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What is Yoga Therapy?

Stretch with Block

While the practice of yoga itself is inherently therapeutic, yoga therapy applies select yoga techniques and principles to individuals’ specific – usually health related - concerns.

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Most people consider yoga’s physical practices its main value. These practices are very effective at promoting, maintaining and restoring vibrant physical health. Yet there’s much more to yoga’s holistic model of health including physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual aspects of our being. In yoga therapy we work with the body, breath and mind in response to assessing how these are habitually patterned as we go about our lives. 

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What is a session like?

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A yoga therapy session is tailored to each individual by a yoga therapist trained in multi-level assessment and in modifying and adapting yoga’s ancient classical practices to suit each person’s needs in a safe and effective way.

In a session you might learn and do practices to:

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-    Improve range of motion and coordination

-    Correct faulty breathing patterns for better energy and sleep

-    Address areas of discomfort or muscular imbalance through specially designed postures and movements

-    Streamline and repattern movement and everyday postural efficiency

-    Use visualization or meditative introspective practices 

-    Or any combination of these and other yoga therapy tools!

 

Why movement?

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This unique approach to yoga therapy values movement as a fundamental marker of wellness. Some approaches to yoga teach us to stand still, we share fundamental principles of efficient movement through neuro-muscular repatterning somatic practices. Movement is also employed as a way to medium for self-understanding through self-awareness. And, it when done within one’s capacity movement is fun!

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Some Benefits 

-    Overcoming of negative patterns of thought and behavior

-    Improved alignment

-    Improved balance

-    Reduction of anxiety, depression and stress

-    Improved body awareness and coordination

-    Rehabilitation after injury recovery

-    Facilitation of use after surgery

-    Reduction of chronic pain and tension

-    Lifestyle change support

-    Skills for emotional and mental resilience

-    Enhanced cognitive functioning

-    Better sleep, more energy, and improved sexual function

-    Life skills to move through difficult encounters

-    Help with goal setting, decision-making and project completion 

-    A perennial philosophy that works with your own belief system

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Yoga Therapy is an Integrative Method

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The yogic method of therapy is unique in that it at once addresses the integral aspects of our being rather focusing on each part or system independently. Yoga’s integrative point of view holds that an individual’s experience of a symptom expresses vital information for the process of healing. When this information is unfolded, awareness can be a powerful tool guiding the reorganization process toward greater balance. Spanda Yoga Movement Therapy’s safe way of working capitalized on each person’s natural capacity to optimize well-being, while supporting their unique process of evolution to wholeness. 

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