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Yoga Therapy: The Motivational Traps of Motivational Interviewing

In yoga therapy, the bond between the therapist and the client is crucial. Effective communication is key to helping clients understand their healing potential and navigate through the healing process. But it's easy to fall into common communication traps that hinder progress.

This blog will highlight each of these traps and discuss strategies to avoid them, ensuring a more supportive and effective therapeutic environment.

#1 - The Question-Answer Trap

This trap happens when therapists ask too many closed-ended or leading questions, turning the client into a passive participant in their own healing. This situation can make clients feel like they’re being evaluated rather than supported, which can lead to disengagement.

Solution: Shift to Open-Ended Questions

Instead of relying on closed-ended questions, yoga therapists should ask open-ended questions that invite reflection. Therapists can use a questionnaire at the start of the session to gather essential information.

But, during sessions, they should focus on reflective listening, allowing clients to elaborate on their feelings and experiences. This approach fosters a sense of partnership, helping clients feel heard and valued.

#2 - The Confrontation-Denial Trap

When therapists confront clients right away with the realities of their issues, such as physical pain or emotional blocks, they may unconsciously create a Confrontation-Denial Trap. Clients may downplay their issues or resist suggested changes, making progress difficult.

Solution: Empathy and Self-Motivation

Instead of pushing a specific course of action, therapists should reflect empathetically and encourage self-motivating statements from clients. Allow clients to explore their uncertainties and issues with yoga naturally. This empowers them to make their own decisions, which can help promote a "win" mentality and minimizes resistance.

#3 - The Labeling Trap

Labels can carry stigmas and create power imbalances. Labeling can make clients feel trapped or judged, especially in a holistic setting like yoga therapy.

Solution: De-emphasize Labels

If a client brings up a label themselves, therapists can reframe it in a way that lessens its negative connotation. For instance, rather than focusing on a diagnosis like "chronic pain," shift the conversation to how yoga can help manage and alleviate discomfort.

#4 - The Premature Focus Trap

This trap happens when therapists focus too quickly on a single issue they think is the client’s problem. This can ignore the client’s immediate concerns, resulting in a disconnect.

Solution: Explore the Client’s Priorities

Before narrowing the therapeutic focus, yoga therapists should listen closely to their clients’ immediate concerns. This will help align the therapy with what the client feels is most pressing. By doing so, therapists can build trust and eventually guide them to other areas that may need attention.

#5 - The Blaming Trap

Clients can be highly sensitive to feeling blamed for their current state, especially when talking about deeply personal issues. Even subtle language or tone can trigger their feelings of guilt or defensiveness.

Solution: Practice Non-Blaming Communication

Therapists should avoid assigning blame and use non-judgmental language, instead. Reflecting back what clients share without judgment helps create a safe space for honest conversation. The goal is to help clients take responsibility for their healing in a positive, constructive way.

Conclusion

By understanding these common traps, yoga therapists can promote an environment of mutual respect, understanding, and empowerment. It is important to remember that effective communication is at the heart of yoga therapy. When clients feel heard and understood, they are far more likely to engage in the therapeutic process and achieve lasting transformation.

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.

Prema Yoga Institute 9/23/24 Prema Yoga Institute 9/23/24

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.

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.

Prema Yoga Institute 9/19/24 Prema Yoga Institute 9/19/24

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.

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.