Are you feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed? Yoga for Anxiety is a specialised yoga practice designed to help reduce stress levels and improve overall mental and physical wellbeing. Yoga for Anxiety is a holistic approach to managing your anxiety. We believe that yoga can help you create a space of inner peace and calm. Through a combination of breathing exercises, gentle postures, psychoeducation, yoga philosophy and mindful movement, this therapy helps to release tension and improve concentration, enabling you to feel more relaxed and in control. The practice is suitable for all levels and no prior experience is required.
Yoga for Anxiety consists of a series of 1-to-1 sessions, tailored to meet your personal needs and to accompany you through your own journey towards a calmer, happier you. The main aim is to regulate your nervous system, and to give you the tools you need in your everyday life to sooth and nourish yourself.
Anxiety is experienced physically and mentally. Symptoms can include a racing heart, sweating and bladder problems for example, as well as critical thinking and rumination. With chronic anxiety, the sympathetic nervous system is overactivated (the part responsible for fight/ flight responses) and the parasympathetic (rest and digest) is under-stimulated. This means the body-mind struggle to properly relax. In a state of anxiety and nervous system arousal, it can be hard to rationalise or know what to do to create calm. This can lead to self-blame and feelings of anger, shame or sadness. Many of us struggle to verbalise our emotions and find it hard to engage with talking therapy. Hence why, Yoga for Anxiety can complement other therapies or be an extraordinarily effective alternative.
As anxiety can bring about a sense of disconnect (being caught up in negative thinking for example), mindful movement reconnects people to their bodies and with the present moment. Feeling the connection of the body and the ground can help to create a sense of support; and conscious movement and breathing practices can help people reclaim a sense of control. In addition, cultivating compassion and integrating difficult feelings are an important part of the process.
In an initial meeting, your therapist will better understand your needs through a short discussion. This will be followed by an informal presentation on anxiety, the nervous system and yoga. Together you will agree on the number of sessions and clarify the goals. Your therapist will then create a programme for you. To get the most benefits it is recommended that sessions are attended weekly for a minimum of 6-8 weeks.
Each session will involve a brief check in as to how you are doing, a short presentation by the therapist of the theme of the session, gentle movement for connection and grounding, gentle floor-based stretches to release tension, breathing practices to slow the nervous system and ease the fluctuations of the mind and a guided relaxation. You will receive weekly resources including home practices.
You are encouraged to wear loose, comfortable clothing. A mat and props will be provided. Props (such as a bolster and blanket) are used to support clients in various postures. Postures are modified to suit the needs of each client. You will be asked to share details relating to injuries and health conditions prior to beginning any movement practices to ensure a safe and appropriate practice is created. There are no hands-on adjustments in the sessions.
Music and affirmation cards may be used in some sessions. Your therapist may use appropriate creative techniques on an intuitive basis (such as guided imagery) and will discuss this with you as you journey through the sessions towards relaxation.
Sessions and progress will be reviewed over the course of your work together, establishing a sense of what works and what doesn’t. Some clients find it helpful to have a follow up session a month or two after their course of sessions has ended.
Yoga for Anxiety is suitable for anyone with anxiety (with or without experience of yoga or other movement-based practices). It might be helpful for people who struggle to make space for themselves in their busy lives (for example, parents, support workers, teachers, students); as well as people struggling with stress, sleep, or self-esteem.
For some clients connecting with their bodies, drawing awareness to uncomfortable sessions, cultivating compassion, and allowing themselves to relax may be challenging – and require practice! Clients can expect to feel welcomed and put at ease by their experienced practitioner and supported to ‘go at their pace.’ Clients can be expected to develop understanding and feel empowered by this and ultimately to feel more grounded, safe, confident, and relaxed.
Clients find resources and home practices supportive and often notice the affects from the sessions rippling into their everyday lives – for example, sleeping better, over-thinking less, improved focus, presence, and self-acceptance.
50 minutes starting from £73.00
7 Holly Avenue West,
Jesmond,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE2 2AR
We are open during the following hours.
| Monday: | 10:00 – 21:00 |
| Tuesday: | 10:00 – 21:00 |
| Wednesday: | 10:00 – 21:00 |
| Thursday: | 10:00 – 21:00 |
| Saturday: | 10:00 – 17:00 |
Closed Fridays, Sundays and Bank Holidays
© 2022 Jesmond Therapy Centre
A 3 weekend course created specifically for trained and experienced therapists, seeking to add the theory and skills of relationship and couple counselling to their existing skill set.
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