Thank you for your curiosity about yoga therapy! My name is Emily Anderson, and I am a certified Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapy. I have over 1200 hours of training in the field of yoga therapy, with specializations in chronic pain, nervous system care, and menstrual health.
All Bodies Welcome Yoga prioritizes accessible movement, rejection of diet culture and body fascism, intersectional anti-fundamentalist feminism, and joy. All of this is to say that I don’t believe there is one right way to have a relationship with your body - my job is to help you define that on your own terms. My approach to yoga therapy weaves together Yoga philosophy, Ayurveda, and the Western understanding of nervous system science into practical techniques and skills for mind-body connection.
My work with clients is informed by two essential truths: you know yourself and your body better than anyone else, and you are not “broken,” no matter your health conditions, dis/abilities, mental stability, or pain. Yoga therapy is not about “fixing” you to be more compliant, palatable, or typical. The work we do together is to bring greater clarity, autonomy, and ease into your life.
What is Yoga Therapy?
Yoga philosophy developed one of the original frameworks for mind-body connection and self empowerment. Yoga philosophy outlines the koshas - five layers of the Self. Your physical body, flow of energy, emotional processing, inner wisdom, and spiritual health / bliss comprise these five layers. Yoga emphasizes that our physical, bodily experiences inherently impact the other layers, and vice versa. The koshas are at the heart of my approach to yoga therapy.
Yoga therapy unites traditional and modern modalities into integrative, personalized wellness. Through private therapy sessions and at home practices, you experience more peace of mind, more ease in the body, and a clearer sense of who you are and what your purpose is amongst a chaotic world.
Yoga therapy does not diagnose conditions or follow a Western model of pathologizing mental health fluctuations. Instead, it embraces the whole person in the context of community, culture, and environment. Yoga therapy is also not like personal training or private yoga instruction. It is a collaborative process that you are meant to integrate into your daily life, with tangible results.
How Does Yoga Therapy Work?
All of my yoga therapy programming is virtual and practiced over Zoom at this time. In our initial sessions, we’ll explore your goals, get to know what’s shaped your experiences, and create a personalized program. You might receive recordings or other resources to support your home practice. From sessions 4–8, we’ll focus on filling your somatic toolbox with Yoga modalities, troubleshooting any issues with integrating practices, expanding the vocabulary of your self awareness and interoception. Around session 9, we’ll review your progress, adjust goals if needed, and discuss next steps — which may include planning for closure over the following sessions, or continuing further.
Yoga therapy usually involves a combination of conversation and practices - that could include yoga asana (postures), functional movement exercises, meditation and visualization, yoga nidra (guided rest), mantra, pranayam (breath and energy practices), and other modalities. No previous experience with yoga needed! Yoga therapy is vastly different than how yoga is taught in a mainstream fitness studio. Every practice will be explained so that you feel comfortable and stable.
What Does Yoga Therapy Cost?
I do not take insurance, however, I can provide a superbill for possible reimbursement, and I accept HSA. My yoga therapy rates are as follows:
Initial Wellness Consultation: $110
$90 per 60 minute follow up session