What is Yoga Therapy?
Although all yoga is potentially therapeutic and hopefully healing to the body-mind, yoga therapy is the specific application of yogic tools (postures, breathwork, meditation techniques, and more) to address an individual's physical, mental, and emotional needs.
You need not be ill or disabled to benefit from yoga therapy! Whole Yoga & Pilates offers private (one or two students) sessions and small-group yoga therapy courses. Small-group courses are targeted to a specific concern or condition. Learn more about yoga therapy with the providers in our space:
Yoga Therapist Training
Although yoga therapists do not diagnose or treat diseases or conditions, they should have in-depth training in anatomy, physiology, and mental health; this allows us to interact with clients' other healthcare professionals effectively and to competently suggest referrals when needed. It is generally considered appropriate for a yoga therapist to have completed at least 1,000 hours of specialized training that includes significant grounding in yogic philosophy. (All yoga teachers at Whole Yoga & Pilates have completed a minimum of 200 hours of training, and in many cases much more.) Good yoga therapists maintain their own intensive dedicated yoga practices.
Whole Yoga & Pilates offers continuing education sessions for yoga instructors and therapists. (Ask us for more information!) Charlene and Laurie are also honored to be working with Maryland University of Integrative Health to help train others in the high-quality application of yoga as therapy.
Additional Resources
yogatherapy.health - a website for the public, from the International Association of Yoga Therapists
Why More Western Doctors Are Now Prescribing Yoga Therapy - Yoga Journal
The International Association of Yoga Therapists
What Is Yoga Therapy? an explanation from IAYT
Why “Gentle” Doesn’t Always Mean Therapeutic in Yoga - Yoga International