bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can Meditation Help Psychotherapists Practice More Effectively? A Literature Review
Authors: Addison Dominic
Published: July 2020

This study reviews literature concerning any effects meditation may have upon the psychological health and practice of psychotherapists. A number of anecdotal accounts were explored in order to extract key claims made for meditation. These claims were found to include that meditation promotes attentive ability, a calm psychophysiological state, heightened awareness, and a reflexive self (an objective, observant sub-personality). It was suggested that these effects were personally therapeutic,and that this could facilitate therapists' practice. Of the experimental studies reviewed, most found that meditation had significant positive effects upon various measures of psychophysiological health. These included increases in measures of self-efficacy and attentional absorption, and decreases in indicators of anxiety,stress, and depression. However, many experimental studies were methodologically flawed. These problems were often related to characteristics of meditation that render it problematic to investigate. For example, it may take at least one year of daily practice to bring about effects, and researchers have found it difficult to complete experiments where randomly assigned participants all adhere to such a demanding regimen. In addition,current quantitative research techniques may not be sophisticated enough to allow the effects of meditation to be accurately gauged. It is suggested that qualitative techniques could be more successful in exploring the effects of meditation.
The Gentle Loving Rehab of Yoga,with Ayurveda
Authors: Hansen Patricia , Knox Hansa
Published: July 2020

People seek the benefits of private Yoga sessions for many reasons, including structural problems, stress,mental, emotional, and spiritual concerns, or a preference for one-on-one instruction. Others seek to deepen their Yoga experience because something has awakened during a yogâsana class. This is a natural unfoldment of the individual in the context of the classical darshana(system) of Yoga. Yoga is an ancient tradition that has been used by human beings for centuries to experience wholeness and health on every level of their being, and these individuals are seeking therapeutic assistance from Yoga, also known as yoga-cikitsâ, or Yoga therapy.

The intention of this paper is to present an overview of the vast array of tools available through the traditions of Yoga and Ayurveda to support the individual therapeutic application of Yoga. Yoga-cikitsâ encompasses every level of the body-mind, and we feel that Yoga teachers and therapists need to integrate all of the available tools to best work with the whole person.
Yoga as an Experimental Intervention for Cognition in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Kishiyama Shirley , Carlsen Jane , Lawrence Julie , Small Eric , Zajdel Daniel , Oken Barry
Published: July 2020

In order to study the possible effects of Yoga on cognitive function in multiple sclerosis (MS), we have set up six-month-long classes that meet for 90 minutes once a week. The format for the class follows the Iyengar approach to Hatha-Yoga, which utilizes "props" such as chairs, blankets, or straps that aid the less supple/strong body in achieving the Yoga poses. In particular, people with MS can suffer from balance problems, limb weakness,numbness, and fatigue. Iyengar Yoga thus lends itself particularly well to formulating a class for students with MS. This paper describes the actual Yoga intervention for people with MS and discusses some of the problems in experimental design and logistics encountered in setting up the study.
Disability, Yoga, and Transformation
Authors: Newborn Barbara
Published: July 2020

Life-threatening illness throws many survivors into chaos, dramatically altering and affecting their lives. They are physically and mentally forced out of their daily living routine to figure out other ways of doing things. Everything around them is falling apart. They feel cut off—physically and mentally isolated—without having any sense of belonging. The situation, however, does not have to remain tragic. Disability and illness can teach us about ourselves.

The methods of Yoga provide opportunities for this transformation. Yoga teaches survivors how to live through a physical and emotional crisis. It offers a practical method for working with their bodies and their minds. In this journey a new consciousness can develop and then tragedy can transform itself. This process will eventually lead survivors from a confusing state to a clear understanding of all elements of their lives. Persons of disability will then see themselves as whole and healthy human beings.

Here is how, as a stroke survivor, Yoga transformed me.
Yoga and Mental Health: Children and Adolescents Make Space in the System for Deeper Practices
Authors: Tate Amy
Published: July 2020

The popularity of Hatha-Yoga practice in mainstream American culture has opened many doors of healing for adults and children with a variety of physical and emotional illnesses. Indeed, the physical aspects of Yoga are undeniably beneficial for people of all ages. Invariably,those who take on a serious practice of âsana eventually move into the deeper practices of Yoga. In the American mental health system Yoga has been embraced as a physical practice to relieve stress, anxiety, and depression, much as any physical exercise has been touted to do the same. With this article, I intend to argue that Yoga therapy, founded in deliberate examination and holistic healing of self on each level of the fivekoshas, can be integrated into a mainstream inpatient mental health program for children and adolescents with a variety of emotional and psychological disorders. By focusing on all levels of the person—physical, psychological,energetic, and spiritual—Yoga therapists and other health care workers can provide a foundation of healing by which children and adolescents can be empowered to act on their own behalf within a system that is currently under radical reconstruction.
Yoga and Ayurveda for Therapy
Authors: Shah Vina , Hooper Giles
Published: July 2020

According to Yoga and Ayurveda, the purpose of therapy is to act against illness or disease so that the human system is restored to balance. There is no doubt that the human system is a complex one, and thus, by its nature,the subject of therapy is often complex. As humans, our inner balance is influenced by six variable factors—diet,lifestyle, environment, body work, breathing techniques,and our thought processes. These factors are interdependent and the connections between them have been analyzed and discussed in the classical texts on Yoga and Ayurveda. Although they place a slightly different emphasis on each of these factors in terms of their relevance to maintaining or restoring health, Yoga and Ayurveda both recognize that we can only alter our state of health or restore our balance by addressing these six factors and the connections between them. Therefore, to approach any therapeutic situation effectively, both Yoga and Ayurveda must be considered. Depending on the nature of the imbalance being treated, one of them will often play a primary role in the treatment and the other will act as a support.
Mood Changes Associated with Iyengar Yoga Practices: A Pilot Study
Authors: Shapiro David , Cline Karen
Published: July 2020

The main objectives of this study were 1) to examine changes in self-reported moods and emotional states from before to after Iyengar Yoga classes and how they are affected by the practice of different types of Yoga poses and (2) to determine whether observed changes in mood depend on one's personality traits. The participants were 11 healthy Yoga students in a nine-session Yoga course in which three different types of Yoga poses were compared: back bends, forward bends, and standing poses. Each 90-minute class focused on one of the three types of poses with three repetitions of each type of class. Self-ratings of 15 moods dealing with positive,negative, and energy-related emotional states were obtained before and after each class. Personality traits of depression, anxiety, and hostility were assessed at an initial orientation. Independently of the specific pose,positive moods increased, negative moods decreased,and energy-related moods increased from before to after classes with most changes lasting for two hours. Specific poses resulted in differences in how moods were affected,with back bends associated with greater increases in positive moods. Some mood changes were dependent on one's characteristic personality traits. The positive mood effects of back bends were greater for participants who were relatively hostile or depressed. The specific and nonspecific effects of different bodily postures and movements on psychological processes in Yoga and other forms of physical activity deserve further study. Yoga practices should be investigated for their potential clinical application in mood disorders and depression.
Is the Yoga World Ready? An Academic Perspective
Authors: Shapiro David
Published: July 2020

As a long time academic researcher and teacher, and an Iyengar Yoga practitioner for more than ten years, I have been intrigued by the ongoing discussions about Yoga therapy, about what it is and where it is going, and how, or whether, it can be integrated into the healthcare system. My interest in research on Yoga and its clinical potential started with curiosity (sometimes bewilderment) about Yoga teachers' explanations of poses and the claims sometimes made about the effects of certain Yoga practices on bodily organs and systems, such as endocrine glands, the cardiovascular system, the immune system, and mental states. What were these claims based on? Did they make sense in terms of what was already well known in physiology, physical medicine, psychology, and other basic sciences? Or, if such knowledge did not exit, how could we put claims to a test?
Invited Article: Exploring Yoga as Therapy
Authors: Mohan Ganesh
Published: July 2020

Most practitioners of Yoga would agree that Yoga is a holistic system that encourages healing and empowers the student or patient. This is simple to say, but to practice such an approach to Yoga within a rational and authentic framework requires much study, reflection, questioning, and attention to detail. This article provides an outline of the framework of Yoga therapy. Two simple rules govern our approach: logic and authenticity. We will examine the definition, approach, and tools of Yoga as a therapy, starting from the ancient texts on Yoga and then looking at Yoga today. Finally, we describe in some detail the example of a Yoga therapy approach for asthma.
Headstand for Rotator Cuff Tear: Shîrshâsana or Surgery
Authors: Fishman Loren , Konnoth Caroline , Polesin Alena
Published: July 2020

Objective: Pilot study to demonstrate and explain the enabling effects of headstand and chair-supported headstand in the clinical management of patients with rotator cuff tear, also known as rotator cuff syndrome (RCS).

Design: Prospective, unblinded single exposure study with repeated-measures design.

Setting: Private outpatient medical office.

Participants: Ten patients meeting clinical criteria for rotator cuff syndrome (RCS). MRI confirmed severe or total thickness tear of either the supraspinatus or infraspinatus muscles or both.

Intervention: Participants were taught a version of shîrshâsana (headstand), and remained in the inverted position for 30 seconds. Participants practiced the inversion for 30 seconds once a day for six weeks thereafter.

Data: Patients were tested for maximal voluntary abduction and flexion of the neutrally positioned arm, then rated their pain on maximal abduction before and after being taught a version of headstand, and at a six-week follow-up.

Outcome Measures: Immediate (post-headstand) and six-week change in function, measured by active range of abduction and flexion of the neutrally positioned arm. Immediate (post-headstand) and six-week change in pain during abduction, measured by a 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS).

Results: Mean voluntary abduction and flexion increased from 85 degrees each to 158 degrees and 162 degrees respectively. Mean VAS pain rating during abduction fell from 4.8/10 to 1.2/10.

Further Investigation: Electromyographic (EMG) interference pattern changes showed that the subscapularis, anterior and lateral deltoid, and rhomboid major were significantly more active electrophysiologically during headstand, and in abduction and flexion following headstand, than in abduction and flexion performed prior to headstand. MRI confirmed subscapularis activation in post-headstand shoulder abduction.

Conclusions: Headstand and a chair-supported version of headstand appear to improve function in the upper extremity after rotator cuff injury. EMG suggests that the subscapularis holds down the head of the humerus while the deltoid abducts the shaft. Using these two muscles together for abduction and flexion, in place of the supraspinatus, appears to be learned through brief exposure to a version of headstand.
Therapy As Spiritual Liberation
Authors: Bharati Swami Veda
Published: July 2020

During a conversation with Veronica Zador at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, July 2006, Swami Veda Bharati was asked, "What is Yoga therapy? What is a Yoga therapist prepared to do?" In this edited transcript of his response, he uses scriptural references from Yoga texts to discuss the basic ideas of health and illness, and continues with these philosophical ideas, explaining terminology, amplifying meaning, and concluding with an essential attitude for modern Yoga therapists to express and practice.
Yoga for People with Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
Authors: Quilter Deborah
Published: July 2020

Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is the leading occupational disease in the United States, yet very few Yoga teachers know how to offer a safe lesson for injured students. Symptoms of RSI can appear in the neck, shoulders, elbows, and wrists, and many Yoga postures can make them worse. RSI can be severely disabling, leading to unemployment and chronic pain or weakness. Common risk factors for RSI include computer or other intensive occupational or recreational hand use. Warning signs of RSI can be extremely subtle, and should be taken seriously. Yoga, if expertly modified for the person's injury, can be enormously helpful for people with RSI; however, the wrong âsana practice can make matters significantly worse. The challenge for Yoga teachers and therapists is to both understand general principles of practice for RSI, and how to adapt to the individual. Some of these general principles are counterintuitive to many teachers. This paper discusses techniques for doing Yoga without exacerbating injuries. Other Yoga practices, such as pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), meditation, and breathing techniques, can help reduce symptoms of RSI. Yoga precepts of yama and niyama, such as self-study and truthfulness, encourage people to look at lifestyle patterns that can lead to injury and reinjury. Proper practice of Yoga can lead to long-term diminution of symptoms and improved hand function.
Initial Evaluation of the LifeForce Yoga Program as a Therapeutic Intervention for Depression
Authors: Bennett Shannon , Weintraub Amy , Khalsa Sat Bir
Published: July 2020

There is a growing body of literature citing Yoga as an effective intervention for decreasing symptoms of depression. This naturalistic pilot study investigated the efficacy of the LifeForce Yoga Program in decreasing reported symptoms of depression and other mood symptoms. The sample consisted of 94 individuals who completed self-report questionnaire before participating in a five-day LifeForce Yoga training. 54 of these individuals completed the same questionnaire after two weeks of home practice following the training, and 33 participants completed these questionnaires two months after the initial training. Repeated measures ANOVA tests demonstrated a main effect for time, indicating that mean symptom scores decreased significantly across the assessment time points on nearly all of the outcome measures of interest. Post hoc t-tests showed that the statistically significant change occurred between Time 1 and Time 2, and was then largely maintained from Time 2 to Time 3. These results suggest that participation in a comprehensive Yoga program, designed specifically to address mood, can lead to decreased symptoms of depression and associated physical or mood states.
Living with Uncertainty
Authors: Dreaver Jim
Published: July 2020

Living is inherently an adventure of uncertainty. As we grow older, especially, we become more aware of our mortality. We realize that this body does not live forever. Our circumstances, our fortunes, our very beliefs about life have probably gone through many changes over the years, and these changes will undoubtedly continue. Through all the changes, is there something that is constant, something that can be trusted to always be there?
A Conversation with Mark Singleton, PhD
Authors: McGonigal Kelly
Published: July 2020

Mark Singleton is the author of Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice (Oxford University Press, 2010) and the editor, along with Jean Marie Byrne, of Yoga in the Modern World: Contemporary Perspectives (Routledge 2008). Singleton has a PhD in South Asian Religions from Cambridge University (UK) and currently teaches at St. John's College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His work explores the modern history of Yoga in India, Europe, and America, shedding light on the cultural and political influences on the development of Yoga and challenging assumptions about the origins of modern asana practice. He is also a Yoga teacher in the Iyengar and Satyananda traditions. In this interview, Mark Singleton (MS) and IJYT Editor-in-Chief Kelly McGonigal (KM) discuss why Yoga therapists should care about the modern history of Yoga, what Yoga therapists should understand about the relationship between modern Yoga and science, and the commoditization of Yoga in the West.
The Role of Outcome-Based Standards in Yoga Therapy
Authors: Laurence Scott
Published: July 2020

This article introduces a powerful and effective approach to facilitating and documenting positive change that may be new to many in the Yoga therapy community: outcome-based standards and practices. Outcome-based methods are efficient, effective, and conform to both modern medical practices and to third-party reimbursement requirements. At the same time, outcome-based approaches maintain the spirit and identity of the Yogic approach to change and are thus superior to strictly evidence-based therapies. Outcome-based therapy is a middle way between a reductionist, allopathic medical model approach and a free-wheeling, forever spontaneous philosophy that eschews research and evidence. Sample measurement tools are provided.
In the Beginning, In the Present Moment, In the Future, A Dream Realized, When Did Yoga Therapy Become a "Field?", Down the Road: Yoga Therapy in the Future, Looking Back Looking Forward
Authors: Miller Richard , Payne Larry , Khalsa Shanti Shanti Kaur , Lasater Judith Hanson , Criswell Eleanor
Published: July 2020

In 1970, I began living an odyssey steeped in grace that has carried me these past 40 years. I've had the good fortune to mentor with experts in the fields of psychotherapy, Judeo-Christianity, Taoism, Buddhism, Yoga, and Western, Chinese, and Ayurvedic medicine.,

As the International Journal of Yoga Therapy celebrates its twentieth anniversary, I pause and take note of all that has happened over the past three decades and relish that sublime feeling of satisfaction one gets from seeing one's dream being realized.,

The day before I started to write this article I sat with eleven other Yoga teachers, each representing a member school of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, each a steward of their Yogic lineage and tradition, each a pioneer in bringing Yoga as a therapy into Western medicine. We met as a standards committee intended to create minimum requirements for Yoga therapist training.,

One of my favorite quotes states: Planning is absolutely necessary and completely impossible. Clearly, planning or predicting the future of such a new American profession as Yoga therapy is a difficult task. But it is made easier by thinking of this prediction in a new way.,

I have been on the IAYT board for five years, and I am currently serving as president for a one-year term. Twenty years ago, I was teaching a course called Psychology of Yoga (PSY 352) at Sonoma State University. I created the course in 1969 when I was first hired by the psychology department. When I arrived on campus, the chair of the department asked me, "If you could teach anything you wanted, what would you like to teach?"
Yoga and Change: The Power of Partnership 1: Yoga, Public Health, and the Problem of Getting Noticed 2: Mindfulness, Meditation and Yoga: Competition or Collaboration? 3
Authors: Kenny Molly Lannon , Elgelid Staffan , Bose Bidyut
Published: July 2020

By July of 2000, I was done with my job as a clinician. Having worked for over six years as a speech-language pathologist at one of the country's largest HMOs, I felt burned out, turned off, and depleted. It wasn't that I didn't like the work—I did. In fact, I loved the opportunity to come into people's lives and help them with whatever life challenges brought them to my office. What I had difficulty with was the deficit model I felt was propagated by the conventional medical model I was a part of. It seemed to me that the overwhelming culture was one of hierarchy,"un"-wellness, blame, and pity, mixed quite often with a healthy dose of irritation with the client. Of course, I know that this wasn't everyone, or not all the time, but in general, my experience with the clinical setting was one of high pressure, low return, and an unhealthy obsession with"outcome-driven" therapy. 1

Yoga has evolved from something little known and rarely practiced to a mainstream activity found almost anywhere in the United States and the rest of the Western world. It is now time for yoga to enter the awareness of public health officials and for the yoga community to communicate how yoga can contribute to the health of the nation in ways that no other profession can. 2

In a recent discussion, the organizer of a conference on mindfulness stated that she felt yoga was "not secular enough" for the conference. This comment got me thinking about the relationship between mindfulness, meditation,and yoga. The perception that yoga is not secular enough,or is somehow separate from the practice of mindfulness,directly impacts our ability to pervasively disseminate these transformative practices where they are needed most: in our communities and schools, in the healthcare system, for violence prevention, for addiction recovery, and beyond. 3
Training Issues in Yoga Therapy and Mental Health Treatment
Authors: Forbes Bo , Akhtar Fiona , Douglass Laura
Published: July 2020

The field of yoga therapy is in the midst of a paradigm shift that will affect our education and clinical practice. Some yoga therapists are seeking additional professional training to work with special populations, while others prefer to conduct treatment in much the same way they have for decades. Some yoga therapists have chosen to align with IAYT's move toward accreditation, and perhaps to explore third-party reimbursement and licensure,while others elect to solidify their identity as "renegade"practitioners or educators. The fields of psychotherapy and psychiatry have also entered a period of transition. Many clinicians now acknowledge the body's integral role in transformation. Some have begun to study yoga or incorporate yogic interventions into treatment, while others choose to practice psychotherapy and support yoga therapy as a valuable adjunct treatment. Yoga has also made its way into psychotherapy training programs, and has become a hot topic at psychology conferences. IAYT's membership reflects this significant trend toward the integration of yoga and psychology. Of its nearly 3,000 members, 40%hold a medical license, and almost half those licenses are in mental health. The great wall between yoga therapy and mental health treatment is crumbling.
The Impact of a Short-Term Iyengar Yoga Program on the Health and Well-Being of Physically Inactive Older Adults
Authors: Vogler Juliane , O'Hara Lily , Gregg Jane , Burnell Fiona
Published: July 2020

Background: With the current challenge of rapidly aging populations, practices such as yoga may help older adults stay physically active, healthy, and fulfilled. Methods: The impact of an 8-week Iyengar yoga program on the holistic health and well-being of physically inactive people aged 55 years and over was assessed. Thirty-eight older adults (mean age 73.21 ± 8.38 years; 19 intervention, 19 control) engaged in either twice-weekly yoga classes or continued their usual daily routines. Physical health measures were muscle strength, active range of motion, respiratory function (FEV1), resting blood pressure, and immune function (salivary IgA and lysozyme). Self-perceived general,physical, mental, spiritual, and social health and well-being were assessed with the Life's Odyssey Questionnaire and the SF12v2™ Health Survey. Results: Muscle strength, active range of motion, physical well-being, and aspects of mental well-being (emotional well-being and self-care) improved significantly in the yoga group (p < .05). Median changes in most of these variables were also significantly different from those in the control group. Conclusions:Participation in Iyengar yoga programs by older people is beneficial for health and well-being, and greater availability of such programs could improve quality of life.
Don't Put Yoga In a Small Box: The Challenges of Scientifically Studying Yoga
Authors: Bhavanani Ananda Balayogi
Published: July 2020

It has been more than a hundred years since Swami Vivekananda gave a dynamic call to rid yoga and spirituality of the cobwebs of hidden mysteries. A lot has been done in the field of yoga research in the decades since, and still more is yet to be done. Yoga research is now a global phenomenon, with a growing number of randomized and controlled trials. More research studies are being published in indexed journals with peer review. and greater funding for research is available.
Immediate Effect of Sukha Pranayama on Cardiovascular Variables in Patients of Hypertension
Authors: Bhavanani Ananda Balayogi , Sanjay Zeena , Madanmohan
Published: July 2020

Hypertension is one of the most common health disorders, and yoga has been shown to be an effective adjunct therapy in its management. Earlier studies have reported blood pressure (BP)-lowering effects of slow,deep breathing after 3 weeks and 3 months of training and beneficial immediate effects of slow, deep breathing in reducing premature ventricular complexes and lowering blood pressure. None of these immediate studies used the concept of pranayama, involving conscious internal awareness of the whole breathing process. This study was undertaken to determine the immediate cardiovascular effects of sukha pranayama in hypertensive patients. Methods: Twenty-three hypertensive patients attending the Yoga OPD at JIPMER were recruited for the study and instructed to perform sukha pranayama for 5 minutes at the rate of 6 breaths/min. This pranayama involves conscious, slow and deep breathing with equal duration for inhalation and exhalation. Heart rate (HR) and BP were recorded before and immediately after the intervention. Results: Post-intervention statistical analysis revealed a significant (p < .05) reduction in HR and a highly significant (p < .001) reduction in systolic pressure, pulse pressure, mean arterial pressure, rate-pressure product, and double product with an insignificant fall in diastolic pressure. Discussion: It is concluded that sukha pranayama at the rate of 6 breaths/minute can reduce HR and BP in hypertensive patients within 5 minutes of practice. This may be due to a normalization of autonomic cardiovascular rhythms as a result of increased vagal modulation and/or decreased sympathetic activity and improved baroreflex sensitivity. Further studies are required to understand possible mechanisms underlying this beneficial immediate effect and to determine how long such a beneficial effect persists.
Respiratory, Physical, and Psychological Benefits of Breath-Focused Yoga for Adults with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A Brief Pilot Study Report
Authors: Silverthorne Colin , Khalsa Sat Bir , Gueth Robin , DeAvilla Nicole , Pansini Janie
Published: July 2020

Objective: This pilot study was designed to identify the potential benefits of breath-focused yoga on respiratory, physical, and psychological functioning for adults with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants: Ten individuals with severe TBI who self-selected to attend weekly yoga classes and 4 no-treatment controls were evaluated. Methods: Participants were assessed at pretreatment baseline and at 3-month intervals for a total of 4 time points over 40 weeks. Outcomes of interest included observed exhale strength, ability to hold a breath or a tone, breathing rate, counted breaths (inhale and exhale), and heart rate, as well as self-reported physical and psycho-logical well-being. Results: Repeated within-group analyses of variance revealed that the yoga group demonstrated significant longitudinal change on several measures of observed respiratory functioning and self-reported physical and psychological well-being over a 40-week period. Those in the control group showed marginal improvement on 2 of the 6 measures of respiratory health, physical and social functioning, emotional well-being, and general health. The small sample sizes precluded the analysis of between group differences. Conclusion: This study provides preliminary evidence that breath-focused yoga may improve respiratory functioning and self-perceived physical and psychological well-being of adults with severe TBI.
Bridging Yoga Therapy and Scientific Research
Authors: Hagins Marshall , Khalsa Sat Bir
Published: July 2020

If you are a practicing yoga therapist or someone who has benefited from yoga therapy, you probably have little need for scientific research to validate your personal experience. However, you are also part of a rather elite group. The practice of yoga is largely dominated by Whites, women, those with higher education and incomes, and young and middle-aged adults who represent a very narrow segment of the population. The most compelling rationale for research on yoga therapy is to provide the evidence base required for its incorporation into our education and healthcare systems, thereby disseminating it more widely and equitably across the population. Scientific validation will boost the credibility of yoga therapy as a safe and cost-effective intervention. The time has come to construct a collaborative bridge between yoga therapy and scientific research.
YogaHome: Teaching and Research Challenges in a Yoga Program with Homeless Adults
Authors: Davis-Berman Jennifer , Farkas Jean
Published: July 2020

YogaHome is a therapeutic yoga program for homeless women. Developing and refining YogaHome provided a unique opportunity to explore the process of teaching yoga to women faced with the physical and emotional stress of living in a homeless shelter. Unique teaching and research challenges are presented and recommendations for future programs are discussed.
A Responder Analysis of the Effects of Yoga for Individuals With COPD: Who Benefits and How?
Authors: Donesky DorAnne , Melendez Michelle , Nguyen Huong , Carrieri-Kohlman Virginia
Published: July 2020

We previously reported that a twice-weekly, modified Iyengar yoga program was a safe and viable self-management strategy for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 1 Objective: The primary purpose of this exploratory analysis was to classify yoga participants into 1 of 3 responder categories by using minimum clinically important difference (MCID) criteria for each of 3 variables: 6-minute walk distance (6MW), distress related to dyspnea (shortness of breath; DD), and functional performance (FPI). Changes in health-related quality of life (HRQL) and in psychological well-being (anxiety and depression), and participants' self-reported improvements by responder category were also examined. A secondary goal was to identify baseline participant characteristics, including initial randomization assignment that might predict response to treatment. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to either an initial yoga (IY) or an enhanced wait-list control (WLC) group. Those in the WLC group were offered the yoga program immediately following the IY group's participation. Individuals from both groups who completed at least 18 of 24 yoga classes were categorized as responders, partial responders, or non-responders for each of the 3 outcome variables (6MW, DD, FPI) on the basis of MCID criteria. Baseline characteristics and changes in HRQL and psychological well-being were also analyzed. Results: None of the participants demonstrated MCIDs for all 3 outcomes; however, 6 were classified as responders for 2 out-come variables and 4 were classified as non-responders for all 3 outcome variables. Two-thirds of the female participant group and one-third of the male participant group completed the yoga program. DD responders showed increased anxiety levels, whereas anxiety levels of the DD non-responders remained unchanged. FPI responders reported significant improvements in physical function, whereas partial and non-FPI responders noted declined function. Participants assigned to the IY group demonstrated greater benefit from yoga than did those in the W LC group. Conclusions: Although this modified Iyengar yoga program appears to have benefited some individuals with COPD, further studies are required to assess who the intervention works for and under what conditions.
Yoga Therapy and the Group Effect: Bridging Individual and Group-Level Research
Authors: Wyss-Flamm Esther
Published: July 2020

While reviewing the growing body of research regarding the therapeutic outcomes of yoga interventions, I am struck by an interesting disconnect. The studies generated in our field typically examine the effects of a yoga treatment at the individual level and ignore potential group influences. Whether by choice or for reasons of economy, the majority of yoga classes take place in a group setting. It is time to build a bridge between individual and group-level yoga therapy research.
The Use of Yoga in Specialized VA PTSD Treatment Programs
Authors: Libby Daniel , Reddy Felice , Pilver Corey , Desai Rani
Published: July 2020

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic, debilitating anxiety disorder that is highly prevalent among U.S. military veterans. Yoga, defined to include physical postures (asana) and mindfulness and meditation, is being increasingly used as an adjunctive treatment for PTSD and other psychological disorders. No research or administrative data have detailed the use of these services in Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) 170 PTSD treatment programs. Methods: One hundred twenty-five program coordinators or designated staff completed an 81-item survey of their program's use of complementary and alternative medicine modalities in the past year. This report describes data from a subset of 30 questions used to assess the prevalence, nature, and context of the use of yoga, mindfulness, and meditation other than mindfulness practices. Results: Results revealed that these practices are widely offered in VA specialized PTSD treatment programs and that there is great variability in the context and nature of how they are delivered. Conclusions: Understanding how yoga is used by these programs may inform ongoing efforts to define and distinguish yoga therapy as a respected therapeutic discipline and to create patient-centered care models that mindfully fulfill the unmet needs of individuals with mental health issues, including veterans with PTSD.
The Use of Touch in Yoga Teaching and Therapy: Principles and Guidelines for Effective Practices
Authors: Parker Stephen , Sharma Ashutosh
Published: July 2020

The use of touch in yoga and in yoga therapy is often overlooked. Touch is extremely important to physical, psychological, and spiritual growth across the lifespan. It is one of the prime environmental drivers of human development (Hunter & Struve, 1998). Infants can fail to thrive and even die from lack of tactile stimulation and affection (Field, et al., 1986; Harlow & Harlow, 1962; Older, 1982). Although touch is critical to health and well-being at every age and stage of life (Hunter & Struve, 1998), it is not often considered an essential tool in the yoga therapy and education process. This perspective describes the role and significance of touch in the practice of yoga.
Translating Knowledge: A Framework for Evidence-Informed Yoga Programs in Oncology
Authors: Wurz Amanda , Capozzi Lauren , Mackenzie Michael , Danhauer Suzanne , Culos-Reed Nicole
Published: July 2020

Empirical research suggests that yoga may positively influence the negative psychosocial and physical side effects associated with cancer and its treatment. The translation of these findings into sustainable, evidence-informed yoga programming for cancer survivors has lagged behind the research. This article provides (a) an overview of the yoga and cancer research, (b) a framework for successfully developing and delivering yoga to cancer populations, and (c) an example of a successful community-based program. The importance of continued research and knowledge translation efforts in the context of yoga and integrative oncology are highlighted.
Dosage as a Critical Variable in Yoga Therapy Research
Authors: Cook-Cottone Catherine
Published: July 2020

The sophistication of yoga therapy research has progressed substantially. Researchers are beginning to identify outcomes that are uniquely associated with yoga therapy practices. Creditable research requires rigorous study design and careful attention to measurement and methodology. It is a process of excavation. As with other fields, much of yoga research started with general, surface-level questions: Does yoga help individuals who have arthritis, anxiety, or an eating disorder? Does yoga prevent the onset of these and other difficulties? Does yoga promote health? There is accumulating evidence that it may do each of these things and more.
Bringing Yoga Therapy Into Mainstream Health Care: Lessons From the Cleveland Clinic and Their Relationship to Emotional Well-Being
Authors: Bar Judi
Published: July 2020

The occurrence of chronic and debilitating diseases is rapidly on the rise, and chronic stress has gained a permanent foothold in our culture and life style. Health care costs are steadily and precipitously increasing and are having a deleterious effect on our pocket books and our society's health. These problems are persistent and insidious. What is being done to stop these conditions in their tracks and to enhance the quality of life for those suffering from them? One response is the recognition of preventative therapies as a viable solution to some of these concerns. The system of yoga, in all its forms, is beginning to play a crucial role in healthcare service delivery. The growing body of empirical research suggests that yoga works, but is that enough?
Measuring The Effect Of An Eight-Week Adaptive Yoga Program On The Physical And Psychological Status Of Individuals With Parkinson's Disease. A Pilot Study
Authors: Boulgarides L.K. , Barakatt E. , Coleman-Salgado B.
Published: July 2020

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects muscle tone, strength, flexibility, motor control, psychological outlook, cognition, and function. Exercise has been found to improve physical ability and psychological outlook, but the effect of yoga on individuals with PD has not been well researched. The purposes of this study were to identify outcome measures that were responsive to change in individuals with PD after an 8-week adaptive yoga program and to determine appropriate sample sizes for future studies. In a repeated measures design, 10 participants with a Hoehn and Yahr stage of 2 or 3 were tested prior to and after an 8-week control phase and again after they underwent an 8-week adaptive yoga program. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests revealed differences in time of measure that approached significance for the depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (p = 0.008) and the 30-Second Chair Stand (TSCS) (p = 0.013). The interaction between time of measure and gender approached significance for the Sit-and-Reach Test (SRT) (p = 0.08 and 0.03, right and left respectively), with male participants improving in sit-and-reach flexibility compared with female participants after intervention. The interaction between time of measure and age approached significance for the Single-Leg Balance test (SLB) (p = 0.007), with younger participants improving in SLB time after intervention. Power calculations found that a sample size ranging from 33 to 153 would be required to achieve significance at the 0.01 level in the various outcome measures in a future study of this design. The depression subscale of the HADS, the TSCS, the SLB, and the right and left SRT were the measures that changed following the yoga intervention and are recommended as outcome measures in future studies investigating the effectiveness of yoga for individuals with PD. This preliminary study supports further investigation of adaptive yoga using a randomized design and a larger sample size of individuals with PD.
A Preliminary Investigation of Lumbar Tactile Acuity in Yoga Practitioners
Authors: Flaherty Mary , Connolly Martin
Published: July 2020

Background: Tactile acuity in the back relates to voluntary lumbo-pelvic control and is lower in chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients. Two-point discrimination (TPD) thresholds are higher, indicating decreased tactile acuity in patients with CLBP. Yoga has been shown to help relieve CLBP. Objectives: This study investigated the hypothesis that regular practitioners of yoga have increased tactile acuity (i.e., lower TPD thresholds) when compared to matched controls who regularly perform gym-based (resistance training or aerobic-type) exercise. Method: Tactile acuity in the low back was assessed using TPD in 16 long-term practitioners of yoga (5 Ashtanga, 5 Bikram, and 6 Iyengar practitioners) and 16 age- and gender-matched healthy controls who exercise (with weights and aerobic exercise). Results: The yoga practitioners' TPD was lower than that of the exercisers, indicating greater tactile acuity in the low back. While there was no difference between the TPD of the practitioners of different yoga styles, the TPD of the Ashtanga yoga participants were significantly lower than those of the exercisers. The yogis whose main reasons to practice yoga were for “meditation or increased mindfulness” and for “well-being” showed a nonsignificant trend of higher tactile acuity than those who did yoga for “physical exercise.” There was no association between TPD threshold and cumulative amount of yoga practice in terms of hours per week and years of experience. However, increased hours of exercise per week correlated with higher TPD. Conclusion: The findings suggest that there may be a relationship between yoga practice and enhanced tactile acuity in the low back.
Yoga as the “Next Wave” of Therapeutic Modalities For Treatment of Insomnia
Authors: Kennedy Sarah
Published: July 2020

Insomnia rates continue to rise, especially among specific populations. Current nonpharmacological treatments rely primarily upon cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), which was introduced in the 1970s. Newer treatments have incorporated CBT “third wave” techniques, including mindfulness and acceptance techniques. Yoga practice is well suited to complement existing therapies and to address sleep problems in a more holistic way. Current theoretical and empirical approaches to treating insomnia are discussed, with an emphasis on the role of yoga in addressing precipitating and perpetuating factors in insomnia that have previously been largely overlooked.

An estimated one-third of U.S. adults suffer from insomnia (Chen, Gelaye, & Williams, 2013; Mellinger, Balter, & Uhlenhuth, 1985; Ohayon, 2002), and the problem appears to be growing. While treatment for insomnia has helped to alleviate the problem for some (Irwin, Cole, & Nicassio, 2006; Morin et al., 2009), prevalence of insomnia is on the rise, especially among certain groups, including elderly and military populations (Morin, 2009; Mysliwiec et al., 2013). Rising rates of insomnia have been attributed to changes in lifestyle and environmental factors, including increased reliance on technology and decreased synchrony with natural wake-sleep rhythms (Brahinsky, 2013; Wallace-Guy et al., 2002; Yun, Bazar, Gerber, Lee, & Daniel, 2005).
Yoga and Fascia
Authors: Thomas Andrew
Published: July 2020

Most of us, including those medically trained, have a picture of the musculoskel etal system that resembles the superb medical charts that I use in my practice. Muscles are neatly compartmentalized and dissection notes blandly refer to the fascia obliquely, for example "Cut away the fascia to reveal the...," and similar notations. Little credence is given to fascia as anything other than a part of the skin or fat of the body. This is unfortunate since fascia have a massively important role to play in the health of the human frame.
Longing for Liberation
Authors: Miller Richard
Published: July 2020

We all constantly and persistently long to be happy. To this end, some of us attempt to accumulate wealth, others steal, some spend their lives pursuing sexual conquests, while others seek spiritual cures through devotion and discriminative understanding. Even the masochist, in his/her own paradoxical way, is seeking happiness through the pleasure of pain. The underlying motivating force, however, remains the same throughout: the desire for unending happiness during our lifetime (or in the hereafter.)