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Individuals who suffer from trauma-related symptoms are a unique population that could benefit from the mind-body practice of yoga-or have their symptoms reactivated by it, depending on the type of yoga. Trauma-informed yoga (TIY), that is, yoga adapted to the unique needs of individuals working to overcome trauma, may ameliorate symptoms by creating a safe, tailored practice for students to learn how to respond, rather than react, to symptoms and circumstances. Yoga not thus adapted, on the other hand, may increase reactivity and activate symptoms such as hyperarousal or dissociation. This article reports on expert input about adapting yoga for individuals with trauma, with special considerations for military populations. Eleven experts, recruited based on literature review and referrals, were interviewed in person or via telephone and asked seven questions about trauma-informed yoga. Verbatim transcripts were subjected to open-coding thematic analysis and a priori themes. Findings revealed that TIY needs to emphasize beneficial practices (e.g., diaphragmatic breath and restorative postures), consider contraindications (e.g., avoiding sequences that overly engage the sympathetic nervous system), adapt to limitations and challenges for teaching in unconventional settings (e.g., prisons, VA hospitals), and provide specialized training and preparation (e.g., specialized TIY certifications, self-care of instructors/therapists, adaptions for student needs). TIY for veterans must additionally consider gender- and culture-related barriers, differing relationships to pain and injury, and medication as a barrier to practice.

Individuals who suffer from trauma-related symptoms are a unique population that could benefit from the mind-body practice of yoga-or have their symptoms reactivated by it, depending on the type of yoga. Trauma-informed yoga (TIY), that is, yoga adapted to the unique needs of individuals working to overcome trauma, may ameliorate symptoms by creating a safe, tailored practice for students to learn how to respond, rather than react, to symptoms and circumstances. Yoga not thus adapted, on the other hand, may increase reactivity and activate symptoms such as hyperarousal or dissociation. This article reports on expert input about adapting yoga for individuals with trauma, with special considerations for military populations. Eleven experts, recruited based on literature review and referrals, were interviewed in person or via telephone and asked seven questions about trauma-informed yoga. Verbatim transcripts were subjected to open-coding thematic analysis and a priori themes. Findings revealed that TIY needs to emphasize beneficial practices (e.g., diaphragmatic breath and restorative postures), consider contraindications (e.g., avoiding sequences that overly engage the sympathetic nervous system), adapt to limitations and challenges for teaching in unconventional settings (e.g., prisons, VA hospitals), and provide specialized training and preparation (e.g., specialized TIY certifications, self-care of instructors/therapists, adaptions for student needs). TIY for veterans must additionally consider gender- and culture-related barriers, differing relationships to pain and injury, and medication as a barrier to practice.

BACKGROUND: The practice of yoga has a long history as an integrated lifestyle science. Those who have practiced yoga in its full form (including all eight traditional aspects) find that it touches almost every aspect of their inter- and intra-personal lives. Despite this rich history, the West has adopted limited aspects of yoga practice. When understood narrowly as a physical fitness practice, healthful benefits of yoga may be lost, possibly promoting body-consciousness and injury instead. AIM: To understand whether students in healthcare programs view yoga from a physical fitness versus holistic perspective, we explored perceptions of what constitute yoga's essential practices. METHODS: We assessed endorsement of the eight limbs of yoga via the acceptability of yoga survey. The sample (n = 498) was recruited from programs in 10 healthcare professions at a Northwestern university. Participants were categorized as nonyogis, contemplators, yogis, and superyogis. RESULTS: Across all groups, findings confirmed a narrow definition of yoga as portrayed in popular media and gym-based yoga classes. Breathing and posture practices were the most commonly endorsed practices, even among the sample's most seasoned yoga practitioners. Ethical practices and daily commitments of introspection, disciplined practice, or living with purity were least commonly associated with yoga despite their foundational nature in yoga philosophy. Concentration and meditation practices were only moderately endorsed as essential practices. Super-yogis endorsed a wider variety of limbs than nonyogis, contemplators, and yogis. CONCLUSIONS: We offer a rationale for these findings along with recommendations that may help augment the definition of yoga and hence maximize its benefits.

BACKGROUND: Yoga is gaining momentum as a popular and evidence-based, integrative health care and self-care practice. The characteristics of yoga practitioners are not proportional to the demographics of the general population, especially with respect to gender and ethnicity. Several access barriers have been implicated (eg, time, cost, and access to teachers). No studies have explored the barriers to practice among health professions students. Their participation in yoga is deemed important because they are future health professionals who will make referrals to other services. Research has shown that providers who practice yoga refer more patients to yoga. OBJECTIVE: To increase yoga practice among health professions students, an understanding must be developed of factors that interfere with or facilitate a regular yoga practice. The current study intended to identify such barriers and motivators. DESIGN: This study was a small population survey. SETTING: The setting was a private university in the northwestern United States, including students in 3 of its colleges and 10 professional programs. PARTICIPANTS: All students (N = 1585) in the programs of the 10 health professions received e-mail requests for participation. OUTCOME MEASURES: The Acceptability of Yoga Survey was developed for purposes of a larger yoga perceptions study and implemented with health professions students. Participants were solicited via e-mail; the survey was administered online. The current study used data from that survey. RESULTS: Of the 498 usable, completed surveys (ie, a response rate of approximately 30%), 478 were relevant to the current study. The sample's demographics--78% women and 79% white--did not differ significantly from the population's demographics. The findings revealed the existence of common barriers that were related to (1) time; (2) cost; (3) lack of pragmatic information about access to yoga classes and teachers; and (4) stereotypes related to flexibility, athleticism, and typical yoga practitioners. Motivators included athleticism, health promotion, and emotional well-being as well as the seeking of pain relief and a sense of community. A referral by health care providers was the least-frequently cited motivator. CONCLUSIONS: The findings have implications for strategies that may help motivate health professionals toward a yoga practice, because having done yoga personally may be related to a willingness to perceive the benefits of and to refer patients to yoga as a viable integrative treatment for patients. Improved access can be developed in 3 ways: (1) integration of yoga research into health curricula to acquaint care providers with yoga's benefits to patients and care givers; (2) have yoga available as close to the workplace as possible to obviate some of the larger access barriers; and (3) societally, project yoga as a healing art and science, not simply as a weight loss strategy or athletic endeavor.

OBJECTIVE: Nearly 38% of U.S. adults use complementary and alternative medicine approaches to manage physical conditions (e.g., chronic pain, arthritis, cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure) and psychological or emotional health concerns (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression). Research evidence has accumulated for yoga as an effective treatment approach for these conditions. Further, yoga has increased in popularity among healthcare providers and the general population. Given these trends, this study explored perceptions about yoga as a viable complementary treatment to which health professions students would refer patients. PARTICIPANTS: More than 1500 students enrolled in health professions programs at a Pacific Northwest school were enrolled; data were obtained from 478 respondents. DESIGN: The study assessed willingness to refer patients to yoga as a complementary and alternative medicine for 27 symptoms (identified in the literature as having evidence for yoga's utility), which were subsequently grouped into skeletal, physical, and psychological on the basis of factor analysis. Responses were assessed using a mixed-model analysis of variance with health profession and yoga practitioner as between-subjects variables and symptoms as a within-subjects factor. RESULTS: In descending order of likelihood to refer patients to yoga were students in occupational therapy, physician assistant program, psychology, physical therapy, pharmacy, dental hygiene, speech and audiology, and optometry. All groups perceived yoga's greatest utility for skeletal symptoms, followed by psychological and physical symptoms. Findings also revealed a significant positive relationship between level of personal yoga practice and willingness to refer patients to yoga. CONCLUSIONS: Although students expressed some openness to referring patients to yoga, ratings of appropriateness were not accurately aligned with extant evidence base. Personal experience seemed to be a salient factor for accepting yoga as a referral target. These findings suggest the importance of developing strategies to make health professionals more aware of the merits of yoga, regardless of whether they themselves are yoga practitioners.