Applied Polyvagal Theory in Yoga: Therapeutic Practices for Emotional Health


Book Description

Treat trauma holistically with the combined applications of yoga and polyvagal theory. This book focuses on the intersection of polyvagal theory, yoga, and psychotherapy by weaving together the wisdom tradition of yoga with neuroscience, attachment theory, somatic psychology, and traumatology. The application of polyvagal theory allows practitioners to compassionately support growth by enhancing the health of the autonomic nervous system, while therapeutic yoga allows one to attend to the interrelationships between mind, emotions, physiology, and behavior. Applied Polyvagal Theory in Yoga provides conscious breathing, vagal toning, mindful movement, and meditation practices that aid in rewiring the nervous system. Readers will discover how to help both clients and themselves cultivate a felt sense of ease during times of safety; enhance their capacity to handle challenges with equanimity; and reclaim their ability to recover from stress swiftly and efficiently. Applied Polyvagal Theory in Yoga offers practitioners a new and effective way to support clients who are stuck in a trauma response mode.




Applied Polyvagal Theory in Yoga


Book Description

Treat trauma holistically with the combined applications of yoga and polyvagal theory.




Understanding Yoga Therapy


Book Description

Understanding Yoga Therapy offers a comprehensive and accessible perspective on yoga therapy as a complementary, integrative route to promoting whole-person well-being. Readers will come away from the book understanding how the philosophy, texts, and teachings of yoga benefit a wide range of health conditions. The book is split into three helpful sections: Part I discusses foundational texts and their interpretations; Part II outlines the biopsychosocial-spiritual and neurophysiological model of integrative health pertinent to yoga therapy; and Part III focuses on practical applications separate from the more familiar diagnosis-driven models. Experiential activities and case studies throughout the text illuminate how yogic practices can be incorporated for optimal health. Bridging the ancient and modern, philosophical and scientific, Understanding Yoga Therapy offers a clear explanatory framework for yoga therapists, physicians, allied and complementary healthcare providers, and their patients and students.




Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery


Book Description

Trauma recovery is as much about healing the body as it is the mind. Yet, so often, the focus of healing involves retelling the story of the past without addressing the physiological imbalances that trauma leaves in its wake. Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery bridges this path of healing between the psyche and the body by walking you through the sacred practice of yoga so you can release the burdens of trauma from your body and mind. Grounded within the principles of polyvagal theory, affective neuroscience, and trauma-informed care, this book will help you gain a better understanding of how our brains and bodies respond to stress and trauma and offer a self-led healing journey toward feeling more empowered, grounded, clearheaded, inspired, and at ease. With her innately compassionate and gentle guidance, Dr. Arielle Schwartz introduces you to the power of the yogic philosophy and offers a variety of accessible yoga poses and breathing practices that will allow you to: - Nourish your nervous system - Reconnect with your body - Ground yourself in the present moment - Release unresolved patterns of fight, flight, freeze, or faint - Widen your ability to tolerate emotional discomfort Develop a felt sense of resilience - Anchor yourself in self-love - Reclaim connection with and trust in your body - Create a personalized yoga practice for your own self-care




Yoga Therapy for Fear


Book Description

Uncover fearlessness through yoga's methods and disciplines with this guide. This book offers a medically-proven approach to help students and clients uncover their own radiance that is hidden by fear and anxiety. Yoga offers a readily-accessible system for courageous living, and this book explains how to use simple and quick yoga therapy methods for accessing the vagus nerve, resulting in instant relief from symptoms of fear, including depression, anxiety and rage. It offers asana, pranayama and dhyana exercises that help to eliminate 'worry chatter', directly affecting the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for fearful thoughts. Addressing many components of fear, the book explains when fear is useful and when it is not, and teaches how to reprogram responses to uncertain circumstances so that they can be dealt with in a healthy way.




The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation (Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology)


Book Description

A collection of groundbreaking research by a leading figure in neuroscience. This book compiles, for the first time, Stephen W. Porges’s decades of research. A leading expert in developmental psychophysiology and developmental behavioral neuroscience, Porges is the mind behind the groundbreaking Polyvagal Theory, which has startling implications for the treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma, and autism. Adopted by clinicians around the world, the Polyvagal Theory has provided exciting new insights into the way our autonomic nervous system unconsciously mediates social engagement, trust, and intimacy.




Handbook of Research on Evidence-Based Perspectives on the Psychophysiology of Yoga and Its Applications


Book Description

While yoga was originally intended to be practiced for spiritual growth, there is an increasing interest in applying yoga in all areas of life. It is important to understand this ancient science and way of life through as many perspectives as possible (e.g., based on biomedical engineering). As its popularity and interest grows, more practitioners want to know about the proven physiological effects and uses in healthcare. The Handbook of Research on Evidence-Based Perspectives on the Psychophysiology of Yoga and Its Applications provides research exploring the theoretical and practical aspects of yoga therapy and its physiological effects from diverse, evidence-based viewpoints. The book adds in-depth information regarding the (1) physiological effects of yoga; (2) neurobiological effects of yoga meditation; (3) psychological benefits related to yoga, such as mental wellbeing; (4) molecular changes associated with yoga practice; and (5) therapeutic applications (for lymphedema, mental health disorders, non-communicable diseases, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and trauma, among other conditions). Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as pain management, psychotherapy, and trauma treatment, this book is ideally designed for yoga practitioners, physicians, medical professionals, health experts, mental health professionals, therapists, counselors, psychologists, spiritual leaders, academicians, researchers, and students.




Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery Flip Chart


Book Description

Therapeutic yoga bridges a path of healing between the psyche and the body. In the Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery Flip Chart, licensed psychologist, registered yoga teacher, and renowned trauma expert Dr. Arielle Schwartz provides a variety of foundational yoga, breathing, and meditative practices to balance, energize, and calm the body. Grounded within the principles of polyvagal theory, affective neuroscience, and trauma-informed care, this flip chart will help clients: - Understand the impact of traumatic stress on the brain and body - Deepen awareness of their body's vagal state - Identify when their nervous system is stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or faint - Let go of defensive reactions connected to difficult memories of the past Intended for in-session use, this flip chart features: - A two-sided design that stands upright for easy visibility and portability - 27 exercises, diagrams, and photos on client-facing pages with detailed explanations and supplemental prompts on therapist-facing pages - Dry-erase surface client pages for easy markup, customization, and reuse




Yoga for Trauma Recovery


Book Description

Yoga for Trauma Recovery outlines best practices for the growing body of professionals trained in both yoga and psychotherapy and addresses the theoretical foundations that tie the two fields. Chapters show how understanding the safe and effective integration of trauma-informed yoga and somatic psychotherapy is essential to providing informed, effective treatment. Uniting recent developments in our understanding of trauma recovery with ancient tenets of yoga philosophy and practice, this foundational text is a must read for those interested in the healing capacities of each modality. Readers will come away from the book with a strong sense of how to apply theory, philosophy, and research to the real-life complexities of clients and students.




Trauma Healing in the Yoga Zone


Book Description

Trauma Healing in the Yoga Zone describes an original model of "Nervous System Informed, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga," (NITYA), a synthesis of classical yoga, somatic psychotherapy, and neuroscience research. It is organized around the eight branches of Raja Yoga, and includes scripts for administering NITYA chair yoga postures, breathing practices, and yoga nidra (the yogic sleep). These can be used by helping professionals with all levels of familiarity with yoga. The book is needed for several reasons: for mental health professionals, it offers a comprehensive overview of yoga philosophy and practices, as well as yoga-based options for working with the client's embodied experience, a major element in trauma healing. For yoga professionals and practitioners, it provides insight into the natural integration of yoga with polyvagal theory and other current approaches in the field of somatic psychology. Both professions are currently being enriched by data from the field of neuropsychology that describes brain function, in real time, in various mental and emotional states. This data supports yoga's effectiveness in regulating the autonomic nervous system, a key to trauma recovery.