Learning Yoga Modifications to Support Mental Wellness

Yoga has the unique ability to combine physical movement and mindfulness. Practitioners can let go of the past and future, while embracing the now. From research and anecdotal experiences, yoga teachers know first-hand that yoga reduces stress and improves mental focus. Yoga also provides patience, compassion, and confidence.

Teaching yoga requires that all body shapes, diseases, and mindsets are welcome. This blog will give a general overview of ways to create a more accessible space for the body and mind from the faculty at Prema Yoga Institute (RYS300).

Create a space in your Yoga instruction that better supports mental wellness

Teaching yoga has many layers - sequencing, music, lighting, tone, and messaging. The priority of any yoga session is accessibility and safety so that all participants feel welcome and allowed to explore their bodies and minds.

When addressing mental wellness specifically, the session becomes more accessible when a few things happen. When movement is guided in a non-competitive manner, clients are not distracted by others in the room. There should be an emphasis on mindful and slow breathing, to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. Offer postures and modifications to include all clients, and eliminate some postures from your sequencing that exclude clients.

Teach yoga with awareness, watching your clients for signs of stress and exertion. How are your clients breathing? Are their eyes wandering or the bodies falling out of poses? Do you sense there is a strain to the practice? There's a fine line between encouragement and pushing into an unsafe space.

Yoga's contraindications to mental wellness

Anxiety and depression are two unique situations where the body's movements directly impact the mental state. Some yoga postures are more appropriate than others to address these states.

Generally speaking, anxious clients benefit from closing poses such as forward folds. Conversely, depressive conditions benefit from opening poses.

Teaching yoga for these conditions, often not divulged by the student, requires practiced observation and tact. Learning to read eyes, breath, and subtle movements as you guide can give clues to your clients’ needs.

Guide for the mind

Include aspects of meditation and pranayama as you guide yoga for mental wellness. Pair this with compassionate responses to known stressors to alleviate anxiety, depression, PTSD, insomnia, and high-stress levels. Yoga can help a yogi down from an agitated state of mind and into a more peaceful place.

Have the same purpose as you expertly guide asana to transform the mind from its heightened "fight or flight" state into the peaceful "rest and digest" state. What's good for the body is also good for the mind. Consider the sequencing and pace of asana, the particular poses, and their relationship to mental wellness. Asana may need to become more restorative or slow.

Weave pranayama into your classes, and use guided meditations before and after practice to center the experience. All efforts to reinforce the mind-body connection help your clients adjust behaviors and attitudes to reflect positive mental wellness.

Take yoga home

Yoga has the distinct honor of targeting unmanaged stress, and advanced yoga teachers encourage their instruction go home with their clients. When yoga blends into daily life, self-awareness increases, and the student gains more freedom and influence over their mental wellness. Your repetition of simple sequences and breathing exercises help your clients care for themselves, as these practices are easily duplicated off the yoga mat.

It's not easy to incorporate these techniques and teaching methodologies into a yoga session. Exploring your yoga education with continuing education classes, immersive courses, and RYT300 and RYT500 programs provide an opportunity to learn and practice new teaching skills.

If you are interested in advanced yoga teacher training, consider contacting us today at PremaYogaInstitute.com or check out our upcoming Yoga Therapeutics Essentials course below.

While you’re here - learn how you can enroll in our upcoming and accredited Yoga Therapeutics Essentials program, which is available in-person and online:

CREDIT

Successful completion of this course provides the following credit simultaneously:

100 hours towards an Advanced 300 Yoga Teacher Certificate from Pure Yoga to submit to Yoga Alliance
100 hours towards PYI's IAYT-accredited 850-hour Yoga Therapy Certificate Program (additional prerequisites apply)

Yoga for All Bodies

Review anatomy, detailing how to prevent injuries in yoga and support rehabilitation.
Create accessible classes for Back Care, Older Populations, and Beginners.
Adjust one-on-one yoga for back care, joint health, and proper alignment.
How to make yoga accessible with chair yoga and sequences at the wall.
Adapt the practice for osteoporosis, scoliosis, arthritis, common injuries, the effects of aging, and more.

Pranayama, Philosophy, Meditations

The science of breathing.
The path of health and wellness in the Yoga Sutras.
Modifying the practice when anxiety, depression, and mixed anxiety/depression may be present
Meditations for balance and wellness.
How to integrate meditation into your Slow Flow and Restorative classes effectively.

Restorative Yoga Essentials

The science behind down-regulating yoga.
“High prop” and “low prop” options to practice restorative anywhere.
Acupressure points for self-massage and energetic flow.
Building a successful restorative class that’s modified for the seasons and for your clients’ needs.

Slow Flow Essentials

The neurological argument for slow flow and restorative yoga.
Desikachar-inspired sequences to move the lymph and support immunity.
Normalizing props to make vinyasa accessible to all bodies.
The physiological basis behind warm-ups Sequencing for ease and sustainability.
How to create a calm and meditative flow.
How to build heat with a limited range of motion.
Sequencing for the Seasons.

Introduction to Ayurveda and One-on-One Yoga

Exploring the doshas (body/personality types) as inspiration in practice and teaching.
Adjusting the yoga practice for time of year, time of day, and time of life.
Bringing your practice off the mat in a practical, holistic way.
Using intake to personalize the yoga practice for your clients.

Care for the Caregiver Focus: Restorative Yoga

Yoga Therapeutics Essentials program format features:

Convenient self study hours
3 weeks of meaningful live hours with your faculty and cohort
Option to complete online or in person for selected hours at Pure Yoga in New York City
In-person registrants receive one month of complimentary yoga classes at Pure Yoga through February (for non-members only)

LEARN MORE AT: PREMAYOGAINSTITUTE.COM

Prema Yoga Institute is longer limited to New York City and is now available online with interactive trainings through 2022. PYI is an accredited program based in New York city, teaching students around the globe through online classes. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you advance your yoga practice and teaching!

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Learning Yoga Modifications to Support Mental Wellness