Yoga therapy looks at each person as a whole – an integrated system of body, mind and emotions – and addresses these different aspects using appropriate Yoga practice, to promote healing and improve or maintain health or reduce recurrence of health problems.

Each person is an individual and your Yoga therapy practice is designed for you as an individual. This may include asana (yoga postures) suitable for your ability and needs, pranayama (yoga breathing) as appropriate, and supporting techniques such as meditation, relaxation and visualisation.

Yoga Therapy is an approach to wellness that address all aspects of ‘us’.  In this approach we use two therapeutic models to explore the condition, pain, injury or discomfort that is effecting the individual.  

The first of these models is called the Pañca Maya that offers a picture of what it is to be a person and how each of these ‘layers’ interact with each other.  The Maya or layers are:

• Annamaya – the physical body
• Prānāmaya – the energetic nature of the person that energises the body
• Manomaya – the functioning mind which manages the senses and our relationship with the world around us
• Vijñnamaya – the cognitive and feeling aspects of our mind
• Ānandamaya – the higher aspects of us where intuition, compassion, empathy and similar higher functions exist

The second model is the model of exploring suffering:

• Heyam – the ‘problem;’that is causing the suffering
• Hetu – what is the cause of that ‘problem’
• Hanam – the solution to cause
• Upayam – what we need to do go sort the problem out

Yoga Therapy uses these models to delve into the causes of our suffering and define practices which can help address that suffering, whether it is a physical suffering or certain suffering of the mind.  It is a truly holistic and very well rounded approach to physical and mental wellness.  Individual sessions are available for people with specific conditions or needs where the advantages of working individually would be beneficial. Your need might be:

• Stress management
• Anxiety and depression
• Injury
• Back pain
• Long term pain
• Certain types of illness or disease
• Respiratory condidtions
• Helping with quality of life for those suffering with long term degenerative conditions such as ME/CFS/Long COVID, Fibromyalgia, Neurodegenerative conditions (it must however be stated that Yoga Therapy does not offer a cure for these conditions but can very often offer tools to help with the quality of life and management of pain)
• Wanting a practice for meditation
• Development of pranayama (breathing)

An initial meeting is arranged so that the needs and ambitions of the student can be discussed.  A practice is then designed for regular use at home. Lessons then take place every 4-6 weeks to monitor practice and to ensure development and progression.

The home practice plan can vary from a short 10 minute practice, perhaps twice daily, to more than an hour’s single practice, depending on its role and how much time the student is able to make available. It is usually around 20 to 45 minutes.

Yoga Therapy can also be provided in small group classes focussing on a specific area of health. The Yoga therapist will still include individual guidance and practice for you to use, where necessary, during the group practice.

The Yoga Therapist will direct your Yoga therapy to be as beneficial to you as possible. This is a different approach to a general Yoga class where the Yoga will be suitable for the average participant in that class.  Yoga therapists are qualified Yoga teachers with additional training in using Yoga for a range of health conditions and understand the principles of using Yoga safely and effectively for health issues.

A Yoga Therapist will have undertaken a Yoga teaching qualification of 500 hours and will undertake a further minimum of 550 hours of training in therapeutic aspects of Yoga plus supervised case studies.

A session is typically one hour but the initial session may take longer as your practitioner will take a detailed case history. A Yoga therapy practice is an individual and personalised practice and to gain maximum benefit, you are advised and encouraged to use the Yoga practice at home on a regular basis.

The home practice plan can vary from a short 10 minute practice, perhaps twice daily, to more than an hour’s single practice, depending on its role and how much time the student is able to make available. It is usually around 20 to 45 minutes.

Individual 60 minute lessons cost £60 – to enquire or book please contact David.

They can also be used for the complete beginner who would like to gain some experience in yoga before joining a yoga class.  Traditionally yoga was taught on a one to one basis where the development of the student could be strictly monitored and tailored to individual needs.  This is still seen as an important way to explore Yoga.

Individual lessons are available for people with specific interests or needs where the advantages of working individually would be more beneficial. Your need might be:

Stress management, exercise and fitness, a specific remedial focus, wanting a practice for meditation, development of pranayama (breathing) and so on.  Individual lessons provide the opportunity to offer detailed modification of asana to suit a student’s personal needs, firstly to respect their limitations and then to stretch their abilities

An initial meeting is arranged so that the needs and ambitions of the student can be discussed.  A practice is then designed for regular use at home. Lessons then take place every 4-6 weeks to monitor practice and to ensure development and progression.

The home practice plan can vary from a short 10 minute practice, perhaps twice daily, to more than an hour’s single practice, depending on its role and how much time the student is able to make available. It is usually around 20 to 45 minutes.

Individual 60 minute lessons cost £50 – to enquire or book a session contact David.