Yoga benefits: Is yoga therapy the next big thing?
A blend of holistic counselling and yoga practice, find out if this yoga stretch is for you
Text: Tiff H
It’s no secret that yoga is incredibly therapeutic, leaving you feeling relaxed, destressed and energised. But what if you have a specific issue that you want addressed and need that extra layer of personalisation? Enter yoga therapy — offering a blend of holistic counselling and yoga practice that aims to empower and support individuals to improve physical, mental and spiritual health.
According to the renowned master of yoga therapy in the 1900s, TVK Desikachar, “Yoga therapy is a self-empowering process where the care-seeker, with the help of the yoga therapist, implements a personalised and evolving yoga practice. It not only addresses the illness in a multi-dimensional manner, but also aims to alleviate his/her suffering in a progressive, non-invasive and complementary manner. Depending upon the nature of the illness, yoga therapy can not only be preventative or curative, but also serve a means to manage illness, or facilitate healing in the person at all levels.”
How does yoga therapy differ from traditional yoga practice?
The main difference between yoga therapy and yoga is the format of the session: yoga classes are usually held in groups, whereas for yoga therapy sessions are generally conducted one-on-one. When clients seek a yoga therapist, they are usually not coming to learn yoga, but rather to get help with or relief from a symptom or health issue. In most cases, the instruction focuses on their condition and how yoga techniques can help them feel better or improve their function. Rather than focusing on yoga stretches and methods, yoga therapists fundamentally focus on their clients’ needs.
What to expect from a yoga therapy session
Alex Ivetic is a senior teacher at COMO Shambhala Urban Escape, a yoga studio in Singapore where you can practice yoga therapy, shares that it illustrates a ‘picture of wellbeing’.
Their yoga therapy sessions last an hour and Alex will prescribe a practice considering your unique mind-body situation. She personally tailors her sessions to assist customers to manage their conditions, reduce symptoms, restore balance, increase vitality, and to improve wellbeing and outlook.
Just like any other yoga class, yoga therapy incorporates a unique combination of yogic tools, such as postures or movements, breathing techniques, meditation and self-reflection. What makes it different to other yogic practices is that it also includes a component of lifestyle coaching and holistic counselling as required.
What are the benefits of yoga therapy?
Yoga therapy can help those who experience:
• Anxiety and stress
• Drug and alcohol addiction
• Depression
• Back problems
• Cancer
• Chronic pain
• Pain management
COMO Shambhala’s private Yoga Therapy Programme consists of three sessions; each session is 60 minutes and can be planned according to the client’s needs. The first session will entail an assessment, with the subsequent sessions featuring a mix of yogic tools and holistic counselling.
“Yoga therapy highlights a ‘picture of wellbeing’ on an emotional, energetic, mental, physical and spiritual level,” says Alex. “I don't know any other practice that offers this in a conversational context with a therapist and a student. It can feel like a counselling session on some levels that can have a huge transformer impact for the student, their relationships and their families.”
The Private Yoga Therapy Programme at COMO Shambhala Urban Escape costs SGD 540.
About Alex Ivetic
Alex is a qualified yoga teacher and yoga therapist of 16 years and a senior teacher at COMO Shambhala Urban Escape. She specialises in yoga for anxiety, depression, stress, addiction, back pain, cancer and chronic illnesses. She upholds the traditional values of yoga and imparts her experiences and understanding with a unique and contemporary insight to reflect and benefit the needs of today’s times and bring clarity to a chaotic world.
COMO Shambhala is a mindful living philosophy that inspires a deep-rooted approach to wellness with holistic practices. Located at the heart of Singapore, it’s a 360-degree wellness centre for holistic health, offering a comprehensive range of experiences from private and group yoga and Pilates classes, to mindfulness practice and wellness workshops for every level.
