Have you done your downward dog pose today? If so, chances are you feel more open, energized, and centered. If you aren’t familiar with this foundational form of yoga therapy, you could be missing out on some incredibly powerful mental health benefits. The yoga therapy professionals at The Willows at Red Oak Recovery® are here to help you learn and grow through the practice of yoga therapy. Reach out to our team today at 855.773.0614 to learn more.

What Is Yoga Therapy?

Yoga is an ancient practice that helps to develop a deeper connection between the mind and the body. Research highlights the benefits of yoga for mental health due to its ability to heal the body and mind and get you more in touch with yourself.

There are common yoga classes and videos you can follow. However, yoga therapy under the guidance of a trained therapist can offer targeted benefits to those who suffer from mental health issues. These yoga therapy practitioners can develop personalized plans and practices to help you progress toward a more balanced, centered, and healthy state of mind.

Yoga therapy is the specific application of certain yogic practices, such as:

• Posture
• Exercises
• Breathwork
• Meditation techniques

These are used in order to address an individual’s physical, mental, and emotional needs.

What Can Yoga Therapy Include?

Yoga therapy practitioners have in-depth training to help them assess and provide targeted treatment for clients. They work with you to address your specific goals while considering any limitations you might be experiencing. The practices your yoga therapist recommends could include:

• Movement ranging from gentle to vigorous
• Breathing techniques
• Meditation or visualization practices
• Physical postures that address specific areas of discomfort or musculoskeletal imbalances.

Yoga therapy is a powerful tool that can help people dive deeper into the root of their suffering. It can help them recover from conditions such as depression, anxiety, addiction, and more.

Benefits of Yoga and Mental Health Therapy

Yoga as a form of mental health therapy helps to provide a deeper way to dive into underlying issues and support the healing process. The main benefits that yoga therapy can provide may include:

Improve Energy and Brighten Your Mood

Performing yoga poses can help you learn how to control your breath and feel the connection between your mind and your body. The poses help ease tension in both your body and your mind while improving healthy blood flow, heart health, and digestive health. Studies tell us that performing yoga regularly can help give you more energy. It can also help you feel more positive and ready to take on the challenges of the day.

Address and Eliminate the Causes of Suffering

Yoga is a challenging endeavor. This is why it is a powerful way to help people focus on and face their weaknesses, shortcomings, and personal issues. During yoga therapy, individuals commonly report that they have important mental breakthroughs while pushing through the poses and focusing on centeredness and the mind and body connection. Targeted yoga therapy often encourages individuals to focus on certain aspects of their lives or mental health during the practice, facilitating healing and developing a deeper connection with the self.

Improve Physical Health

A healthy mind starts with a healthy body. Yoga can improve flexibility and core strength. Yoga therapy helps patients acquire specific tools to improve their conditions in order to prevent or cure the ailment and bring about overall wellness. This is beneficial in healing physical ailments such as:

• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Arthritis
• Migraines

Discover Yoga Therapy at The Willows at Red Oak Recovery®

Our team strives to provide yoga therapy services as a unique and targeted approach to mental and physical recovery. Our personalized yoga therapy techniques can help those in recovery learn how to develop a healthier connection between the mind and body while also developing healthy coping mechanisms. Learn how to develop your mental fortitude and improve your health alongside our team by reaching out to our team at 855.773.0614.