)
Additionally, this “2021/2022 Yoga Therapy Initiative Trends” article by the Global Wellness Institute is a recent, comprehensive assessment of the emergence of yoga therapy as a holistic healing and wellness modality, the integration of yoga therapy into Western healthcare as a complement to modern medicine, the effects of yogic breathwork as a powerful healing modality, and the growth of yoga therapy as a field and a recognized profession.
They state that yoga therapy and its underlying treatment principles provide a “proven, tactical plan for optimizing health and is the key to understanding the mission of wellness for the modern human being.”
During the course of my work with yoga therapy clients, I have noticed some common outcomes that many of them experience as a result of their work with me and their dedicated practices. These outcomes include:
Increased awareness of the body, breathing, mental patterns and emotional responses
Decreased anxiety
Improved sleep
Decreased physical pain and tension
Deeper breathing, increased diaphragm activation during breathing and the ability to use the breath as a regulation tool
Stronger core, more flexibility and healthier joints
Better routines in place to support morning, evening and work transitions
Increased ability to identify, meet and move through triggers and emotions
Increased self-compassion and self-care.
Reach out or schedule a free consultation with me to learn more about how yoga therapy work can support your specific health and wellness goals!