Amandasana

Yoga Therapy Presentation

Register here for free online symposium on integrative medicine.

I am presenting on Yoga Therapy on Friday 10/24 followed by discussion with my yoga therapist colleague Celeste Greene.

The Impact of Yoga Therapy on State Change

The Impact of Yoga Therapy on State Change, is a research study recently published by my Yoga Therapy colleague Jennifer Vasquez (Assistant Professor Texas State University School of Social Work). It explores the mechanisms that facilitate healing in Yoga Therapy. It was an honor and delight to personally participate in the study interview. Here I'll highlight a few of my personal responses:

Q: Describe therapeutic Viniyoga. What is it?

A: Therapeutic Viniyoga is a method to help a person more align with their essential self.

Q: What are the general goals of therapeutic Viniyoga? What do you intend to do or facilitate in that role?

A: The goals depends on the person and how they get to their most authentic, essential nature. Some general goals... Removing obstacles, I would say is a general goal. And that's a removing of obstacles, physically, breath, mind, behavior/personality, emotions. Then when you remove the obstacle, the result would be the person feeling better.

Q: How does therapeutic Viniyoga work? Explain the mechanism or mechanisms as you understand them.

A: Relationship between the practitioner and the person, the student-teacher relationship, is vital because one of the methods is to help the student increase trust and be willing to put what they think aside... State change methods are there too... You're using techniques for the entire system (body, breath, mind, behavior, emotions) that help change how the person is operating...

Q: Describe your process of therapeutic Viniyoga. What happens over time?

A: I think the student has a better understanding of their own unique system over time. And I think that their perspective on life shifts. So sometimes people start to change and they don't like it. They want to be their old self over time and they stop yoga. They're attached. But I think sometimes it's freeing, and people see that they're causing their own suffering, and that there's something more out there. The perspective changes, and if it's available for the person, there's an increase in authentic spirituality.

Q: What are some of the techniques that you use most often in therapeutic Viniyoga?

A: Breathing! That one's easy. So breathing techniques I think are the most often I use because they are the thing the person is least used to working with. So there's a lot more available space for change and shift in the system, because we want that beautiful state change. And I would say second is metaphor, bhavana maybe would be a better word for it. Not necessarily meditation, but something that helps the student call up a feeling up inside them. And then the third is coordinating movement with breath...

Q: What role does state change have in the healing process?

A: It's like the main game. State change provides some space so that the student moves towards a trust in something positive. Then the obstacles fall away, and the system knows how to be and that's healing...

Access the full article on the study HERE

Yoga Therapist Training

I am so grateful for the highest quality yoga therapist training to be offered right here in Nashville. The online modules begin this fall, and it is an honor to be offering some teaching back to the program that grew my own soul so profoundly.

Click HERE for more info.

Current Yoga Offerings

Make Peace by Emory Hall

YOGA THERAPY

ONE-ON-ONE

Yoga explorations via personal practice for your unique needs.

Contact via "View My Complete Profile" for scheduling

WEEKLY

CLASS SCHEDULE

Yoga Support for Hypermobility (I)*

Mondays at 1:15pm cst

Living Well with Chronic Pain (I)

Tuesdays at 1:00pm cst

Yoga to Regulate (II)

Wednesdays at 11:00am cst

Continuing Support for Hypermobility (II)*

Thursdays at 10:30am cst

Living Well with Chronic Pain (I)

Thursdays at 2:00pm cst

Pre-register for all classes at Osher Vanderbilt Here

*This class is in-person, all others are online via MHAV

On The Yoga Well Podcast

2024 Yoga Opportunities

YOGA THERAPY
ONE-ON-ONE

Yoga explorations via personal practice for your unique needs.

Contact via "View My Complete Profile" for scheduling

WEEKLY CLASS SCHEDULE

Continuing Support for Hypermobility (II)*

Mondays at 11:15am cst

Yoga Support for Hypermobility (I)*

Mondays at 1:15pm cst

Living Well with Chronic Pain

Tuesdays at 1:00pm cst

Yoga to Regulate (II)

Wednesdays at 11:00am cst

Yoga to Restore (I)

Thursdays at 10:30am cst

Living Well with Chronic Pain

Thursdays at 2:00pm cst

Pre-register for all classes at Osher Vanderbilt (click “view our class schedule”)

*This class is in-person, all others are online via MHAV

Pranayama Training in LA

Gentle Yoga for Back Care

Harpeth Hall Winterim for Adults

Gentle Yoga for Back Care

Gentle Yoga for Back care is a 4-week series designed for those with back pain in any area along the spine. This class uses gentle movement in the spine and surrounding areas in combination with calming breathing and visualization to relax and relieve tension, improve back flexibility, and develop back strength and support for a healthy spine.

Instructor: Amanda Wentworth ’98

Dates: Mondays, January 29, February 5, 12, and 26

Time: 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Location: Yoga Studio, HH Athletic and Wellness Center

Cost: $75 for the series

Class is limited to 15

Season's Greetings!

Season's Greetings Yogis

Looking for Yoga Support during the holidays? Things aren't going to slow down on their own, so here are a couple of yoga and meditation offerings at the Osher Center to support this most wonderful time of the year.