Yoga Therapist
Sara Merrick-Albano
E-RYT 500, C-IAYT
Yoga Therapist
Sara Merrick-Albano
E-RYT 500, C-IAYT
Areas of Specialty:
Trauma, autoimmune conditions, chronic pain
Locations:
Telehealth, Trumbull, Watertown
Certifications
C-IAYT
(International Association of Yoga Therapists)
E-RYT 500
(Yoga Alliance)
YACEP
(Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider)
About Sara
Sara is a yoga therapist who specializes in complex trauma, autoimmune conditions, and chronic pain. She’s able to adapt yoga practices for complex co-occurring medical conditions, ensuring personalized care for each client to effectively manage symptoms. Her approach is tailored to each individual client and draws from traditional yoga practices infused with insights from contemporary neuroscience.
Sara has been practicing yoga for over 20 years. She’s passionate about using yoga to help people restore balance to their lives. In addition to her work as a yoga therapist, Sara is a guest educator and mentor for yoga teachers-in-training. She is also lead trainer for the ClinicAlly Trained™ therapeutic yoga teacher training program, and co-founder of Yoga Therapy Associates.
Sara holds a B.S. degree in geology and mathematics and graduated with highest honors. She spent six years working as a process engineer in the metal finishing industry, working on reducing chemical usage, continuous improvement, and project management. This translates well to her one-on-one work with clients as she guides them through the process of yoga. She can quickly identify small changes that make a big difference in an individual’s transformation.
Education
B.S. Geology, minor Math 2014 – Summa cum laude, Southern Connecticut State University
C-BDYT, Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy, 2022
C-IAYT, Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy, 2023
Languages
English, French
Presentations
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 Sara
Testimonials From Sara’s Yoga Therapy Clients
– L. R.
Yoga Therapy Client
“Sara takes special care to make sure you are comfortable at all times and will never give you less than 100% of her attention and effort. The reality is diseases and conditions change and unfortunately, standard treatment plans and therapies are not always adaptive. You can rest assured that no matter the change in health or symptoms, you will be listened to, evaluated, and with plenty of personal input you will both make a plan to rectify whatever you are working with.”
– E. A.
Yoga Therapy Client
“We started with a one-hour evaluation and I was impressed with Sara’s professionalism and thorough information gathering about my condition, my needs and my goals. I also had the opportunity to ask her questions about her training and experience which she was very willing to answer thoroughly.
Her therapeutic approach has included yoga poses that are specific to the needs of my body. She is very adept at making the proper accommodations where needed. She sends me a video where she demonstrates the yoga poses so I can practice on my own. I recommend her highly.”
– H. W.
Yoga Therapy Client
“Sara was a wonderful therapist. She was kind and listened. She suggested other therapies where needed (i.e. counseling) and gave me practices that really resonated with me and ultimately led me to changing some major things in my life for the better.
The outcome was unexpected and healnig took place in a way that I could not have imagined.”
– M. W.
Yoga Therapy Client
“I’ve been seeing Sara in Watertown for about 8 months now and I can honestly say it has been life-changing. I have struggled with psoriatic arthritis and particularly this year and a half, ankylosing spondylitis with my back. It has been debilitating, affecting my physical and mental health. I was questioning whether I could even continue my career of hair stylist/bridal stylist because I was in so much pain. I was literally in tears at my first session with Sara.
Eight months later, my body and mind are so much stronger. I am able to walk without pain, work without pain, and I attribute this to consistently practicing yoga therapy and breathing practices that Sara has been helping me with. I am also under the care of a rheumatologist and on a medication, but that really only hits the surface of the condition.
I am so grateful to have found Yoga Therapy Associates and would recommend them to anyone who is living with chronic pain.”
– P.B.
Yoga Therapy Client
Sara’s Recent Blog Posts
Healing The Whole Person: Yoga Therapy And The Brain-Body-Spirit Connection in Trauma Recovery
Healing from trauma isn’t just about working through memories or emotions; it’s about reestablishing the brain-body-spirit connection in a way that feels safe, empowering, and restorative.
How PTSD Connects with the Body
PTSD changes the way the brain handles stress, and takes a toll on the body and on the brain. Learn how PTSD connects with the body.
How Yoga Therapy Can Help Your Patients Manage Anxiety
By Sara Merrick-Albano, E-RYT, C-IAYT As a medical professional, you probably see patients every day with anxiety, regardless of your specialty. Anxiety is a normal response to the stress that comes with making medical decisions, such as choosing treatment options,...