What is Yoga Therapy, and the role of a Yoga Therapist

What brings us to the practice of yoga? For some, it is the mind–body connection. For others, it is strength, flexibility, or perhaps a sense of inner peace and calm. Yoga offers many entry points. We work with different tools - asanas, pranayama, meditation - and as our practice deepens, we may be introduced to yogic cleansing techniques like shatkriyas*, or guided toward dietary changes, often through an Ayurvedic perspective. Some are encouraged to explore yogic breathing techniques, others meditation.

What becomes clear over time is this: human health is not one-dimensional. It needs to be cared for at multiple levels. This is where the concept of the Pancha Koshas serves as an important foundation in both classical yoga texts and contemporary therapeutic approaches.

A simple way to understand this is through real examples. Someone managing borderline diabetes may be advised to lose weight through intense gym workouts and strict diets. This can lead to physical strain, neck and shoulder pain or fatigue from restrictive eating. In my own experience, prolonged stress, unresolved anger, and trauma eventually manifested in my body as breast cancer during the postpartum phase. While I followed prescribed treatments and physical recommendations, my mental and emotional health was not fully addressed.

Despite doing everything “right” - exercise, diet, treatment - something was still missing. It was not about a lack of discipline or effort. The root cause was not being addressed, while the focus remained on symptoms.

This is where the real shift lies. It is not about choosing between Western (structured, evidence-based) or Eastern (prana*, awareness) approaches. It is about integration. A truly effective approach brings together different perspectives - movement, medicine, psychology, and supportive therapies - to offer holistic, person-centred care.

We are often told to fix what we can see: posture, muscles, flexibility, and strength. But what drives physical, emotional, and mental imbalance runs deeper - the Pancha Koshas*, the interplay of Gunas* and Doshas*, the relationship between breath and movement, and Heyam Hetu*. Healing, when it happens at this level, feels different and meaningful. It is not forced or rushed, but steady and sustainable.

Yoga psychology, as described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, offers a clear pathway to understanding the human mind. It provides a way to move beyond suffering and feel more complete within oneself. This is where the role of a Yoga Therapist becomes essential.

Yoga Therapy is a personalised, evidence-based approach that integrates the ancient wisdom of yoga with modern health research. It works through movement, breath, mindfulness, and deep rest to restore balance and build resilience. The benefits can be both immediate and long-term, including reduced pain and stress, improved mobility and sleep, and greater emotional well-being.

The process begins with understanding the individual, their health, lifestyle, and needs. Based on this, a tailored program is designed with realistic goals to help manage symptoms, improve daily functioning, and support a more positive relationship with health. Sessions can be offered one-on-one or in small groups, in person or online, making this approach accessible and adaptable.

While some traditional frameworks are debated, what matters most in practice is the individual's lived experience. What I value most about this work is seeing the shift: when people feel more relaxed, more resilient, and more at ease in their own bodies. And most importantly, when they begin to enjoy life again.

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Prana - Refers to the vital, universal energy that permeates all of existence and animates the body.

Pancha koshas – Meaning ‘five sheaths’, a concept in yoga philosophy referring to five layers of awareness through which all experience is filtered, detailed in the Taittiriya Upanishads.

Guna – Sattva, Rajas, Tamas: Qualities or attributes in Vedic philosophy, yoga and Ayurveda.

Doshas – Vata, Pitta, Kapha: Body qualities and functions in Ayurveda.

Shatkriyas – Six classical purification techniques in Hatha Yoga, designed to detoxify the physical body, balance vital energies (doshas), and prepare the mind for deeper meditative and breathing practices, detailed in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika.

Pranayama – Consciously changing the pattern of breathing for a specific purpose.

Heyam Hetu – Understanding the true cause of suffering.