Healing the Whole Person: Applications of Yoga Psychotherapy

Elements of yoga practices have become increasingly popular with both medical and mental health professionals, as well as the subject of much empirical research. Meditation, one of yoga’s most important practices, has been found effective in the treatment of a wide variety of physical and psychological problems, including coronary artery disease, chronic pain, anxiety, and depression. In Western therapies, mind, body, and spirit are separated into three distinct areas, with specialists who deal with each facet of the human being independently. However, in the yogic model, medical, psychological, and spiritual needs are dealt with synergistically. A fundamental tenet of yoga therapy is that there is body, mind, and spirit integration.