Mental Health

According to yoga philosophy, mind and body are part of an integrated system; they’re not separate. This means we can work on the mind through targeted practices in the body, and vice versa.

A tool applied in one area—say, a breathing practice—can profoundly affect a completely different area of the body or the mind. For example, a yoga therapist might teach a client a particular type of breathwork (pranayama) to help them address their chronic asthma; if the client practices that breathing exercise regularly, she might find that her long-time anxiety has eased, too.

Yoga therapy can promote general emotional balance and assist with mood regulation. Research into effects on specific concerns is promising, and yoga has been used as an adjunctive therapy for anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, insomnia, and other conditions.