TVK Desikachar, great master of yoga therapy from the 1900s
Here, I’ll do my best to explain what yoga therapy is all about.
If instead you’re looking for more details on what a 1:1 or group yoga therapy programme might involve, you’ll find that information in the dropdown above.
Understanding Yoga Therapy: A Holistic Approach to Healing
Yoga therapy is a powerful, effective, and increasingly recognized holistic healing art.
It merges ancient yogic wisdom with modern, evidence-backed research to support the prevention and management of a wide range of physical, emotional, and mental health conditions.
But what exactly is yoga therapy? Let’s dive into this transformative practice.
The Essence of Yoga Therapy
“Yoga therapy is a self-empowering process, where the care-seeker, with the help of the Yoga therapist, implements a personalized and evolving program, that addresses the illness in a multi-dimensional manner and also aims to alleviate his/her suffering in a progressive, non-invasive manner.”
—TVK Desikachar, great master of yoga therapy from the 1900s
Unlike a general yoga class, yoga therapy is a deeply personalized approach, guided one-on-one or in small groups by a certified yoga therapist. Through a supportive relationship that includes individual assessment, goal setting, and lifestyle guidance, a therapist works alongside each client to develop a realistic, sustainable plan/programme.
The programme is designed around the individual’s unique health needs. This tailored approach ensures that the therapy is truly effective, as it’s designed to meet the unique needs of each person, empowering them to manage their condition more effectively and enhance overall quality of life.
Yoga therapy proves to be an immensely effective practice on its own or in conjunction with a current form of therapy. It shares similarities with physiotherapy, psychotherapy, and rehabilitation—but its tools are distinctly rooted in yogic tradition.
These include postures (asana), breathwork (pranayama), meditation, mindfulness, Ayurvedic principles, and deep relaxation.
"The goals of yoga therapy include eliminating, reducing, and/or managing symptoms that cause suffering; improving function; helping to prevent the occurrence or re-occurrence of underlying causes. Yoga therapy can not only be preventative or curative, but also serve as a means to manage the illness, or facilitate healing in the person at all levels.”
—The International Association of Yoga Therapists
Anyone can benefit from yoga therapy.
Some of the most promising areas in scientific study into yoga therapy include:
Yoga therapy is also gaining recognition as an alternate treatment for:
Mental Health conditions:
Physical Conditions
Yoga therapy can be particularly effective for treating body-focused conditions, caused due to chronic pain, stress, or trauma that has been stored in the body and manifest as symptoms related to through anxiety or depression.
Addressing the Whole Person
What makes yoga therapy truly unique is that it sees and treats the person as whole—not as a diagnosis, as broken, or needing to be fixed. The health condition isn’t the center—the person is.
In a world that often separates the body into systems, symptoms, or specialties, yoga therapy sees the person as whole, with unconditional positive regard.
It acknowledges that we’re more than just muscles or organs—we are layered beings. Through the lens of the Pancha Maya Kosha (the five layers of the self), we explore imbalances across the physical body, energetic body, mind, wisdom body, and heart or spirit layer.
These layers are deeply interconnected and often impacted by life events, relationships, trauma, work stress, and environmental factors. What shows up in the body—like pain or fatigue—is often a message from something deeper. Yoga therapy works from the inside out, aiming to address root causes rather than simply manage surface symptoms.
Yoga therapists are trained to see the bigger picture.
Yoga therapy works through a biopsychosocial–spiritual lens, considering all the factors that may be influencing your health. It considers the full picture: physical, emotional, mental, relational, and spiritual well-being—and addresses these aspects alongside you.
This approach helps uncover and address the root causes of illness or imbalance, supporting healing from the inside out across multiple areas of life.
The Role of Ayurveda in Yoga Therapy
Yoga therapy is also deeply connected to Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine. In Ayurveda, each person is said to have a unique constitution, known as a dosha, which affects how they respond to various treatments and lifestyle choices.
When a yoga therapist understands a person’s dosha, they can adapt the therapeutic plan accordingly. This may include lifestyle recommendations, dietary suggestions, and specific yogic tools tailored to the individual’s nature.
When applied skillfully, this blend of yoga and Ayurveda allows for a more complete holistic approach to healing.
Strength-Focused
Yoga therapy honors the uniqueness of each person, focusing not only on what needs support, but also on what is already strong and working well.
While many modern care systems appropriately focus on the diagnosis—often spending time discussing what’s wrong—yoga therapy shifts the emphasis to what’s right, focusing in on your strengths, your resilience, potential, and your inner resources.
Our focus is on building up what’s already strong within you and expanding it, using it as a foundation to support areas of challenge.
It is this compassionate, integrated, and strength-based approach that defines the heart of yoga therapy. This strengths-based perspective is deeply empowering, helping you move forward with clarity, confidence, and a sense of control in your own healing journey.
The Power of Empowerment
Yoga therapy isn’t just about the session—it’s about empowering you to take charge of your own healing. Rather than relying solely on weekly sessions, yoga therapists will often recommend practices for you to continue at home and offer tools that you can use anytime, which encourages sustainable shifts in behavior, routine, and promoting lasting changes in your daily life. This approach encourages long-term shifts rather than short-term relief.
By teaching you to integrate these practices into your routine, yoga therapy empowers you to build resilience, improve your health, and promote greater self-awareness and mindfulness in your everyday life.
The Inclusive Nature of Yoga Therapy
Yoga therapy is suitable for anyone—regardless of age, flexibility, or strength. Practices can be as simple or as advanced as needed, depending on the individual’s health status, abilities, comfort, and personal goals.
Yoga therapists meet every person where they are—physically, emotionally, and energetically. There is no expectation, judgment, or limitation based on the severity of a condition, offering a supportive environment for healing and growth.
The History and Growth of Yoga Therapy
Yoga has been practiced as a healing system in India for thousands of years. Its therapeutic applications began gaining recognition in the West in the late 20th century, especially following research by Dr. Dean Ornish, whose work showed that yoga-based lifestyle changes could actually reverse heart disease.
Since then, an increasing number of studies have confirmed the benefits of yoga therapy for conditions ranging from anxiety and depression to chronic pain and cardiovascular issues.
Today, yoga therapy is being embraced in a wide range of healthcare settings and is recommended by many doctors and mental health professionals.
As research continues to grow, more people are turning to yoga therapy not only as a form of healing but also as a path toward long-term wellness and personal transformation.
Takeaway
Whether you're dealing with a specific health issue or simply seeking a more balanced, mindful life, yoga therapy offers a gentle, holistic path to healing. By addressing the mind, body, and spirit, yoga therapy fosters true well-being, helping you to not only heal but thrive.
If you’re curious and would like to delve deeper into what a yoga therapy session with me might look like—whether in a private setting or group programme—you’ll find more information in the dropdown above.
You're also very welcome to get in touch using the contact form below.