Yoga therapy - what, why and how...

Not many people know what yoga therapy is, and there are only 6 registered yoga therapists in New

Not many people know what yoga therapy is, and there are only 6 registered yoga therapists in New Zealand so it's not too surprising if you've never heard of this approach to mind-body health. It's also tricky to explain the breadth of it in a few short words as the scope of practice and treatment options are extensive.

What's important for most people is that it doesn't have to include yoga postures!

What...

Movement practice is just one option that can help you on your path to optimal health. Other options include postural assessment and guidance, rehabilitation and recovery, strength and stability, breath work, support for mental health/anxiety/stress/trauma, strategies to manage long term health conditions, manual lymphatic drainage, Ayurvedic treatments, and various other bodywork options.

Yoga therapy is about finding ease - in whatever you want to do and however you want to be

Why...

The origins and foundations of this therapeutic approach come from the traditions of Yoga and Ayurveda (Indian health system) as a way of observing and assessing each individual person to guide wellbeing activities and lifestyle choices. This wisdom is supplemented with contemporary knowledge, skills and interventions from Western medicine and healthcare to provide a pathway to optimal health that is interesting, managable and relevant to you.

Whilst Western medicine sees health as the absence of disease, Yoga and Ayurveda focus on optimal health, and there's no one who knows what that feels like in your body and mind more than you! There's no one who knows something just isn't right, doesn't feel good, or could be better, more than you. Yoga therapy places you as the expert in knowing what doesn't feel easeful in your body - using this awareness as the foundation for assessment, interventions and goal setting.

Whilst you might not know what sensations of dis-ease mean - you know when they are there and how they make you feel. Yoga therapy deciphers the puzzle to determine the root cause(s) of dis-ease and find a way to better health that works for you.

How...

Each yoga therapy session is different as everyone's needs and situations are different, and it's about what's important for you and your life. Yoga therapy views the body and mind as one. Whilst a therapy or treatment might focus on a pain, discomfort, or niggle in the physical body, this doesn't exist in isolation from the mind or thoughts. Each body-focused movement or treatment affects the mind-body and vice versa. Working with mental health needs affects the physical body simultaneously - physical pain can go away when mental agitation, trauma and anxieties are better understood, acknowledged and relieved. This is because each session works with your nervous system - the central control station of body-mind experiences. The nervous system receives, processes and responds to multiple stimuli in every given moment so whatever we do affects how this sytem works to keep you safe and well.

The ways that yoga therapy can work with you to achieve better health are outlined on Jane's website under the drop down tab I Help With. Starting with a yoga therapy first consultation is a great way to see how Jane can help you - whatever bothers you, feels odd, or could feel better starts the conversation and assessment so she can come up with a plan that works for you.

Performance.. to passive movement

Body work.. to body awareness

Breath work.. to better balance

Living with.. to living well

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Jane from Yogatherapyworks has been at The Well Studios for 6 months now and has welcomed several gym clients into Studio 1 for input into their wellbeing, recovery and performance. Jane has over 35 years' experience in healthcare with a background in Western medicine, education, yoga, movement, trauma care and physical therapies.

Zealand so it’s not too surprising if you’ve never heard of this approach to body-mind health. It’s also

tricky to explain the breadth of it in a few short words as the scope of practice and treatment

options are extensive.

What’s important for most people is that it doesn’t have to include yoga postures!

What

Movement practice is just one option that can help you on your path to optimal health. Other

options include postural assessment and guidance, rehabilitation and recovery, strength and

stability, breath work, anxiety, stress, trauma and mental health support, strategies to manage long

term health conditions, manual lymphatic drainage, Ayurvedic treatments, and various other

bodywork options.

Yoga therapy is about finding ease –

in whatever you want to do, and however you want to be

Why

The origins and foundations of this therapeutic approach come from the traditions of Yoga and

Ayurveda (Indian health system) as a way of observing and assessing each individual person to guide

wellbeing activities and lifestyle choices. This wisdom is supplemented with contemporary

knowledge, skills and interventions from Western medicine and health care to provide a pathway to

optimal health that is interesting, manageable and relevant to you.

Whilst Western medicine sees health as the absence of disease, Yoga and Ayurveda focus on optimal

health, and there’s no one who knows what that feels like in your body mind than you! There’s no

one who knows when something just isn’t right, doesn’t feel good, or could be better more than

you. Yoga therapy places you as the expert in knowing what doesn’t feel easeful in your body – using

this awareness as the foundation for assessment, interventions and goal setting.

Whilst you might not know what sensations of dis-ease mean -

you know when they are there, and how they make you feel

Yoga therapy deciphers the puzzle to determine the root cause(s) of dis-ease and find a way to

better health that works for you.