3 Myths about Health and Yoga Therapy

yoga therapy

Aug 3

What is the yoga therapy approach to health, wellness and illness?

In order to understand the yoga therapy approach to health, wellness and illness, it is useful to explore 3 common myths about health and the therapeutic value of yoga:

Health is the presence or absence of illness.
Symptoms show up at the location of the problem.
All yoga is therapeutic.

Myth #1: Health is the absence of illness

Many people think of ill-health as the presence of a disease or unwanted symptom and health as the absence thereof. However, multiple models of health and wellbeing point to a different understanding of health. For example, models of wellbeing such as eudaimonic wellbeing (EWB) describe wellbeing as the quality of life which comes from living authentically and aligned with your values, strengths and goals. This is good news for those experiencing illness or chronic issues as it points to the potential for these things to be just one component of overall wellbeing. Conversely, just because there is the absence of illness it is not guaranteed that one has a high degree of health and wellbeing.

Some healthcare models use the biopsychosocial-spiritual model (BPSS) to understand health, wellbeing and illness. This model suggests that rather than a static state, health, illness and wellbeing might be better thought of as dynamic interactions between biological, psychological, sociocultural and transpersonal or spiritual dimensions of human life. Yoga therapy has a similar model called the Kosha model and some yoga therapists work with both models.

Health and illness are influenced by things such as: the environment we live in, the toxins and contagions we are exposed to, the way we process emotions, the health of our relationships, the cultural stressors and trauma’s we experience, our diet, the degree of safety we experience, our level of physical activity, our sense of meaning and alignment with our values, strengths and goals.

In yoga therapy, clients are invited to consider all of these dimensions as they contribute to their health. This can increase the degree of personal agency in moving towards wellness and greater health as it provides numerous entrance points for building health and wellness.

Myth #2: Symptoms show up at the location of the problem

When experiencing unpleasant symptoms, we tend to assume that the cause of the symptoms must be close to the location of the symptoms. For example, if I experience a significant degree of anxious thoughts, I may consider visiting a psychologist. I might not realise that gut bacteria (microbiome), diet, breathing patterns, postures and movement patterns can contribute significantly to experiencing anxiety. Another example: if I experience a pattern of regular headaches, I might just try to take pain medication or just push through. The headache might be a result of sinus issues, stress levels, diet, lack of sleep, posture, eye strain, or any other number of causes.

When viewed as a process of dynamic relationships as described in the BPSS model, one might see that focusing exclusively on symptoms may not be as useful as it first seems. Our bodily systems are deeply connected and symptoms don’t always show up at the location of the problem.

Yoga therapy approaches the body and mind as an integrated whole - the bodymind. Additionally, when working with the physical body in Yoga Therapy, instead of just treating symptoms and focusing on the location of the symptoms, we work with an awareness of the interconnected nature of the bodily systems - with perhaps special attention given to respiratory, digestive, circulatory, nervous, muscular, skeletal and endocrine systems. When choosing practices, the yoga therapist may look to intentionally support the health of one or more of the bodymind systems.

Myth #3: All yoga is therapeutic

It is common to hear about the therapeutic benefits of yoga. It is said to reduce stress, inflammation, anxiety and depression. People claim reductions in chronic pain, a healthier immune system, and, of course, increased strength and mobility. Depending on the country you are in, it’s not uncommon for doctors to recommend that patients “do yoga,” meditate or take up mindfulness. But, is all yoga therapeutic?

It’s important to understand that there are numerous practices, styles and schools of yoga. Practices range in intensity and focus. This diversity in yoga is also reflected within yoga therapy. As a result, when I speak about yoga therapy, I can speak most accurately to my own approach to yoga therapy. The truth is that not all approaches to yoga are going to be therapeutic for everyone at every time of their life. This is obvious in even a simple example: Imagine you have pulled a muscle in the back of your leg. This is probably not the time to go to a yoga class focused on intense physical practice with lots of passive stretching of the back of the legs. On the other hand, you might benefit from gentle movements involving the rest of the body followed by a restorative yoga practice of rest. Therapeutic value of yoga is maximised when the approach matches the person and what’s currently happening in their body, mind, and life.

Additionally, the therapist or teacher of yoga makes a big difference. As an LGBTQIA+ person, I need to mention that the therapeutic value of yoga or any healthcare modality can be undermined when delivered by a practitioner who is unaware of dynamics such as race, gender, sexuality, religion, diverse bodies, trauma and the many other diversities of lived experiences. Many LGBTQIA+, BIPOC and international people can attest to the harm experienced in what should have been a therapeutic environment fostering greater health and wellbeing.

Conclusion

When you are already experiencing a health or wellbeing challenge, yoga can be incredibly therapeutic. It is safest and most effective to seek out a yoga therapist who is trauma informed and attuned to important dynamics of your lived experience rather than a private yoga teacher or public class.

The foundation of therapeutic yoga is creating a safe environment and therapeutic relationship marked by professionalism, respect and affirmation. We build upon that foundation with a comprehensive holistic assessment of the client, their health and their goals. The yoga therapist then co-creates tailored practices with the client drawing from the rich and varied practices of the yoga toolkit (and any other modality they may be educated and licensed in). Standard tools include: breathing, movement, diet and lifestyle changes, relaxation, visualisation, sound, embodied ethics, self-study, mindfulness, self-compassion, yoga philosophy and more.

In this way, the yoga therapist aims to ensure that clients are offered accessible tools within the context of a therapeutic relationship for results which support their overall wellbeing.

Interested in working with me or have a question? Feel free to get in touch.

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