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Prescribing yoga to supplement and support psychotherapy
Spiritually oriented interventions for counseling and psychotherapy.
Format: Book Chapter
Publication Date: Nov 30, 2010
Publisher: American Psychological Association
Place of Publication: Washington, DC
Pages: 251 - 276
Sources ID: 45406
Visibility: Private
Abstract: (Show)
This chapter explores various methods for incorporating yoga into a psychotherapy treatment regimen to help psychotherapists achieve short-term symptom relief for their clients as well as long-term solutions for mental health and balance. The philosophical underpinnings of yoga, as they relate to the therapeutic process, are briefly described before current research on the psychological effects of yoga is addressed. Methods for using yoga classes in conjunction with traditional psychotherapy to enrich the therapeutic process and facilitate growth (e.g., enhanced self-awareness, self-understanding, self-acceptance), along with guidelines for its introduction to clients, are outlined. Next, the methods of Iyengar yoga, kundalini yoga meditation, and Sudarshan Kriya yoga are explored as potential techniques psychotherapists can learn to use during and in between psychotherapy sessions to help clients reduce anxiety and depression and address other psychological and psychiatric disorders. Finally, this chapter examines the utility of yoga for psychotherapists seeking professional development and burnout prevention strategies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)