What Is Yoga Therapy? Yoga Therapy vs Yoga Classes Explained
When most people think of yoga, they picture a class. Moving through poses, stretching, maybe leaving feeling a little calmer or more relaxed. And while that can be helpful, it’s only one small part of what yoga can offer, because yoga was never meant to be a one-size-fits-all group experience.
Originally, yoga was taught one-on-one, tailored to the individual. Their body, their lifestyle, their health, and their state of mind.
This is where yoga therapy comes in.
And understanding the difference between a general yoga class and a personalised yoga therapy approach can completely change the way you experience your practice.
What Is a Yoga Teacher?
Yoga teachers complete foundational training commonly a mere 200 hours. Which may equips them to guide general movement, sequencing and class environments. Some yoga teacher go one to do more training and end up as a level 2 teacher (with Yoga Australia) and have 500 hours and teaching hours under their belt. Fewer go on to be registered senior teachers, which mean they’ve complete 100 + hours of training, 1000 hours teaching experience and 10 years minimum of teaching. Senior teachers are also able to register 200, 350 and 500 hours yoga teacher trainings with Yoga Australia. When a yoga teacher is registered with Yoga Australia they are also required to gain 12 continuing personal development hours. Even if a senior yoga teacher has done specific training for special population groups, they are not considered a yoga therapist.
A yoga teacher typically leads group classes designed for a broad audience.
These classes might vary in style:
- Hatha
- Yin
- Yin/Yang
- Kundalini
- Iyengar
- Anusara
- Purna
- Vinyasa flow
- Ashtanga
- Bikram
- Power Vinyasa
- Slow flow
- Restorative
- Chair
But they are generally structured around a sequence that works for people in the room. For optimal health. Not a specific health concern or injury.
They can be:
- A great way to move your body
- Support general flexibility and strength
- Offer a sense of relaxation or stress relief
- Create a community environment
But because they’re designed for groups, they often can’t take into account that individuals needs.
Yoga teacher sometimes offer private one-on-one sessions but this is only to improve a person’s overall wellbeing.
- Your specific injuries or pain
- Your nervous system state (e.g. stress, burnout, anxiety)
- Your lifestyle, time constraints, or energy levels
- Your individual goals
- Your lifestyle
- Your Prakriti (Ayurvedic Dosha) and Vikruti (current imbalance of the doshas)
And this is where many people start to feel frustrated.
You might leave thinking:
- “I’m not flexible enough for this”
- “That didn’t feel right in my body”
- “I don’t know if I’m doing this correctly”
Or you might simply not get the results you were hoping for. Especially if you’re dealing with pain, stress, or health concerns.
What Is Yoga Therapy?
Yoga Therapy is an emerging healthcare profession that provides a much, more personalised practice for you. Yoga therapy is the application of yoga practices in a personalised, therapeutic way to support your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.Yoga therapy is multi-dimension as it attends to all layers of being and their interdependencies.
Contemporary yoga therapy is partly rooted in the Ayurvedic tradition known as chikitsa, sometimes referred to as yoga chikitsa. In Sanskrit, chikitsa means “to remove” or “to clear away.” In Ayurveda, it relates to the process of addressing imbalance in the body. Not just by managing symptoms, but by working with the underlying cause. Hence, it is a form of holistic health care, getting to the root cause, to work out a treatment plan. Rather than a reductionist way, by band aiding the symptoms and not looking at the root cause.
It then supports the recovery process. Easing symptoms such as pain or discomfort
It’s not just about what is removed, but also how it’s removed. The practices, tools and support used to help the body return to balance.
Yoga therapy is the application of yoga practices in a personalised, therapeutic way to support your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Rather than following a set sequence, yoga therapy starts with you.
- Your body.
- Your history.
- Your goals.
- Your nervous system.
It takes into account:
- Injuries, pain, or physical limitations
- Stress levels and nervous system regulation
- Lifestyle, work demands and time availability
- Emotional wellbeing and mental health
From there, a practice is created specifically for your needs.
This might include:
- Asana (poses) for that are deemed therapeutic
- Pranayama (yogic breath-work)
- Kriya
- Mudras (including hasta - hand postures)
- Self inquiry (yogic psychology)
- Lifestyle changes
- Dharana (Mindfulness)
- Dyana (meditation)
Because your body doesn’t exist in isolation and neither should your practice.
What is a Yoga therapist?
A yoga therapist has additional, specialised training that goes beyond general teaching. Some courses require you to already be a registered senior teacher. However this is not the case for all courses, but it doed require that you have already completed foundational training to be deemed a yoga teacher. It’s ideally conducted over a 2 year period, Which encompasses theory, practical and case study clients. Yoga Australia is currently reviewing the guidelines to outline more specific requirements. It’s also 650+ hours
Areas of study include: areas such as:
- Yoga philosophy
- Mental health (included trauma)
- Anatomy and physiology
Ayurveda - Interpreting scientific papers on yoga therapy
- Pain science
- Therapeutic application of yoga practices
In an individual session a yoga therapists take an in-depth case history. Then conducts an individual assessment.
It starts with you:
- Your body
- Your history
- Your injuries or limitations
- Your lifestyle and stress levels
This involves:
- Dharshana (observation)
- Sparshana (palpitation) when in person and if consent is gain and it is appropriate.
- Prashna (questioning) and this often includes a pre-consultation questionnaire. The therapist includes the client in their plan, by confirming the time commitment and the goals that are to be prioritised. The therapist then design a yoga therapy practice suited to client. This plan continues to evolve according to ongoing assessment, lisidion with the client progress, goals and lifestyle by ongoing assessment. Along with collaboration with the client. The yoga therapist gives the client empowerment by continuing to collaborate with goals and progress.
To create a treatment plan for that specific client. For specific goal (s).
From there, a practice is created specifically for your needs.
Yoga therapists also, also often conducted small group classes for specific populations. Such as classes in for addiction rehabilaitation.
Did you know yoga has a great science base? Yoga therapy is used in some hospital in India. Countless studies have been done to test it’s efficacy against western techniques.
Some of these include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Trauma Recovery & Release
- Pain reduction
- Osteoarthritis
- Menopause
- Insomnia
- Cancer
- Osteoporosis and Osteopenia
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
Why Personalisation Matters
No two people are the same.Your genetics, history, injuries, stress levels and lifestyle all influence what your body needs.So following a generic class or program can sometimes lead to:
- Frustration
- Lack of progress
- Or even worsening symptoms
A personalised approach helps you:
- Feel confident in what you’re doing
- Avoid trial and error
- Build a practice that actually fits into your life
- And most importantly, it gives you tools you can use independently.
- It’s Not About Doing More.It’s About Doing What’s Right for You
In a world where we’re constantly told to push harder and do more…
Which One Is Right for You?
Yoga classes can be a great place to start.
But if you’re:
- Dealing with pain or injury
- Feeling overwhelmed or burnt out
- Unsure what your body actually needs
- Or wanting something more personalised and sustainable
Then yoga therapy may be the missing piece.
Because your body doesn’t exist in isolation and neither should your practice. And when it’s tailored to you, guided by deeper training and understanding, it becomes more than just movement.
It becomes a tool for real, lasting change.
