Book with Christine in Madison or on Telehealth
Yoga Therapist
Christine Saari
MA, RYT 500, C-IAYT
Areas of Specialty:
- Trauma
- Anxiety
- Cancer
- Professional burnout
Locations:
- Telehealth
- Madison
Book with Christine in Madison or on Telehealth
Certifications
C-IAYT
(International Association of Yoga Therapists)
E-RYT 200
(Yoga Alliance)
YACEP
(Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider)
About Christine
Christine is a yoga therapist, known for her dedication to facilitating healing journeys through yoga therapy. Christine’s clinical practice specializes in helping her clients navigate anxiety and trauma. Originating from her own experience in using yoga therapy to heal from breast cancer, trauma, anxiety, and personal loss, her genuine passion for aiding individuals in their unique journeys shines through in her clinical practice. Whether through online or in-person sessions, her approach is marked by empathy, expertise, and a heartfelt commitment to guide others toward their own innate wholeness.
As a co-founding partner of Yoga Therapy Associates, Christine envisions a platform to connect individuals with skilled yoga therapists and integrate yoga therapy into medical, mental health, and social services settings. She is dedicated to enhancing the quality and professionalism of yoga therapy by elevating best practices. Christine is a regular contributor to the Yoga Therapy Associates blog, where she shares insights tailored for medical and mental health readers, illuminating the research behind yoga therapy’s efficacy.
With a master’s degree in nonprofit administration, Christine is dedicated to creating a meaningful impact and pioneering innovative paths for healing. Christine’s expertise extends to developing and delivering continuing education programs for mental health clinicians. She regularly provides training for the CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) use of somatic, breathwork, and meditation techniques in clinical settings.
Education
B.A., Northwestern University
M.A. – Nonprofit Administration, Goucher College
C-BDYT, Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy, 2022
C-IAYT, Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy, 2023
Languages
English, French
Presentations
Clinical Applications of Yoga Therapy for Trauma — NASW CE Workshop
November 2024 | CT DMHAS
Presented to mental health clinicians on the use of yoga therapy techniques for trauma.
Therapeutic Breathwork for Mental Health — NASW CE Workshop
September 2024 | The Connecticut Women’s Consortium
Presented to mental health clinicians on the use of therapeutic breathwork for mental health.
Clinical Applications of Yoga Therapy for Trauma — NASW CE Workshop
September 2023 | The Connecticut Women’s Consortium
Presented to mental health clinicians on the use of yoga therapy techniques for trauma.
Yoga Therapy for Pediatric Sports Orthopedics — Workshop
October 2023 | Yale School of Medicine Dept. of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation
Presented to orthopedic surgeons and PTs on use of yoga therapy for pediatric orthopedic rehab.
Yoga for Back Health Continuing Education Workshop
October 2021 | The Om Center
Taught yoga teachers how to account for contraindications from common back pathologies in their group yoga classes.
Book With Christine
Testimonials From Christine’s Yoga Therapy Clients
– Dan D.
Yoga Therapy Client
– Rebecca B.
Yoga Therapy Client
– Jen K.
Yoga Therapy Client
Christine’s Recent Blog Posts
Why Your Body Stays on Edge Even When Your Life Feels Stable
Your life may look more stable than it used to. Work may be manageable. Your relationships may be calmer. The crisis may have passed. You may have more support, more predictability, or fewer urgent problems than before.
But your body may still feel on edge.
This is one reason a body-based approach to yoga therapy for anxiety can be useful. Anxiety is not always experienced as worry. Sometimes it shows up as a body that cannot stop preparing.
Psychosomatic Symptoms: What They Are and Are They Real?
There is a particular kind of confusion that comes up when symptoms don’t have a clear medical explanation. Something feels off in the body. There may be pain, tightness, fatigue, dizziness, or a range of other sensations that are noticeable and sometimes disruptive. There is no clear diagnosis. At some point, the word “psychosomatic” gets introduced, and that often raises more questions than it answers. For many people, it lands as: so this isn’t real. That interpretation tends to miss what is actually happening.
Why You Understand Your Trauma But Still Feel Stuck in Your Body
There is a particular kind of frustration that shows up when someone has done a lot of work on their trauma and still feels the same in their body.
They understand what happened. They have talked about it, sometimes in depth. They can see the patterns clearly and make sense of their reactions. And yet, when something triggers them, their body still responds in the same way.
At some point, the question becomes: Why does this still live in my body when I understand it so well?