The Application of Yoga Therapy in the Treatment of Eating ...

The Application of Yoga Therapy in the Treatment of Eating Disorders in Adolescents By: Karen Armand Counseling Psychologist, Yoga Therapist For: Sea?le Children’s Hospital Specialty Team: Adolescent Eating Disorders August 7th, 2013

Yoga Psychology Perspective

Yoga Psychology Perspective •  “Our past history determines how we support and nourish ourselves. Without support, we fall. Without nourishment, we collapse. Persons who embody a sense of physical collapse are revealing a lack of support in their life and their bodies show a corresponding sense of defeat. They may question their right to be here, have difficulty nourishing themselves or suffer from abandonment issues. Eating disorders are often manifestations of first chakra issues of nourishment” (Judith, 2004).

Processes of Yoga Therapy for E.D. •  Slowing down/calming down •  Increase sense of mastery and assertiveness •  Self-acceptance •  Release feelings of guilt •  Grounding •  Address control/addiction •  Establish sense of selfawareness •  Reduce depression and anxiety •  Increase self-love, open heart, and self-esteem •  Learn to reprogram obsessive thought tendencies •  Feelings of being supported instead of overwhelmed •  Learn independence vs. dependence. •  Feel connection more than separation (less isolated and emotionally starved)

Processes of Yoga Therapy for E.D. “Yoga psychotherapy is “holistic” in that it considers and addresses all aspects of the individual and the patterns of relations between them. This holistic approach includes the cognitive, emotional, physiological, behavioral, and interpersonal domains addressed by Western psychology but acknowledges and adds numerous others, such as diet, sleep, breath, and spirituality. Yoga psychotherapy acknowledges that human beings are affected by all aspects of their experience and seeks to identify and remedy any and all habits that may be contributing to distress and/or “dis-ease”. (Butler, M. P., Introduction: Healing the Whole Person, 2008).

Components of Yoga Therapy Interventions for Eating Disorders

Mindfulness Practices

Mindfulness Practices •  Mindfulness = Present Moment Awareness •  Mindfulness practices include: o  Breath Awareness Exercises o  Candle Gazing

Mindfulness Practices •  “Although we drift on the path and lose sight of our essential being, remembering what we love guides us back to sacred presence … When we get lost we need only pause, look at what is true, relax our heart and arrive again. This is the essence of Radical Acceptance” (Brach, 2003).

Mindfulness Practices •  Research shows: o  “Mindfulness practices help us sit with feelings, turn down evaluative mode and reduce depression and anxiety.” (Farb et al, 2010)

Mindfulness Practices •  Addresses the issues of: o  Depression o  Anxiety o  Self-Acceptance o  Self-Awareness o  Emotional Imbalance

Mindfulness Practices •  Desired Outcome is the Embodiment/Experience of: o  Slowing Down o  Calming Down o  Resting Mind o  Increase Awareness of Mind/Body Connection o  Decrease Numbness

Restorative Yoga •  Poses with props such as bolsters, sandbags, eye pillows, blocks, heated “buddies” •  In combination with energy point bodywork

Restorative Yoga •  Benefits include: o  Decrease in “fight-flight-freeze” response o  Slows heart rate and lowers blood pressure o  Activates relaxation response o  Calms mind and release tension

Restorative Yoga

Restorative Yoga •  Addresses the issues of: o  Feelings of Being Overwhelmed o  Lack of Support o  Lack of Self-Compassion o  Feelings of Being Ungrounded o  Muscle Tension o  Feelings of not being nourished on a deep level

Restorative Yoga •  Desired Outcome is the Embodiment/Experience of: o  Attunement with another and sense of being supported o  Self-Compassion o  Grounding o  Heart Opening o  Muscle Relaxation o  Deeper Mind Relaxation

Mantra •  A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words (usually starting with word “Om”), that is considered capable of "creating transformation“

Mantra •  “’The mantra becomes one’s staff of life,’ declares Mahatma Gandi, ‘and carries one through every ordeal. It is repeated not for the sake of repetition, but for the sake of purification, as an aid to effort… It is no empty repetition. For each repetition has a new meaning, carrying you nearer and nearer to the divine’” (Easwaran, 1977).

Mantra •  Addresses the issues of: o  Obsessive Thoughts o  Anxiety o  Need to Control o  Addictive Tendencies o  Lack of Self Compassion

Mantra •  Desired Outcome is the Embodiment/Experience of: o  Empowering more constructive uses of the mind o  Establishing healthier thought patterns o  Increasing emotional resilience and self esteem

Counseling •  “Healing the mind involves healing how we relate to the world. It means establishing a society or group of friends that draws us upward. This is the basis of real counseling. Ideally, a true therapist should not be a doctor in the distance, but a spiritual friend and well-wisher. Therapy should be the beginning of communion” (Frawley, 2011).

Counseling •  Addresses the issues of: o  Overwhelming Feelings o  Lack of Emotional Nourishment o  Lack of self-acceptance and acceptance of situation (i.e. E. D.)

Counseling •  Desired Outcome is the Embodiment/Experience of: o  Experiencing Loving Presence o  Attunement with Another o  Advocacy o  Realigning Expectations o  Learning Health Independence o  Experiencing Emotional Release

Forgiveness Asana •  Overall goal is to acclimate the client to gentle physical practice in order to get benefits of feeling better without vigorous physical practice and potential for weight loss.

Forgiveness Asana Practice

Forgiveness Asana Practice •  Addresses the issues of: o  Feelings of Guilt o  Distorted Body Image o  Depression o  Lack of Self Compassion

Forgiveness Asana Practice •  Desired Outcome is the Embodiment/Experience of: o  Forgiveness of Self o  Relaxing of Expectations o  Learning to work with one’s body in a gentler way o  Alleviating Depressive State o  Increasing Body Awareness

Thank you for your presence here today Please feel free to obtain a copy of the PowerPoint Presentation and the Forgiveness Asana and Mantra Series from my website: www.WestSea?leYogaandPsychotherapy.com For more information on research of Yoga therapy go to: www.iayt.org and The International Journal of Yoga Therapy Karen Armand, PhD, LMHC, E-200 RYT

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