Individualized Yoga Therapy?

Based on a vision of health as a unity of body, mind and spirit, therapeutic yoga is being embraced as a health and wellness practice in America.  Now offered at 93% of integrative medical centers, many patients report its transformative effects to be highly complementary to pharmacological and psychotherapeutic approaches.
Aligned with integrative healing modalities such as acupuncture, massage and herbal medicine, restorative yoga works with the body as a unified system.  A peripheral approach to healing, it involves placing the body in gentle, passive positions that bring great reprieve to bodily and mental tension.  Exercise without the effort, Restorative Yoga Therapy is a form of gentle movement in which all positions are easy and supported.

What is Mindfulness Practice?

Mindfulness is the practice of becoming aware of the present moment.  Celebrated by the branch of psychoneuro-immunology in western medicine, mindfulness practice has a proven track record of unlocking entrenched patterns of depression, relieving tension, and enhancing overall mood.  Simply sitting on a chair, we feel the breath, pay attention to the sensations of the body and notice the colors, sounds, and smells arising in our experience.  Unlike our regular lives which are too often colored by constant thinking and worrying, with mindfulness practice we can lay down a foundation for slowing down these 'mental tapes' and experience more spaciousness and acceptance of our lives as they are.

How is 1-1 Individualized Yoga Therapy different from other forms of yoga?

When you think of yoga, do you imagine an intimidating room full of people in pretzel-like positions that you couldn't begin to imagine getting yourself into?  A one-to-one therapeutic modality, Individualized Yoga Therapy falls at the opposite end of the yoga spectrum, as there is never any pushing or straining.  On the contrary, it is extremely non-invasive, relaxing and enjoyable.  Highly client-centered, you as the client join the facilitator to work together with your body toward a series of positions that you find comfortable for several minutes at a time.  From here, you simply feel your breath.

What can you expect from a session?

Sessions begin with a check-in with Brie during which we visit symptoms that we'd like to focus on for the hour.  You are then invited to lie down on your back with a pillow under your knees to support the lower back.  Noticing any areas of tension, Brie slowly guides you to focus on deepening the breath and feeling the body.  After five to ten minutes, you'll be invited to take a new position as per the comfort, needs and capabilities of your body.  All sessions are hour-long opportunities to restore and rejuvenate.  Brie is known for lovingly supporting clients toward being in the moment and she enjoys helping to design a personalized plan for a very simple practice you can bring home.

What symptoms can be relieved?

Individualized Yoga Therapy aids the relief of many symptoms.  Each session can be tailored to one area of concern or many.  For example, the session of a person struggling with deep fatigue may involve learning how to breathe deeply to relax, relieve stress and oxygenate the body.  For someone facing depression, we focus on supported positions that open the muscles behind the heart.  For someone with anxiety, we concentrate on positions that gently open and massage the pelvic area.  Helpful for nearly any symptom imaginable, Brie invites you to embrace how yoga can change your life.