Yoga therapy is the customized application of various yoga techniques (i.e. movements, breathing and relaxation exercises) to target a particular condition or area of focus. When practiced in this individualized and targeted way, yoga can help bring your mind and body into more balance.

Yoga therapy is especially effective for managing symptoms of chronic conditions where Western medicine can’t always reach. Yoga can also be a beneficial if you don’t have a particular condition or diagnosis per se, but simply want to feel better and more present in your life, by having more energy, better focus and/or less stress so you can tap into more of your potential.

Eliana will work with you to create a customized home routine that supports your lifestyle and abilities, which will allow you to participate and engage more fully with the things that matter most to you in your life.

Here are some conditions that we help manage with Yoga therapy, however yoga can be adapted to any body or condition.

Conditions:

• Musculoskeletal pain (e.g. lower back pain, knee pain, etc.)
• Fibromyalgia
• Inflammatory arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Anxiety and mood disorders
• Sleep disorders
• PMS symptoms
• Pre- and post-natal
• Support during and after cancer treatment
• And others.

Areas of Focus:

• Concentration and focus
• Stress management
• Improve energy
• Improve mood
• Improve balance

Yoga Therapy FAQs

What can I expect during my first yoga therapy session?

The initial session will be 75 minutes, which will include about 30 minutes of talking about what brought you to yoga therapy, your relevant health history and what you are hoping to get out of it. This will inform how we approach your subsequent yoga sessions and home program.  For the remaining 45 minutes we will explore some gentle movements so I can assess your mobility and note any restrictions or impairments that we will be addressing and/ or accommodating. During the initial session we will also start to explore the breath as a foundation for breathing exercises, meditation and/or relaxation exercises. You will be provided with a few simple tools that you can bring home to start working on a simple home yoga and or mediation routine.

How are private yoga therapy sessions different than going to a regular group class?

Whereas group yoga classes offer a great general yoga routine, they are not always suitable or even beneficial for certain people or conditions. Yoga therapy on the other hand, is customized to your abilities, working with or around your restrictions rather than seeing them as obstacles. Yoga therapy also uses the application of specific postures or breathing exercises to address what you’re working with. For example, we use different postures and breathing exercises to manage stress and anxiety symptoms compared to when aiming to improve the mood and energy. Another example would be for prenatal yoga, we can create a yoga program that is not only safe, but also targets specific considerations and symptoms that can arise during the various phases of pregnancy.

How many sessions do I need to do for Yoga therapy to be effective?

The answer to this depends on many factors including the severity of your condition, previous experience with yoga and meditation, your motivation to integrate an independent home routine, as well as your available time and finances. However, minimally  expect to need at least 4 sessions (1 initial + 3 follow-ups) to allow us to put together a safe and effective yoga therapy routine for you to do independently at home. For some people these 4 sessions are enough, however if you know you have a hard time with discipline and/or you simply like the supervision and hands-on assistance, you could benefit from weekly or biweekly session for 2+ months, resources permitting.

What should I wear to yoga?

Where something comfortable to move and relax in. I would suggest sweatpants or yoga pants, t-shirt, and a sweatshirt or sweater to stay warm during relaxation.

I am not very flexible, is yoga still for me?

Absolutely! One of the biggest misconceptions about yoga is that you need to be flexible to do yoga. This is not true. Yoga can literally be adapted to any body.

Isn’t yoga just for women?

Definitely not! This is another major misconception about yoga in the West. Everyone can benefit from yoga, man/woman, young/old, sick/ healthy, etc.

How is yoga different from just stretching?

While yoga does include some stretches and flexibility training, this is only one component. Depending on the focus of your yoga therapy sessions, yoga can include the following: stretching, strengthening, breathing, meditation, relaxation, balance and coordination training. One significant way yoga is different than regular flexibility and strength training is by coordinating the breathing in such a way that is also calms the nervous system. By balancing the stress response part of the nervous system with the breathing we gain not only physical but also psychological benefits with yoga.

Rates:

Initial (75 min) = $115 + HST

Follow-up (60 min) = $90 + HST

Promotional Packages for November and December (To be used by Feb. 28/2021)

Starter package = 1 Initial + 3 follow-ups + home program = $300 + HST