Severe anxiety is what inspired me to study yoga therapy. You may have heard my story. At the time I turned to yoga therapy, I didn’t feel like I was really living, and I was failing daily at fooling myself that I was ok. Many clients often find yoga therapy because they are experiencing something similarly challenging or painful that might be holding them back from thriving. Yes, yoga therapy is a practice and a path for working with mental health conditions, medical conditions, transitions, grief, and finding your way back home to yourself. What my clients also realize after working with me is that the path continues.
Beyond the initial impetus for beginning yoga therapy, there is the continued opportunity to explore further and grow evermore into the brightest, most authentic, most powerful version of yourself. You not only find balance within, but your ability to be balanced balances others, your energy reaches out and uplifts those around you. It’s magic, and it’s also science and thousands of years of experience!
I work with many entrepreneurs. They find me because they've lost their spark at work, or outside of work, they’re feeling isolated as leaders and long to connect meaningfully to themselves and others, or they’re experiencing life transitions like children leaving home, family structure changing, illness diagnoses, and more. They find me when things are hard, and I provide them with the safety, container, and guidance to move toward peace, contentment, and equanimity. Their increased adaptability and access to resilience and positivity create an environment within which positive things and good feelings flourish. It’s like climbing a mountain and once you reach the top you can see the contours of vast mountain ranges and valleys, rivers, and roads that are all suddenly available for your exploration and expansion. So, they often continue on.
The energy, outlook, and skills that clients develop impact their colleagues, family members, friends, and community. Relationships with long-established (often exhausting or limiting) patterns will organically allow something new, and shift in a healthier, more sustainable direction. The effort that clients put in toward their own growth and vitality is singular yet will result in innumerable benefits in all facets of their lives.
Clients naturally develop into gentle leaders because they are now manifesting the conditions within which they wish to live. When other people enter their environment they feel it viscerally. I’ve had clients share that, relationships as old as they are, have changed since they started working with me. I’ve had others make profound changes professionally as their leadership, communication, and creativity have evolved and helped them acknowledge and respond to obstacles and opportunities in a new way.
You don’t have to wait until life is challenging, painful, or you’re feeling stuck to engage in yoga therapy. I’ve observed that when clients come to me with a mountain in front of them, once they reach the top, they instinctively understand that the entire vista before them is also theirs if they chose to grow beyond this scenic spot. Others don’t always realize that they can forge on beyond the comfort and safety of their view to discover themselves more intimately and broadly. There’s no rule that says you must leave your perch if you’re happy where you are. And, life still happens. Even to my clients. It could come in the way of a flood or a pandemic, the loss of a loved one, or the revelation of something new and painful. Yoga therapy will provide the tools, skills, and resilience to navigate new hard times with greater ease and support. If you’ve made the climb before, you know how to do it again.
That’s not to say that my clients work with me forever! While each of them eventually understands that yoga therapy - using the body, presence, awareness, and internal alignment to show up fully to your life - is a lifelong practice, it’s not necessary to see a yoga therapist all the time! We worked toward creating the conditions in which life seems to flow or we flow with it, and when that’s happening clients often take a break and enjoy the ride. Usually, it’s helpful to pop back in every now and then to re-ground, re-center, and re-focus so that the learning and practices stay fresh and effective. Also, new research and methods are coming out all the time, and as I cultivate and refine skills and services, I'll have exciting new tools to share.
It’s cliché, but it’s true, it’s a journey. There’s more than one way to make that journey and yoga therapy is a powerful, accessible, and inclusive path. It gives clients sovereignty over their wellness, which we need to take back as individuals and communities. You can start at the bottom, halfway up, or at the top of your mountain and you’ll find this therapy benefits you, your career, and the people in your life.
Where are you on your path? If you’re interested to learn more, let’s talk about it! You can schedule a free chat with me. Also, feel free to comment and share your questions and ideas below. Your perspective is valuable.