by Cath Watsham | Mar 18, 2021 | Journal
Yoga Therapy for Anxiety and Depression Depression and anxiety can affect how we interact with life. Symptoms of anxiety can include feelings of agitation, racing thoughts, rapid and shallow breathing, insomnia, excessive fears and worries, feelings of inner...Course objectives:
Course text: “The Pain-Free Mindset”, written by Dr Deepak Ravindran – a chronic pain specialist at the Royal Berks Hospital – he also runs the chronic pain clinic there. A great resource to better understand how the body works, particularly the role of the Autonomic Nervous System, our stress response, and the impact of stress on pain. There is also some useful information regarding exercise, a healthy diet, and sleep hygiene which all positively contributes to good health. I hope it might encourage some interesting discussions in class!
We will also be dipping into two other texts, “Atlas Of The Heart” by Brene Brown and “Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali” interpreted by Mukunda Stiles. They are wonderful sources for some new perspectives, opportunities to reflect on life in order for us to question our habitual beliefs and attitudes about life. If open, Brene Brown helps us to interpret how we feel, providing language for our emotions, crucial to mind-body connection, expression and functioning as a whole. Mukunda Stiles provides a very concise translation of Patanjali’s Sutras which provides a path for awakening and transformation.
What to bring? Just a few things to have close by to increase comfort and support – please have a couple of blankets, one to lie on, to place on top of your yoga mat if practicing on a hard floor. We often cool down when relaxing at the end and so a blanket to place over you to keep you warm can be useful. A chair to sit on if not comfortable on the floor. A couple of small cushions and a pillow, and finally a tennis ball for some footwork. I think that’s it :-))
Looking after the whole person: yoga has a holistic approach to health and wellbeing. To be healthy we have to work on the whole person rather than separate parts. As human beings we are multi-layered and miraculous! There is so much going on beneath the surface. Our layers are interwoven and do not function as individual parts – our mind health is really important to our physical health, our thoughts and emotions can really shape our world!
Handouts and home practice provided.
Our physical practice can improve posture, help strengthen core muscles, proprioception and balance. Thus avoiding aches and pains associated with poor posture. It can also bring improved mobility, stability and awareness. Breathing practices improve respiratory function and increase energy. Relaxation, visualisation, meditation, to stay positive and calm.
*Cancellations: you must please give more than 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel a class and would like me to consider issuing a credit. The credit can be used at the end of your block of six sessions or for another class/workshop I am running.
These individual appointments are an opportunity for you to learn some self care tools to support yourself in your everyday life. Since there is such a close connection between body and mind health we can explore practices to improve mobility, stability and flexibility. Emotional health and stress play a part in our physical health. specific toools might be carefully selected to reduce stress, anxiety, to calm the mind, (nervous system), and develop better coping strategies. Muscles and joint pain can often be a result of poor posture and alignment in the body. If relevant, we can explore this to adopt better, more healthy movement patterns and thus develop a better understanding of unique habitual holding patterns and improved awareness of the position and movement of the body. Our habitual holding patterns which create our everyday pose are very much related to muscle tension in the body. Support can be provided to help reduce and manage other forms of pain too.
It often takes at least six appointments to notice any changes. After the first session, I put together a plan for us to work together on. It’s tailored to your individual needs and what you want to achieve. After your first session I will send you a home practice. This is a great opportunity to put some of the skills that you learn during appts into everyday life – we will chat about what is realistic and achievable for you to do at home. Frequency of appointments can be weekly, bi-weekly, every 3 weeks, whatever you need. During follow up sessions we can chat about what is working or not working. The programme I create is adaptable and we can make any necessary tweaks along the way. As mentioned, using yoga therapeutically is a (w) holistic approach, we can work with tools that support you on a physical, emotional, energetic and spiritual level.
More information to follow on this event.
Six sessions to help you:
Handouts and home practice provided.
more info to follow
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