Yoga Therapy and the Client

The aim of the initial session is primarily to establish a rapport with the patient and to help them with their primary concerns—in other words, to provide Yoga Therapy for the initial symptoms. At the same time, a good Yoga Therapist will be aware of any signs of underlying causes. Subsequent visits will help to tease out the issues underlying the symptoms presented.

Yoga Therapy requires sensitivity and good listening skills. It is the job of the Yoga Therapist to put the person who is seeking help at ease, to explain everything clearly (for example, what the therapy aims to achieve) and to make appropriate suggestions for treatment (in other words, not to prescribe something that is beyond the Yoga Therapist's area of expertise).

The Yoga Therapist knows that the symptoms of dis-ease do not represent who the patient is but instead, are a reflection of a deeper issue that is causing imbalance in the bodymind. In simple terms, Yoga Therapy works with feeling—helping the patient to become aware of how he/she feels and how this can be improved, allowing him/her to feel better.