Therapeutic Yoga

WHAT IS YOGA:

Yoga is an ancient science and art that cultivates wellbeing in body, mind and spirit.  The word Yoga in Sanskrit means “to unite.” It’s a vast system that connects, aligns, rejuvenates and supports all aspects of who you are, so you may optimize your health and life. There are many lineages and forms of Yoga. The path of Yoga that includes the physical postures tends to be the most widely recognized and practiced here in the West. Most styles include a combination of empowering practices such as:

  • POSES to build strength and flexibility.
  • BREATHING EXERCISES to increase the flow of oxygen and energy, and to balance the nervous system.
  • MINDFULNESS to cultivate awareness and positive choices.
  • DEEP RELAXATION to facilitate healing and rejuvenation.
  • MEDITATION to calm and focus the mind, and connect to your higher power.

The combination of these techniques helps to release deep held tension, optimize all bodily systems and support you on your journey toward radiant health. Some specific benefits you can enjoy from working with our experienced, certified instructors are:

  • Increased health, energy, vitality and youthfulness, flexibility, muscle tone, and athletic performance.
  • Improved posture, alignment, respiration, circulation, cardiovascular health, hormonal balance, metabolism and quality of sleep.
  • Sense of connection, support, empowerment, calm, clarity, peace and wellbeing.

 

YOGA THERAPY with Julie Shaw  

Julie Shaw, C-IAYT, M.Ed.

 

What is Yoga Therapy?

Yoga therapy is the application of yogic tools – like moving exercises, breath, and meditation – to address an individual’s physical, mental, and emotional needs. Although many people first learn about yoga through its physical practices, it’s a common misconception that this discipline is only about stretching or movement. In fact, yoga therapy can help people who can’t move at all, as well as those who are quite active. The yogic model of health is effective because it addresses every aspect of life, not just separate body parts or systems.

What Conditions Can Yoga Therapy Help?

Yoga offers tools that touch on the whole spectrum of human experience, so it can help with:

  • Pain from various sources
  • Neurologic issues
  • Major illnesses
  • Mental health/Stress
  • Healthy aging
  • Preparation for End of Life

In addition to addressing these health issues, yoga therapy can also help people who simply want to maintain and improve their natural well-being.

What’s the Difference Between a Yoga Class and a Yoga Therapy Session?

A general public yoga class can certainly help people feel better, and possibly ease everyday aches, pains and mood issues. But a yoga therapy session goes much further because it is tailored specifically to the individual. Certified yoga therapists have in-depth training to help them assess clients’ conditions, design targeted practices, and communicate with healthcare professionals so that yoga therapy can complement a client’s existing health plan. Yoga Therapy practices are typically short and targeted, so they don’t require a great time commitment.

How Does Yoga Therapy Work?

Although yoga has been practiced for millennia, we are just beginning to understand its effects from a Western scientific perspective. A yoga tool applied in one area, like a breath practice, can profoundly affect a completely different area of the body or the mind. Researchers think this is partly because of yoga’s ability to regulate the nervous system, and possibly to affect how the brain processes information. Another reason yoga therapy works so well is that it’s not a treatment done to a patient – it’s a self- practice that enables people to access their own inner healing capabilities.

Services Offered:

  1. The initial session is 1½ hours long, and includes a health history, current assessment, and initial home practice.
  2. Follow-up sessions are one hour, and include a review of the practice and modifications as needed. Each session includes a plan for going forward toward better health.