Yoga Therapy

Let’s Move Together

I open the class with a guided breath practice, often oujii. After which, I often invite everyone to chant om three times. This often has the impact of unifying the energy in the room while simultaneously allowing each person to be tuned into themselves. I then invite everyone to shift their attention to their foundation (feet if standing, all fours in tabletop, or the seat if seated.)The attention is then drawn up and down the spine and through the top of the crown. Helping everyone gain and deeper understanding of their own midline. Julie refers to this as alignment. Once we have a solid foundation and proper alignment we add a flow to create a shift in energy. Through the Sutras, the Yamas and the Niyamas, and teachings from sacred texts (mythology) we weave the external with the internal experience to connect to deeper layers of yourself as we deepen the focus throughout the practice. The overall intention of my classes is to guide everyone towards the collective intention of connecting to a deeper understanding of the self than we started with. The language of the class encourages everyone to have their own experience, to choose their own pace, and I offer several options for all bodies and needs.

I trained under Julie Dohrman who is at her core an integrationist. She has roots in both Anusara and Vinyasa, and her philosophy is heavily rooted in the Sutras. My training with her, in essence, aligned with the order of the sutras. The beginning of the training was focused on creating an openness to receive the teachings of yoga. I first learned how to find stillness in myself, and then to lead others to find stillness. We built upon that by learning to sustain the stillness through greater challenge (sequencing the asana). Students are then guided to navigate their inner experience with non-reaction and non-judgment. Lastly, we learned to integrate it all with resting in stillness, shavasana, and rebirth. The rebirth is often presented as an invitation to leave the class with something you didn’t have before. A feeling, or a piece of knowledge, or a deeper connection to yourself.

Therapeutic Alliance

Most important to this work is the therapeutic alliance. I strive to create a strong therapeutic alliance by showing up in an open and authentic way, and by creating space for people to access their own authenticity safely. Once grounded and emotionally safe we are able to find ease to our bodies, our breath, and our minds. To find stillness to find quiet. It is in the quiet stillness where we hear our innermost voice.

I see my role in this process as one of support. I seek to support others in finding ease in their breath, bodies, and minds. To do this I meet the individual where they are, but also guide them to meet themselves where they are at. To find acceptance in the here and now. This creates the foundation for healing and remembrance of our innate wholeness. This is where we can integrate who we are now with where we want to go.

Yoga therapy complements the work done in talk therapy and can be integrated beautifully to create an empowering somatic and breathwork practice. With great respect and honor, I hold space for the person in front of me with an approach based in: intuition, empathy, the information I acquire from the person, and research. Together we co-create a practice that meets them where they are at and helps bring them to where they want to go. Over time, this builds a strong capacity in us for present-centered awareness. To find stillness and wiseness in chaos.