How Effective is online therapy? Yoga Therapy and somatic therapy for anxiety, depression, and trauma Release.

May 21, 2023 Joss Frank

How effective is online therapy?

According to UCLA Health, ‘Researchers looked at more than 60 studies and found that seeing a therapist online is just as effective as face-to-face sessions for most people with anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)’.

Research suggests online therapy is just as effective and many people prefer it. Some of the benefits of online therapy include it’s:

More convenient
More affordable
More approachable and accessible

Talk therapy (psychotherapy) is perhaps the most widely known form of therapy, but is talk therapy enough when it comes to healing trauma, anxiety, and or depression?

When it comes to healing trauma - in particular - talk therapy is not enough because the area of the brain responsible for language can shut down when people get close to the story of their trauma

…they can become speechless.

If you’re seeking online therapy for trauma or mental health, consider a body-centred therapy such as Yoga Therapy which gives clients the space to just be with themselves and not speak. This can be helpful in internally processing stories before going on to articulate experiences in a more formal, therapeutic setting.

What is online yoga therapy for trauma release, anxiety, and depression?

There are many different types of body-centred therapy. Yoga Therapy is rising in popularity as people are understanding that ‘the body keeps the score’.

Online Yoga Therapy focuses on the body and breath as a resource for healing and improving mental health. It’s a bio-psychosocial approach meaning the clients illness or challenge is looked at from all angles: how it shows up in the mind, the emotions, the physical body, and the spirit.

What happens in online 1-1 yoga therapy?

A client could book a 1-1 Yoga Therapy session with a wellness goal to release trauma or manage a mental health issue such as anxiety or depression. An online private session would include:

Physical practices: such as stretches to release tight nerves and muscles.
Emotional practices: such as inquiries and affirmations to rewire the brain and build new positive habits.
Spiritual practices: such as metta meditations (self-compassion meditations) and yoga nidra (considered a gentle form of hypnotherapy) to reduce stress, regulate the nervous system, and balance hormones.

Based on the intake form a client submits, A Yoga Therapist will research and prepare the session tailored to the issue

Online Yoga Therapy follows a very similar process to a traditional therapy session or a physio session. Based on the intake form a client submits, a private yoga therapy session is personalized to support the client’s specific illness, health challenge, or wellness goal.

An online Yoga Therapist will guide you through a gentle, personalized holistic practice that uses research-backed techniques for your specific illness or challenge. Techniques include a mix of western psychology and easy yoga practices to improve your body function and emotional state.

Online yoga therapy taps into research-backed holistic practices suggested to reduce symptoms, prevent injury, and restore optimal wellness in clients. Practices include:

Breathing techniques
Physical postures for: stretching, lengthening, and strengthening
Fascia tapping
Guided meditations and Yoga Nidra for: mindfulness, hormonal balance, reducing anxiety, and more
Holistic practices for nervous system regulation
Inner-awareness exercises: journal inquiries, affirmations, and more
Embodiment and conscious touch exercises
and more.

So, how do you know what to choose: A body-centred therapy such as yoga therapy or a talk therapy session?

If you're someone who’s explored traditional talk therapy (psychotherapy) you might be curious to explore an approach which allows you to move beyond language and to actually befriend what’s happening inside your body.

For example: Most trauma survivors aren’t getting clear info from their body which can cause a disconnect between what the body experiences and how the brain interprets it.

A body-centred therapy helps clients to build a connection between emotions, thoughts and physical sensations in the body. Building this form of inner-awareness is incredibly empowering as it allows clients to self-regulate and self-heal.

Case study | Private online yoga therapy for anxiety:

Anxiety affects the mind, body, and spirit:

Mental anxiety symptoms: Difficulty concentrating, difficulty controlling feelings of worry, easily fatigued, difficulty falling or staying asleep.
Physical anxiety symptoms: physical tension in the body, shorter breathing patterns, headaches, muscle aches, stomach aches, or unexplained pains, elevated sympathetic nervous system (stress response) sensitivity.
Spiritual anxiety symptoms: Feeling on-edge, difficult to rest into the present moment.

Yoga Therapy uses the body as a gateway to healing with research-backed breathing techniques, body movements, meditations, yoga nidra, affirmations, and more known to reduce symptoms in clients.

Online yoga therapy provides research-backed breathwork, gentle movement, affirmations, nervous system regulation techniques, and more.

Is a yoga therapist qualified?

A Yoga Therapist C-IAYT has an 800 hour certification (minimum) and has also completed a 50 hour practicum that typically takes 6 months to one year. A Yoga Therapist C-IAYT works with individuals in private sessions on a specific illness, challenge, or wellness goal. A Yoga Therapist has additional credentials and studies (beyond a yoga teacher) to work with clients privately on specific illnesses or challenges.

What are the benefits of online yoga therapy?

It empowers clients to be their own healer with easy practices to continue beyond the sessions: Clients get a 10 minute at-home program with audio guides.
It accesses healing in the body, mind, and spirit.
It’s an affordable, accessible, and approachable form of therapy.

Bottom Line:

Online therapy is just as effective and many people prefer it. Some of the benefits of online therapy include it’s more convenient, affordable, approachable, and accessible.

If you’re someone seeking to heal and release trauma or manage depression, stress, or anxiety… talk therapy is not enough.

The area of the brain responsible for language can shut down when people get close to the story of their trauma

…they can become speechless. Online yoga therapy gives clients the space to just be with themselves and not speak. This can be helpful in internally processing stories before going on to articulate their experiences in more formal, therapeutic settings.

Next Steps

Tap below to get started with a free consultation and find out if private online yoga therapy is a perfect fit for your needs.

Chat soon!
Joss | Yoga Therapist C-IAYT

Joss Frank

Hi! I’m Joss Frank, founder of Wild Womb. I understand how womb and body healing ignites when you look within for guidance because I self-healed from my painful periods, depression, anxiety, sexual assault, emotional and physical abuse… after years of failed efforts to feel better about myself. My failed efforts led to a revelation that true healing comes from within and it requires loving community.

Today, as a Yoga Therapist in my practicum, I help people with womb and body healing so they can reclaim their feminine power, LOVE their sacred feminine bodies, and feel more confident.

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