YOGA THERAPY

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IAYT DEFINITION ;

Yoga therapy is the process of empowering individuals to progress toward improved health and well-being through the application of the teachings and practices of Yoga.

 

 

According to the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT):
The focus of yoga therapy is to help the individual through

one-on-one-therapy progress toward greater health, be it

physically, mentally, or in recovering from illness or injury.

YOGA THERAPY
Yoga Therapy enables individuals to move toward better health and

improved quality of life through the time-honored practice of yoga.
 

 

YOGA THERAPIST

A Yoga Therapist provides individualized, customized yoga therapy sessions or programs which seek to ameliorate chronic conditions, assist in recovery, or manage symptoms associated with long-term illness.

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YOGA THERAPIST's TRAINING

Encompassing all aspects of yoga including physical applications and philosophy of yoga, as well as studies in diseases and their causes/symptoms, range of motion and biomechanics, anatomy and physiology, correct applications of yoga and contraindications in certain health conditions, disability, or mental state as well as across various age-groups, and a clear understanding of patient-client relationships.

 


C-IAYT Yoga Therapist;

C-IAYT Yoga Therapist -- International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) certified yoga therapist, has completed a minimum of 1000 hours of yoga therapy training and related studies within specific yet comprehensive guidelines.

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*Although it is currently legal to use the terms yoga therapy / yoga therapist without being C-IAYT certified, the global standards set in place by IAYT help to distinguish yoga therapists who have completed certain competencies under an accredited yoga therapist training program.
 

 

IAYT Educational Standards for the Training of Yoga Therapists.

The IAYT Competency Profile outlines a range of skills and knowledge base which are essential to the practice of yoga therapy by a C-IAYT yoga therapist, summarized as follows by Leigh Blashki, IAYT Accreditation Committee & IAYT Council of Advisors. Competency profiles are shown for cross-reference.

• An understanding of yoga teachings, yoga philosophy, and their application to yoga therapy, including the condition and functioning of the mind (Categories 1.1 and 1.2) and the understanding of health and disease (1.3). This knowledge is fundamental to distinguishing yoga therapy from other forms of treatment.

• Knowledge of the allopathic/biomedical and psychological conceptualization of anatomy, physiology, mental health, and related pathology, including basic knowledge of perspectives on health and disease and the contemporary health care environment (2.1 to 2.4). This knowledge is fundamental to working in modern health care.

• An understanding of the importance of body–mind connection and its integration in the practice of yoga therapy (2.5). This knowledge represents the synthesis of the previous categories in Section 2 and is fundamental to the practice of yoga therapy.

• Knowledge and skills related to therapeutic skill and client education at the individual consultation or group level (3.1 to 3.3). Therapeutic relationships can be complex and require skills and knowledge [on the part of the yoga therapist] that either include or differ from those of a [yoga] teacher.

• A deep understanding of the breadth of yoga practices and their application (4.1). This includes a well-developed ability to integrate the necessary knowledge with practice, to provide effective yoga therapy for clients, including all aspects of intake and assessment, design and instruction of practices, and providing ongoing support (4.2)

• An understanding of the principles of professional practice. This includes understanding the regulatory environment, relationship with peers, professional ethics, and the role of ongoing personal development (5.1 to 5.4)