Last updated September 16, 2025
Yoga Therapy: A Unique Approach To Healing
In this article, we’ll explore the question: What is yoga therapy?
Yoga therapy offers a unique approach to healing that aims to improve mental and physical health. Yoga therapists teach their clients a range of yoga practices, including movement, breathing, chanting, affirmations, and meditation, which have been clinically proven to be effective in therapeutic settings.
The yoga therapy process begins with an assessment where the yoga therapist gathers information about your health history, concerns, and goals. Based on this information, the yoga therapist develops a personalized plan using various yoga techniques. During the session, the therapist guides you through the practice, checking in with you through the practice, and providing variations and alternatives if needed. You also receive a home practice plan to continue the therapeutic benefits between sessions. Finally, the yoga therapist will conduct ongoing evaluations and adjust your plan as needed to track your progress. In this way, yoga therapy creates a safe space for clients to explore practices at their own pace.
In addition to home yoga practice, the yoga therapy process might also include recommendations on dietary resources and lifestyle support. For example: if you have insomnia and trouble falling asleep, your yoga therapist may ask about your caffeine intake in the afternoon and recommend you skip your 3 pm cup of coffee.
Private Yoga Therapy Is A One-On-One Approach
Rooted in traditional practices and informed by Western medicine and neuroscience research, yoga therapists take a holistic approach to healing. Yoga practices are tailored to each individual’s needs. That means that yoga therapy is always practiced one-on-one. This personalized approach sets yoga therapy apart from group yoga classes taught by yoga instructors. The one-on-one format allows the yoga therapist to develop a deep understanding of your physical, emotional, and mental state and design a truly customized plan to help you reach your healing goals.
What Types of Health Conditions Can Yoga Therapy Help With?
Yoga therapy can help with a variety of mental and physical health conditions. Yoga therapy is well suited for chronic health conditions where symptoms affect quality of life.
We often work with clients whose symptoms don’t improve with Western medical interventions, or clients who haven’t been able to get any explanation for their symptoms from their doctors.
At Yoga Therapy Associates, we specialize in the following conditions:
- Trauma and PTSD, including complex trauma (C-PTSD)
- Anxiety and Depression
- Chronic pain
- Autoimmune conditions, including Long COVID, chronic fatigue, and neurological conditions
- Functional movement and pain-free movement
- Breath dysfunction
- Cancer
Because yoga therapy is inherently holistic, our yoga therapists are trained to work with a wide range of health conditions. Our clients often come to us with a combination of health conditions. In addition, some people come to yoga therapy to seek relief from stress or difficult life transitions. Whatever the reasons for your interest in yoga therapy, one of our trained yoga therapists can help you develop a personalized approach to facilitate healing.
In the yoga therapy setting, suffering is always self-diagnosed. The only requirement for working with a yoga therapist is a desire to feel better and a willingness to take action towards achieving that goal.
Do I have to Stop Taking My Medications or Seeing My Doctor If I work With A Yoga Therapist?
Not at all! Please, continue seeing your current medical professionals and taking your medication.
Yoga therapy is complementary and integrative, meaning we work alongside your current medical treatment plan. It is part of a yoga therapist’s scope of practice to ensure that clients are receiving appropriate medical care, and we will refer you to medical professionals and talk therapists in our referral network if needed.
We will also inform you if we don’t think that yoga therapy is a good fit for you at this time. For example, if you have pain in your hip from suspected rheumatoid arthritis, but you didn’t complete the testing to get a diagnosis, we would recommend you return to your doctor before starting yoga therapy so that you receive a proper diagnosis and start medical treatment.
What happens during a yoga therapy session?
The Yoga Therapy Intake Session
At Yoga Therapy Associates, the intake session lasts from 60 to 90 minutes. It’s mostly a conversation, with time for yoga practice at the end of the session.
During the intake session, expect to discuss the following:
- What brings you to yoga therapy and any symptoms you may be experiencing
- Your physical and mental health history
- Any medications you may be taking
- What you’ve found that works for managing your symptoms
- What your typical daily schedule looks like, including meal times and bed time
- If you have any spiritual or religious beliefs
- Anything else you feel would be relevant to your work in yoga therapy
You decide what and how much information to share with your yoga therapist. You’re also welcome to ask questions at any time during your intake. We don’t require a written intake form as we prefer to get to know each through conversation.
You can also expect to have a transparent discussion regarding the anticipated frequency and number of appointments.
Yoga practice happens towards the second half of your intake. Practice time during the intake is an opportunity for physical and/or breath assessment, if necessary. Some practices you might work on in your intake include movement or postures, breathing techniques, and/or meditation. Your yoga therapist will explain why they chose the yoga practices for you.
Home practice isn’t always indicated after the intake session. But if it is, your yoga therapist will send you home with any resources you might need, such as an audio recording, a drawing, or a video of the practice for you to reference. Your yoga therapist will also be specific about how often to practice, and help you find time in your schedule, taking into account how much free time you have during the day.
The Yoga Therapy Follow-Up Session
Following the intake session, your yoga therapist develops a comprehensive strategy and treatment plan for your work together. At your first follow-up session, your yoga therapist will go over your treatment plan and teach you practices.
Yoga therapy follow-up sessions are 45-60 minutes long. A session always includes three things:
- A check-in to discuss how your home practices are going.
- A discussion of any changes in your health status or symptoms.
- Time to practice together. Your yoga therapist will answer any questions you may have, make adjustments to the practice if necessary, and teach you new practices as you develop your skills.
Expect to meet weekly with your yoga therapist to start. As you get comfortable with home practice and as symptoms improve, follow-up sessions are spaced out to every two weeks or three weeks, to monthly.
How Many Yoga Therapy Sessions Can I Expect?
Everyone is different, and everyone finds benefit from a different number of sessions. On average, our clients see us for 8 sessions spaced out over 3 months.
Clients whose symptoms have severely impacted their quality of life, or who have trouble practicing on their own, usually meet with us more frequently for a longer period of time, for 6 months to a year.
Clients who practice consistently at home or need less support or accountability typically see us for fewer sessions, sometimes as few as four sessions.
Often, clients with long-term health conditions like autoimmune conditions enjoy coming in for a session every month to check in and for maintenance, once symptoms have stabilized. Yoga therapy can become an integral part of a self-care routine, especially for people who have trouble making time for themselves.
Is Yoga Therapy The Same As Talk Therapy?
No. Yoga therapy and talk therapy, while both aimed at improving well-being, are distinct approaches.
Yoga therapy primarily focuses on the interconnectedness of the body, breath, and mind, using physical postures, breathing techniques, meditation, and relaxation to create physical and energetic shifts that influence mental and emotional states. The yoga therapist acts as a guide, adapting practices to individual needs and empowering self-healing through experiential techniques which include a home yoga practice component.
In contrast, talk therapy (psychotherapy) centers on verbal communication to explore thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, aiming for insight and the development of coping mechanisms through dialogue with the talk therapist, who acts as a listener and facilitator. Talk therapy focuses on the mental aspects of health and wellness.
While there is talking during a yoga therapy session, the aim is to understand how practices are affecting you in order to understand if the practices are working. If it becomes clear that external, verbal processing would be beneficial, your yoga therapist will refer you to a talk therapist.
Many of our clients are often working with a talk therapist concurrently with yoga therapy. In fact, for certain conditions like trauma, depression, eating disorders, and addiction recovery, your yoga therapist will require that you work with a talk therapist or participate in some sort of group talk therapy or support group. This ensures you have the appropriate support.
While talk therapy is beneficial, our clients often appreciate that they don’t have to “talk about it” in their yoga therapy sessions, and can instead focus on experiencing themselves as they are.
How much does yoga therapy cost?
Yoga therapy rates are usually in line with private talk therapy rates. You can view our rates here. On average, our clients see us for 8 sessions over 3 months. Because yoga therapy is educational and focused on skill-building, clients learn how to help themselves feel better by reinforcing the work done in session with home practice. The limited duration of the work makes yoga therapy a very attractive investment in one’s health.
Do yoga therapists take insurance?
In the United States, health insurance does not currently cover yoga therapy. However, you can reimburse yourself for yoga therapy services from your health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) with a doctor’s letter of medical necessity. At Yoga Therapy Associates, we accept HSA and FSA debit cards.
Some insurance plans and Medicare Advantage plans offer a fitness benefit, where you may be able to be reimbursed for yoga therapy expenses.
At Yoga Therapy Associates, our Watertown location is a part of the American Specialty Health Fitness Network. These locations participate in the Silver&Fit Basic, Active&Fit Enterprise, Active&Fit Direct, and Active&Fit Now Programs. Check your insurance or employee benefits for more information on those programs.
Additionally, if you are a Connecticut victim of domestic violence or sexual assault, you are eligible to apply for reimbursement for yoga therapy to support your recovery through the Victim Compensation Program. Similar programs may exist in other states.
How can I find a yoga therapist?
For help finding a local yoga therapist in Connecticut or via telehealth, contact Yoga Therapy Associates. We can help you set up a consultation to find out if yoga therapy is right for you.
