By Denver Clark
As a former yoga therapy school director, faculty member, and mentor, I have had the opportunity not only to build a thriving private practice, but also to learn from the professional growth of the students I’ve taught. Their practicum experiences—from building awareness of when to say goodbye to a client to working with telehealth across the world—have exponentially increased my own knowledge and taught me the value of regular collaboration and sangha (community) within the yoga therapy field.
A shift in healing mindset
Over nearly 2 decades, I’ve arrived at a place where my work feels intuitive, easeful, and simple to communicate to the people who need it. Of course, learning is continuous, and one ongoing challenge is helping clients engage in their own healing process. Many arrive seeking relief but resist the self-discipline of tapas required outside our sessions. Gently guiding people from a Western “you fix me” mindset toward ownership of their choices requires deep compassion and nonattachment from both practitioner and client. I find that new yoga therapists are often surprised by how much of our work lies in this subtle realm of motivation and empowerment.
I always recommend that practicing therapists become comfortable with the educational component of our work, sharing with the public the process, components, and rich array of approaches that yoga therapy offers. I use resources from my professional membership association, the International Association of Yoga Therapists, to help explain what yoga therapy is and how I’m different from yet complementary to other integrative care providers in my area.
Full days
I currently maintain a private practice in Bradenton, Florida, where I offer individualized yoga therapy, massage therapy, and small-group educational programs for students and teachers seeking to expand their understanding of the impact yoga therapy can have. In addition to offering my own events in the office, I teach regularly at local studios, community centers, and wellness events, collaborating with sports clubs and therapy offices to expand yoga’s reach. Specialized workshops such as “Yoga for Pickleball Players” and “Yoga Therapy for Anxiety and Depression” attract participants who often transition into private clients.
When I meet with clients, presenting measurable, physiological benefits first often invites skeptics to appreciate yoga’s subtler, energetic dimensions. For example, I will begin explaining the physical, scientifically measured benefits of a practice such as alternate-nostril breathing (e.g., reduced heart rate, sinus clearing, synchronization of the brain’s hemispheres). Then, I’ll offer information on yoga’s perspective of ida and pingala nadi, the feminine and masculine energy channels that reside in each of us and play in harmony to create balance. This approach sets students with a more Western mindset at ease, as they realize that in addition to the more subtle elements of yoga that I study, I also have a solid background in anatomy and physiology and can back up my claims about the benefits of the practice.
Doing vs. being for healing
After 17 years sharing the gifts of yoga, I truly believe that yoga therapists’ ability to listen, communicate, and connect with others makes all the difference in our effectiveness as practitioners. By slowing down, staying curious, and honoring each person’s lived experience, yoga becomes less about “doing” a healthcare modality and more about simply being. From that place, healing feels less forced and far more sustainable.
Denver Clark, LMT, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT, was introduced to yoga shortly after college. By age 23 she had opened her first studio, and in the 17 years since, she has also become director of an IAYT-accredited training program, curriculum writer, and teacher trainer.
