Why is yoga therapy at the Cleveland Clinic?
By Judi Bar
Before I answer why yoga therapy is at the Cleveland Clinic, I need to tell you why it’s in my own life: At the age of 45, I was diagnosed with a chronic back condition and told that my prognosis was bleak. Doctors said I’d be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life! It was difficult to accept, so I decided to be proactive in my journey toward health by adding complementary therapies to my treatment.
I didn’t have access to a yoga therapist, so I adapted a practice for myself. When I began, I couldn’t get on the ground or move without a surge of nerve pain. Living a complete yogic lifestyle, I teamed with traditional allopathic medicine caregivers in support of my healing. Ultimately, I did not need surgery, medications, OR mobility aids to live an active life with full range of motion and complete freedom from pain.
Based on my own experience, I realized that the simple, accessible tools I used might be equally effective for others. I knew then that my mission was to find a way to integrate yoga into traditional healthcare.
Through the years, I built a successful yoga therapy practice with a focus on helping others with debilitating back pain. I joined Cleveland Clinic’s Integrative Medicine team and ultimately became the full-time yoga Program manager with the responsibility to create and direct yoga programs for patients and employees.
Our program offers ongoing group classes and private sessions, and we participate in ongoing research. Trained yoga teachers and yoga therapists teach classes throughout the Cleveland Clinic health system. A growing number of these teachers have completed our in-house 200-hour yoga teacher training, where we teach our gentle form of yoga as well as traditional hatha yoga.
Several factors are behind the success of our program:
- Cleveland Clinic leadership supports wellness.
- We are innovative in our approach to provide yoga and other complementary therapies, directed by a physician. We measure and study the effect of our therapies on patient outcomes and educate physicians on these effects, in particular for management of chronic conditions.
- Our yoga offerings are accessible to anyone and geared to our patient population. A welcoming basic chair class combines breathwork, postures, meditation, and mindfulness, so that participants can enjoy feeling a sense of accomplishment and empowerment.
- We work as a team with other departments such as nutrition, physical and occupational therapy, and behavioral health.
The increasing incidence of chronic pain and disease, which is fueled partly by poor lifestyle choices, plus rising healthcare costs are prompting change. According to the Global Wellness Institute, the international market for “complementary and alternative medicine” increased by 65% between 2010 and 2014. Growing data substantiate the efficacy of yoga, and more physicians are looking for other tools to assist patients, especially with alternatives to opioids. We are at a pivotal time in healthcare, and yoga therapy is in the right place at the right time.
Judi Bar, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the yoga program manager for Cleveland Clinic Center for Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine.
Hello Judi, this was passed along to me and I love this! I am the director of Physical and Sports Medicine at a community hospital and want to start a program like this. Can you point me in any direction for some ideas and suggestions? Much appreciated!
Hi Joe,
If you haven’t already, you might want to check out the “For Healthcare Providers” page on our site, as it lists some examples of ways in which hospitals and health systems are incorporating yoga therapy programs. We’ve also passed your email address on to Judi so she can contact you directly. Best of luck with your most worthy project!
—The yogatherapy.health team
HI I will reach out to you at your email address. Thank you for connecting! Judi
Hi Judi,
I teach yoga for cancer at three hospitals in Cincinnati. I’d love to chat with another provider to find out other effective ways you teach large class sizes. It’s always challenging for me. Tina
Hi Tina,
We’ve passed your query on to Judi!
HI Tina, Yes for sure full larger classes can be quite a challenge when doing yoga therapy for disease specific patients.
So very much to consider.
One option is to have a second support instructor, but that is not always possible for budget concerns.
Second goes along with the first suggestion- smaller classes but that is also a budget concern. We are fortunate to be able to offer the classes and many times it is gaged around budget.
We are opening a totally new dimension of safety when we instruct a yoga therapy group class for patients specific to their disease process.
This is actually one of the reasons I adapted my therapeutic yoga style to not only be completely inclusive for any type of patient but also safe and beneficial for each of them.
That is not a short or easy answer I realize. Your are welcome to reach out to me on my email to chat more specifically.
Blessings and Namaste! Judi
Hi Judi,
I am a nurse practitioner in multiple health systems. I have yoga background and will be doing teacher training soon. I have certification in trauma informed yoga training. I would love to hear your opinion on who to start speaking with at those systems to facilitate a discussion on this topic. Thanks so much!
Hi Shelbie,
We’ve passed your comment on to Judi.
You might also consider joining IAYT, which offers resources and info for yoga therapists as well as healthcare professionals.
And check out the research we’ve gathered here: https://yogatherapy.health/research/
(refresh your browser if you haven’t been to the page in awhile).
HI Shelbie, thank you for your question. It is a bit tricky as you did not mention whether or not you are taking yoga therapy training. As you know it is very important to stay within our scope of practice.
That being said most health systems have a Behavioral Health Department which is a good place to start a discussion. Good luck on your endeavors, Blessings Judi
Hello. I am professor, Ph.D. My specialization is researching of fitness and health. Ex: yoga healing support application. I have instructed many master’s theses and doctoral dissertations on the effects of yoga. I also had many scientific articles on yoga published in international and domestic journals. I want to take a yoga therapy training course and get an international certificate. Because I think yoga is great. Please tell me all the information about the class.
That’s wonderful! The list of IAYT-approved programs is here: https://www.iayt.org/page/AccrdPrgms
Hi Judi, I live on the west side of Cleveland, my GP is Dr. Jessica Chisolm at the Avon facilty. Are there yoga therapists in The Richard Jacobs campus?
Thank you,