Yoga Therapy: Basic Methods of Motivational Interviewing
Yoga therapy offers a holistic approach to healing that integrates the mind, body, and spirit. Combining this with the techniques of motivational interviewing can deepen the therapeutic relationship and enhance client outcomes.
Motivational interviewing (MI) is a client-centered approach aimed at eliciting behavior change by helping individuals explore and resolve ambivalence. In the context of yoga therapy, these techniques can guide clients toward self-awareness and positive change.
In this blog, we'll talk about the key methods of motivational interviewing which are open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summarization.
Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions are essential in motivational interviewing because they encourage clients to express themselves more fully, providing insights into their thoughts and feelings.
In yoga therapy, open-ended questions help clients reflect on their emotional and physical states, deepening their connection with themselves.
Example:
Instead of asking a client, “Are you feeling better after practicing yoga?”, you might ask, “What sensations do you notice in your own body after today's session?” Such a question invites the individual to feel their experience further without being limited to answer yes or no.
Similarly, you can ask, “What inspired you to start practicing yoga?” or “How do you envision yoga supporting your personal healing journey?”
These questions open the door to self-discovery and empowerment, helping clients articulate their goals and challenges more clearly.
Affirmations
Affirmations are positive statements that recognize a client’s strengths, intentions, and efforts. In the context of yoga therapy, affirmations can be incredibly powerful because they reinforce the client’s sense of agency and self-worth.
Often, clients come to yoga therapy with feelings of self-doubt or uncertainty about their healing journey. Affirming their progress or qualities can shift their mindset.
Example:
After a client shares a challenge they're facing, an affirmation could be, “It’s great to see how committed you are to exploring new ways of healing,” or “I admire your resilience in coming to today’s session, even though things have been tough lately.”
These small, yet significant statements acknowledge the client’s inner resources and can motivate them to continue engaging with their practice. Affirmations are free and simple but often underused, even though they have the potential to create a lasting impact.
Reflective Listening
Reflective listening is a key element of MI and involves echoing back the client’s words, allowing them to feel heard and understood. It fosters a deeper connection between the therapist and client, which is particularly important in yoga therapy, where the mind-body connection is a focal point.
Reflective listening can help clients process their emotions, both positive and negative.
Example:
A client may say, “I know yoga is supposed to help me feel calmer, but I still feel overwhelmed.” As the therapist, you might reflect, “It sounds like you’re finding it difficult to manage the overwhelm, even though you’re trying.”
This approach validates the client’s experience and emotions, encouraging them to explore deeper insights and self-compassion. Reflective listening can soften resistance and help clients feel supported as they navigate their healing journey.
Summary
Summarizing is a specific type of reflective listening that helps the client understand the larger picture of what they’ve expressed. In yoga therapy, summaries can be used at the end of a session to recap key points, helping the client feel clear about their progress and next steps.
Summarizing reinforces important aspects of the conversation and highlights areas of ambivalence or motivation.
Example:
A well-structured summary might sound like this: “So today we discussed how yoga is helping you become more aware of your body’s signals, even though you still feel some anxiety at times. It sounds like continuing to explore breathing techniques might be a helpful next step for you. Does that feel right?”
By doing this, you encapsulate the key themes, acknowledge challenges, and invite the client to reflect on their next move.
Conclusion
Integrating motivational interviewing techniques into yoga therapy can enhance client engagement, self-awareness, and motivation. Using open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summarization helps create a safe, non-judgmental space where clients can explore their emotions and work toward their goals.
Are you a yoga teacher or healthcare practitioner looking to incorporate yoga and mindfulness into your practice? Are you interested in learning more about Yoga in Healthcare? Please check out our annual Yoga in Healthcare Training - as well as our comprehensive yoga therapy certification at Prema Yoga Institute.
Please be advised that the content of this blog is not to be used as a substitution for the opinions and services of your licensed healthcare professional.
Yoga Therapy: Types of Resistance to Change and the RULE for Motivational Interviewing
Change can be a complex journey, especially when it comes to our physical and mental well-being. In yoga therapy, practitioners often encounter various forms of resistance that can slow down or completely block progress. Whether it’s emotional, mental, or physical, these resistances are natural but must be addressed to ensure a successful therapeutic outcome.
In this blog, we’ll talk about the common types of resistance to change and how yoga therapy can integrate the principles of motivational interviewing to help clients overcome these challenges.
What Prevents People from Change?
Resistance to change is often rooted in fear, uncertainty, and deeply ingrained habits. Whether someone is dealing with chronic pain, stress, or mental health concerns, the discomfort of change can outweigh the perceived benefits of healing.
As a result, they may unconsciously—or consciously—resist the therapeutic process.
In yoga therapy, this resistance is often seen as a form of self-protection, where the client shields themselves from potential discomfort or vulnerability.
Types of Resistance in Yoga Therapy
Here are some specific types of resistance to change that practitioners commonly encounter:
Arguing
Arguing is a form of resistance where clients may resist the accuracy or expertise of the yoga therapist. They might challenge the validity of the practices, questioning whether the techniques can truly address their issues.
This type of resistance reflects the client’s inner conflict and may stem from past experiences where their expectations for healing were not met.
Interrupting
Interrupting occurs when clients frequently break into the conversation, often in a defensive or combative manner. This resistance signals discomfort with the therapeutic process, and the client may feel threatened by the suggestions being made.
In yoga therapy, this can manifest when the practitioner is trying to guide the client into deeper practices of mindfulness or body awareness, and the client becomes defensive.
Denying
Denying is when clients refuse to acknowledge their challenges, whether they be physical, emotional, or mental. This can include an unwillingness to take responsibility for their health or reject the need for any lifestyle changes.
In yoga therapy, denial might look like a client refusing to modify their diet or adopt mindfulness practices, even though these steps could aid their healing.
Ignoring
Ignoring occurs when the client completely disregards the information provided by the therapist. In this case, the client is not paying attention or is intentionally avoiding the therapeutic suggestions being made.
This type of resistance can be especially difficult to navigate in yoga therapy, as it signals a deep unwillingness to engage with the healing process.
How Motivational Interviewing Can Help in Yoga Therapy
Motivational interviewing is a technique developed by Miller and Rollnick (2013) to help healthcare practitioners work with clients who are resistant to change. By incorporating this therapeutic style into yoga therapy, practitioners can help clients explore their resistance and make gradual, positive changes.
The RULE of motivational interviewing is particularly useful in overcoming resistance:
R = Resist telling them what to do: Rather than directing clients toward a specific path, yoga therapists should allow clients to explore their own motivations for change. This creates a space for self-discovery, which is a crucial part of the healing journey.
U = Understand their motivation: Every client has unique reasons for their resistance. A yoga therapist can take time to explore these motivations and barriers, helping clients feel heard and understood.
L = Listen with empathy: Listening deeply and empathetically allows the client to feel supported, which can soften resistance over time.
E = Empower them: Setting small, achievable goals with the client and celebrating their successes can empower them to continue progressing.
Conclusion
Yoga therapy resistance is a common hurdle in the healing process, but it can be overcome with the right tools and approaches. By understanding the types of resistance and integrating motivational interviewing techniques, yoga therapists can create a compassionate and supportive environment where clients feel empowered to embrace change at their own pace.
Are you a yoga teacher or healthcare practitioner looking to incorporate yoga and mindfulness into your practice? Are you interested in learning more about Yoga in Healthcare? Please check out our annual Yoga in Healthcare Training - as well as our comprehensive yoga therapy certification at Prema Yoga Institute.
Please be advised that the content of this blog is not to be used as a substitution for the opinions and services of your licensed healthcare professional.
Get to Know Yoga Therapy’s Supportive Effects During Cancer Care
Navigating cancer treatment can be physically and emotionally challenging. Integrating complementary practices, such as yoga therapy, for cancer care offers holistic support for the body's vital systems.
In this blog, we'll explore the impact of yoga therapy on the body's different systems. Understanding how yoga therapy for cancer care can help ease both the patients' and their families' journey through treatment and recovery.
Musculoskeletal System
The musculoskeletal system is composed of 206 bones and over 600 muscles, with bones, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and connective tissue. This system provides a sturdy framework for muscles and soft tissues, supporting weight, maintaining posture, and enabling movement. Its five key functions include movement, support, protection, heat generation, and blood circulation.
Impact of Cancer on the Musculoskeletal System
Cancer can lead to sarcomas growing in the bone or connective tissues. It also can lead to the following:
Muscle weakness resulting in loss of balance
Fatigue
Loss of mobility
Arthritis - joint inflammation
Arthralgia - joint pain
Bone fractures
Osteoporosis / Osteopenia - bones become porous and brittle
How Yoga can Support the Musculoskeletal System
Studies have found that yoga can help support bone health and joint health. Yoga therapy for cancer care can also help provide the following benefits:
Improved balance
Improved posture and alignment through Asana
Improved strength through postures that use body weight for resistance
Increased mobility and flexibility by improving range of motion
Lowered muscle tension through mindfulness and breathing practices
Digestive System
The digestive system, composed of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder, processes food for energy, growth, and cell repair. The GI tract connects the mouth to the anus through organs like the esophagus, stomach, and intestines. The bacteria within the GI tract help maintain digestive health.
Impact of Cancer on the Digestive System
Cancer cells can grow near this system's organs and spread out. Some of the common cancers that affect the digestive system are colorectal, esophageal, gastric, liver, and pancreatic cancer. While there are treatments for GI-related cancers, they can disrupt the gut biome, leading to GERD, diarrhea, and constipation, among others.
How Yoga can Support the Digestive System
Yoga therapy for cancer can include a variety of positions that can help the digestive system. For instance, Asana can aid in peristalsis. Twists and turns with pressure along the abdomen can help relieve constipation. For heartburn-related concerns, keeping head above heart can be beneficial.
Endocrine System
The endocrine system consists of glands that produce and secrete hormones into the bloodstream. These include the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pineal, pancreas, ovaries, and testes. The hormones regulate reproduction, metabolism, energy balance, growth, body defenses, sleep, and blood pressure, all while maintaining homeostasis—a state of dynamic equilibrium in the body.
Impact of Cancer on the Endocrine System
Cancer can increase cortisol, leading to high stress, which activates the body's fight or flight response. It also disrupts the production and release of hormones or even produce their own homes which affect the natural homeostasis of the body. When cancer exists, the body cannot repair tissues and produce reproductive and growth hormones, as well.
How Yoga can Support the Endocrine System
Yoga therapy for cancer care can help reduce stress as it can regulate cortisol levels and improve hormone balance. Yoga can support the reduction of allostatic load and bring balance to the seven yoga chakras associated with glands. Postures can also help increase blood flow to the endocrine glands to promote production and regulation of hormones in the body.
Respiratory System
The respiratory system includes the lungs, airways, and blood vessels. Air travels through the mouth, nose, sinuses, trachea, pharynx, and bronchial tubes to reach the lungs. The diaphragm and ribs protect the lungs, while blood vessels transport oxygen to and from the lungs.
Impact of Cancer on the Respiratory System
Cancer, or its treatment, can diminish lung capacity as well as possibly damage the organs and tissues. A weakened respiratory system due to treatment is also at high risk of getting infected, which can lead to flu, pneumonia, and bronchitis, among others.
How Yoga can Support the Respiratory System
Yoga therapy for cancer care can help strengthen the muscles of the lungs and keep them strong and flexible. It can also help move fluid, such as mucus, out of the body. Through pranayama, yoga can help increase the efficiency of the lungs.
Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system, a network of tissues, vessels, and organs, moves lymph fluid throughout the body. With 600-700 lymph nodes filtering and cleansing lymph, this system is vital to the body’s immune response, producing white blood cells to combat foreign invaders. It also absorbs and transports fats from the small intestine to the bloodstream for energy.
Impact of Cancer on the Lymphatic System
Cancer cells can develop in the lymph nodes and vessels, which can spread to other parts of the body. It can cause lymphedema, which is a buildup of lymph fluid that can cause swelling. This can affect how the body gets rid of toxins and waste.
Common cancer for this system include lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and lymph node cancer.
How Yoga can Support the Lymphatic System
The following yoga therapy for cancer care practices can help support this system:
Asana can help stimulate the lymphatic system, thereby moving lymph and waste.
Breathing practices can help promote drainage.
Twisting postures can help compress and release the organs and muscles, which also help move lymph fluids.
Urinary / Excretory System
The urinary/excretory system filters 120-140 liters of blood daily, creating urine as a waste product. Urine travels through the ureters to the bladder, where it's stored until excretion. Composed of the kidneys, renal pelvis, ureters, bladder, and urethra, it filters the blood, removes toxins, and regulates salt and water balance.
Impact of Cancer on the Urinary/Excretory System
Cancer can cause pelvic and back pain. It can also cause frequent urination and discomfort. Having cancer can cause blood in the urine, and pain or burning when urinating.
Common cancers for this system include kidney and bladder cancer. Treatments, though, may cause urinary and bladder problems, including constipation and diarrhea, as well as nausea, vomiting, and weight loss/gain.
How Yoga can Support the Urinary/Excretory System
Yoga therapy for cancer can help support this system in the following ways:
Postures can help strengthen the urinary tract's and the pelvic region's muscles. This helps prevent bladder control issues and urinary incontinence.
Postures can support blood circulation and help the body remove waste.
Yoga practice can help reduce stress.
Conclusion
The body's different systems each have their own importance functions, which means cancer treatment should always focus on holistic care. Yoga therapy for cancer care can support these systems and lead to overall wellbeing.
Are you a yoga teacher or healthcare practitioner looking to incorporate yoga and mindfulness into your practice? Are you interested in learning more about Yoga and Cancer Care? Please check out our annual Yoga and Cancer Care Training - as well as our comprehensive yoga therapy certification at Prema Yoga Institute.