FAQs
What is Yoga Therapy?
International Association of Yoga Therapists defines Yoga Therapy as …
“The professional application of the principles and practices of yoga to promote health and well-being within a therapeutic relationship that includes personalized assessment, goal setting, lifestyle management, and yoga practices for individuals or small groups.” - IAYT, International association of Yoga Therapists
Yoga Therapy is a regulated, yet currently unlicensed practice that is not yet fully covered by all insurance policies. Yoga Therapists are certified by the International Association of Yoga Therapy, having completed over 800 hours of specialized educational training focused on therapeutic and holistic approaches tailored to specific health conditions, in addition to the foundational yoga teacher certification. This extensive education equips them to address the unique needs of their clients effectively.
How Can Yoga Therapy Help?
Yoga Therapy offers supportive help for everyone, whether you're dealing with grief, loss, or chronic illness. Some conditions include:
Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis, and Fibromyalgia
Trauma, Grief and Loss
Mental Health and Mental Illness
Chronic Pain, Injury
Insomnia
Stress
Addiction and Recovery
Diabetes
Cancer and Cancer Treament Effects
Palliative Care
and growing research on more…
You don’t need to be ill or injured to benefit from Yoga Therapy. It is also incredibly supportive for aiding in everyday life experiences, helping to nourish a sense of self-compassion and personal growth, or offering valuable accompaniment in the journey of discovering new insights and deeper understanding within oneself.
What is a Yoga Therapist?
Yoga therapists have in-depth training to help them assess and keep clients safe. They work with you to address your specific goals while considering any limitations you might be experiencing. The practices your yoga therapist recommends could include, simple movement, breath practice, meditation and somatic inquiry.
Yoga therapists are essential members of a comprehensive health care team that plays a significant role in supporting your overall well-being. You can find these skilled professionals working in various settings, including hospitals, private clinics, or offering personalized individual sessions and group classes tailored to meet diverse needs.
What is Embodiment?
There are a wide range of definitions for embodiment, and to keep it simple for our purposes, let’s go with the idea of consciously living in our bodies and our minds simultaneously. We expand our awareness to the profound connection that exists between our mind and body through felt sense, also known as somatic experience. It’s fundamentally about your personal and unique lived experience as a body in the world. It can be considered a state of being in which you feel deeply attuned to your body and senses in a way that enhances your overall awareness and understanding of yourself.
What Does a Yoga Therapy Session Look Like?
Yoga Therapy Sessions with Chelsea begin with a detailed intake process - any information from medical providers, and a co-assessment between the client and therapist.
Through exploration and inquiry we begin to develop a plan that can support the client’s specific needs and that is whole life inclusive. Together, we look to Yoga practices and philosophies to discover nourishing, living-giving ways to support.
Do I Need to be Flexible?
No, in fact Yoga Therapy is accessible to people that may not be able to move at all. Although this side of the globe knows Yoga mostly as a physical (asana) practice, Yoga is endlessly deeper and wider than that, therefore there It is available to all.
Is Yoga Therapy Covered Under Benefits?
“Some hospital-based programs and individual yoga therapists accept payment through arrangements with health insurance plans, workers’ compensation, or via your flexible spending/health savings account. However, most yoga therapy today is paid for out of pocket. Because the practices require time to offer the greatest benefits, many yoga therapists offer discounted packages or payment plans.”
- Yogatherapy.health
More FAQ’s from IAYT’s public site…