Best Practices for Yoga with Veterans


Book Description

The second book in the Yoga Service Best Practices Series, created by the Yoga Service Council in collaboration with the Omega Institute, this work is the product of an innovative 18-month project involving leaders in various fields: yoga, mindfulness, veterans' affairs, military operations and culture, traditional and integrative medicine, clinical psychology, trauma therapy, social work, social research, nonprofit management, and more. Best Practices for Yoga with Veterans synthesizes this wealth of knowledge to gather over 100 Best Practice guidelines for teaching yoga to veterans in ways that are safe, effective, sustainable, socially equitable, and responsive to the particularities of the military experience. Best Practices for Yoga with Veterans is designed is to help not only yoga teachers wanting to work with veterans, but also individuals in the medical field working with veterans and veteran family members, as well as VA administrators, and veterans' organizations. Hear from our community: "Best Practices for Yoga with Veterans is truly a remarkable resource for those teaching yoga to veterans. So much practical expertise is extraordinarily well presented. Before reading this book, I had no idea of how much I didn't know about working with veterans and families. Now I see this book as a must-read for those working in the field, and as a model for best practices in other fields as well. - John Kepner, Executive Director, International Association of Yoga Therapists "It is with great pleasure that I give my highest endorsement to Best Practices of Yoga for Veterans. Warriors of all backgrounds will benefit from the skillful recommendations provided, which are designed to help yoga teachers meet the individualized needs of warriors, while respecting the specialized set of norms and values that distinguish them from the general civilian population. It's clear that an immensity of loving care and attention to detail have gone into making this an invaluable resource for yoga and meditation teachers alike, as well as for all who are working with first responders, from firefighters and police, to emergency medical technicians. I will be recommending this to all the teachers I train as a necessary handbook in their work with warriors from all professions. - Richard Miller, Ph.D.; Author, The iRest Program for Healing PTSD; President, Integrative Restoration Institute; Co-Founder, International Association of Yoga Therapy "Best Practices for Yoga with Veterans is a must-read manual for any yoga teacher interested in working with veterans, as well as veterans interested in engaging with yoga. As research continues to validate the use of yoga as tool to build resilience and cope with PTSD, depression, and anxiety, we'll need more guides like this one. Best Practices for Yoga with Veterans provides the building blocks to running a successful "Yoga for Vets" program while reminding us that working with this dynamic group requires "a high level of personal maturity," dedication, creativity, and the same "can do" attitude that military personnel share. In a ready-for-action package, the authors share their depth of expertise in a convenient, all you need, one-stop shop." -Janessa Wells, MPH, author of Redress Your Stress: A Yoga Program for Anxiety and Depression "I am thrilled to see the Yoga Service Council's second Yoga Service Best Practices book. This is a high quality, comprehensive guide that will empower teachers to have the necessary tools to work with veterans. The Editors did a great job of compiling the work of many Contributors and creating a well organized and thorough document that I will be recommending to anyone interested in this work." -Hala Khouri, M.A., SEP, E-RYT; Somatic Counselor, Yoga Teacher, and co-founder of Off the Mat, Into the World




Best Practices for Yoga in the Criminal Justice System


Book Description

Yoga is rapidly gaining acceptance as a valuable resource for physical, psychological, behavioral and spiritual health in the U.S. criminal justice system and worldwide. Best Practices for Yoga in the Criminal Justice System is a user-friendly guide that explains how to develop, implement, and sustain high-quality yoga programs appropriate for jails, prisons, youth detention centers, and court-ordered programs. Synthesizing the knowledge and experience of 29 leaders in the field, this book is a must-have resource for anyone interested in yoga in the criminal justice system, including yoga teachers and yoga service organizations, correctional officers and other criminal justice professionals, and physical and mental health providers. Key topics covered include problems of mass incarceration, institutional context and culture, teacher training requirements, curriculum and teaching guidelines, adapting trauma-informed yoga to correctional facilities, staffing and developing yoga service organizations, and establishing yoga teacher training programs for incarcerated individuals "on the inside."




Overcoming Trauma through Yoga


Book Description

Survivors of trauma—whether abuse, accidents, or war—can end up profoundly wounded, betrayed by their bodies that failed to get them to safety and that are a source of pain. In order to fully heal from trauma, a connection must be made with oneself, including one’s body. The trauma-sensitive yoga described in this book moves beyond traditional talk therapies that focus on the mind, by bringing the body actively into the healing process. This allows trauma survivors to cultivate a more positive relationship to their body through gentle breath, mindfulness, and movement practices. Overcoming Trauma through Yoga is a book for survivors, clinicians, and yoga instructors who are interested in mind/body healing. It introduces trauma-sensitive yoga, a modified approach to yoga developed in collaboration between yoga teachers and clinicians at the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute, led by yoga teacher David Emerson, along with medical doctor Bessel van der Kolk. The book begins with an in-depth description of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including a description of how trauma is held in the body and the need for body-based treatment. It offers a brief history of yoga, describes various styles of yoga commonly found in Western practice, and identifies four key themes of trauma-sensitive yoga. Chair-based exercises are described that can be incorporated into individual or group therapy, targeting specific treatment goals, and modifications are offered for mat-based yoga classes. Each exercise includes trauma-sensitive language to introduce the practice, as well as photographs to illustrate the poses. The practices have been offered to a wide range of individuals and groups, including men and women, teens, returning veterans, and others. Rounded out by valuable quotes and case stories, the book presents mindfulness, breathing, and yoga exercises that can be used by home practitioners, yoga teachers, and therapists as a way to cultivate awareness, tolerance, and an increased acceptance of the self.




Yoga and Resilience


Book Description

Yoga and Resilience is part of a larger series put out by the Yoga Service Council in collaboration with the Omega Institute. To date, there have been three texts published: Best Practices for Yoga in Schools, Best Practices for Yoga with Veterans, and Best Practices for Yoga in the Criminal Justice System. This body of work takes a unique and groundbreaking approach of co-creation, calling on a diverse array of leading experts in the fields of trauma and yoga, to collaborate and distill best practices that will inform the fields of mental health, trauma-informed yoga, yoga service, and yoga more generally. Contributors and authors met during two symposia and engaged in an ongoing collaborative process resulting in the current text. Yoga and Resilience: Empowering Practices for Survivors of Sexual Trauma: Supports a holistic approach to ameliorating the impacts of traumatic stress, and specifically the impacts of sexual trauma. Serves as a resource to survivors, yoga teachers and practitioners, yoga service providers, trauma practitioners, and agency administrators among others. Presents a foundational understanding of sexual trauma and illuminates current best practices for integrating trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness practices into work with persons and systems impacted by sexual trauma. Explores an approach that moves beyond trauma-informed practice to a focus on resilience and universal inclusivity. Provides concrete tools to serve survivors better and to ensure that teachers and administrators not only seek to minimize harm but also combat sexual violence and its perpetration within yoga contexts. Contributors to the book: Keyona Aviles, Jacoby Ballard, Lisa Boldin, Maya Breuer, Regine Clermont, Colleen DeVirgiliis, Alexis Donahue, Pamela Stokes Eggleston, Jennifer Cohen Harper, Dani Harris, Nan Herron, Daniel Hickman, Diana Hoscheit, Beth Jones, Sue Jones, James Jurgensen, Mark A. Lilly, Jana Long, Anneke Lucas, Amanda J.G. Napior, Amina Naru, Emanuel "Manny" Salazar, Austin K. Sanderson, Lidia Snyder, Nicole Steward, Rosa Vissers, Kimberleigh Weiss-Lewit, Ann Wilkinson




Sensory-Enhanced Yoga® for Self-regulation and Trauma Healing


Book Description

Lynn Stoller, OT, MS, OTR, C-IAYT, RYT500, E-RYT200 and outstanding expert contributors skilfully synthesize theoretical concepts and research findings from the fields of occupational therapy, trauma psychology, neuroscience, and traditional Eastern yogic philosophy to produce a Transdisciplinary Model for Post-Traumatic Growth for healing symptoms of combat stress, PTSD, or other unresolved trauma or anxiety disorders. The model is informed by the highly successful yoga treatment protocol used with U.S. military personnel deployed to Kirkuk, Iraq, which the author co-developed (Stoller et al, 2012) and by her experiences teaching yoga to veterans in her local community. Sensory-Enhanced Yoga (R) is designed to help meet the following goals: Decrease hypervigilance and overreaction to sensory input (e.g.visual, crowds, touch, noise, movement). Improve quality of sleep and energy level to support wellness and enhance daily productivity. Decrease intrusive thoughts by learning to become present through breath and body awareness. Enhance one's sense of self-worth and personal empowerment. Whether you are a therapist looking for effective treatment tools for your clients or are seeking healing for yourself, this insightful book will provide you with effective strategies to help promote peace of mind and full engagement in life. Lynn's website: www.sensoryenhancedyoga.org




Freedom Inside?


Book Description

"Freedom Inside? offers a combination of personal narrative and scholarly research in order to examine the role of yoga and meditation in U.S. prisons. It offers a glimpse inside the system now known as mass incarceration, which disproportionately punishes, confines, and controls those from black, brown and/or poor communities at exponentially higher rates, diminishing their life-chances and creating a vast underclass of disempowered, subordinated citizens. How do self-disciplinary practices such as yoga and meditation work when they are taught inside unjust systems? Do they produce political passivity, quietism, and compliance, if offered as palliatives to accept, cope and comply with unjust power structures? Or, might they prove disruptive to mass incarceration, if offered as tools to develop awareness and attunement toward injustice, to engage in non-conformist responses that include critique and challenge? The book explores both the promises and pitfalls of yoga and meditation when taught in prisons in different ways. It is based on four years of immersion in prisons and prison volunteer communities, along with ethnographic work inside a detention facility, and many in-depth interviews with those who teach and practice inside prisons. It interweaves academic narratives with personal experiences of collaboration with volunteers and incarcerated practitioners"--




The Yoga Effect


Book Description

Based on cutting-edge NIH studies, a practical, accessible guide to yoga for reduction in stress, anxiety, and depression, with the goal of balanced emotional health. The Yoga Effect helps readers overcome the de-energizing effects of depression and move into a state of calm and focus. Based on the program developed through three NIH-funded studies at Boston University School of Medicine, these sequences are medically proven to trigger a physical and mental release of fear and worry. The book offers: A customizable prescription for maintaining centeredness, confidence, and balance Straightforward, accessible sequences, with 40 black & white photos clearly illustrating the poses A short, well-rounded practice that includes breath work and poses with clear explanation of how each sequence contributes to physical, mental, and emotional wellness Differing levels of practice for readers' varying levels of physical abilities Written with an MD, The Yoga Effect is a proven pathway for cultivating inner strength that can be accessed at any time, offering hope and a solution for anyone looking to transform their mental and emotional health.




Yoga Radicals


Book Description

Consisting of curated interviews with yoga pioneers including Gail Parker, Heather Mason and Neil Pearson, this book shows the transformational benefits of personal yoga practice and uncovers a collective deepening, resulting from accumulated practice and conscious application at scale. These interviews were collected with the 'presencing approach', used by the author in the dialogue and the interview process itself. The yoga narratives that form the heart of the book are inspirational stories from elders who have created transformational change in their own lives, or incorporated yoga into a bigger vision to benefit society and the planet. The book also presents a toolkit of actionable steps for readers to create social action and/or change. A unique example of moving from the 'me' consciousness to the 'we' consciousness, Yoga Radicals invites readers to join pioneers on a path of social action through personal transformation.




Accessible Yoga


Book Description

“A treasure trove . . . what Yoga, capital Y, is all about.” —Donna Farhi “Nothing less than a gem.” —Judith Lasater “A vital tool.” —Book Riot This daring, visionary book revolutionizes yoga practice, making it truly accessible to everyone—in every body, at any age, and in any state of health Yoga practice has so much to offer us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. But many of us feel discouraged to practice because we see young, slim, flexible, well, and able-bodied people dominating yoga spaces. Yet, yoga is truly a practice for all—conferring enormous benefits to our overall well-being as our bodies change, age, and navigate various health challenges. Jivana Heyman, founder of Accessible Yoga, views yoga as a basic human right—saying we all deserve to practice it in whatever state we find our body or mind. Accessible Yoga offers a simple, clear, and wonderfully adaptable practice for all people regardless of ability, health, and body type. Heyman has spent over twenty years sharing yoga with people of all abilities and backgrounds, and in this book, he shares his knowledge by breaking down complex yoga poses, breathing practices, meditation techniques, and yoga teachings into clearly understandable and practical tools we can use every day, regardless of our limitations or challenges.




Pop Culture Yoga


Book Description

Pop Culture Yoga: A Communication Remix was born out of a series of questions about the paradoxical nature of yoga: How do individuals and groups define yoga? What does it mean to “practice yoga,” and what does this practice involve? What are some of the most important principles, guidelines, or philosophical tenets of yoga that shape people’s definitions and practices? Who has the power and authority to define yoga? What are the limits, if any, of shared definitions of yoga? Kristen C. Blinne explores the myriad ways “yoga” is communicatively constructed and defined in and through popular culture in the United States. In doing so, Blinne offers insight into the many identity work processes in play in the construction of yoga categories, illuminating how individuals’ and groups’ words and actions represent practices of claiming—part of a complex communicative process centered around membership categorization—based on a range of authenticity discourses. Employing popular culture writing styles, Blinne ultimately contends that the majority of yoga styles practiced in the United States are remixes that can be classified as pop culture yoga, a distinct way of understanding this complex phenomenon.