I N S I D E This Issue

THE INTERNAT I O N A L A S S O C I ATION OF Y O G A T H E R A P I S T S YYoo gg aa TT hh ee rr aa pp yy TToo dd aa yy Spring 2012 Volume 8, Issue 1, $5 I n s i d e This Issue

Give Back to Ve t e r a n s

Training Hours for Entry - L e v e l Yoga Therapists

Teaching Yo g a S a f e l y

Prison Yo g a Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 1 Ta b l e O fC o n t e n t s Spring 2012

4 Editor’s Note 6 Members News 11 2012 Annual Report to Members by John Kepner, Executive Director 7 IAYT Welcomes New Board Member by Dilip K. Sarkar, MD, FACS, DAyur 7 Yoga Therapy at Meridian 8 IAYT-Sponsored Conferences, Spring 2012 8 SYTAR & SYR: Searching for New Venue for 2013 8 Letter to the Editor by J. Brown

10 Yoga Therapy for Daily Living Stimulate for Spring by Felicia Tomasko, RN, E-RYT500

11 International Spotlight Yoga Therapy in the Canadian Healthcare System Part One by Neil Pearson, PT, MSc, BA-BPHE, CYT, RYT500 21 13 Featured Articles 13 Sharing the Gift of Yoga with our Veterans: The Next Big Opportunity for Yoga Therapists by Rob Schware 16 Fascinating Fascia: A Guide for Yoga Therapists by Anita Boser, LMP, CHP, RY T 5 0 0 19 Does Studying Anatomy Make Yoga Safer? Prominent Teachers Respond by J. Brown

21 Perspective 21 Yoga Therapy on the Line: The Imperative of a High Bar for the Development of Our Profession by Robin Rothenberg, RYT500 23 Sustainable Growth for Yoga Therapy Training by Leila Stuart, LLB, RMT 30 25 Insight Why We Need Internship Programs: An Essential Complement to Yoga Therapy Training by Sherry Bro u rman, PT, E-RY T

28 Interview Prison Yoga: A Path for Healing and Recovery, An Interview with James Fox, MA, by Stephanie Shorter, PhD

30 Perspective 30 The Great Yoga Debate: The Dark Side of Yoga (with Shades of Gray) by Jill Miller, E-RYT 36 34 A Response to William J. Broad's Article, “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body” by Bidyut K. Bose, PhD

36 Training Report Essential Yoga Therapy: by Nan Palmer, RYT-500, and Amy Jarvis, RYT-500

40 Reviews Overcoming Trauma through Yoga: Reclaiming Your Body by David Emerson and Elizabeth Hopper, PhD Reviewed by Sue Tebbs, PhD, RYT

41 IAYT Member Schools and Institutional Members 43 IAYT Donors and Sponsors

2 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 Spring 2012 Yo g a T h e r a p yTo d a y 3 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Editor’s Note

am deeply thrilled and grateful that so many members were willing PUBLISHER International Association of Yoga Therapists to go out on a limb and express their intelligent and well-formulat- EDITOR IN CHIEF Kelly Birch, RYT-500, PYT Ied perspectives and insights in this issue. The timing couldn't have GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ken Wilson been better. COPYEDITORS Denise Hodges, Corleigh Stixrud R e c e n t l y, IAYT published a proposed set of standards for the Yoga Therapy To d a y is published in the Spring, Summer, and Wi n t e r. training of entry-level yoga therapists. This is something that has been talked about for a while and is becoming more pressing as yoga IAYT BOARD & MANAGEMENT therapy gains more attention and integration in the mainstream cul- Eleanor Criswell, EdD, President t u re and people start asking “What qualifies someone to be a yoga Matra Raj, OTR, TYC, Treasurer Molly Lannon Kenny, Vice President therapist?” Without a specific answer to this question, yoga and yoga Bidyut K. Bose, PhD therapy are professionally vulnerable, as has been highlighted in Bob Butera, MDiv, PhD, E-RYT recent publicity around William J. Broad's article in the New Yo r k Ellen Fein, LCSW, RYT-500 Susan Gould-Fogerite, PhD Times Magazine (NYT), “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body,” which Executive Director John Kepner, MA, MBA f o reshadowed his book The Science of Yoga: The Risks and the Rewards. Membership Manager Jesse Gonzales The article and book have spawned not only blogs, online articles, Advertising Manager Abby M. Geyer newsletters, and social media discussion but also spots on national MISSION b roadcast television and public radio. IAYT supports research and education in Yoga, and serves as a A re we in the midst of a backlash against yoga and its popularity? professional organization for Yoga teachers and Yoga therapists P e rhaps. In recent months there's been a notable increase in media worldwide. Our mission is to establish Yoga as a recognized and reports critical of yoga. And while the obvious response would be to respected therapy. point out how n o t doing yoga can wreck your body, this uptick in MEMBERSHIP media alarms nonetheless serves as a reminder that the kind of dis- IAYT membership is open to Yoga practitioners, Yoga teachers, cussions we are having at our conferences, in our publications, and Yoga therapists, Yoga researchers, and healthcare professionals who utilize Yoga in their practice. with each other are increasingly crucial in framing our own pro f e s- sional re s p o n s i b i l i t i e s . MEMBER BENEFITS In this issue, we have several articles addressing the topic of how • Subscription to the International Journal of Yoga Therapy to teach yoga safely. Two, from B. K. Bose and Jill Miller, are dire c t • Subscription to Yoga Therapy Today • Access to IAYT’s research resources and digital library responses to the NYT article and offer diff e rent but complementary • Professional recognition through IAYT’s online listings viewpoints; J. Brown asks whether learning anatomy makes yoga and an IAYT membership certificate teaching safer; Anita Boser describes the importance of understand- • Discounted registration at IAYT events ing the often-overlooked relevance of fascia in yoga practice; and CONTACT Sherry Brourman argues cogently for the inclusion of internships as P. O. Box 12890, Prescott, AZ 86304 an integral part of yoga therapist training. Phone: 928-541-0004 (M-F, 9AM – 3PM MST) As he explains in his note, John Kepner asked Robin Rothenberg Fax: 928-541-0182 www.iayt.org • [email protected] and Leila Stuart to write their perspectives on the minimum hours p roposed in the standards for training yoga therapists, and I think HOW TO SUBMIT TO YOGA THERAPY TODAY they provide ample food for thought in their passionately arg u e d Writers articles. Email a query or completed article to: [email protected]. Yoga Two inspiring and informative pieces—Rob Schware on pro v i d- Therapy Today relies on submissions from the membership. Please submit reports and articles on training, views and insights relat- ing yoga to veterans; and an interview by Stephanie Shorter with ing to the field and profession of Yoga therapy, as well as on inte- James Fox on his work bringing yoga into prisons—remind us of the grative practices and business practices. Request writer guide- p rofound and re w a rding work that can be done by those in our field. lines from editor. Articles are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis and may be submitted at any time. You might feel that some of the articles in this issue are stro n g l y Advertisers w o rded and provocative. I hope that reading them will help you to Call 928-541-0004 or email [email protected] for advertising think about your own position and what is important to you as a rates and deadlines. Editorial decisions are made independently yoga therapist, and that the fire of the debate sparks something in of advertising arrangements. you that will lead you to be engaged in this dialogue about the nature REPRINT POLICY of yoga therapy. This magazine is a precious forum in which we can IAYT's reprint policy applies to all articles in the International all participate in these timely discussions. YTT Journal of Yoga Therapy and Yoga Therapy Today. Fee: $5 per copy per article. The policy works on the honor system, e.g., if two Kelly Birc h articles are copied for 25 students, please send IAYT a check for $50 and note “for reprints” on the check. Requests for reprints of articles should be emailed or phoned to Jesse Gonzales, Member Services Manager, at [email protected] or 928-541-0004.

ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT This publication is printed using soy-based inks. The paper contains 30% recycled fiber. It is bleached without using chlorine and the wood pulp is harvested from sustainable fore s t s .

Cover model: Jill Miller, Creator of Yoga Tune Up® Photo credit: Todd Vitti

4 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 Spring 2012 Yo g a T h e r a p yTo d a y 5 MembersNews 2012 Annual Report to Members by John Kepner, Executive Director

p rovides three broad pro g r a m s in support of our mis- for the CIC sessions and all the poster sessions were published as two sion to establish yoga as a respected and re c o g n i z e d special supplements to the International Journal of Yoga Therapy and are I AY T therapy: publications, conferences, and now, stan- posted on IAYT's MetaPress site. These are great re f e rences for those d a rds for training entry-level yoga therapists, all primarily support- looking for cutting-edge work in our field. ed by membership services and membership dues. There f o re, I would like to use that stru c t u re to report on our pro g ress in each of Challenges these areas, as well as highlight a few challenges. I am pleased to A key challenge for IAYT is to improve our conference pre s e n t a t i o n , summarize, however, by saying 2011 was a banner year for all thre e especially in providing the many elements of onsite support re q u i re d p rograms. IAYT also ended up modestly in the black for the second for a large, complicated conference like SYTAR. This is quite diff i c u l t year in a ro w. This is critical for us, as well as for all nonprofits, since for our small organization and is the reason we look for partners. all financial profit is plowed back into the improved services re q u i re d for a professional association. S t a n d a r d s

P u b l i c a t i o n s The Educational Standards Committee published “draft pro p o s e d ” s t a n d a rds in July for review and comment by members. The commit- The International Journal of Yoga Therapy was accepted for indexing by tee also held a Meeting of Schools just before SYTAR to review and PubMed, a major milestone for our field, due to the sustained leader- discuss the standards, with about 60 people in attendance. The com- ship of Kelly McGonigal, PhD, our editor in chief since 2005, and the mittee has worked hard ever since, refining the proposed standard s authors and peer reviewers that contributed and refined so many fine based upon all the feedback and their own continued re f l e c t i o n s . articles over the years. A set of proposed standards was published at the beginning of Feb- Yoga Therapy To d a y, under the leadership of Kelly Birch, contin- ruary (posted on our website) for a second round of member com- ues to grow as a valuable forum for members and I am very proud to ment. After reviewing this second set of comments, the committee show this off to others outside our membership. I was especially will pre p a re a recommended set of standards to present to IAY T ' s pleased with the Special Conference Issue (Winter 2011) and the B o a rd of Directors this spring. We stress that these standards are for many fine articles contributed by so many members. I find myself yoga therapy training programs, not individuals. Recognizing indi- distributing that widely across the planet to let others know more vidual practitioners is a logical next step. Such recognition typically about IAYT and our conferences. has generous grandparent clauses. Standards are for the next genera- Both of these publications are partially supported by advertis- tion of students, not the pioneering practitioners. ing, which, for our association, is also important communication I AYT has long been in close contact with the National Ay u r v e d i c within our field. Abby Geyer, our advertising manager, has bro u g h t Medical Association (NAMA) on creating standards, since they are this key service to new heights. Note, for example, the shift to color u n d e rgoing a parallel process. Communication with the Yo g a advertising (and, hence, the entire magazine) that started with the last Alliance is also improving, where, among other things, IAYT is seek- issue. ing to use common definitions and present clear, complementary s t a n d a rds to the public and yoga teachers. IAYT is also in good com- C h a l l e n g e s munication with many of the other professional organizations work- Kelly McGonigal will be leaving IAYT this year, and we are curre n t l y ing on this across the globe, including Australia, the United King- conducting a search for a new editor. Big shoes to fill! I am pleased dom, and, incre a s i n g l y, India. to report that, at the time of this writing, we have several well-quali- The standards work is long, drawn-out, detailed, and often fied candidates. tedious and frustrating. It's truly k a r m a yoga in service to our field. Please give each and every member of the committee your thanks as C o n f e r e n c e s you meet them personally on the path.

I AYT presented two conferences last year in September, on opposite C h a l l e n g e s coasts. SYTAR, our membership conference, attracted about 400 Once accepted, we still need to develop an implementation plan, attendees to the beautiful Asilomar Conference Grounds in Califor- including an application form and a means for peer review of pro- nia. This was our first conference not held in an airport hotel, with grams. Developing all of this in a fair, objective, and efficient manner the attendant pros and cons. This was also our first conference where that well serves our members and the public will be no small task. all the track sessions were chosen from a call for proposals. We had over 170 proposals for eighteen sessions. Another 42 short pre s e n t a- G o v e r n a n c e tions were provided at seven CIC sessions. SYR, our re s e a rch conference, co-presented with the Kripalu Institute for Extraordinary Liv- I AYT held a board re t reat in December at the Kripalu Center for Yo g a ing, attracted 225 attendees, 13 percent more than the first SYR in & Health in Massachusetts, and we adopted a policy governance 2010. About 60 poster abstracts were submitted for just 40 spaces, manual based upon the governing principles of John Carver. This is about 20 percent more than the first SYR and generally of higher the same model adopted by NAMA, and indeed we used the same q u a l i t y. The underlying onsite support by Kripalu was extraord i n a r y. consultant, Dan Seitz, JD, EdD (also the same consultant the Educa- I n t e r n a l l y, both conferences were supported by Debra Krajewski, tional Standards Committee is using). This is a major pro f e s s i o n a l who has quickly grown to be an invaluable part of our staff, includ- step for IAY T, and should please our membership, since governance ing onsite conference management. Note, all the accepted abstracts is a perennial challenge for nonprofits. A common reason is that non-

6 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 MembersNews c o n t i n u e d p rofit board members typically bring widely diff e rent experiences IAYT Welcomes New Board Member and expectations to the table, and the overall governance can potentially shift significantly each time a new set of board members takes Dilip K. Sarkar o ffice. Hence it is very important for organizational stability and g rowth to have clear written policies about the distinct roles of the Dilip K. Sarkar, MD, FACS, DAyur, of Norfolk, Vir- b o a rd and management. I give great credit to Eleanor Criswell, EdD, ginia, is a retired vascular surgeon, now teaching our president, and indeed all our board members, for their fore s i g h t classes in yoga therapy, Ayurvedic wellness, and inte- in this investment and the time, energ y, and patience they have per- grative medicine, combining his 40 years of experi- sonally contributed to this work. I would also like to acknowledge ence in conventional medicine with his knowledge of Dan Seitz as a true shining light in this area. Since this has not been Ayurveda and yoga. Dr. Sarkar is a Fellow of the reported on before, let me provide a short summary: American Association of Integrative Medicine (AAIM) and retired as an associate professor of surgery at Eastern Virginia Medical Policy Governance®, an integrated board leadership paradigm cre a t e d School and chair of the Department of Surgery and Chief of Staff at by Dr. John Carver, is a gro u n d b reaking model of governance designed Portsmouth General Hospital. He is a Certified Ayurvedic Practi- to empower boards of directors to fulfill their obligation of accountabil- tioner and yoga teacher. Dr. Sarkar now serves on several healthcare ity for the organizations they govern. As a generic system, it is applica- boards, including the American Heart Association, where he is chair ble to the governing body of any enterprise. The model enables the board of the AHA "My Life Check" Program. He is a Life Member of the to focus on the larger issues, to delegate with clarity, to control manage- National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) and serves as a ment's job without meddling, to rigorously evaluate the accomplish- member of the Yoga Standards Subcommittee. Currently, he is exec- ment of the organization; to truly lead its org a n i z a t i o n . utive director, School of Integrative Medicine, Taksha University in Virginia. In contrast to the approaches typically used by boards, Policy Gover- Dr. Sarkar has been an active member of IAYT since 2005, a nance separates issues of organizational purpose (ENDS) from all other member of IAYT's Advisory Council since 2010, and a member of o rganizational issues (MEANS), placing primary importance on those IAYT's Conference Committee since 2011. At SYTAR 2011, he pre- Ends. Policy Governance boards demand accomplishment of purpose, sented one of the plenary talks, “From Research to Treatment,” as and only limit the staff's available means to those which do not violate well as the popular morning session, “Pranayam as Therapy for the board's pre-stated standards of prudence and ethics.1 D i fferent Ailments.” This past December, Dr. Sarkar was an invited speaker at the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana M e m b e r s h i p re s e a rch conference, presenting “Yoga for Global Health: an A m e r ican Experience.“ YTT I AYT membership continues to gro w, with 2,765 individual members at year-end, an increase of 4 percent from the previous year, and 86 school members, an increase of 41 percent. We are especially honore d to have our first Indian yoga school member, the Yoga Institute of Yoga Therapy at Meridian S a n t a c ruz, Mumbai, the oldest organized yoga center in the world. Membership services is held together single-handedly by Jesse Gon- eridian University zales, our long-term intrepid manager. I regularly hear praises about has created new doctoral and master's her personal service to so many members. Mprograms for yoga therapy. Meridian's psychology programs (PhD in Psychology, C h a l l e n g e s PsyD in clinical psychology, MA in psychology, and MA in I AYT is overwhelmingly supported by voluntary member dues. Our counseling psychology) will all be available with a concentra- challenge is to provide real value to each and every member well over tion in yoga therapy, starting September 2012. the cost of membership, each and every year. Another key challenge These Blended Learning Format programs include online is our website, and we are hoping for major improvements this year. coursework, two weeks in residence on Meridian's campus, Your suggestions on how we can improve our service to you and and 100-200 hours devoted to the student's yoga therapy our field are welcome! Feel free to write directly to me at training program(s). Yoga therapy training programs recog- j k e p n e r @ i a y t . o rg. YTT nized by the International Association of Yoga Therapists will be accepted for graduate credit. In service, Eleanor Criswell, EdD, president of IAYT's board of J o h n directors, has taught courses at Meridian for seventeen years and is on their board of directors. She will help organize the R e f e r e n c e yoga therapy concentration. This program will provide a 1. The Policy Governance Model. (2010). P o l i c y G o v e r n a n c e . Retrieved means for yoga therapy program students to work on F e b ru a r y, 2012 from http://www. c a r v e rg o v e r n a n c e . c o m / m o d e l . h t m . advanced degrees while including the work from their yoga- therapy training. The advanced degrees will enable them to teach at colleges and universities and participate in other professional development activities.

John Kepner, MA, MBA. 47 Sixth Street • Petaluma, CA 94952 • 707-765-1836 • Executive Director www.MeridianUniversity.edu International Association of Yoga Therapists

Spring 2012 Yo g a T h e r a p yTo d a y 7 MembersNews c o n t i n u e d

I AY T- S p o n s o red Conferences, Spring 2012 Letter to the Editor National Ay u rvedic Medical Association: April 19–22, Bellevue, Washington. IAYT is a long-time partner Dear Editor: to the NAMA c o n f e rence and will have a table t h e re. IAYT will also sponsor an IAYT night on n the newly released Proposed Educational Standard s for the F r i d a y, April 20, with the help of Molly Lannon Training of Yoga Therapists, yoga is said to be a “scientific Kenny (IAYT board member) and Robin Rothen- Isystem of self-investigation, self-transformation, and self- b e rg (IAYT Advisory Council). realization.” Yoga therapy is defined as “the process of empowering individuals to pro g ress toward improved health and wellbeing through the application of the teachings and prac- Kripalu Yoga Therapy Confere n c e : May 6–11, at the tices of yoga.” Respectfully, I take some issue with these arbi- Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Lennox, Mass- achusetts. John Kepner, Gary Kraftsow, and Dan trary distinctions. Seitz will provide a review and discussion of the When doing breathing and moving exercises are not about new Educational Standards on We d n e s d a y applying the teachings and practices of yoga to empower indi- evening, May 9. viduals to pro g ress toward improved health and wellbeing then, to me, it's not yoga. I do not subscribe to the belief that yoga teaches us that something needs to be realized or attained. I n t e rnational Research Conference on Integrative Teaching group classes to healthy people may not re q u i re Medicine and Health: May 15–19, Portland, OR. the same training as working in a clinical environment with I AYT and the Northwest Yoga Therapy Collabora- specific conditions; however, both ought to have the same pur- tive (NWYTC) are participating organizations. Sat pose and utilize the same techniques. One of the issues the Bir Khalsa and colleagues Kim Innes, Robert s t a n d a rds committee faces is not just coming up with an objec- S a p e r, and Chris Streeter will present a sympo- tive metric for training standards but the message that it sends sium entitled “Yoga as Therapy: Rationale and to the broader yoga community and general public about what R e s e a rch” on Friday, May 18. Kelly Birch (editor of Yoga Therapy yoga practice is and the role it can play in people's lives. To d a y) and Susan Gould-Fogerite (IAYT board member) will also be In 2009, I wrote a perspective in IJYT entitled "Yoga Ther- t h e re. We hope to sponsor a joint gathering of yoga re s e a rchers, IAY T, apy is Not Yoga." As the conversation has continued, I've come and the Northwest Yoga Therapy Collaborative. TBA. to feel that the distinction is not between yoga therapy and yoga but yoga practice that is applying appropriate methods to reduce symptoms and causes of suffering and yoga practice Yoga Service Council: May 18–20, at the Omega that is not. Institute in Rhinebeck, N Y. Kelly McGonigal (editor of the International Journal of Yoga Therapy) My hope is that the IAYT will not just create an accre d i t a- and B.K. Bose (IAYT Board of Directors) will be tion process for clinical or prescriptive applications of yoga but p resenting. will educate the public about yoga practice that is therapeutically oriented. Otherwise, yoga therapy will become something c o n s i d e red only for people who are formally diagnosed with some condition and all those people whose symptoms do not S Y TAR & SYR: Searching for a New Venue for 2013 warrant medical treatment, and whose doctors are re c o m- mending they try yoga more and more, will have no way of las, our plan to pre s e n t both SYR (re s e a rch conference) and finding the right class or teacher amidst the swirl of athletic and S Y TAR (membership conference) back to back at the Kripalu ascetic approaches to yoga that pervade our society. ACenter for Yoga & Health, June 11-16, unraveled just before I think that a college-level-type course curriculum for clin- Christmas. In short, with several new initiatives proposed by Kri- ical yoga therapy at an 800+ level makes sense. I also think that palu's new president, they did not feel confident they could also host the IAYT would benefit not just the organization but the larg e r a large and complicated conference like SYTAR with the high stan- global yoga community if it could come up with a way of also d a rds of excellence they are well known for. Thus, at the time of this o ffering lower-level certifications. Perhaps with a diff e rent title. writing (late February), we are searching for a new venue for both I see no reason why the creation of viable standards and accre d- c o n f e rences, optimally in the same region and time frame. itation for yoga that is therapeutic re q u i res us to make a distinc- We have quite a vision for our upcoming conferences. In addition between yoga and yoga therapy per se, nor do I think IAY T tion to presenting the re s e a rch and practitioner conferences back to should limit itself to clinical environments or particular inter- back, we are hoping to present them in collaboration with three of the p retations. YTT leading Indian yoga re s e a rch and therapy institutions: Kaivalyad- hama, the Patanjali Research Foundation, and the Swami Vi v e k a n a n- J. Bro w n da Yoga Research Foundation (SVYASA). As Sat Bir Khalsa, PhD, I AYT's long-time scientific program chair, puts it: “Overall, through the execution of the proposed symposiums, this F o u n d e r / D i rector of Abhyasa Yoga Center in unparalleled and unprecedented consortium of yoga re s e a rch and B rooklyn, NY t h e r a p y - related institutions will provide undisputable internation- a b h y a s a y o g a c e n t e r. c o m al leadership and re p resentation of yoga that will serve to advance y o g i j b ro w n . c o m the much-needed knowledge and implementation of yoga into the c u l t u re and fabric of our modern society on a global level.” YTT

8 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 Spring 2012 Yo g a T h e r a p yTo d a y 9 Yo g aT h e r a p yf o rD a i l y L i v i n g by Felicia Tomasko Stimulate for Spring

y u rveda teaches us that the seasonal juncture s or transitions are times of both vulnerability and opportunity. While transitions can Ac reate a greater susceptibility to being thrown out of balance, they also allow us to release (physically, mentally, and emotionally) what is ready to be released if we harness this energ y. This is particularly tru e in the spring. In spring, our physiological energies turn to the processes of cleansing and letting go, and then to rebuilding and renewal. This occurs whether or not we are conscious of the process because we are deeply affected by nature's cyclical patterns. The spring shift is from the cold, expansive quality of winter (characterized by the dry and expansive vata dosha, the energetic category of air and ether or empty space) to the warmer and wetter season of spring (the dense and damp k a p h a d o s h a, the energetic category of water and earth). In this virtual fault line of time, we release everything that has built up over the pre v i o u s months to make room for the new. This juncture can be both a powerful opportunity (spring cleaning) and a challenge (spring runny noses or allergies season). We see the challenge of this pattern when maladies like colds and flus sweep through communities and when sniffles and seasonal allergies are on the rise. As yoga therapists we can watch for the pitfalls that our students might stumble upon during their practice as well as techniques that can help pave the way for greater health and balance. One of the qualities shared by both the v a t a winter and k a p h a spring seasons is cold: We support this transition by increasing warmth in a variety of ways. We stoke up the fire externally by ensuring that our practice spaces, workplaces, and homes are adequately warm. We can d ress to seal in internal heat—warm socks (even for practice) and especially a soft scarf can help soothe the cranky energy of the vata dosha a n d help keep external drafts from throwing us off balance. Stoking the internal fires helps to maintain balance and supports in the body (keep extra tissues available). Drinking warm or even hot the process of cleansing through warming (and even heating practices). water in the morning is a generally a supportive practice re g a rdless of Heat can be cultivated (with appropriate caution and consideration) a person's d o s h i c makeup. This helps to liquefy a m a, which is made of with warming p r a n a y a m a and k r i y a practices (including k a p a l a b h a t i , s t u ff including metabolic detritus, toxic buildup, and excess mucus. bhastrika, a n d n a u l i ); sequences that stimulate sweat (which is in and of Adding a bit of raw honey can help scrape excess mucus; lime is useful itself also cleansing); and standing postures that allow us to feel a sense for ameliorating the pitta dosha, and lemon for stimulating a bit of heat. of stability even as we are adjusting to change on many levels of our Hot water can have a lasting effect for the rest of the day. Another morn- lives. This is the time of year for a few more sun salutations (even seat- ing practice of n e t i (using distilled or boiled water for sanitation) also ed sun salutation sequences), appropriate to a person's ability. Standing encourages detoxification. Modifications of familiar p r a n a y a m a p r a c- p o s t u res linked with movement such as raising or lowering the arms in tices such as a more vigorous form of nadi shodhana or alternate nostril versions of warrior one, or circular arm movements in triangle or war- b reathing or a combination of u j j a y i and nadi shodhana can support this rior pose sequences, can encourage circulation, particularly in the lym- practice. phatic system, which helps to reduce or even eliminate stagnation. T h rough understanding the seasonal fluctuations as seen in As we encourage warmth, caution is necessary because some peo- Ayurveda, and making modifications to warm up our spring practices, ple have a tendency to overheat. People with an abundance of the fiery we can strengthen the ability of yoga therapy to support and enhance pitta dosha, those who are coping with inflammatory processes in their cleansing and wellness—both for ourselves and for our students. YTT body or who are finding ways to live with conditions, including multiple sclerosis (heat can instigate flare-ups) or rheumatoid arthritis (made worse by heat), may need to ensure that any increase of warmth is Felicia Tomasko, RN, E-RYT500 is the editor in chief of L A m e rely moderate. In these situations, practicing in a heated room may Y O G A Ay u r v e d a and Health Magazine, the president of not only come with caution but may even be dangerous. But cleansing the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine, and on practices are still important in these situations, so be gentle. the board of directors of the National Ayurvedic Medical Our relationship with fluid intake can be important. As we are Association. She teaches Ayurvedically inspired yoga at cleansing, we may notice an increase of mucus or discharge of mucus Yogaglo.com and maintains a private practice in California.

10 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 I n t e rn a t i o n a lS p o t l i g h t by Neil Pearson Yoga Therapy in the Canadian Healthcare System Part One

oga therapy is advancing toward re c o g n i t i o n as a health profession in the United States more so than it is in Canada. Driving the diver- Ygent developments are societal, economic, and cultural factors, along with huge diff e rences in population demographics. We should expect a very diff e rent, though equally effective, evolution of yoga therapy within the healthcare system in Canada compared to that of the United States. One of the most influential diff e rences to consider across the bor- der is our healthcare system. In Canada there remains a common view that government health insurance should cover all healthcare costs. The population is reluctantly accepting the need to pay a portion of h e a l t h c a re expenses, even though most have been re q u i red to pay for m a i n s t ream services such as physical therapy for at least the past five years. Family doctors hesitate to prescribe services for which the their long-term and intensive lobbying, kinesiologists, exercise physi- patient must pay out of pocket, even when they are convinced that the ologists, and some massage therapy organizations have not been service will be beneficial. Yoga therapy will fall outside services cov- accepted as self-regulating. A d d i t i o n a l l y, in Canada the governments e red by the government, and as such will have the financial hurdle to only regulate healthcare groups whose work with the public poses o v e rcome, re g a rdless of how it evolves here . significant risk. Given that there is no evidence of yoga therapists In Canada, the process of becoming a regulated health pro f e s s i o n harming students, and given that there is direct evidence of a risk of has an equally important impact on the evolution of yoga therapy. The harm associated with yoga classes, in Canada it would be more pro b- Canadian provincial governments oversee self-regulation of health able that yoga teachers would be regulated—if the government had p rofessions, and they have made it clear for many years that they have i n t e rest in adding more self-regulated groups under their umbre l l a . no interest in regulating more professional groups. Even following (continued on page 12)

Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 1 1 InternationalSpotlight c o n t i n u e d

Another issue facing the evolution of yoga therapy within Cana- excellent option for positive outcomes, it is less expensive than pro v i d- dian healthcare is the limited prominence of yoga therapy in Canada. ing additional medically related interventions. C redible, influential leaders and training programs will be needed to Some yoga therapists in Canada are using the credibility of com- advance the field in Canada, yet currently there are only five yoga bined health professional–yoga therapist certification to educate therapist training programs and few prominent yoga therapy teach- h e a l t h c a re groups, other health professionals, and the public about the ers. We have many excellent and skilled (and, to date, not very vocal) benefits and cost-effectiveness of yoga therapy. These actions will con- yoga therapists across our country, but there is no organization that tinue to enhance the acceptance of yoga therapy as an effective health has drawn the existing yoga therapists together. The efforts of many, and rehabilitation strategy. Some are providing yoga therapy within and of a committed few, will be needed to make changes in govern- hospitals, within health professional–owned clinics, and in close ment policy. working relationships with health professionals. With time, and con- Yoga therapy may have a better chance of integrating into Cana- tinued effort, it appears that yoga therapy may become an accepted dian healthcare as a complementary therapy rather than as a re g u l a t- aspect of rehabilitation and healthcare in Canada, integrated into the ed health profession. There is growing evidence that yoga is a benefi- h e a l t h c a re system without the designation of yoga therapists as a re g- cial intervention for many health and medical conditions. At the same ulated health pro f e s s i o n . time, there is understandable concern that yoga teachers do not have If you are a yoga therapist in Canada, I am interested in hearing how the knowledge or expertise re q u i red to provide the best care for peo- your yoga therapy practice has been able to integrate into your local healthcare ple with medical and health issues. However, many healthcare pro f e s- system, for inclusion in a review for Yoga Therapy To d a y. Please drop me a sionals do perceive that yoga therapists possess advanced training line by the end of March at [email protected] with a brief description. YTT and expertise in medical and health matters. Advances in healthcare in Canada are also moving forward thanks to those yoga therapists who also work as regulated health pro- Neil Pearson, PT, MSc, BA-BPHE, CYT, RY T-500 is a fessionals. Psychologists, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, yoga therapist, physical therapist, and clinical assistant physicians, and others are establishing yoga therapy within or associ- p rofessor living in Penticton, British Columbia. His clinical, ated with mental health, rehabilitation, and medical institutions. education, and yoga therapy focus is on people with chro n i c The potential success of integrating yoga therapy into the Cana- pain conditions. Neil offers yoga re t reats for people in pain dian health system is supported by the reality that it can be marketed and yoga therapy training for yogis and health pro f e s s i o n a l s as less expensive than a referral to traditional healthcare. Medical and i n t e rested in using yoga as therapy for people in pain. mental health professionals in Canada are learning through re s e a rc h w w w. l i f e i s n o w.ca. and patient outcomes that a referral to yoga therapy is not only an

12 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 FeaturedArticles by Rob Schware Sharing the Gift of Yoga with our Veterans: The Next Big Opportunity for Yoga Therapists

hen I first began studying yoga seventeen years ago with Thom the impact of these problems has a cascading effect on each of the Birch and Beryl Bender Birch at the Omega Institute, I could 8–10 family members directly related to each service member and Wnot imagine the words “yoga” and “military” used in the veteran. same sentence. The world of yoga, with its grounding in nonvio- • Despite barriers to care (e.g., the perceived and/or actual avail- lence, and that of the military, with its call to violent action if neces- ability of health care services, particularly the availability of sary, seemed to me to be polar opposites. But my regular yoga prac- women-specific services), soldiers are seeking mental health help tice over the years has helped me open to the unity of all beings and more than 100,000 times a month.5 The number of active duty to set aside a few of my cherished opinions and judgments. Now troops discharged from the Army for mental health problems there are a growing number of veterans and active duty service increased by 64% between 2005 and 2009. In 2009, there were members recognizing the benefits of yoga in helping to manage and 17,538 hospitalizations for mental health problems, and 11,156 for process their combat experience and navigate life after war. injuries and battle wounds.6 Mental health problems now account There are plenty of reasons to conclude that a lot of yoga teach- for one in nine medical discharges. For the first time, in 2010, the ers and therapists are going to be needed now and in the future to number of hospitalizations for mental disorders ranked higher complement the work of other health professionals addressing the than those for injuries or pregnancies. growing health crisis among those who have served our nation in Iraq and Afghanistan, and even in Vietnam. We see that look on the faces of veterans when they first hear about yoga class as part of a treat- Consider this: • Mental health conditions in veterans returning from Iraq and ment program for PTSD, the one that says, “You’ve Afghanistan have become an important public health problem. got to be kidding.” Up to 37% of the over two million service members who have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan are struggling with serious Fortunately, there are effective treatments for these mental mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder health problems and they are being delivered by a great number of (PTSD), major depression, and traumatic brain injury (TBI).1 clinicians dedicated to helping our nation's service members. These mental health conditions result in debilitating pain and suf- Unfortunately, even when provided with the best evidence-based fering and are associated with additional problems, including treatments, non-response rates can be as high as 50%.7 As men- addiction, difficulties maintaining work, and homelessness.2 tioned above, access to these treatments may be obstructed by an • These mental health issues can lead to tragic consequences, as array of institutional and diagnosis-related barriers. illustrated by the increasing military suicide rates. Active duty Yoga is a path to experience greater connection and wholeness suicides reached epidemic levels in 2010, with one active duty in life, a way to reconnect when life's challenges result in a deep service member committing suicide every 36 hours. Our veterans sense of fragmentation. According to Dr. Bessel A. van der Kolk, cli- are killing themselves at twice the rate of other Americans.3,4 nician, researcher, and teacher on post-traumatic stress since the • There are approximately 214,000 women serving in the military 1970s: today, with more entering military service every year. In addition People with PTSD lose their way in the world. Their bodies continue to the combat experiences that their male counterparts have to to live in an internal environment of the trauma. We all are biologi- cope with, female veterans suffer from significantly higher rates cally and neurologically programmed to deal with emergencies, but of military sexual trauma, and have suicide rates that are up to time stops in people who suffer from PTSD. That makes it hard to take three times higher than the rates of civilian women.3 In addition, pleasure in the present because the body keeps replaying the past. If you practice yoga and can develop a body that is strong and feels com- fortable, this can contribute substantially to help you to come into the here and now rather than staying stuck in the past.8

Yoga has been increasingly accepted as an effective complementary therapy for mental health issues, including PTSD. Many returning service members experiencing symptoms of combat stress such as nightmares, chronic physical pain, hypervigilance, sleep- lessness, difficulty in controlling anger, and problems in personal relationships say they feel somehow disconnected from themselves, from their loved ones, and from life as a whole. We see that look on the faces of veterans when they first hear about yoga class as part of a treatment program for PTSD, the one that says, “You've got to be kidding.” But often another veteran will jump in: “I know what you're thinking, and I felt the same way. It took me a while to even give it a chance, but, you know, it really helps me.” Yoga is increasingly being offered in VA medical centers to help address unmet mental health needs. In fact, a recent study by D.J. Libby et al. found that nearly 30% (continued on page 14)

Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 1 3 F e a t u re dA rt i c l e s Continued

of specialized PTSD treatment programs offer yoga as a treatment option (unpublished data). Veterans and active duty military per- Testimonials from veterans sonnel who practice yoga regularly report reduced anxiety and depression, improved sleep and concentration, a greater ability to Over the past few months, this meditation has helped me realize how focus on the positive, support in addiction recovery, pain relief, and closely connected my physical and mental pain are. I told my wife increased ability to deal with the mental and emotional strain of that I feel like I'm untangling a big knot. I didn't know which combat. A recent Department of Defense study found that veterans strand was which when it was all knotted together, but as I do the diagnosed with PTSD showed improvement in their symptoms meditation, I feel myself unwinding. As I undo the knot, I see what after 10 weeks of yoga classes.9 was mental and what was physical and how letting go of each helps the other. Many returning service members experiencing —Jon, Vietnam Veteran symptoms of combat stress …. say they feel “When I heard we were going to do yoga, I laughed! I thought that somehow disconnected from themselves, from soldiers doing yoga was ridiculous. After two weeks of practice, though, I thought, 'Who would have ever thought you could get so their loved ones, and from life as a whole. chill?' I want to find a class to do with my wife, something we could share.” —OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom) Veteran (3 deployments) How You Can Help There is a growing community of yoga therapists and studios want- “Sometimes when I meditate, flashbacks come to me of helicopters ing to give back to veterans the gifts that they have received from circling and the time we accidentally killed a woman and her little the practice and teaching of yoga. Do you want to teach yoga effec- son. Normally, this would have sent me into a breakdown. Now, I tively and safely in military settings or offer free classes to veterans? am learning to observe the experience, learn the lessons from it. • The Veterans Yoga Project, http://www.veteransyogaproject.org/, Meditation helps me find the part of my soul that is still peaceful.” offers yoga as a therapeutic practice for veterans coping with —Ralph, Enduring Freedom Veteran PTSD and other trauma-related psychological problems, and training for yoga instructors wishing to serve veterans. The focus is on practices that are breath- and sensation-oriented, a component of the PTSD Rehabilitation Residential Pro g r a m inviting veterans to come back into their bodies in a safe, pre- (PRRP) in Newington, CT; (3) Finding Peace: A Yoga Guide for Veter - dictable, and controllable manner. The “Mindful Yoga Therapy ans and Military Service Men and Women, a book written by Beryl for Veterans Coping with Trauma” workshops combine an Bender Birch; (4) Mindful Yoga Therapy for Veterans Coping with Trau - understanding of the neurophysiology of PTSD and yoga prac- ma: A Practice Guide by Suzanne Manafort and Daniel J. Libby; and tices. (5) a new DVD VetsYoga by Washington, DC, yoga teacher Daniel • Warriors at Ease offers training and certification for yoga and Hickman and produced by Yatra Yoga International and Craig Coff- meditation teachers (and other professional mind/body instruc- man Productions. We have and will make this toolbox of resources tors/practitioners). The training includes cultural sensitivity free to as many current and former soldiers as possible, as well as to skills critical to a teacher's success and effectiveness and steps to organizations offering yoga and meditation to returning veterans. navigate the military healthcare systems. Check out www.war- riorsatease.com for more information and resources. Future Challenges • More than 300 gyms and yoga studios nationwide are participat- The Give Back Yoga Foundation—and other leaders researching the ing in the YogaForVets.org program so far. Founded by Paul effects of yoga on PTSD in veterans, like Kripalu's Institute for Zipes, a former Navy deep sea diver who started doing yoga in Extraordinary Living—recognize the need for rigorous empirical 1995 on a dare from his wife, this grassroots initiative's goal is research on the effects of yoga for combat-related mental health con- “to make sure that someday all war vets return and receive our ditions. Testimonials from veterans and active duty service mem- welcome home gesture of providing four free yoga classes bers have convinced us of the benefits of yoga for symptom relief where they live.” Sign up to offer veterans four free classes at outside of psychiatric services. We hear from veterans with PTSD www.yogaforvets.org.10 who practice yoga reports of better sleep, improved ability to focus and concentrate, less anger and irritability, a more general positive Multimedia Resources for Yoga Teachers outlook on life, and an overall greater ability to enjoy life in the We at the Give Back Yoga Foundation have spent the past few years present moment. But well-conducted research is required to docu- researching and working in the field of yoga for veterans. In 2010, ment these benefits for policymakers and health care providers, and we started with a small grant to Comfort for America's Uniformed to understand which yoga practices and which methods of delivery Services at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, are most effective. to support a yoga and meditation program for wounded warriors. The Give Back Yoga Foundation is there f o re supporting the We quickly found ourselves deluged with requests from yoga teach- Mindful Yoga Therapy pilot study with Operation Enduring Fre e- ers around the country wanting to serve returning veterans and dom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Veterans at the VA C o n- from the veterans and their families themselves. necticut Healthcare System, West Haven. This state-of-the-art random- We began work on a range of high-quality books and CDs that ized clinical trial will examine whether yoga can alleviate symptoms of we have begun distributing, which include (1) meditation CDs gen- PTSD and other deployment-related psychological health pro b l e m s erously donated by Karen Soltes, who teaches at the Washington, among OIF/OEF veterans. The study will use a standardized yoga DC, VA hospital as part of the War Related Illnesses and Injuries t reatment manual that has been specifically developed based on the Study Center; (2) Breathe In, Breathe Out: Breathing Practices to Help Veterans Yoga Project's experience with veterans in VA PTSD tre a t- Balance the Nervous System, designed by Suzanne Manafort for the ment. Ultimately, we hope to find out whether yoga is “really work- Mindful Yoga Therapy for Veterans Coping with Trauma Program, ing” and that veterans' interest in yoga is well founded. YTT

14 Yo g a T h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 F e a t u re dA rt i c l e s Continued Get Start e d !

References he Give Back Yoga Foundation (GBYF) started with a phone 1. Seal K.H., Metzler TJ, Gima KS, Bertenthal D, Maguen S, Marmar CR. Trends and risk factors for mental health diagnoses among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans call in 2007 among Beryl Bender Birch, her student Rob using Department of Veterans Affairs health care, 2002-2008. American Journal of TS c h w a re, and her administrative assistant Lori Klein. Beryl Public Health. 2009;99(9):1651-1658. has been teaching yoga for 35 years; The Hard and The Soft 2. Karney BR, Ramchand R, Osilla KC, Calderone LB, Burns RM. Predicting the immediate and long-term consequences of post-traumatic stress disorder, depres- Yoga Institute training program she founded and dire c t s sion, and traumatic brain injury in veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and includes a “give back project.” Rob was a senior manager at the Operation Iraqi Freedom. In: Tanielian TL, Jaycox LH, eds. Invisible Wounds of War: World Bank searching for a way to give back to his yoga teach- Psychological and Cognitive Injures, Their Consequences, and Services To Assist Recovery. ers, who he appreciated so much, and combine that with over Santa Monica, CA: Rand Corporation; 2008. 3. McFarland BH, Kaplan MS, Huguet N. Datapoints: self-inflicted deaths among two decades of international development work. The phone women with U.S. military service: a hidden epidemic? Psychiatric Services. call led to the creation of a new nonprofit organization to 2010;61(12):1177. a d d ress the institute's “give back” project re q u i rement. The 4. Kaplan MS, Huguet N, McFarland BH, Newsom JT. Suicide among male veterans: a prospective population-based study. Journal of Epidemiology and Communi- past four years have been busy and productive for GBYF. Last ty Health. 2007;61(7):619-624. year the yoga teachers on the board, who have had much expe- 5. Zoroya G. Mental illness costing military soldiers. USA Today. July 23, 2010. rience teaching yoga to veterans, decided to focus on pro v i d i n g http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2010-07-23-1Amentaldischarge23 ST N.htm. yoga for veterans and active military service members and 6. Zoroya G. Mental care stays are up in military. USA Today. May 16, 2010. make that the main focus of funding for this coming year. http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2010-05-14-mental-health. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit re g i s t e red in Maryland, GBYF sup- 7. Schottenbauer MA, Glass CR, Arnkoff DB, Tendick V, Gray SH. Nonresponse and ports and funds certified yoga teachers in all traditions who dropout rates in outcome studies on PTSD: review and methodological considera- tions. Psychiatry: Interpersonal & Biological Processes. 2008;71(2):134-168. o ffer yoga to underserved segments of their communities. 8. van der Kolk BA. Please visit us at www. g i v e b a c k y o g a . o rg . 9. Zimmerman R. Harvard, Brigham study: yoga eases veterans PTSD symptoms. Common Health, Reform and Reality. Dec. 8, 2010. http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2010/12/harvard-brigham-medical-study-yoga- Veterans-ptsd/. 10. See also The Adaptive Sports Foundation, http://www.adaptivesportsfounda- tion.org/; The Exalted Warrior Foundation, http://www.exaltedwarrior.com/; Mind Body Solutions, http://www.mindbodysolutions.org; Studio Bamboo Insti- Rob Schware is the executive director of the Give Back tute of Yoga, http://studiobambooyoga.com/; The Hard and The Soft Yoga Insti- Yoga Foundation. He has been married to Alice Trembour tute, http://www.power-yoga.com; The Trauma Center, http://www.traumacen- ter.org; There & Back Again, http://thereandback-again.org; and Semper Fidelis for 27 years, which, like yoga, is in and of itself a regular Health & Wellness, www.SemperFidelisHealthandWellness.org. commitment to a practice.

Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 1 5 FeaturedArticles by Anita Boser Fascinating Fascia A Guide for Yoga Therapists

ll parts of the body are connected through fascia; indeed, it's also habit). For example, our construction worker will, over time, find it called connective tissue. Historically, it has not been paid suff i- m o re difficult to let that arm rest at his or her side. Acient attention in traditional medicine; in most anatomical texts, When fascial layers are free and healthy, muscles have their full it has been stripped away to reveal the underlying muscles and range of motion in three dimensions. If there are re s t r i c t i o n s — i f o rgans. In re a l i t y, fascia is of supreme importance to proper function- repetitive motion, like excessive mouse use, or prolonged lack of ing of the body. It wraps every muscle fiber, every muscle bundle, movement, like a frequent depressed posture, or previous injury, like every individual muscle, and every muscle group. It becomes the ten- an ankle sprain—have caused the gel and fibers to stick together, then don that knits into the periosteum, a membrane that covers bones motion becomes limited. In these cases, muscles lose their full thre e - (see Figure 1). It forms sheets that transmit force between muscles, dimensional potential and movement becomes two-dimensional. p roviding added strength and help with muscle coordination. Every Emotions affect connective tissue as well, since they are expre s s e d nerve, blood vessel, and organ has a fascial covering. Ligaments, a t h rough posture. The construction worker who is counting the min- part of fascia that has been specifically adapted, connect bone to bone utes to go home, feeling tense and contracted, will have more and organs to other stru c t u res. “warped” fascia than the worker who loves his or her job and feels relaxed and open. Diet and hydration factor in as well. Not only does Figure 1 fascia re q u i re adequate nutrition and water for general functional purposes, it is also a repository for inflammatory compounds caused by food sensitivities and environmental toxins, which remain in tissues until flushed out by the lymphatic system. Restrictions in fascia are felt as tightness, but that doesn't necessarily mean that a muscle is shortened. For example, muscles that haven't been used are typically encased in layers of fascia that have h a rdened and prevent all but the smallest movement. Stre t c h i n g them is like trying to lengthen a wooden dowel. Rather than lengthening, the fascia can crack into micro-tears. This gets re p a i red with a p roliferation of more fibers (scar tissue), which is counterpro d u c t i v e to the goal of fluid movement. That might lead one to believe that s t rengthening is the better strategy. But wooden dowels don't bend e i t h e r, and contracting muscles need to fold. When stiff fascia prevents bending, the surrounding muscles create the desired movement—which they are not designed for. To “unstick” fascia, we first have to revitalize it rather than to lengthen it or strengthen it. This is where yoga excels beyond typical e x e rcise-based treatment. An effective strategy for freeing muscles bound in fascia is to use small movements coordinated with the b reath to soften and re e n e rgize the area. For example, stiff hip flexors a re typically considered a muscle problem, but it is usually the surrounding fascia that prevents proper function. A p a n a s a n a ( k n e e s - t o - chest pose) with hips flexing on the exhale and extending on the inhale is often more effective than traditional lunges or squats to transform the fascia, because the small movements vary tension on fascia, giving the gel a chance to soften and fibers to realign. Reani- mating petrified tissue isn't an overnight project though, and it is r a rely just a physical process. Acknowledging the needs of an injure d place, softening emotionally around tightness, creating space with b reath, and inviting and encouraging all parts of the body to participate in movement are as important as finding the “perfect” pose to This three-dimensional body stocking is a matrix composed of get a release. It is the multidimensional nature of yoga therapy that cells, including fibers that are mostly made of collagen, which give can address the multidimensional nature of fascial re s t r i c t i o n s . fascia its shape, and a gel, which holds the cells together. Other cells found within the fascial matrix include those of the immune system 3-D Tr a n s m i s s i o n s and cells that create and repair the matrix. Thinking about the body in a two-dimensional, mechanical way cre- The matrix transforms readily based on how the body is used. If ates misunderstandings about what is helpful for it, and yoga ther- it's held still over a period of time, the gel stiffens and fibers pro l i f e r- apists can make this same mistake. Anatomical studies show that ate to create stability for that position. If it's subjected to re p e t i t i v e muscular force is transmitted through fascial sheets, not just motion, the fascia creates a memory to repeat it. So, shape conforms t h rough the bones.1 , 2 Fascia surrounding the muscles is what attach- to function. A person who holds a stop sign six hours a day at a con- es to the bones and, along the way, it connects to fascia from other s t ruction site may develop criss-crossed fibers in the fascia of his or muscles as well as to fascial “bridges” that cross several joints. If we her arms and chest that help to hold the arm up. The condition of the think about stretching the hamstrings, it is common to think of gel and the alignment of the fibers, together with the tracks laid down lengthening from the ischial tuberosity (“sitting bone”) to the back of by nervous system pathways, become a physical s a m s k a r a ( i n g r a i n e d the knee. But the hamstrings connect into the three-dimensional w e b .

16 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 That's why janu sirsasana (head-to-knee pose) feels diff e rent in the nism shares the load between the muscles and fascia to avoid muscle back of the thigh than p a s c h i m o t t a n a s a n a (seated forward fold) or fatigue or ligament overstretching and is why it is more effective to parsvottanasana (standing intense side-stretch pose). These poses, b reathe out than to breathe in when moving into a forward bend.3 which all have a component of hamstring stretch, activate the matrix The brain is credited with controlling and communicating with d i ff e rently with diff e rent vectors of pull. all parts of the body through the nervous system. However, fascia is A fascial connection vital to low-back strength, especially when another internal mechanism for communication. Think of a group of lifting or bending forward, is the interface between the abdominal people holding hands with their eyes closed. They can speak to each muscles and the spine. Exhaling with yoga breath engages the trans- other to direct their movement, which is analogous to the nervous verse abdominis, which wraps around the belly like a girdle and inserts system sending signals from the brain to the muscles. Another option on the lumbar vertebrae. The fascia exerts pre s s u re and provides stabil- is for one person to lead the movement with the group following the ity to the vertebrae and added strength to the ligaments. This mecha- physical pulls. That is how fascia works. (continued on page 18)

Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 1 7 F e a t u re dA rt i c l e s Continued

The body uses both strategies. For example, the thoracolumbar fascia As yoga therapists, we often see students who don't know where connects not only to the abdominal muscles but also to the back and their bodies are in space. Interestingly this lack of proprioception is hip extensors and holds the weight of the upper body in a forward being linked to increased perception of pain.7 As pro p r i o c e p t i o n bend. When you return from the forward bend, your brain sends sig- d e c rea ses, information from nociceptive nerve endings (those that nals through the nervous system to the muscles and the tension in the transmit sensation, especially pain) increases. Many of the body's fascia coordinates the movement to stand up. When movement starts, nerve endings reside in fascia and are numerous where layers fro m pulls through the fascia inform neighboring muscles that their action is d i ff e rent muscle groups join. My experience from working with needed. If there are micro-tears or scars in the fascia, the message is dis- clients is that, where fascia is bound, pain perception is heightened. torted and movement is similarly distorted. This is why students with Clients with less pain have fascia that glides easily. weak or injured fascia find it difficult to stay in a forward bend and Yoga therapists can use this knowledge of fascia to enhance our may need to rest their hands on their thighs, a chair, or a block to sup- ability to design effective practices for our clients. We can keep in mind port their body weight. the three-dimensional body stocking that links skin, muscles, org a n s , nerves, and energy centers and the need for fascial layers to glide (see Fascia Injuries F i g u re 2). Glide comes from putting just the right tension on the matrix, Unconscious movements often create recurring injuries and cause making minor adaptations to change the vector of pull, using the c h ronic pain. People who sit in poor posture not only compro m i s e b reath to reach into the web and activate the body's energy systems, their breath, they also overstretch their fascia, especially the low-back and using revitalizing b h a v a n a s (intentions for practice). This frame of ligaments. A study has shown that a passive stretch of twenty min- re f e rence is more complex than the traditional, linear consideration of utes causes ligament deformation called “cre e p . ” 2 As the spinal joints s t retching from A to B and strengthening 1 and 2, but it offers the lose support from the misshapen ligaments, the surrounding muscles immense benefit of greater clarity and connection to the whole self. YTT go into spasm. With the amount of time that many people spend slouching on the couch and driving in their cars with over- f l e x e d Figure 2 spines, it's no wonder that we have an epidemic of “creepy” ligaments, unstable lumbar spine joints, and back pain. Habitual movements can also cause injury in yoga practice. Many people, myself included, have shortened arm extensors. When I raise my arm forward and up, the end of range is not the full 180°, which would put my elbow next to my ear. My range changes fro m day to day, depending on my activities and emotions from the day b e f o re. If my body was made only of two-dimensional muscles, I couldn't go any further, but the fascial matrix can overcome the limi- tation. The common compensation, mine included, is to lift the entire shoulder girdle up off the torso using the muscles and connective tissue from the neck. The fascial network can easily make the adjust- ment for an occasional compromise, but if it is a repetitive motion, the gel gets stiff and the fibers stick in a dysfunctional pattern. So when I repeat the motion of raising my arms too far, my neck muscles strain. If I don't adapt in yoga class by lowering my elbows or when I pru n e t rees or paint the ceiling, I get a headache. Likewise, the source of carpal tunnel syndrome or tennis elbow can be fascial restrictions in the neck or shoulder. Fascia and the Energy Body Yoga therapists know that the physical body (annamaya kosha) a n d e n e rgy body (pranamaya kosha) a re connected. The fascial network may be a link between the two. One study found that the “distribution of R e f e r e n c e s 1. Huijing, P. (1999). Muscle as a collagen fiber re i n f o rce composite: a review of forc e the human body meridians and points are in connective tissue where transmission in muscle and whole limb. Journal of Biomechanics, 32(4), 329-345. they can generate strong biological information at the site”4 and anoth- 2. Solomonow, M., Hatipkarasulu, S., Zhou, B. H., Baratta, R., & Aghazadeh, F. (2003). er found that acupuncture points often correspond to fascial tethers Biomechanics and electromyography of a common idiopathic low back disord e r. S p i n e , between layers.5 I like Paul Grilley's perspective on connective tissue 28(12), 1235-1248. 3. Gracovetsky, S. (2007). Is the lumbodorsal fascia necessary? [DVD re c o rding]. Pre s e n t e d (fascia). In his Anatomy for Yo g a DVD, he states that connective tissue at the First International Fascia Research Congress, Boston MA. is misnamed and should be called “meridian tissue,” since it gro w s 4. Yuan, L., & Bai, J. (2009). Anatomical discovery of meridians and collaterals. In: P. and shrinks according to the amount of c h i traveling through it.6 Huijing, P. Hollander, T. Findley, and R. Schleip (Eds.), Fascia re s e a rch II, basic science and implications for conventional and complementary health care (pp. 98-99). Munich: Elsevier The c h a k r a s , another aspect of the energy system, are activated by B m b H . the b a n d h a s (locks). Fascial pulls connect them. Contraction of the 5. Langevin, H., & Ya n d o w, J. (2002). Relationship of acupuncture points and meridi- pelvic floor (mula bandha) pulls on the fascia of the hip adductors (first ans to connective tissue planes. The Anatomical Record, 269(6), 257-265. c h a k r a a rea) and the fascia covering the peritoneum and sex org a n s 6. Grilley, P. (2003). Anatomy for Yo g a [DVD]. Pranamaya, Inc., San Francisco, CA. Av a i l- able from http://www. p r a n a m a y a . c o m . (second c h a k r a). Strong contraction of the transverse abdominis 7. Brumagne, S., Cordo, P., Lysens, R., Ve r s c h u e ren, S., & Swinnen, S. (2000). The ro l e (uddiyana bandha) changes the shape of the abdominal cavity and cre- of paraspinal muscle spindles in lumbosacral position sense in individuals with and ates pulls on the internal organs (third c h a k r a) in addition to pulling on without low back pain. S p i n e, 15(8), 989-994. the diaphragm. The fascia that covers the diaphragm is continuous with the pericardium (fourth c h a k r a). Jalandhara bandha engages the Anita Boser, LMP, CHP, RYT 500, practices structural f ront of the throat (fifth c h a k r a). Fascia in this area connects upward to integration and teaches yoga in Issaquah, Washington. She fascia on the inside of the skull to between the eyes (sixth c h a k r a) and is part of the adjunct faculty for Essential Yoga Therapy d o w n w a rd through fascia on the front of the spine, around the sacral and the Institute of Structural Medicine. Her website is nerve plexus to the tailbone and pubic bone (first c h a k r a). w w w. u n d u l a t i o n e x e rcise.com.

18 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 F e a t u re dA rt i c l e s Continued by J. Brown Does Studying Anatomy Make Yoga Safer? P rominent Teachers Respond n 2009, I attended the Council of Schools meeting at IAYT's Sympo- studying anatomy is not helpful in the development of a person's sium on Yoga Therapy Research and wrote a perspective for the practice or teaching of yoga. I realize that such claims, coming fro m IInternational Journal of Yoga Therapy about some of the issues sur- someone who is not rooted in science, might easily be considered less rounding the creation of standards for Yoga Therapy.1 M o re re c e n t l y, than credible. So I decided to reach out to several prominent teachers I posted a blog piece that was critical of some common misre p re s e n- of anatomy for yoga instructors and solicit their expert opinions. I tations in the yoga industry re g a rdi ng yoga teacher certification,2 a n d sent them the following three questions: the New York Times Magazine published an article entitled “How Yo g a Can Wreck Your Body. ” 3 In all the discussions and comment thre a d s 1. Does studying anatomy make Yoga safer? If yes, how? If no, why? that have ensued, the prevailing sentiment seems to be that one of the 2. Is anatomy (and the teaching thereof) open to interpre t a t i o n ? reasons there are so many ill-trained teachers and injurious classes is E x p l a i n . that yoga teachers do not study enough anatomy. The supposition is 3. A re there instances when studying anatomy is not useful to a yoga that what makes a yoga teacher more qualified and the yoga they practitioner's or teacher's development? If so, when? teach safer is knowledge of the anatomical sciences. After more than a dozen years specializing in therapeutic yoga Leslie Kaminoff, coauthor of Yoga Anatomy4 ( y o g a a n a t o m y.net), says: practice, working with a broad range of people and conditions, I am “ A n a t o m y, like any acquired knowledge, is a tool. Tools can be used confident about the protocols I employ. Consistently favorable out- to help, or to harm. [Studying anatomy is not useful] when you use it comes have convinced me that my methods are safe and eff e c t i v e . to beat yourself or your students up. I generally do not use anatomi- When I decided to start a training program and offer a foundational cal terms when I teach. It engages the wrong hemisphere of the brain. 200-hour certification in teaching therapeutic yoga, studying anato- I'm trying to give people a three-dimensional experience of their bod- m y, frankly, was not high on my list of essentials. Although I have ies and breath, and they won't get that if they're trying to understand studied anatomy to some degree, it has never been my focus and cer- and apply anatomy to their own bodies while they practice.“ A m y tainly does not form the basis of what makes my classes safe. This Matthews, coauthor of Yoga Anatomy4 (embodiedasana.com), adds: admission may be blasphemous to some, but if science is going to be “If studying anatomy helps to illuminate the incredible number of the rubric then it bears mentioning that, as of yet, there is no re s e a rc h 'right' ways to do an action, terrific. Unfortunately, the study of anato- or evidence to support the theory that studying anatomy makes yoga my can also become an imposition of limitations on possibility in a s a f e r. In fact, a strong case can be made that, in many instances, s e a rch for what is 'anatomically correct'.” (continued on page 20)

Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 1 9 F e a t u re dA rt i c l e s Continued

“When I teach yoga teachers who are training to be yoga therapists, it is apparent that, for most, their knowledge of anatomy is interspersed with precautions and red flags for ensuring the students are safe in class. This knowledge has not allowed them to teach from their heart, it has created a practice of teaching from fear.” —Neil Pearson

In his response to the New York Ti m e s M a g a z i n e article, Kaminoff also points out that yoga forms do not exist as empirical objects, in and of t h e m s e l v e s . 5 Yoga a s a n a only exists when a human being attempts to engage it. It is impossible to make generalized statements about the technicalities of an a s a n a form divorced from this essential context. Not all people respond the same to the study of anatomy. When anatomy piques someone's interest and inspires inquiry into experience, then the study is useful. However, for the budding teacher who is not academically minded, examining the body through an anatomical lens often leaves that person feeling fearful. Neil Pearson, clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia and the chair of the Pain Science Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy A s s o c i a- tion (lifeisnow.ca), believes that learning anatomy runs the risk of generating a fear-based approach to yoga a s a n a practice: “When I teach yoga teachers who are training to be yoga therapists, it is apparent that, for most, their knowledge of anatomy is interspersed with p recautions and red flags for ensuring the students are safe in class. This knowledge has not allowed them to teach from their heart, it has c reated a practice of teaching from fear.” Furthermore, Pearson explains, the human tendency to try and explain things from a mech- anistic perspective, as if we make things more real when we can describe them in terms of something physical, easily turns yoga into a s a n a , and a s a n a into a primarily physical practice. Stressing that anatomy is the key to safety re i n f o rces the view that the physical is most important. Even if we limit ourselves to the physical, there is a lot about studying anatomy that seems open to interpretation or sensibility. c o nsensus among the teachers I polled that anatomy study alone is S u re, there is no arguing that a femur bone is anything but a femur i n s u fficient to ensuring safe yoga practice. Instead of looking to anato- bone, but not everyone agrees on the benefits and/or contraindica- my as a panacea for what ails the yoga profession, perhaps we do bet- tions of headstand and shoulderstand. I have heard credible anatom- ter to foster a diff e rent mentality around the physical work of yoga ical justifications to support diff e rent views. Judith Hanson Lasater, practice that minimizes any potential risks and encourages smarter 6 author of Yo g a B o d y ( j u d i t h l a s a t e r.com) agrees that imposing a med- choices. ical model on yoga “does not take us anywhere new,” but she asserts When it comes to training teachers, most of the professionals I that a strong foundation in anatomy is important nonetheless. In her have spoken to agree that the key to teaching yoga safely boils down i n e ffable way of reframing the question, though, she says, “Anatomy to the sensitivity and adaptability of the instru c t o r, his or her capaci- is not enough.” ty for dialogue with and responsiveness to a student, and the humble Pearson concludes: “In the end, it is not Western scientific confidence of knowing what you know and what you don't know. knowledge of the human body that will make yoga safer. Changing YTT the students approach to the discipline of yoga and the practice of a s a n a will create the greatest shift.” R e f e r e n c e s In the training I conduct, I emphasize a set of safety pro t o c o l s 1. Brown, J. (2009). Yoga therapy is not yoga. International Journal of Yoga Therapy, that center mostly on the teacher-student relationship, scope of prac- 19(1), 25-26. tice, and the role that yoga plays in someone's healing and life. 2. Brown, J. (2011, November 7). Yoga Alliance approved, my ass [Web blog]. Retrieved from http://yogijbro w n . c o m / 2 0 11 / 11 / y o g a - a l l i a n c e - a p p ro v e d - m y - a s s / Although I do also instruct on how and when to modify poses and 3. Broad, W. J. (2012, January 5). How yoga can wreck your body. The New York Ti m e s sequences to adapt to specific situations and conditions, learning M a g a z i n e . Retrieved from http://www. n y t i m e s . c o m / 2 0 1 2 / 0 1 / 0 8 / m a g a z i n e / h o w - these modifications and understanding how to employ them does y o g a - c a n - w re c k - y o u r- b o d y. h t m l not re q u i re more then a rudimentary knowledge of anatomy. 4. Kaminoff, L., & Matthews, A. (2011). Yoga anatomy (2nd ed.). Human Kinetics. I am of the same opinion as Matthews, who says that studying 5. Kaminoff, L. (2012, January 12). My 2 cents about “How yoga can wreck your body” [Video blog post]. Retrieved from http://www. y o g a a n a t o m y. o rg / 2 0 1 2 / m y - 2 - anatomy is not essential to the practice or teaching of yoga. There are c e n t s / many safe and excellent yoga teachers who provide an invaluable 6. Hanson Lasater, J. (2009). Yo g a B o d y. Berkeley, CA: Rodmell Pre s s . service to humanity and are not talking about anatomy. More o v e r, as Matthews also states: “if someone is going to use a discussion of J. Brown is a yoga teacher, writer, and founder of Abhyasa anatomy as a teaching tool in a yoga class, they'd best know what Yoga Center in Brooklyn, NY. abhyasayogacenter. c o m , they are talking about—and not just be repeating some of the over- y o g i j b ro w n . c o m simplified and dangerous things that are often blithely said.” R e g a rdless of what importance is given to anatomy in the training of yoga teachers or yoga therapists, there was overwhelming

20 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 P e r s p e c t i v e by Robin Rothenberg Yoga Therapy on the Line: The Imperative of a High Bar for the Development of Our Pro f e s s i o n

Executive director's note: The minimum length of training re q u i red to teach I began my study of yoga, like many of my colleagues, long the competencies proposed by IAYT's Educational Standards committee has b e f o re there were set “hours” that indicated some level of achieve- been one of the most challenging and controversial parts of the pro p o s e d ment. The understanding my co-teachers and I had from the outset standards. In order to support well-informed discussion of this issue, I invit- was that we were beginners for the first ten years of practice and that ed two experienced yoga therapist trainers—Robin Rothenberg and Leila the transmission of knowledge in the field of yoga was a lifelong Stuart—with very different perspectives on this to share their thoughts with quest. We took every workshop with senior teachers we could. We our community. studied and practiced, pouring our hearts and dollars into continuing education—not to acquire a certificate but to deepen our capacity to serve our students and know ourselves more fully. Our teachers mod- was so heartened by the Meeting of Schools last August, just before eled this same kind of diligence and delight in learning by pursuing the 2011 Symposium on Yoga Therapy and Research, where we m o re education from their master teachers in India, with the Ig a t h e red as a community of yoga therapy program directors to dis- acknowledgment that a willingness to devote time and energy to the cuss the draft-proposed standards created by IAYT's Educational p r a c t i c e —a b h y a s a , “ u n i n t e r rupted over a long period of time”—were S t a n d a rds Committee. Overall, a majority of those present supported fundamental ingredients to the process of learning yoga. the suggested 800 minimum additional hours re q u i red to teach a 200- h o u r-level yoga teacher the set of competencies proposed for an Some are questioning the feasibility of develop- entry-level yoga therapist. Elated, I took this as a sign of a commit- ing the field while keeping the bar high. ment among my colleagues to ensure high quality in our pro f e s s i o n as we move forward. My husband, a potter, reminds me that his teacher says it takes Now I know that some are questioning the feasibility of devel- 10,000 hours at the wheel to master it. That's the baseline for making oping the field while keeping the bar high. I'd like to offer some a vase. How long does it take to understand the complexity of the thoughts on why I believe it's not only possible to grow our field by human condition? As a yoga therapist, I am awestruck at the range of establishing this baseline, it's also imperative to our future success. physical and psycho-emotional imbalances (continued on page 22)

Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 2 1 P e r s p e c t i v e Continued

that my clients suffer from—the levels are at times overwhelming. The years of training with masterful teachers who have helped me to understand the philosophy and practical applications of yoga on all five levels of the pancha maya (also known as the k o s h a s , or five dimensions of the human system: physical, energetic, mental, intuitive, and spiritual) have been indispensable to my capacity to meet the needs of my students. In addition, my ongoing training in functional anato- m y, physiology, and neuroscience have greatly aided my ability to translate the teachings of yoga in terms that are comprehensible both to my clients and to the medical professionals with whom I collabo- rate. I couldn't begin to quantify the hours that it's taken me to study and synthesize this information—I just know it couldn't have been c o m p ressed into a crash course. Yoga, like a perfectly balanced vase, re q u i res time to achieve mastery. I think we need to be clear and honest about what motivates our choices as we move forward as a profession. There is an obvious need for yoga therapy in the field of healthcare. Hospitals and clinics, like the ones I work in, are recognizing the benefits of offering yoga therapy to their clientele. Yoga teachers are looking for ways to expand their skill set and develop a niche that is, to many, more psychologically and financially re w a rding than teaching a s a n a at the local gym. Of course, teaching yoga in any setting is wonderful, and yet we have an obligation to uphold the teachings of yoga—heyam dukham ana - g a t a m ( f u t u re suffering is to be avoided). As inheritors of these precious teachings, we need to maintain the integrity with which they w e re gifted to us and not water them down or substitute quantity for q u a l i t y. How do I respond to a client who comes to see me after working privately with a “therapeutically trained” yoga teacher who put her in a headstand to rectify her acute neck pain (with radiating with the 200- and 500-hour RYT as the first rungs of that pro c e s s . numbness down her arm)? How do I explain the diff e ren ce between Becoming a yoga teacher and cultivating those skills are valuable our training, expertise, and credentials? assets. However, I feel strongly that the base level of competencies for a yoga therapist needs to exceed that of a yoga teacher to ensure that If we capitalize on the word therapy now, before t h e re is no question about who and what we are. In the long run, this high standards become the norm, we may end up will earn us credibility in the eyes of the public and our pro f e s s i o n a l akin to the housing market—selling out “sub- colleagues. As for those who fear that there will be a void of students will- prime” trainings and ending up adding to the suf- ing to apply, I ask them to look at programs such as the A m e r i c a n fering of the world, rather than transforming it. Viniyoga Institute (AVI) that suggest otherwise. Personally, I have been pleased with the interest in the Essential Yoga Therapy Tr a i n i n g We could use the recent spotlight on yoga injuries to emphasize that I direct, and have been told by many applicants that they are that high standards are a point of diff e rentiation between a yoga specifically seeking a program of greater depth and are willing to teacher and a yoga therapist. As 500 hours of training is considered a labor through the pre requisites in order to be accepted. By setting a high bar for yoga teachers, by doubling that educational re q u i re m e n t higher bar, we model the true lineage of yoga: a practice that is only we ensure that in calling ourselves “yoga therapists” we can stand achieved by diligence, commitment, and patience. confidently among our health-professional peers. If we capitalize on It's challenging to get into medical school and it's even more of a the word therapy now, before high standards become the norm, we challenge to become a doctor. Not everyone makes it. When I'm may end up akin to the housing market-selling out sub-prime train- s e a rch ing for a healthcare professional, I seek out the one with the ings and ending up adding to the suffering of the world, rather than most experience and training. I believe that the skill set necessary to transforming it. develop a certified yoga therapist is complex and takes years of study, Some have proposed that we can achieve meeting everyone's application, and mentorship. The truth is, not every yoga teacher out d e s i res by creating a hierarchy of levels, with the entry-level re q u i re- t h e re has what it takes. I implore us not to lower our bar to meet the ment for a yoga therapist comparable to an RY T-500 (Yoga A l l i a n c e masses, but rather to inspire those who have true motivation to re g i s t e red yoga teacher). I caution us against pursuing this paradigm. invest, to make the pilgrimage, and to devote themselves to the While it will achieve the goal of making yoga therapy certification p rocess, so that we can guarantee a qualitative standard that will last m o re accessible, it will also make it difficult to discern the diff e re n c e for many generations beyond ourselves. YTT between an advanced yoga teacher and a yoga therapist. To compare this model with nursing, there is a definite diff e rence between the Robin Rothenberg is an internationally recognized yoga training and competencies needed to become a CNA, an LPN or an therapist, teaching in hospitals and clinics in the Seattle RN, or an NP. The field of nursing has been around long enough to a rea. She offers a 500 RYT teacher training, and compre- develop these fine-tuned lines of distinction. hensive yoga therapist training for seasoned teachers. Robin We are at the beginning of a process of defining ourselves and is the author of The Essential Low Back Pro g r a m : clarifying our role in health care. I suggest that we have in fact Relieve Pain & Restore Health, and Soothing the Spirit: a l ready established the levels necessary to become a yoga therapist, Yoga Nidra to Reduce A n x i e t y ( C D ) .

22 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 P e r s p e c t i v e by Leila Stuart Sustainable Growth for Yoga Therapy Tr a i n i n g he choices we make today re g a rding educational standard s for yoga tant to note that I fully support 800 hours of training for yoga therapists therapy will influence the quality of our profession for future gener- as an advanced level of certification, but I am suggesting that it be Tations. As a profession, we need to create a yoga therapy training o ff e red in the context of graduated levels of training. i n f r a s t ru c t u re that acknowledges both the diff e rences between various After in-depth discussions I had with a number of passionate and s t reams of yoga therapy and the present realities in the field of yoga dedicated yoga therapy teachers and students, five central benefits of therapy training and that achieves the desired effect of delivering yoga graduated training levels emerged: (1) accessibility, (2) inclusiveness, (3) therapy to a broader base. integration time, (4) effects on the existing yoga therapy profession, and To maintain professional credibility and acceptance by both the (5) integrity. medical profession and the public, it is vitally important that certification standards be developed for entry-level yoga therapy training pro- 1. A c c e s s i b i l i t y : Graduated levels make yoga therapy training more grams. After much hard work, IAYT's Educational Standards Commit- financially and geographically accessible to students. In today's climate tee recommended 800 hours as the minimum entry-level standard in of economic uncertainty, very few people in our yoga community have their revised proposed standards. Although this is a good start, this doc- $15,000 to $25,000 to spend on an 800-hour training at any given time. ument would greatly benefit by the inclusion of an important and fun- Many yogins do not make large incomes or have access to scholarships damental principle used by numerous educational and pro f e s s i o n a l or financial assistance. Acknowledging this re a l i t y, the re c o m m e n d e d o rganizations as an inherent part of both training and accre d i t a t i o n : competencies in the final draft proposal of standards may need adjust- graduated levels of certification. In our own profession, yoga teachers ment to become economically viable. In addition, some schools off e r i n g can currently attain RY T-200, RY T-500, and E-RYT levels through the 800-hour training are distant to students, requiring much time and eff o r t Yoga A l l i a n c e . to travel for learning. I suggest that the standards committee seriously consider adopting The substantial time and financial commitment needed to attain the t h ree levels of yoga-therapy training at the 300-, 500-, and 800-hour p roposed minimum standard of training level. The designations could be identified as Certified Yoga Therapist could prevent potentially talented and dedicated yoga teachers fro m (CYT)-300; CYT-500; and CYT-800; and, for graduates of programs with even starting yoga therapy training. The option of pursuing pro g re s s i v e m o re than 800 hours, Experienced Certified Yoga Therapist (E-CYT). levels of education as circumstances permit make it more feasible and The same competencies would be re q u i red for each level but at incre a s- attainable for students to eventually reach an advanced level of training. ing comprehensiveness. A l t e r n a t i v e l y, delineation of competencies by level could restrict CYT-300 therapists to teaching public classes, allow 2. I n c l u s i v e n e s s : The principle of inclusiveness lies at the very heart of C Y T-500 therapists to hold private sessions (except for psychological the practice of yoga; it sets the yoga community apart from many other issues), and give CYT-800 therapists full scope of practice. It is impor- fields. As a profession, we should be inspiring (continued on page 24)

Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 2 3 P e r s p e c t i v e Continued

and facilitating as many This is the reality of today's yoga therapy landscape, and it is both qualified people as possible logical and yogic to “start where we are” as an emerging profession. A n to take yoga therapy train- i n c rease in entry-level educational standards from 300 to 800 hours is ing. By encouraging quali- too large a leap given the potentially devastating effect on existing fied yoga therapists at each schools. An unintended but unfortunate effect of such a choice is that recommended level, thre e this will likely limit the numbers of future yoga therapists. Another pos- important and interre l a t e d sible effect might be that other accreditation agencies, such as Yo g a purposes would be served. Alliance, will step in to register trainings with less than 800 hours. This First, with the attainable could confuse public perception of yoga therapy qualifications and cre- goal of an initial 300-hour ate fractures within the profession. Quality control of educational stan- training, there would be a d a rds for yoga therapy can only be achieved by having all school certi- b roader base of trained and fications under the umbrella of one org a n i z a t i o n . qualified practitioners at 5. I n t e g r i t y : The acknowledgement of diff e rent levels, needs, and abili- each level. Not everyone ties of individuals is a basic principle of yoga therapy that should be inte- a s p i res to advanced levels of grated into the establishment of levels of yoga therapy certification. Ded- training. Second, each level icated yoga teachers strive for the goals of living and teaching conscious- of proficiency would pro- ness, peacefulness, and spirituality in the context of transforming suff e r- vide the foundation and ing at every level. These are the basic tenets of yoga and need to be re f l e c t- stepping-stone for the next ed in the process of establishing standards for training yoga therapists. level. Third, the three levels collectively, producing more qualified yoga As yoga therapists, we design therapy programs based on students' therapists, would allow more people in our society to experience the individual natures, needs, and re s o u rces. To maintain integrity and con- transformative benefits of yoga therapy. sistency with our yogic principles, we should offer the same considera- A survey of existing training programs reveals that many schools tion to people contemplating yoga therapy as a profession. Graduated a l ready incorporate graduated levels, perhaps in recognition of attrition certification levels offer a choice to prospective yoga therapists based on resulting from financial constraints, shifting interests, and changing life their current level of interest, income, and available time. c i rcumstances. If given the option of pursuing pro g ressive levels of edu- In summary, I see two central issues requiring further discussion. First cation as circumstances permit, more students could achieve advanced is the issue of an 800-hour minimum for entry-level yoga therapy train- levels of training. ing programs. I strongly believe that the competencies re q u i red to train a qualified and effective yoga therapist can be taught in less than 800 Many people at the outset of their educational hours. Over the last ten years of leading my own yoga therapy training p rogram, I have witnessed the competence and effectiveness of graduat- journey don't know where they want to special- ing therapists as practitioners who are well re g a rded in their communi- ize or what level of education they want to ties. Curre n t l y, in hospitals, innovative programs, and community settings, yoga therapists graduating from existing 300-hour trainings have achieve; graduated modules allow people the established quality programs and re s e a rch projects that are re c o g n i z e d evolution of their specialization and ultimate and supported by the medical profession. I believe it is experience in the skill level to occur in a realistic timeframe. field that integrates and matures therapists. After reviewing a number of other training programs, it appears that many of them are including that experience as part of the training. In my own case, I have been teaching 3. Integration time: The educational process is a personal journey for the substantive information in the classroom and then mentoring people the teacher; a time of transformation and deepening of one's own prac- as necessary after they receive their certificate. tice. Looking back on our own process of becoming yoga therapists, I Second, establishing a minimum standard of 800 hours for entry- would suggest that few of us started with the intention of attaining our level yoga therapy training programs is too big a step for our develop- p resent level of training and experience. We took evolutionary steps that ing profession at this time. Such a drastic move could be detrimental to culminated in the yoga therapists we are today. These same “steps of the existing and future profession of yoga therapy by limiting entrants evolution,” as Larry Payne calls them (personal communication, 2012), as well as potentially limiting public access to qualified yoga therapists. need to be honored in the accreditation process. Many people at the out- Both of these issues would be addressed by implementing graduated set of their educational journey don't know where they want to special- levels of yoga therapy training. ize or what level of education they want to achieve; graduated modules The membership is now being asked to comment on the re v i s e d allow people the evolution of their specialization and ultimate skill level draft proposals. In your comments, please take the time to support the to occur in a realistic timeframe. concept of graduated levels of accreditation. The spirit of yoga will be Levels of accreditation allow the time to work with, practice, and inte- well served by a yoga therapy profession that grows organically rather grate learned material, allowing students to absorb and integrate at dif- than cataclysmically. f e rent rates. Many of the 300-hour trainings are held weekly or month- l y, allowing time for integration of digestible amounts of material. Yoga Sutra 1.17 "Step by step, motivated by Bliss we move from basic to re f i n e d understanding as we move toward being firmly united with our Enlightened 4. E ffect on the Yoga Therapy Pro f e s s i o n : The IAYT Survey of Yo g a Hearts." YTT Therapist Training Programs in 2008 determined that the majority of existing programs are approximately 300 hours in length. Many of these The author would like to thank the following people for their input in writing this article: schools could be forced out of business due to a lack of administrative John Kepner, Larry Payne, Patty Stuart-Macadam, Stephanie Sisson, Maggie Reagh, i n f r a s t ru c t u re and re s o u rces to expand to 800-hour programs. The pro- Michael We i n e r, and the 2011 Anatomy of Yoga Therapy class. The opinions expressed in this letter are entirely those of the author. posed standards must honor the wisdom and experience of the cre a t o r s of these 300-hour programs, designed with the sincere belief that com- Leila owns Centerpoint Yoga Therapy near Va n c o u v e r, BC., petent, qualified yoga therapists would be trained. A modular pro c e s s w h e re she teaches both public classes and, since 2001, a 350- would support training programs already in place, which could then hour yoga therapist training program. She is on the international teaching faculty of Donna Farhi's teacher trainings and become stepping-stones to advanced studies. Some schools may decide a u t h o red The Great Yoga Handbook. to expand their offerings while others would be content with a 300-hour w w w. c e n t e r p o i n t y o g a t h e r a p y. c o m p rogram, knowing that some of their students would become CYT- 3 0 0 and others would pro g ress to further training.

24 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 Insight by Sherry Brourman Why We Need Internship Programs: The Essential Complement to Yoga Therapy Tr a i n i n g

n order to be safe and well educated, yoga therapists need a year of a p y, occupational therapy, psychology, chiropractic, acupuncture , supervised clinical pre - p rofessional experience. As a practicing manual therapies, music therapy, osteopathy, and of course every Iphysical therapist since my own internship 38 years ago, and hav- field of medicine. The internship is a licensing re q u i rement, as it was ing taught in a highly respected yoga therapy certification pro g r a m for me by the American Physical Therapy Association way back in for five years, I am convinced that long-term supervised experience is 1973. You could not take state boards or CEU classes until you had the most effective way to raise the standard and safety of yoga thera- completed this re q u i rement. Even the relatively new complementary p y. For this reason, I felt compelled to develop a post-graduate intern- and alternative medicines are being implemented using fellowships, ship program, currently in its fourth year. What I have witnessed in which are internship-like programs, so that doctors who want to my interns and graduates has convinced me that we must pro v i d e move toward integrative medicine must be supervised before taking this supervision for all newly certified therapists and ensure that this piece of education into their current practice. t h e re is a cohesive “collaboration program” that is advantageous for clients, interns, supervisors, and schools. Our employers—students, studios, hospitals, Yoga Therapy Meets other Healing Arts gyms, government agencies, schools, and corporations—are going to hire people who are not If “yoga therapy is to become the first new healthcare profession in the twenty-first century”—to quote Matthew Taylor at IAYT's Sym- just qualified but who are “at the ready.” posium on Yoga Therapy and Research (SYTAR) 2011— it is essential for us to have the language and skills to interface with curre n t l y What Physical Therapy School Gave Me acknowledged medical communities. For that, we will need to meet their standards in the training process, and more importantly, new In the school years preceding my internship for physical therapy, we yoga therapists will want to feel qualified and pre p a red. studied the systems of the body from the perspectives of anatomy, All of the current (established) governing associations for heal- p h y s i o l o g y, neuro l o g y, biochemistry, and physics and took classes in ing arts re q u i re lengthy internship programs, including physical ther- various psychologies and sociologies. (continued on page 26)

Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 2 5 I n s i g h t Continued

T h e re were many lab sessions and we had ample time to work on each other using an array of hands-on techniques (which mostly resulted in stiff necks). We did have regular brief encounters with re a l patients, albeit not nearly enough, and we had some work in clinics that gave us an idea of what to imagine upon completion. A l t h o u g h this was a brilliant education, the pre s s u re of grasping the vast amount of material during school distracted from our capacity to feel, think on our feet, and make appropriate multifaceted decisions as p rofessionals. What My First Internship Gave Me

Although crucial, the undergrad experience was merely a jumping-off point for my post-graduate encounters, a.k.a. clinical internships. We finally had the pure and practical advantage of time simply for obser- vation, thought, and daily open dialogue with supervisors, which gave us the opportunity to integrate this huge palette. In addition, we Sherry Brourman training yoga therapists, assisted by Leslie Kazadi. w e re able to choose a few specialties such as pediatrics, long-term rehabilitation, or cardiac rehab to more accurately determine where we Interns receive experience and guidance of varied aspects of yoga t ruly wanted to begin. Over the course of my internship, as I witnessed therapy in the following ways: and practiced evaluation and treatment processes again and again, with varied populations and varying results, I was clearly developing • Interns assist and practice in or observe ongoing classes every both an ease for observing bodies and a decision-making prowess. w e e k . • Technical and global questions are re q u i red and are answered by Through internships, yoga therapists gain the email following each class. advantages of long-term assignments and can • Interns follow the same students for months or often their full year. • With an extremely varied caseload, interns learn to create their own develop a depth of understanding re g a rd i n g sequencing with ever- i n c reasing depth throughout the year. client complexities. • We have regularly supervised meetings where interns present their c u r rent sequencing assignments to teachers and peers, while others Graduated Interns Find Niches and Jobs practice or assist, so that we simulate real classes that give interns a safe way to pro g ress in their live work. I have observed that there is a growing interest in internships/ appre n- • Interns hand in written work at each meeting, based on their re a d- ticeships here in the United States and abroad. To be sustainable, our ing assignments. These assignments are designed to pro v i d e employers—students, studios, hospitals, gyms, government agencies, insight into the more provocative questions about the many ways schools, and corporations—are going to hire people who are not just that anatomy and physiology interface. There are lively discus- qualified but who are “at the re a d y.” Research shows that interns, in sions at meetings to further assimilate this most important subject. general, get more jobs.1 Their advantageous position is obvious: they • Meetings also touch on business and career plans. Graduates have have had the necessary “on-the-job” effective supervision. gone in many directions, combining their previous skill set and T h rough internships, yoga therapists gain the advantages of internship experiences with their personal interests. For example, long-term assignments and can develop a depth of understanding re s e a rch ; yoga for fertility, for cancer survivors, for Spanish-speak- re g a rding client complexities. They learn to evaluate clients under a ing seniors; yoga in schools, corporations, substance abuse centers; variety of circumstances, observing if their initial strategies pan out. and many more. Some have used their internship as a jumping-off I d e a l l y, they are surprised and humbled by how much each client point to further their education, such as joining a yearlong pro- brings to the process, learning that they, the yoga therapists, are not— gram on the endocrine system, or opening their own studio. Every nor are re q u i red to be—the all-knowing authorities. They observe graduate has moved on to their next challenge, inspired by seeing their supervisors making and correcting their own errors and being how much they can give to clients who come to heal themselves. open and transparent about their own mistakes, which is humanizing and confidence-boosting for the interns. This is a part of the ongoing Observing interns through these years, and in distinct stages learning process. The way the supervisor handles errors with the t h roughout their year, it is also clear to me that the 300 hours, client (I feel that we need to acknowledge our mistakes) and with spanned out over twelve months, is what creates a safe point of interns (let them see us fumble and recover), will help interns handle d e p a r t u re into a professional care e r. These lessons can only soak in inevitable errors and learn compassion toward themselves and others. with time. The Frame of My Current Internship Program What the Internship Program Has Shown

The year comprises a stand-alone 300-hour program. Since every During the four years that I have been offering internships here at my question, homework assignment, meeting, and workshop is based on school, I have witnessed talented, but fledgling, yoga therapists learn constant live experience with real clients who come here for yoga f rom each other's strengths and weaknesses. They grow individually therapy classes, the program is hands-on for its entire t y. Interns fol- even more because of the support they give and receive from each low the same clients, sometimes for months and often for their full o t h e r, as well as the continuous mentoring they receive from the pro- internship year. Our yoga therapy classes are small, with two to six gram faculty and the opportunity to watch the faculty on the job. clients in each, grouped by level of proficiency rather than diagnoses. Daily discussions re g a rding choices for sequencing all aspects of yoga This helps prevent the supervisors, interns, and clients from falling t h e r a p y, incorporating asana, pranayama, and meditation with a re a l into the trap of making specific anatomy or physiology the focus of understanding of a client's medical, family, job, and relationship his- t re a t m e n t . tories are indispensable and build professional self-tru s t .

26 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 I n s i g h t Continued

The internship, or supervised on-the-job training, allows time for C o n c l u s i o n s e l f - c o m p o s u re. Crossing over from yoga teacher to yoga therapist and entering a healing arts profession is daunting. As much as compassion, Using yoga therapy internship programs will help to both elucidate openness, and a hunger to help draw you into the field, the same feel- and validate yoga therapy for the medical communities. Interns can ings will not let you escape the very true realization that you have re a l observe how supervisors interact with medical communities and can influence on people's health. You cannot know everything, and you're use this knowledge in their own practice. Many interns may go on to going to make mistakes. You also must come to terms with and tru s t work in clinics or hospitals. They will have clients who will report their that what you do know, along with your intuition, qualifies you to do experiences in those communities, which will serve to raise yoga ther- the work, know when to refer out, and consistently empower your stu- apy's prominence and create more advantageous positions for gradu- dents. An internship aff o rds the opportunity to learn much of this on ating interns. In this model of a yoga therapy internship pro g r a m , a very deep level before beginning one's professional practice. supervisors, interns, clients, the field of yoga therapy, and even neighboring yoga studios all succeed: Supervisors who are typically studio The Business Sense of a Collaborative Program owners or practicing yoga therapists and/or teachers get valuable w o rd-of-mouth press. Clients are healing and spreading the good word The last, vital aspect of a well-run yoga therapy internship pro g r a m about yoga therapy and the therapist. Graduate interns are pre p a re d , is that it is sustainable for all three entities involved: (1) the school, confident, and eager to go forth and find their own way to advance the including the supervising yoga therapist(s), (2) the interns, and (3) the field, working independently and more safely. Yoga therapy schools clients. get more students because clients are self-empowered and excited to The supervising school/therapist has already gained the distinc- s p read the word, and neighboring yoga studios receive students who tion of being a re g i s t e red supervising agency and meeting the stan- not only broadcast their glowing success at yoga therapy but also now d a rds of that registering body. Schools can manage more classes/ses- know how to keep themselves safe in regular yoga classes. YTT sions because of the intern's assistance. They can offer their students/clients continuous healthcare with highly proficient interns R e f e r e n c e 1. http://www. n a c e w e b . o rg / P u b l i c a t i o n s / S p o t l i g h t _ O n l i n e / 2 0 1 0 / 0 5 2 6 / assisting. In my experience, interns are passionate, and their eager I n t e r n s _ M o re _ L i k e l y _ t o _ H a v e _ J o b _ O ff e r s . a s p x . hearts inspire clients—who return and trust that they are truly learning to heal themselves with the guidance of experts. The fees to In her book, Walk Yourself Well, Sherry Brourman, interns are relatively minimal and there f o re aff o rdable for the time P T, E-RY T, simplifies movement engineering for frame in which it must occur; that is, the completion of financial and self-healing. She founded and directs Tensegrity Center for time-expensive certification programs at a time when interns are Yoga Therapy and its ongoing Yoga Therapy Internship often anxious to be at work and earning income. P rogram. Sherry teaches yoga therapy and physical therapy seminars internationally.

Spring 2012 Yo g a T h e r a p yTo d a y 2 7 I n t e rv i e w by Stephanie Shorter Prison Yoga: A Path for Healing and Recovery An Interview with James Fox, MA James Fox, MA, is the founder and dire c t o r ty to volunteer; what you'll encounter emotionally and politically on of the Prison Yoga Project and a certified the inside; and how to gear a class toward mental disorders, violence, Hatha Yoga instructor with more than 20 and re c o v e r y. years of experience. He has offered yoga You have to shift into institutional thinking, always re m e m b e r i n g classes at San Quentin State Prison since that you're operating in prison. An example of working within a rigid 2002 and has been involved in offender system is that my afternoon classes happen during what is called an a c c o u n t a b i l i t y, violence prevention, and outcount period, which is when everybody has to be accounted for emotional literacy work with prisoners. He ( t h ree times a day). I carefully fill out a form with the guys' identifica- has taught yoga and mindfulness practices tion numbers. If one of the hundreds of prisoners throughout the insti- to at-risk youth in juvenile detention and tution isn't accounted for, then the count doesn't clear. It usually clears other settings and created a yoga curricu- between 4:30 pm and 5:00 pm and then there can be movement again. lum for the Peacebuilders Initiative, held My class ends around 4:45, but I can't go anywhere if the count hasn't annually in Chicago. James brought his c l e a red. I've been there until 7:30 in the evening. Prison Yoga teacher trainings to several You must be able to stay grounded while holding the space for U.S. cities and Norway in 2011. the students to go inward and deeply connect within themselves. When they cross the threshold into the yoga classroom, they can leave SS: Teaching in prison obviously entails a lot more than just know- prison for the 90 minutes we are together. I'm very protective of that ing how to lead an a s a n a class. How did you prepare for this role? space and ensure that it's maintained through my teaching and pre s- ence. Once I had to break up an argument between two guys right JF: My journey began back in the 1980s with mindfulness re t re a t s after we ended practice. I stepped in and stated emphatically, “Ta k e with Stephen and Ondrea Levine. Between 1987 and 1989, I trained it out on the yard. Not in my yoga class!” with the Living Dying Project to assist people who had a life-thre a t- Going into a prison setting doesn't necessitate being a therapist, ening illness and provide compassionate support for their care g i v e r s . but you need to have a clear understanding of the psychological I also began my Hatha Yoga studies during this time. For 13 years, I issues that most students are dealing with. You have an opportunity practiced regularly and went on various re t reats and intensives— to apply the practice of yoga to those issues. That's what I'm most mostly Iyengar and Ashtanga Yoga. By the late 1990s, I wanted to i n t e rested in: teaching yoga as a path for healing and re c o v e r y. teach to give back from all the physical, emotional, and psychological benefits that I had experienced from my own practice, but I knew it How do you skillfully gear your classes to address these emotional wouldn't be in a conventional yoga studio setting. I took my first and psychological issues? yoga teacher training with Erich Schiffmann in 2000. I began teaching in a residential center for young boys who had suff e red abuse and It's important to take a mindfulness neglect. Doors soon started opening to work with at-risk youth using a p p roach—training students to disci- mindfulness techniques to help heal their emotions through teaching pline their minds to observe what's them to focus on sensations in their bodies. happening in the present moment I took violence prevention and conflict resolution trainings. To and stay with the sensations in the me, emotional literacy is all about correlating bodily sensations with body and the breath without drifting emotions, so it made sense that yoga has tremendous potential for o ff and disconnecting. This kind of transformation. One of my most impactful trainings was with a a w a reness needs to be practically Catholic priest and senior Iyengar Yoga trainer from India, Father Joe re i n f o rced, not just in sitting medita- P e reira, whose Kripa Foundation works with people who are re c o v- tion, but by modeling and leading ering from addictions. Yoga and centering prayer, a kind of Christian students into moments of silence to mindful meditation, are his main techniques. I learned Father Joe's deeply reflect. For instance, I may t reatment protocol for overcoming addictions. take a full minute in surya namaskar I also incorporated Taoist Yoga into my teaching. It brings a mar- [sun salutation] to do a mindfulness tial arts feel that resonates with my San Quentin students. Many have practice while the students stay in h e a rd of c h i and virtually all know the y i n / y a n g symbol, so it's easy to tadasana [mountain pose]. They're discuss the movement of energy and life force with them. In the new flowing and then I purposely inter- edition of my book [see below] I include a whole warrior practice. rupt and encourage them to reconnect with what we're really practic- I also use tools from the Desikachar style of Viniyoga, which is ing—integration of mind, heart, and body. This inner strength is what similar to Taoist practices in how the movements are very intention- they can nurture and apply to those frequent moments of unpre- al and repetitive. In particular, there's a set of Viniyoga warrior poses dictability and chaos in their daily lives. I remind them that they are that I appreciate. Using this flow to coordinate movement with bre a t h developing the ability to stay present and aware in the moment, so sometimes clicks beautifully with people who have become dissoci- they can consciously respond to situations rather than re a c t . ated from their bodies. I speak directly to issues of addiction and violence, saying things like, “Your breathing practice can help you deal with your re c o v e r y What advice do you have for a yoga teacher who wants to work and manage the discomfort that arises. Yoga can help you gain con- therapeutically with an incarcerated population? t rol over your impulses when you want to use.” We also talk about d e p ression because it's such a common mental health issue. You need to get educated about how to effectively approach a facili- Most prisoners have come from traumatic circumstances and

28 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 Prisoners are often in shock when they’re dumped back out in society ….Cultivating awareness is the most practical and healthiest tool for these guys to self-soothe.

amazing! Sadly, about 60 percent of released prisoners return to prison within three years. Paul recently wrote some powerful word s about the struggle underlying that high recidivism rate:

“My own observations as a non-combat vet and a state prisoner…. Com- ing home from a military deployment or prison term is complicated. Upon my own release from prison following my last five-year term, I was bom- barded by impulses, ideas, and emotions that strongly influenced my attitude and behavior. Simply put, after the novelty of being home wears off (for me, about two to three months), we all get engaged in the rat race that leads to the means of our survival. What happens? How did we survive on the yard in prison? How did we survive in combat? We were trained to adapt to those circumstances. Now we need to be retrained to adapt to society or it's like being dumped cold in a war zone for the first time, feeling constantly on edge or hyper-alert, being distracted by re c u r r i n g thoughts, difficulty sleeping, nightmares, facing a lot of anger, feeling a lot of anger. The paradox is that these reactions, which most doctors and still carry that load, consciously or unconsciously. The central issues p a role officers label 'mental symptoms' or 'habitual criminal behavior, ' a round trauma are unpredictability and feeling a lack of contro l . a re adaptive physiological responses that we have to survive or the things That's their everyday world in prison! It's difficult to turn off the we do to suppress the discomfort. To us, they're normal behaviors. Wi t h- amygdala switch of the fight-or-flight re s p o n s e . out them, we would be abnormal and at risk in our temporary prison environment. Despite the differences between prisoners and combat vets, I How do you introduce new students to yoga? can't help but notice the similarities.”

I make sure to explain that this ancient practice is much more than Prisoners are often in shock when they're dumped back out in just stretching and exercise. Yoga is union. With mind, body, and s o c i e t y. Imagine trying to function with a chronically hyper- a l e r t heart integrated, you naturally open to understanding that deepest nervous system! Cultivating awareness is the most practical and part of yourself. healthiest tool for these guys to self-soothe. I always begin practice with a centering meditation. Dro p p i n g into this grounded place is a relief from the chaos of life in prison, What is your vision for the Prison Yoga Project? w h e re they are subjected daily to a lack of control, pre d i c t a b i l i t y, and s a f e t y. Being able to sit and consciously breathe is a whole new expe- Our mission is to spread mindfulness yoga and meditation to prisons rience psychologically and physiologically. worldwide. Yoga can inspire a prisoner to actively take on his own Yoga class is very intimate compared to the armoring, social healing and not wait for the government or prison system. h i e r a rchies, and race segregation they deal with every day. They're A colleague and I are introducing mindfulness programs to sever- f o rced to socialize with only a small demographic of other inmates. al state prisons near the [San Francisco] Bay A rea. I want to train yoga Even showering is segregated by race. But all races are there together teachers and establish PYP chapters in New York, Chicago, and Los in my class. Most people wouldn't think much about baring their feet Angeles to connect with prisons and diff e rent drug rehab and re - e n t r y in a yoga studio, but that exposure is a huge vulnerability in prison. p rograms. I want to provide scholarships for a select few prisoners I work with who show promise in becoming yoga teachers themselves. We create s a n g h a with a shared new value sys- With the increasing evidence-based support of how yoga and tem. It’s radical …. They experience union within meditation can effectively address anxiety disorders, impulsive behav- i o r, and aid in addiction re c o v e r y, it's an opportune time to advocate themselves and with each other. for these practices for prisoner rehabilitation. With economic hard- ships facing federal and state budgets, we have a practical and cost- We create sangha [community] with a shared new value system. e ffective way of providing programs for the incarcerated. It's an honor It's radical. I get to stress what's really important when we're togeth- and privilege to bring healing where it is so dramatically needed. YTT e r. If I'm true to the teachings, it all takes care of itself. They experience union within themselves and with each other. James' book, Yoga: A Path for Healing and Recovery, is a practical i n s t ruction manual that contains the basics of yogic philosophy, Evidence shows that yoga can heal trauma and reduce recidivism. b reathing instructions to calm the nervous system, and many pages Could you speak to what you've seen with your students? of illustrated postures and artwork by San Quentin students. Pur- chasing the book will also ship a free copy to a prisoner that has T h e re has been more re s e a rch so far about the benefits of yoga for vet- requested it. (More information can be found at erans with PTSD [posttraumatic stress disorder] but I think it also w w w. p r i s o n y o g a . c o m . ) l a rgely applies to the incarcerated population. I've seen many paral- lels between vets with PTSD and the prisoners I've been working Next PYP Teacher Training: Los Angeles, March 17-18, 2012 with for the last decade. Many vets get diagnosed with nonfunction- ( w w w.prisonyoga.com/training). ing PTSD. I'd say most prisoners are on a PTSD simmer. I can give you a great example of how some students take their Stephanie Shorter, PhD, is a writer and yoga re s e a rc h e r. yoga training to heart. In fact, I can let a student say it in his own She is on the board of directors for Community Yoga, which w o rds. Paul is a former San Quentin student who was transferred to brings yoga to correctional facilities and the county sher- another California state prison but still stays in touch. He has been iff's office in Austin, Texas. teaching yoga classes there. I recommend books and he devours them—he's read the Sutras and commentaries on the Sutras. It's

Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 2 9 P e r s p e c t i v e by Jill Miller The Great Yoga Debate The Dark Side of Yoga (with Shades of Gray) n January 5th, the New York Times website ran an art i c l e e n t i t l e d familiar to me because he has been my mentor and teacher for more “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body”1 adapted from William J. than twenty years. In all the time I've known him, he's been the “yogi- OB road's forthcoming book, The Science of Yoga: The Risks and the est of yogis,” living a life that has included multiple stints of seclusion R e w a r d s . 2 Within minutes of it going live, extreme controversy ensued practicing asana, pranayama, meditation, and the like. He studied in in blogs, social media, radio interviews-even some network television India with B. K. S. Iyengar, and his supernatural sensitivity to the news weighed in on the issue. human body led him to apprentice for more than nine years with the Much of the storm stems from yoga teacher Glenn Black's basic legendary Shmuel Tatz in New York City, the creator of a specialized message—that a s a n a , when performed without awareness and with form of physical therapy called BodyTuning (www. n y p h y s i c a l t h e r a- an attitude of obsession and unchecked ego, can create pro f o u n d l y pist.com). Yogis in search of a holistic approach to healing from injury negative consequences for both the body and the mind. The article and pain often work their way up the food chain to Glenn, who goes on to illustrate a number of documented cases in which physi- avoids the limelight and generally steers clear of the consumer end of cal yoga postures caused severe, sometimes chronically debilitating, the yoga industry. He has, by choice, remained very much out of the physical ailments. public spotlight, making his living doing BodyTuning and teaching It seems that a lot of people didn't like hearing that. A New Yo r k yoga to a very small handful of students and clients. That is why, City yoga teacher (who chose to remain anonymous) commented on when he told me he was interviewed for a book on yoga, I was both The Daily Beast,3 calling the article “unnecessarily negative.” “To shocked and thrilled. write a piece that goes into such depth with anatomy, it can only One thing I know about Glenn, though, is that when he chooses instill fear,” warns another New York City teacher. Other comments to speak, he doesn't sugarcoat his beliefs or experiences. And since he on the New York Times Magazine article saw it as a ploy to sell news- has seen numerous yoga-related injuries, it may seem as if he sug- papers and books: “This alarmist journalism serves no other purpose gests in this article that yoga itself is harmful. But Glenn was simply than selling paper over fear,” wrote one commenter. doing what he does best: educating and raising awareness. So Who Is Glenn Black? And Is He Dissing Yo g a ? The Shoulderstand That Could Not Wi t h s t a n d

Glenn Black's voice and message in William J. Broad's article are quite I too have witnessed my fair share of yoga injuries. While appre n t i c-

30 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 Each time you unwittingly exceed your body’s specific range of motion, micro-damage can occur at the soft-tissue level—until one day you hear a loud pop in your hamstring or feel a searing explosion of pain in your neck or lower back. ing with Glenn, I remember working with one student who had mul- Sometimes there is a disconnect in the body between what we are tiple disc bulges in her neck and experienced shooting pains when doing and what the physical actions are doing to us. This student turning her head, yet she insisted that her practice of shoulderstand believed that shoulderstand was a healing pose; all of the literature had not created or exacerbated the problem. This pose is often touted d e c l a red it so, but ultimately it was not an appropriate pose for her as the “queen of all a s a n a,” and it is a goal for many practitioners. The because of her body's specific arc h i t e c t u re. Unfortunately, she was not challenge with this pose is that very few humans have the off - t h e - able to feel the negative effects that were building up in her body. charts range of motion and strength to be able to do it safely. (See Paul How is this possible? Blame it on faulty pro p r i o c e p t i o n . Grilley's brilliant analysis of this pose in Pranamaya's online video.)5 Some people are able to practice the pose with sufficient pro p s — b u t Proprioception—Friend or Foe? even then, it is still not advisable for some people due to the pre s s u re it creates on the cervical spine. Shoulderstand can create a host of P roprioception is defined as “a body's sense of itself in space.” Our issues in the neck vertebrae and discs, as well as in the shoulder joints p roprioceptive sense comes from specialized nerve cells that pro v i d e and ribs. The damage doesn't always show up overnight, but the re p- our brains with information about pre s s u re, temperature, position, etition of poor form or one's body just not being suited for this partic- vibration and, yes, pain. In order to prevent injury in our practice, we ular pose can do massive damage over time, which was the case with need to keenly pay attention to our body-sense to better assess where this student. She was not aware of any negative sensation while our body's joints and soft tissues are within a pose; in other word s , doing the pose, or even afterwards, because apparently her body was i n c reasing our body's ability to propriocept. Unfortunately, our body's not giving her that feedback. Until it finally did. This student was a ability to propriocept can be unreliable. The brain calculates millions of dedicated yogini with more than twenty years of experience, had sensory impulses every minute; some of these sensations are bro u g h t completed numerous teacher trainings, and engaged in a strong med- to conscious awareness, but most of the time our minds are too busy to itation practice. She had impeccable alignment in her poses. But until notice each and every sensation. We can also “numb out” our own sen- she reached Glenn, no teacher had warned her that her neck and sory feedback loops by overstretching nerves and thus easily “blow shoulders did not have sufficient range of motion to withstand shoul- past” a safe end-range. Each time you unwittingly exceed your body's derstand. This was specific to her body, and since she had no feed- specific range of motion, micro-damage can occur at the soft-tissue back from her teachers, or warning signals from her body, she had no level—until one day you hear a loud pop in your hamstring or feel a idea that she was slowly damaging the delicate tissues of the neck searing explosion of pain in your neck or lower back. until it began to hurt all the time. Luckily, she found Glenn and he As Glenn's assistant and apprentice, I have witnessed firsthand was able to treat her neck and request that she give up that pose. the soft tissue and hard tissue damage created by yoga practices pushed to the extreme. (continued on page 32)

Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 3 1 P e r s p e c t i v e Continued

including its "blind spots." To waken these dormant sensors, a variety of tac- tile, positional, and balance-based movements can be an additive to your yoga practice, including 1. self-massage that helps to pry loose sticky fascia and muscular trigger points to improve hydration, circ u l a - tion, and nervous conduction/ re a c t i v i t y 2. static and dynamic stretching that utilizes PNF (proprioceptive neuro - muscular facilitation) 3. balancing on one leg on unstable surfaces such as a balance board 4. taking your yoga practice into diff e r- ent environments to force your senses to adapt to change and novelty 5. practicing with your eyes closed

Those who practice yoga need not fear that their practice is being maligned or t h reatened by Broad's article. It is simply We've seen numerous MRIs and X-rays of bones and soft tissues that a call for more awareness and a moment of reflection for students and can no longer navigate their "old practice." Glenn always told me, teachers alike. The article asks us to acknowledge that yoga can harm "Human movement first, a s a n a second." He wanted his students to be as well as heal. I am okay with embracing that there might be a “dark able to move well as human beings—not necessarily be able to per- side” of yoga and that it's not just a one-way street filled with bright form so-called "advanced a s a n a." Glenn teaches about awareness more light. In between this dark and light is a complex gray area. This gray than anything. He teaches endless meditative processes to help stu- a rea asks us as teachers and students to be willing to face the intrica- dents sharpen their mind-body awareness. His instruction hones the cies of both the practice and our bodies. This gray area requests that senses until one's own mind becomes like an inner X-ray or self-MRI. we continue to educate ourselves and refine our sense of self, includ- The body's ability to discern sense perception is a big, complicat- ing studying basic human anatomy so that we have a greater aware- ed neurological jungle, but basically the nerve cells, which act as sen- ness of what we are doing physiologically when we put ourselves sors, can become dysfunctional and create speed bumps in the conti- into a pose. This gray area can mature and grow just like our brains nuity of communication from brain to body and body to brain. This and manifest new connections and new awareness. I am okay with can develop from overuse of tissues, underuse, scar tissue, patholog- grappling with this gray area. And I hope you are too, because what ical inflammation, emotional stress, or poor nutrition. When our pro- it really does is makes us more balanced practitioners. YTT prioceptors stop relaying information, we lose coordination, function, and balance, since there's a lack of communication with the sensori- Article adapted from Miller, J. (2012, Jan 13). Can yoga wreck your body? motor cortex area of the brain. When we become "out of touch" with The dark side of yoga (with shades of gray [blog post]. Retrieved fro m our own brains and bodies, injuries are indeed more likely. h t t p : / / b l o g . g a i a m . c o m / b l o g / c a n - y o g a - w re c k - y o u r - b o d y - t h e - d a r k - s i d e - o f - Poor proprioception is one of the ways that, unfortunately, yoga yoga-with-shades-of-gray and Miller, J. (2012, Jan 11). The great yoga can damage the body—even in the most vigilant of us. I've seen the debate. Retrieved from http://q.equinox.com/articles/2012/01/the-gre a t - story run its course hundreds of times and have even played it out in y o g a - d e b a t e ? s o c c i d = S O C - f b - y o g a d e b a t e . my own body, as has Glenn, who shares his spinal surgery story in this same New York Ti m e s article. Glenn freely admits that he pushed R e f e r e n c e s his backbends beyond a range that was efficient for his spine as a young yogi and destabilized himself to a degree of serious damage. 1. Broad, W. J. (2012, January 5). How yoga can wreck your body. The New York Ti m e s But bear in mind that a practice can also be improved and become M a g a z i n e . Retrieved from http://www. n y t i m e s . c o m / 2 0 1 2 / 0 1 / 0 8 / m a g a z i n e / h o w - y o g a - c a n - w re c k - y o u r- b o d y.html even more sustainable and healthful with a deepening of pro p r i o c e p- 2. Broad, W. J. (2012). The Science of Yoga: The Risks and the Rewards. New York, NY: tive awareness. By continuing to expand our own anatomical and Simon & Schuster. physiological knowledge, we can become more adept at seeing signs 3. Schwartz, C. (2012, Jan. 10). Yoga instructors push back at New York Times article of distress in our bodies and in our students' bodies. on injury risk. The Daily Beast. Retrieved from http://www. t h e d a i l y b e a s t . c o m / a r t i- c l e s / 2 0 1 2 / 0 1 / 1 0 / y o g a - i n s t ru c t o r s - p u s h - b a c k - a t - n e w - y o r k - t i m e s - a r t i c l e - o n - i n j u r y - r i s k . h t m l 4. Grilley, P. (n.d.). A functional analysis of shoulder stand with Paul Grilley [Vi d e o By continuing to expand our own anatomical file]. Retrieved from http://www. p r a n a m a y a . c o m / t e a c h e r s / p a u l - g r i l l e y / a - f u n c t i o n- and physiological knowledge, we can become a l - a n a l y s i s - o f - s h o u l d e r- s t a n d . h t m l more adept at seeing signs of distress in our bodies and in our students’ bodies. Jill Miller instructs Yoga Tune Up® worldwide and has p roduced over 55 critically acclaimed videos and therapeu- A Call for Aw a r e n e s s tic fitness products. Her innovative embodied anatomy format is taught nationwide and featured on the To d a y S h o w, SELF, Yoga Journal, Chatelaine, Whole Living, As a teacher, my goal is to help people become more physiologically Gaiam.com and more. She is an E-RYT based in s e l f - a w a re. The good news is that by awakening your pro p r i o c e p t i o n Los Angeles, California. www. y o g a t u n e u p . c o m and sense-acuity pathways, you become more aware of your body-

32 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 3 3 P e r s p e c t i v e by Bidyut K. Bose A Response to William J. Broad's “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body”1 he word “wreck” conjures up images of chaos, mayhem, and d e s t ruction, an attention-grabber in itself but especially when Tcoupled with the word “yoga,” a practice that is very popular worldwide. This article was written by an award-winning journalist and senior science writer at the New York Ti m e s , a month before the release date of his book entitled The Science of Yoga: The Risks and R e w a r d s . In discussing the risks and re w a rds of yoga, the article begins and ends with quotes by Glenn Black, a body worker and yoga teacher in New York. Among other things, Black says he studied with a legendary physical therapist but acknowledges that he has “no formal training for determining which [yoga] poses are good for a student and which may be problematic,” but he does have “a ton of experience.” Safety in a yoga class obviously depends on who is doing what and when and how they are doing it. The practice of yoga consists of t h ree essential components—the physical poses, breathing techniques, and mindfulness. Yoga poses done after adequately pre p a r- ing your body through dynamic movements, along with an awareness of your own strength and flexibility, greatly reduces the pro b a- bility of injury. The breath is another key ingredient: there are specific instructions for breathing that are associated with holding a pose as well as transitioning from pose to pose. Following these guidelines helps to ensure safety as well as effectiveness. And finally, practicing m i n d f u l l y, aware of what you are doing as you are doing it, pro v i d e s yet another layer of protection, even as it catapults the simplest of yoga poses to advanced levels. Skilled yoga teachers and yoga therapists are specifically trained to adapt yoga poses to the capabilities of each student, preserving the physician's Hippocratic oath of doing no harm, even as they serve people with chronic conditions or special needs. For example, Karl, a long-time student in our Seniors Yo g a Class, remarked, "I am 94 and I began coming six years ago. It makes me feel wonderful, and I wish I had begun this practice 40 years ago.” J u d y, a cancer survivor, has been attending our yoga class at A l t a Bates Comprehensive Cancer Center for years, and said, “This yoga class is one of the most healing experiences I've had after all the toxi- city of tre a t m e n t — s u rgery and chemotherapy. It is very important to Student in marichyasana; Healing Yoga for Cancer class, Niroga Institute m e . ” Realizing the tremendous healing potential of yoga, some of the tice whose benefits for physical health and emotional well-being far best medical schools and centers of integrative medicine in the world outweigh its risks. The latest diagnostic tools in medicine, the latest a re seriously studying the benefits of yoga. The National Institutes of re s e a rch in neuroscience and epigenetics, as well as the rigorous eval- Health have substantially increased federal funding for yoga- and uation of yoga programs in clinical and community settings, are m i n d f u l n e s s - related re s e a rch in recent years. The National Cancer establishing the plethora of benefits derived from yoga on an Institute has awarded millions of dollars to the MD Anderson Cancer i r refutable foundation. Center to study the effects of yoga on cancer survivors, even as thou- Yoga is often recommended as a cost-effective intervention for sands of respected medical professionals are practicing yoga them- many common chronic conditions (which take up 75 percent of the selves and recommending yoga to their patients, as both pre v e n t i o n e n t i re health care budget and cost us trillions of dollars annually), and intervention. The U.S. military is deploying yoga as a tre a t m e n t f rom cancer to cardiovascular disease, diabetes to depre s s i o n , for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), widespread in service mem- headaches to hypertension, and more. The International A s s o c i a t i o n bers returning from combat. The mindfulness-based stress re d u c t i o n of Yoga Therapists, with over 3000 members worldwide, annual pub- (MBSR) protocol, whose physical component is based on yoga, is lications and conferences, and a substantial Digital Resource Library o ff e red in over 200 medical centers, hospitals, and clinics around the (DRL), is a storehouse of information and a referral source for the bur- world. And that is just in healthcare. Yoga is also being applied in geoning field of yoga therapy. other major domains of social function, such as education and public A d d i t i o n a l l y, we are realizing that chronic stress and traumatic s a f e t y. Yoga is being practiced in many schools and alternative s t ress are endemic in our lives and in our communities, ravaging our schools and in juvenile halls and prisons around the country. A y o u t h health and well-being. We are learning that stress messes up our detained in Alameda County Juvenile Hall, where we have been con- brains, disrupting our ability for attention control and emotion re g u l a- ducting a daily yoga program for years, said, “Wo w, if everyone did tion, affecting everything we do! Educators are realizing that yoga yoga, there would not be so much violence in the world!” The re a s o n could help prevent school failure and enable academic achievement, for the wide dissemination of yoga is simple: yoga is a powerful prac- and they are asking for yoga to help students focus so that they are

34 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 ready to learn. Law enforcement officials are realizing that yoga could other special populations for years, and we often get calls like this: “I reduce recidivism, and are asking for yoga to help inmates with emo- am recovering from injury/surg e r y, and my doctor suggested that I tion regulation and impulse control and to provide them with life do yoga. But I am afraid to go into a general yoga class; do you have skills upon re-entry into the community. Corporate executives are any suggestions?” realizing that yoga could help with global competitiveness and are T h e re is something terribly wrong if a practice that is supposed asking for yoga to help leaders with personal and professional sus- to heal is causing harm to those who attempt it, rendering it worse t a i n a b i l i t y. Members of an international consortium of yoga org a n i z a- than useless. There is something terribly wrong if yoga teachers and tions called the Yoga Service Council are serving thousands of people yoga therapists are not adequately trained to suggest appro p r i a t e each week through yoga, transforming lives, and healing communi- modifications, adapted to the capabilities of every student. There is ties all over the United States and beyond, one breath at a time. something terribly wrong if a practice that is universally applicable Even though Broad's article smacks of bias and sensationalism, can only be practiced by the super-fit, and not by those that may need the article does point to a significant challenge in the field of yoga. it the most. The solution is not to make the practice even more social- T h e re is great inconsistency in the quality of education and training ly elite and culturally incongruent than it already is, but to dissolve of yoga teachers and yoga therapists. The Yoga Alliance, an interna- these barriers through proper training of yoga teachers and yoga tional registry of yoga teachers, has established standards for certi- therapists, by master teachers who have diligently acquired the re q- fying yoga teachers, but it does not have the ability to ensure cur- uisite knowledge, skills, and experience, so that the legacy of this riculum quality or compliance to these standards, resulting in plen- ancient healing art and science can be transmitted from teacher to stu- ty of poorly trained yoga teachers, many of whom are, in turn, train- dent and practiced for generations to come. YTT ing teachers themselves! There is wide disparity in the stru c t u re and duration of training programs, their quality of training content/cur- R e f e re n c e 1. Broad, W. J. (2012, January 5). How yoga can wreck your body. The New York Ti m e s ricula, and the range of faculty experience, and yoga-teachers-to-be Magazine. Retrieved from http://www. n y t i m e s . c o m / 2 0 1 2 / 0 1 / 0 8 / m a g a z i n e / h o w - often don't know how to go about deciding from the many options. y o g a - c a n - w re c k - y o u r- b o d y.html. And, with thousands of new yoga teachers unleashed on an unsus- pecting public annually, yoga students are often confused at best and oblivious at worst. In an attempt to correct this situation, IAY T Bidyut K. Bose, PhD, is the Founding Executive Dire c t o r has been working on an international effort to formulate training of Niroga Institute (www. n i ro g a . o rg), which brings yoga to s t a n d a rds for yoga therapists, but the issues around compliance will thousands of people each week throughout the Bay Are a , need to be addressed once these standards are published. At the and trains yoga teachers and yoga therapists pre p a red to N i roga Yoga Studio in Berkeley, where we rigorously train yoga serve those who may need yoga the most. He is a Steering teachers and yoga therapists in year-long training programs, experts Committee Member for the Yoga Service Council regularly hold workshops on many common chronic conditions. We ( w w w. y o g a s e r v i c e c o u n c i l . o rg) and a member of the IAY T have had injury-free classes for cancer survivors, seniors, and many board of dire c t o r s .

Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 3 5 Tr a i n i n gR e p o rt by Nan Palmer and Amy Jarvis Essential Yoga Therapy First-Rate Training he search for appropriate training to support one's transformation from yoga teacher to Tyoga therapist can be overwhelming. Just within the United States, we are fortunate to have many choices to select from, and mere l y by reading the ads in Yoga Therapy To d a y it can seem a daunting task to find that right fit for your needs. We offer this report on the Essential Yo g a Therapy (EYT) training program in support of that goal. I chose this particular program in part because it is led by my long-time teacher, Robin Rothenberg, so I knew the training would be of good quality, have integrity and high standards, and would follow the traditional teachings of yoga—and I have found all of this to be true about the EYT training. I also chose it because the curriculum, faculty, and flexible scheduling of training modules were a p p ropriate for my professional needs and c a p a b i l i t i e s . The EYT spectrum of training consists of four modules, each lasting for 10 days: Mod- ule 1: Yoga Therapy for Musculoskeletal Con- ditions; Module 2: Yoga Therapy for Emotion- al Health; Module 3: Yoga Therapy for Physi- ological Conditions; and Module 4: Clinical The setting for the Essential Yoga Therapy trainings is Harmony Hill, a serene re t reat center on the Hood Practice Immersion. The training spans two Canal in Union, Wa s h i n g t o n . years, with residencies scheduled in six- month intervals. (A full description of these can be found at diagramming how the brain actually can be re - w i red through our h t t p : / / w w w. e s s e n t i a l y o g a t h e r a p y.com/ downloads/therapist-train- practices. Learning the science behind the practices grounds us as stu- ing-modules.pdf.) dents and gives us confidence to communicate “how yoga actually EYT's dire c t o r, Robin Rothenberg, is a nationally re c o g n i z e d works” to professional colleagues as well as to our clients. yoga therapist currently teaching at two major hospitals and a re h a b EYT's emphasis on the study of anatomy through the connective clinic in Washington State. She has been training yoga teachers for tissue and the world of fascia has been a new and eye-opening expe- over 10 years, creating a unique synthesis of her 25 years of study in rience. Using Anatomy Tr a i n s by Thomas Meyers3 as our primer, our both the Iyengar and Viniyoga traditions. In 2000, she became anatomy teachers, Jill Massengill, DC, and Anita Boser, LMP, CHP, involved in yoga re s e a rch, teaming up with the Group Health RY T-500, a Hellerworker, lay out the lines of connectivity in connec- R e s e a rch Institute for the landmark National Institutes of Health- tive tissues, helping us understand how dysfunction in one area can funded study, “Comparing Yoga, Exercise, and a Self-Care Book for d i rectly correlate to pain and imbalance in a seemingly distant part of C h ronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized, Controlled Tr i a l . ” 1 The posi- the body. Like yoga itself, this model allows us as students to experi- tive results of this study supported further re s e a rch, and Robin ence the body as holographic: connecting, for instance, the re s t r i c t i o n trained and mentored teachers for a second, larg e r-scale trial utilizing of the diaphragm in breathing with tightness in the psoas or weak- the same protocol she had co-created in 2000. She has since authore d ness in the pelvic floor muscles potentially leading to pain in the The Essential Low Back Program: Relieve Pain & Restore Health, a 5- lower back. It has provided us with a sound basis for developing CD/Book set based on this protocol. She is also involved in another adaptations to support better neuromuscular movement patterns in NIH-funded study to reduce hot flashes for women in menopause our clients. and one targeting arthritis and insomnia in seniors. Lulu Peele, AVI-trained yoga therapist and Ayurvedic wellness R o t h e n b e rg's vision of the EYT training has been to intricately c o u n s e l o r, brings the teachings of Ayurveda to life, deepening our weave the contemporary understanding of neuroscience and func- a p p reciation of c i t t a—the mind-and how our diff e rent personality tional anatomy in a way that substantiates the traditional practices of c o n s t ructs need to be tended to individually. The Ayurvedic compo- yoga and Ayurveda. She has accomplished this with the pro f e s s i o n a l nent of the training has made us aware of the complexity of the support of her excellent faculty. Dr. Lynn Hughes, a D.O. and Board d o s h a s , t h rough our own self-study and by analyzing case studies. Certified Psychiatrist, has detailed-out the polyvagal theory, which With Lulu's delightful encouragement we're developing the basic explains how therapeutic yoga practices, like p r a n a y a m a , c h a n t i n g , skills to help clients (and ourselves) modify diet and lifestyle to sup- and gentle a s a n a , support healthy parasympathetic nervous system port healing. function, enabling us to transform negative thought processes and Although Rothenberg is responsible for transmitting the theory states of disease. Lynn helps us integrate the teaching of texts like and application of yoga therapy, she has created a unique platform Buddha's Brain by Rick Hanson, PhD, and Richard Mendius, MD,2 for all the instructors to best integrate traditional yoga teachings with which supports the major teachings of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, while c u r rent scientific knowledge. Emphasizing yoga's extensive effect on

36 Yo g a T h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 TrainingReport continued Essential Yoga Therapy Bridge Pro g r a m he Essential Yoga Therapy (EYT) Bridge training is re q u i red for the nervous system empowers us to understand how, through care- those who, like me, have no previous experience in the ful application of practice, we can impact everything from immunol- TViniyoga tradition. The program was immensely helpful to o g y, to emotional tone, to the body's response to pain. These highly me by greatly increasing my knowledge of Viniyoga. This important points are repeatedly woven throughout the lectures and included detailed explanation of the science of breath and practices. movement, proper sequencing to ensure safety, and an expo- P re requisites for the program are an RY T-500 registration or s u re to adaptations of a s a n a that emphasize function over form. equivalent, plus a minimum of two years teaching experience. A f u n- This helped me to understand yoga therapy in much damental understanding of anatomy and physiology is also re q u i re d . g reater depth and detail. This was a week of practical, experien- For applicants with no formal training in Viniyoga, the Bridge Pro- tial exercises that deepened my own self-awareness. I learned gram is re q u i red to establish the theory, skills, and methodological the principles of the pancha maya as a model for healing, an in- understanding necessary to enter the EYT Yoga Therapist Tr a i n i n g depth study of the five dimensions that went far beyond my (see sidebar). p revious exposure to the k o s h a model. The week's study and The setting for the Essential Yoga Therapy trainings is Harmony Hill, a serene re t reat center on the Hood Canal in Union, Wa s h i n g t o n , practice tested my expanding knowledge and was excellent less than one-and-a-half hours from Seattle, Washington. Harmony p reparation for the rigors of the EYT training to come. Hill plays a very important supporting role for the training, pro v i di n g Robin Rothenberg taught the bridge training, modeling the a peaceful, rural setting with beautiful rooms, outdoor spaces, and skills and wisdom of the yoga therapist while teaching us about wonderfully pre p a red organic meals to nourish us. the ancient wisdom and therapeutic tools inherent to Vi n i y o g a . Our journey began the first evening as the s a n g h a ( c o m m u n i t y ) In practice, she was the yoga therapist and we were the clients. was formed, and as we joined voices in the Ayurveda Healing Chant We had the opportunity to see the yoga-therapy experience we could feel in our very bones that this was an auspicious beginning f rom the client perspective, and in the process we began to to our EYT training. The chant wove through our entire ten-day expe- understand not only yoga therapy methodology, but also our- rience, infusing the lectures, a s a n a , meditation, and p r a n a y a m a p r a c- selves on a much deeper level. tices as it resonated within our beings. We chanted it many times At the end of the week it was hard to leave the support and t h roughout the ten days, both aloud and silently, in stillness and guidance of our teacher and move back into the world again. It sometimes combined with movement. was akin to finishing an excellent novel and being both over- whelmed by gratitude for gained wisdom while also not want- om ayur asi, ayur dhehi—You are long life; ing the experience to end. Thank goodness there is a sequel to om pranosi, pranam dhehi—You are the in breath; the Bridge, because it was by far the best “novel” I have been om apanosi, apanam dhehi—You are the out bre a t h ; able to “re a d . ” om vyanosi, vyanam dhehi—You are the power of speech; —By Claudia Kleff n e r, RYT 500 & OT om caksurasi, caksur dhehi—You are vision; om srotramasi, srotram dhehi—You are hearing; om manosi, mano dhehi—You are mind; om vagasi, vacam dhehi—You are clear speech; om atmasi, atmanam dhehi—You are the true self; om pratisthasi, pratistham dhehi—You are stability

A typical day of EYT Training at Harmony Hills for all four modules: A morning developmental practice begins at 6:30. This practice is designed to set the stage for the day's material, as well as integrate what we've learned so far. The intention is to deepen awareness within the trainees. A silent breakfast follows, inviting self-reflection, with a short break to pre p a re for the morning session of lecture and, sometimes, a shorter a s a n a practice with a therapeutic focus. This second practice is more clinically oriented, in order to show students how to a p p roach a client with a particular condition. After lunch and a short b reak, the afternoon begins with lecture and/or student hands-on workshop applications. The application exercises are supervised by the four instructors, who provide feedback during and after exerc i s- es. This greatly facilitates practical learning and helps pre p a re trainees for implementing the material in working with clients. Most nights the group meets again after dinner for group pre s e n- tations, mentor meetings, or review of materials. During the first module we practiced Yoga Nidra at the beginning of each afternoon's session. The sessions were created to help the material permeate thro u g h our pancha maya (five layers or dimensions of the human system). The teachings of the pancha maya a re a foundation of the EYT training, providing a holistic model for healing. They are incorporated into the a s a n a practices, the p r a n a y a m a practices, the meditations, and the writing exercises. We are re q u i red to maintain personal “shadow journals.” These journals help us identify the parts of ourselves that are in conflict, with the aim of reducing our own suffering and misidentifi- cation. We started with the physical body ( a n n a m a y a k o s h a ) during our first module and we are steadily working (continued on page 38)

Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 3 7 TrainingReport continued

t h rough the deeper layers. This greatly influences our practice and study, both during the re s i d e n- cies and in-between while completing the homework assignments. The first module looked formidable when we received our very large manuals filled with the daily schedules and materials we would cover during that session. The manuals are filled with lecture notes and PowerPoint slides share d by the instructors along with valuable additional re s o u rce materials. The manuals provide an i n c redible re f e rence tool, not only during the training but also as we step out as budding yoga therapists. It's almost like taking our teachers home with us! Homework re q u i rements are steep and are designed to integrate what we've learned in each module, taking it out of the didactic and more into practice. They include extensive re a d i n g , puzzling through case studies in small gro u p s , re s e a rch projects, quizzes, work with our own Dr. Jill demonstrating spinal pathologies on X-rays Ayurvedic constitution, development of our personal practice, and preparing Yoga Nidra scripts. The period between modules provides ample time to complete Massengill) are paired with students and meet on a monthly basis (in assignments with care and conscious application of the skills and person or on the phone). The mentors rotate after each module, tools taught in the previous module(s). The re q u i rement to travel to allowing every student to experience the unique perspective and the training site and all the responsibilities that go with a commit- expertise of the four instructors. Mentor/mentee meetings pro v i d e ment to a comprehensive training program seemed on par with other an opportunity for in-depth exploration of each student's pro g re s s yoga-therapy programs that we re s e a rched. with clients and offer necessary guidance to develop the clinical skills One of the greatest features of the EYT training is the extensive needed to become a certified yoga therapist. Professional re c o rd - mentorship program. Mentors (Rothenberg, Hughes, Peelle, and keeping skills associated with these private sessions assist trainees in

38 Yo g a T h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 TrainingReport continued

deeply spiritual resonance to the whole experience—a clear indication of their passion for yoga and their great respect and appreciation for one a n o t h e r. IAYT defines yoga therapy as “the p rocess of empowering individuals to pro g re s s t o w a rd improved health and well-being thro u g h the application of the philosophy and practice of Yoga.” Rothenberg has woven together wisdom practices of past and present to pre p a re her Essential Yoga Therapy students to do just that. They are now accepting applications for the 2013-2014 training group. YTT

R e f e r e n c e s 1. Sherman, K.J., Cherkin D.C., Erro J., Miglioretti D.L., & Deyo R.A. (2005). Comparing yoga, exercise, and a self-care book for chronic low back pain: a randomized, contro l l e d trial. Annals of Internal Medicine. Dec 20;143(12):849-56. 2. Hanson, R. & Mendius, R. (2009) Buddha's Brain: The prac - tical neuroscience of happiness, love & wisdom. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc. 3. Myers, T. W. (2001) Anatomy Trains: Myofascial meridians for manual and movement therapies. Philadelphia, PA : EYT faculty, from left: Lulu Peelle, Lynn Hughes, Jill Massengill, Robin Rothenberg. C h u rchill Livingston. developing critical thinking and concrete treatment plans. S v a d h y a y a (Left) Nan Palmer, RYT 500, American (self-study) and tapas (discipline) are at work here, definitely! Viniyoga Institute, Owner/Instructor of In conclusion, Robin Rothenberg and the EYT faculty pro v i d e Abiding Yoga, LLC, in Crystal Lake, Illi- students with the physiologic basis and technical skills to work ther- nois and (Right) Amy M. Jarvis, RYT 500, apeutically with a broad client base. They beautifully convey the Owner/Instructor Falling Leaves Yo g a , ancient yoga teachings and traditions while building a solid founda- Snoqualmie, Wa s h i n g t o n . tion in the language of western science. They bring humor, joy, and a

Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 3 9 R e v i e w O v e rcoming Tr a u m a demonstrate it is not helpful for people who have lived with trauma to simply talk about it, but rather they need to be involved in body T h rough Yo g a : movement, such as yoga, because one only begins to learn and Reclaiming Your Body change when he/she can move and act. When people become physically involved in their treatment with the use of breath and move- By David Emerson and Elizabeth ment, they begin to realize that they can take control of themselves H o p p e r, PhD again; only then does talk therapy become relevant in working with B e r k e l e y, CA: North A t l a n t i c trauma survivors. Much of the healing occurs when one begins to Books, 2011 . develop a relationship with one's body, bringing the mind and body Review by Susan Te b b s t o g e t h e r. Yoga is used to help the traumatized person get in touch with his/her inner self and start to heal from the inside out thro u g h found O v e rcoming Trauma Thro u g h movement of the body and mind, thus rebuilding self-trust and Yoga: Reclaiming Your Body b y i n c reasing relationship capacities. IDavid Emerson, a yoga instru c- Emerson and Hopper then address how to create a trauma-sen- t o r, and Elizabeth Hopper, a clini- sitive yoga practice first for the survivor practicing at home, then for cal psychologist, a "must read" for clinicians both in group or individual sessions, and finally for the all of us working in the area of yoga teacher. With each type of trauma-sensitive yoga practice, the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), counselors, therapists, sur- authors offer postures, adaptations, cautions, and possible triggers. vivors, friends and family, and those teaching clinicians and yoga. It Acknowledging that a survivor, therapist, and yoga teacher all come is a succinct handbook for the helping professionals and those with with diff e rent levels of knowledge and skills in the area of trauma PTSD to effectively use yogic breath and body movement to help and yoga, this book offers case examples and encourages all of us release the effects of trauma stored in the physical body and move involved in trauma-sensitive practice to be creative and experiment into the present time. The authors are trained in the "trauma-sensitive with yoga as a path to help re s t o re hope and heal trauma-stre s s e d yoga" approach developed by Emerson and Bessel van der Kolk at minds and bodies. YTT the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute in Boston, MA. The book begins by sharing the definition, history, and tre a t- Sue Tebbs, PhD, professor of social work, RY T, LifeForce Yoga Practitioner- ments of stress and trauma on the mind and body and how the re s i d- Level 2, and an ever-learning yogini, is currently using yoga at the Center ual of trauma resides deep in the physical body. It then offers evi- for Survivors of To r t u re and War Trauma. [email protected] dence-based re s e a rch and the authors' clinical experiences, which

40 Yo g a T h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 IAYT Member Schools and Institutional Members (as of February 1, 2012) IAYT School Membership is for schools with, or considering adding, yoga therapist certification programs. The objectives of this program are to recognize schools that provide professional yoga therapist training, to help students find the right yoga therapist training program for them, and to further our field by developing standards for the training of yoga therapists.

New! IAYT Institutional Members. Institutional members are other organizations that wish to support the mission of IAYT. Insti- tutional members are also shown on our website and (for now) in the Find a Member School search function. Life in Yoga is IAYT’s first institutional member.

Supporting School Members Samarya Center Integrated Movement Therapy Training Molly Lannon Kenny MS, CCC American Viniyoga Institute AVI Viniyoga Therapist Training Stress Management Center of Marin Gary Kraftsow 200/300/500 hr. Teacher Training in Yoga Therapy Ananda Seva Guru Kula Institute Robin Gueth Yoga Therapy Certificate Training Maetreyii Nolan, PhD Yoga Therapy Rx at Loyola Marymount and Ananda Deviika Ma' M.Sc. University Yoga Therapy Rx Certification Heartland Yoga Community Larry Payne, PhD Heartland Yoga Therapist Training and Rick Morris, DC, L1, Richard Nancy Schalk Usatine, MD L2 David Allen, MD, L3

Heaven Wellness & Yoga Institute YogaFit Training Systems Inc. Yoga Therapist Training Yoga Therapy & Restorative Yoga Karen Claffey Sandi Cartwright and Beth Shaw Institute for Medical Yoga Yoga Therapist Training School Members Goran Boll 7 Centers Yoga Arts Integrative Restoration Institute 300 Hour Yoga Therapy Training Course Integrative Restoration (iRest) Yoga Nidra Ruth Hartung Richard C. Miller, PhD Abhyasa Yoga Center Integrative Yoga Therapy AYC Therapeutic Yoga Training Professional Yoga Therapy J. Brown Joseph Le Page Academy of Spiritual Healing Arts - Kripalu School of Yoga & Ayurveda ASHA Kripalu School of Yoga & Ayurveda 600 Hr. Yoga Therapy Certification Andrew Tanner Training Musthafa Mukth Mukh Krishnamacharya Healing Yoga Foundation Ajna Yoga KHYF Yoga Therapy Training Program 500 Hr, Yoga Therapy Training Dr. Kausthub Desikachar Jules Payne and Sonia Nelson American Viniyoga Institute LifeForce Yoga Healing Institute AVI Viniyoga Therapist Training LifeForce Yoga Practitioner Training Gary Kraftsow Amy Weintraub Ananda Seva Guru Kula Institute Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Yoga Therapy Certificate Training PRYT Practitioner & Teacher Trainings Maetreyii Nolan, PhD Elissa Cobb and Ananda Deviika Ma' M.Sc. and Karen Hasskarl Ananda Yoga Prana Vinyasa Yoga Therapy Ananda Yoga Therapist Training Radiant Transitions Therapeutic Yoga Mangala Loper-Powers RN, MN, eRYT- International Training 500 Sarasvati Devi Associacao Europeia de Terapias Pranakriya School of Yoga Healing Arts Orientais Pranakriya Yoga Therapy Teacher Training with Yoga Therapy Yoganand/ Michael Carroll Emphasis and Marlysa Sullivan Paulo Alexandre Hayes

(continued page 42)

Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 4 1 IAYT Member Schools and Institutional Members (as of February 1, 2012)

(Continued from page 41)

AUM hOme Shala Integrative Yoga Therapy Prana Vinyasa Yoga Therapy yama studio (Yoga Ayurveda & Clinical Yoga Therapy Certification Professional Yoga Therapy Radiant Transitions Therapeutic Yoga Meditation Arts) Program Level 1 & 2 Joseph Le Page International Training Yama Therapeutics Melinda Atkins Sarasvati Devi Diane Divyamani Finlayson Integrative Yoga Therapy Training Center Australian Institute of Yoga Therapy Integrative Yoga Therapy Training Pranakriya School of Yoga Healing YCat Yoga Therapy in Cancer and Graduate Certificate in Yoga Therapy Michal Yarkoni Arts Chronic Illness Leigh Blashki and gill solberg Pranakriya Yoga Therapy YCat Yoga Therapy in Cancer and Yoganand/ Michael Carroll Chronic Illness Ayur Yoga International School of Kundalini Yoga and Marlysa Sullivan Jnani Chapman RN, Yoga Therapy Program International Kundalini Yoga Therapy Executive Director Remo Rittiner Training PranaYoga & Ayurveda Mandala and Lura Shopteau MA, GuruDharam Singh Khalsa Yoga Cikitsa LPC Coordinator Black Mountain Yoga and Pavllou Landraagon Hansa Knox Yoga Therapy Training Yoga Energy Studio Martia Rachman Krishnamacharya Healing Yoga Pranayoga School of Yoga and Ayurveda Yoga Therapy Certification and Brad Rachman Foundation Health Timothy Ganley KHYF Yoga Therapy Training Program 500 hr. Yoga Teacher Training with and Sylvie Vasiliki Binga Body Balance Yoga Dr. Kausthub Desikachar Yoga Therapy emphasis Body Balance Yoga Therapy Training and Sonia Nelson Dani Vani McGuire Yoga for Seniors Jenny Otto Therapeutic Yoga for Seniors Teacher Kula-Kamala-Yoga Professional Yoga Therapy Training Centerpoint Yoga Therapy School Yoga Teacher/Yoga Therapist Training Professional Yoga Therapist Program Kimberly Carson Anatomy of Yoga Therapy Program Healing Hearts Through Yoga for Licensed Medical Professionals and Carol Krucoff Leila Stuart Certification Ginger Garner MPT, ATC, ERYT500 Sharon Allitt Yoga for the Mind Divine School of Yoga Therapy Purusha Yoga School Yoga Therapy Mindfulness for Mental Divine Therapeutic Yoga Life In Yoga Institute Purusha Yoga Therapy Certification Health Training Heidi McGall Dr. Dilip Sarkar Joy Ravelli Heather Mason and Misty Weaver and Dr. Rajan Narayanan Rama Lotus Yoga Centre Yoga Institute Essential Yoga Therapy Marianne Wells Yoga School 300 Hr. Yoga Therapy Teacher Yoga Teacher Training Course with Essential Yoga Therapy Therapist Training 300 Hr. Yoga Therapy Training Training Yoga Therapy Robin Rothenberg, and Lynn Hughs, M.D. Marianne Wells ERYT-500 Kristine Karpinski Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra and Marguerite Heie MPT, OCS, RYT-200 and Hansaji Yogendra Etowah Valley Yoga Reconnect with Food® 600 hour Yoga Therapy Training Master Yoga Foundation Yoga Therapy for Eating Disorder Yoga Mountain Susan Hopkins ERYT-500, PYT Svaroopa Yoga Therapist Certification Recovery Professional Yoga Therapy Donna Criscuolo Beverly Price Certification Functional Synergy Yoga Therapy Gail Walsh Functional Synergy Therapeutic Yoga Michelle Mazur Yoga Therapy Center Rocky Mountain Institute of Yoga & Training Michelle Mazur Yoga Therapy 200 hour Ayurveda Yoga North Susi Hately teacher training and 300 hour therapy Yoga Therapy Certification Program 500 hr. Yoga Therapeutics Training training Dona Smith Molly McManus Ann Maxwell Glenmore Yoga Wellness Center Michelle Mazur E-RYT-500, CYT and Sarasvati Buhrman, PhD. and Debra Adele Glenmore Therapeutic Yoga Teacher and Russ Phieffer Training 500-hr Samarya Center Yoga Teachers School of Excellence Nancy Glenmore Tatum MindBody Centering Yoga Integrated Movement Therapy Certified Yoga Therapist Training Body Centering Yoga Therapy Training Training Deborah Perry Guru Ram Das Center for Medicine and Nina Be MA, MEd, E-RYT-500 Molly Lannon Kenny MS, CCC Humanology and J. Shoemaker PhD Yoga Therapy International Yoga Therapeutics Teacher Training San Diego College of Ayurveda Yoga Therapy Diploma Program - Shanti Shanti Kaur Khalsa Mount Madonna NAMA approved Ayurveda Yoga 1000 Hours Ratna Jenna Sturz Therapy Health Educator Maggie Reagh Healing Yoga Foundation and Brajesh Friedberg Midori Hatekayama-Simovich Yoga Therapy Training Program and Monica Groover Yoga Tune Up Kate Halcombe Mount Royal University Yoga Tune Up Therapist Training and Chase Bossart Yoga Therapy Certificate SAVY International Jill Miller Madeline Kapiczowski SVAY Yoga Therapy 500 Hr Heaven Wellness & Yoga Institute and Katelyn Powers Jitender Krishan Sahdev YogaFit Training Systems Inc. Yoga Therapist Training Yoga Therapy & Restorative Yoga Karen Claffey Niroga Institute Scottsdale Community College Sandi Cartwright Niroga Institute Yoga Therapy Specialist SCC Yoga Therapy Certificate Pro- and Beth Shaw Inner Peace Yoga Therapy Training gram Inner Peace Yoga Therapy Certification Bidyut K. Bose, PhD Carlyn Sikes YogaLife Institute Program Comprehensive Yoga Therapy 300 hrs Michelle Lawrence Nosara Yoga Institute Stress Management Center of Marin Robert Butera, PhD, ERYT500 Self-Awakening Yoga Therapeutics Training 200/300/500 hr. Teacher Training in and Kristen Butera, ERYT500, CYT Institute of Classical Yoga and Therapy Don and Amba Brahmanand Stapleton Yoga Therapy Classical Yoga Therapy Robin Gueth Yogaspirit Studios Jiwan Goyal Pacific Rim College Yogaspirit Therapist Certification Foundations of Yogatherapy Certificate Surya Chandra Healing Yoga School Program Integral Yoga program-310 hrs 1500 hr. Yoga Therapy Training Kim Valeri IY Therapeutic Yoga Training & Diploma of Yogatherapy-1270 hrs JJ Gormley-Etchells James Gopal Watkins Nikki Manzie Yogatsu Institute and Lakshmi Sutter Svastha Yoga and Ayurveda Yogatsu Institute Yoga Therapy Svastha Yoga Therapist Training Alice Strauss Integrative Restoration Institute Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Ganesh Mohan Integrative Restoration (iRest) Yoga Nidra PRYT Practitioner & Teacher Trainings Richard C. Miller, PhD Elissa Cobb and Karen Hasskarl

42 Yo g a T h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 2011 IAYT Donors & Sponsors

IAYT Thanks Our Sponsors, Supporters, Patrons, and Supporting Members Scientific Conference Support Rev. Sharon Shanthi Babu Rao Gunthati Teri OConnor for SYR 2011 Behl Molly Hagan Kandice O'Malley Glenda Bell Dale Hails Marie Opie Williams NIH/NCCAM R13AT006674 Lisa Bell Gina Hart Kathy Ornish Tanja Bisesi Kay Hawkins Lisa O'Rourke Diamond Sponsors and Other Hillary Bispham Natasha Hennessy Caroline Owen Supporters Stacie Booker India Henson Liz Owen $10,000 and up Lisa Bracken Mary Hilliker Aadil Palkhivala Toni Bradley Nancy Hong Heather Paulson Kripalu Institute Susan Braham Susan Hopkins Diane Pavesic for Extraordinary Living Gail Braverman Lynn Hughes Larry Payne Samueli Institute Christiane Brems Kathleen Jamison Marydale Pecora Isis Brenner-Ward Dhan Jangid Pamela Pence Gold Sponsors and Jo Brill Debbie Jensen-Grubb Leonard Perlmutter Other Supporters Heidi Broecking Kristin Johnson Michael Pierce $5,000 - $9,999 Sherry Brourman Anne Joseph Kelly Ponzi Ena Burrud Leah Kalinosky Sherryn Rault Healing Pathways Medical Clinic Jan Byrd Libby Kara Jim Reale Institute for Medical Yoga Cathy Campbell Linda Kearney Ann Richardson Neeja Sethi Sandra Carden John Kepner Robert Rigamonti Mary Cardinal Ellen Kiley Mary Rose Silver Sponsors, New Patron Sandy Carmellini Joan Knowlden Marjorie Rosenfield Members, and Other Supporters Elizabeth Casalini Paula Kout Diana Ross $1,000 – $4,999 Marissa Casey Marilyn Kriegel Robert Saper Diane Cassam Julie Kusiak Bonnie Schindler Ajara Ayurvedic Beauty Serena Chaudhry Kristen Kwiatkowski Julieann Schroeter American Viniyoga Institute Elissa Cobb Veronica Lafferty Lynn Hickey Schultz Ananda Yoga Clare Collins Diana Lakis Lillah Schwartz Avalon Effect Mary-Lynn Colosimo Linda Lang Suzanne Scranton Essential Yoga Therapy Joel Conrad Judith Hanson Pauolo Sergio Vicentin Dilip Sarkar, MD Lisa Crandell Lasater Stephanie Shorter Eleanor Criswell, EdD Rhett Crowe Antoinette Layoun Carol Shwidock Himalayan Institute Ida Cullen Jennifer Lenders Sonia Sierra Wolf Institute of Classical Yoga and Therapy Kaye Cussen Jessica Lewis-Peltier Rosangela Silva Integrative Restoration Institute Kirti Daryanani Ken Lidden Patricia Simpson Integrative Yoga Therapy Kasmin Davis Debra Lister Swami Sitaramananda International Association for School Catherine Deans Lucy Lomax Eric Small Yoga & Mindfulness Adarsh Deepak Deborah Lubetkin Julie Smallwood Jennifer Closshey Carrie Demers Ada Lusardi Karen Soltes Laura Starling Debbie DePuy Gina Macauley Aischwary-Mary LifeForce Yoga Christine DeSmit Anne Marie Asha Soukoulis Matra Raj Michelle Dragut Machetto Rolf Sovik Paritosh Chocksi Leigh Drake Tina Madison Alice Strauss Richard Miller Carol Dunaway Ruben Mahboobi Allison Sullivan Surenda Mehta Claudia Suplicy Deborah Mauldin Myra Summerlot Yoga Therapy Rx E Souza Vicentin Ashley McCray Deepti Suri Laurie Edwards Karen McDaniels Elisa Sweigart Trish Elting Judith McDermid Julie Tamarkin Supporting Members and Per Erez Morgan McDonald Susan Taylor Other Supporters Jacqueline Farless Bob McKinney Anne Thiel $100-999 E. B. Ferdig Lynda Meeder Patty Townsend Debra Figiel Kathleen Messina Barbara Tudhope Uberto A.A. Gama Loren Fishman Jaymie Meyer Fran Ubertini Deborah Adele Michelle Fleming Dr. Dacia Milescu Richard Usatine Carole Adelstein Inge Ford Fred Miller Ann Vermeer Kellie Adkins Trina Ford Gwen Miller Julia Vinciguerra Quinn Sebnem Akbulut Diana Gaines M. Kathleen Miller Beth Wang Darcy Alban Elizabeth Galles Michael Milversted James Weber Cheryl Alexander Danielle Gardner Nancy Mohler Deborah Manisha Nezihe Alibaba Becky Gelatt Lisa Mondello-Morris Wechsler Francisco Otavio Barbara Gibson Lee Elizabeth Monozon Wynn Werner Andrade De Barros Silva Merilee Giddings Althea Moynihan Brooke West Peter Arcese Kalimaya (Donna) Debra Mulnick Beth Whitney-Teeple Roger Ash Wheeler Goffin-Girasek Diana Munger Lorelei Woerner-Eisner Rosemary Atri Louise Goldberg Cristina Munoz-Gandara Leslie Worris Shilpa Babbar Leila Goodwin Gina Murdock Rebecah Ziegler Claire Barbetti Gabriella Grant Helen Mutch Mike Zolfo Glaucia De Carvalho Heather Grzych Jessica Noggle Barros Silva Mary Guerenabarrena Suzanne Nuss

Spring 2012 Yo g aT h e r a p yTo d a y 4 3 44 Yo g a T h e r a p yTo d a y Spring 2012 Spring 2012 Yo g a T h e r a p yTo d a y INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION PRESORTED OF YOGA THERAPISTS STANDARD P. O. BOX 12890 U.S. POSTAGE PRESCOTT, AZ 86304 PAID MANSFIELD, OH PERMIT #158 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

MOVING? Update your address online at www.iayt.org or email [email protected]

NOT GETTING EMAIL FROM US? Please add [email protected] to your address list or safe senders list.