Yoga in the Therapy Room: Tips for integrating trauma informed yoga

In this episode, we explore how yoga-inspired practices can help therapists and clients manage anxiety. We discuss grounding techniques like breathwork, mudras, and simple movements that are easily integrated into therapy sessions. Joanna shares her journey with yoga, starting from personal stress relief to incorporating it into her trauma-informed therapy practice. We discuss the importance of trauma-informed care and customizable, accessible practices for clients with varied needs.

MEET Joanna Barrett

Joanna Barrett is a Nationally Certified Counselor in the United States, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (Massachusetts), a Licensed Professional Counselor (Pennsylvania and Virginia), and an Emotional Wellness Yoga Instructor. Through her comprehensive approach, Joanna also provides Professional Mentorship and Consultation for yoga instructors and mental health professionals. Joanna helps her clients manage high stress, busy lifestyles, anxiety, depression, past traumas, and challenging relationships. She offers traditional therapy and trauma-informed yoga, creating a safe, judgment-free environment for clients to openly explore their inner thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Her approach combines the therapeutic modalities of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Expressive Arts Therapies, and therapeutic yoga. This allows her to tailor sessions to each client's unique needs and foster a collaborative healing journey. Joanna earned her Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and has completed over 1,000 hours of specialized yoga training. She is also a passionate advocate for mental health as an Ambassador with the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation and for animals through Second Chance Animal Services in Massachusetts, where she created a fund to help families adopt dogs. As a consultant to organizations and a seasoned conference presenter, Joanna shares her knowledge of stress management and mental health nationwide. She is also a published writer and guest expert on podcasts, where she provides insights on emotional well-being and holistic wellness to a global audience. Clients who work with Joanna experience a range of powerful outcomes. They often report a greater sense of inner peace, resilience, and emotional balance, finding new ways to manage stress and nurture positive relationships. With Joanna's support, clients build deeper self-awareness, make progress in healing from past traumas, and establish routines that promote well-being and prevent burnout. Her yoga-informed techniques also help clients reconnect with their bodies, enhancing grounding, nervous system regulation, and releasing stored emotional tension. Ultimately, Joanna's clients learn how to live more fully and authentically, equipped with lasting tools to thrive both mentally and physically. Her goal is to empower them to create intentional, fulfilling lives so they can embrace each day with renewed purpose and joy.

Find out more at Joanna Barrett Therapy & Wellness and connect with Joanna on Facebook and Instagram

• Yoga Practices for Anxiety Relief
• Breathwork Techniques for Emotional Regulation
• Incorporating Asana Practices in Therapy
• Practical Tips for Therapists
• Mudra for Anxiety Relief

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

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Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

In this encore episode with Jenna Little, we explore trauma-informed yoga and story work. We discuss how these practices can be integrated to support deep healing through the mind-body connection, emphasizing the importance of invitational language, pacing, and somatic practices. Jenna shares her journey, insights on using yoga in therapeutic settings, and effective ways to process trauma and enhance self-awareness.

MEET Jenna Little

Jenna Little is a Somatic Therapist, trauma-informed Yoga Teacher, and Registered Dietitian who has a passion for integrative and holistic healing. She blends many modalities for a unique embodied healing process that supports and empowers clients to come home to their bodies, souls, spirit, and story for healing, wholeness, and freedom. She works with individuals as well as offers several groups and yoga classes including her signature Yoga For Healing intensive. She finds meaning in raising her 3 daughters as well as running her business and balancing her sacred work in the world.

Find out more at Jennal Little, and connect with Jenna on Instagram

• Understanding Trauma-Informed Yoga and Story Work
• Integrating Yoga and Story Work in Therapy
• Defining Trauma-Informed Yoga
• Practical Applications in Therapy
• Using Visual Tools in Therapy
• Community and Group Healing

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

In this encore episode, Kim Bevans shares her expertise on incorporating somatic interventions into traditional talk therapy, exploring common misconceptions and the profound healing impact of therapists using their own embodiment. We discuss practical tips for therapists looking to enrich their toolkit with somatic techniques and emphasize the importance of therapists having their own movement practices. We also look at various somatic interventions, including movement, identifying body sensations, and using expressive therapy approaches.

MEET Kim Bevans

Kim Bevans is a body-oriented therapist and Embodiment Expert. Kim received her master's degree from Columbia College Chicago in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling. Kim is a Board-Certified Dance/Movement Therapist and Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Massachusetts. Kim provides therapy to women who over-intellectualize, spend too much time in their thinking minds, and feel emotionally overwhelmed. Kim helps women hear the call in their bodies and hearts to facilitate deeper connection, understanding, and healing within themselves. Her private practice is in Boston, Massachusetts. Based on her years of embodied clinical experience and ongoing learning, Kim provides education and consultation for therapists who want to level up their mind-body toolbox.

Find out more at Kim Bevans, and connect with Kim on Instagram

• Exploring Somatic Interventions
• The Importance of Therapist's Embodiment
• Personalized Approach to Therapy
• Building Comfort and Trust
• Success Stories with Somatic Interventions

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

In today's" Yoga Snack," we focus on practical mindfulness techniques to help navigate the holiday season with greater peace and intention. I share simple yet effective practices, including gratitude rituals, sensory walks, and breathing exercises, aimed at cultivating presence amidst the busy season.

" One thing I've reflected on over the years is to really pause, step back, and think about what are my expectations for the holiday season. What do I want to cultivate and bring in? Do I want to bring in that stressful energy? How can I find more calm?"

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

In this episode, we explore the transformative effects of combining EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) with yoga for trauma healing. We discuss the science behind EMDR, its protocols, and the benefits of integrating mindful movement, breathwork, and body awareness practices from yoga. This episode will share a practical yoga session and examples of how these modalities enhance therapeutic outcomes, fostering a sense of empowerment and embodiment in clients.

MEET Paula Soto

Paula Soto LCSW, LISW-CP, ERYT200, YACEP/Paula owns Intersections Wellness and Intersections Wellness Intensive Treatment. She offers EMDR intensives, adjunct EMDR therapy, trauma-focused yoga instruction, consultation, continuing education, and program development. Paula serves therapy clients in PA and SC.

Find out more at Intersections Wellness

• Integrating Yoga and EMDR in Therapy
• The EMDR Reprocessing Session Explained
• Challenges and Considerations in EMDR Therapy
• Integrating Yoga with EMDR Therapy
• Tailoring Yoga Practices to Client Needs
• Chair Yoga Demonstration

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

In today's episode, we discuss how therapists can integrate simple, trauma-informed breathing techniques into clinical sessions to help clients regulate their nervous systems, reduce anxiety, and reconnect with their bodies. We will go into the benefits of breathwork and safety considerations. I will also share practical examples of breathwork practices for you to try in your therapy sessions. We also discuss the importance of using these techniques preventatively, how to individualize practices for clients and offer guidance on incorporating these methods ethically and safely.

"Breathwork is one of the simplest, most effective tools you can offer your clients. It can help with racing thoughts, soothe heightened emotions, and create moments of calm, even in the most overwhelming situations."

• The Power of Breathwork in Therapy
• Preventative Breathwork Practices
• Safety Considerations for Breathwork
• Simple Breathwork Techniques

Cyclic breathing: Why experts say just 5 minutes a day can reduce stress

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

In this episode, we explore the profound connection between yoga and creativity. Guest Puja Shah, a writer and yoga enthusiast, discusses how practices like asanas and pranayama can unleash creative potential and serve as coping tools for mental health. Puja shares her journey with yoga, insights on how it influenced her writing, and yoga's therapeutic benefits for therapists and their clients. The episode also includes a practical demonstration of the Brahmari Pranayama for fostering creativity.

MEET Puja Shah

Puja is a visionary poet who shares her voice through fiction, spoken word poetry, guided meditations, and teaching. Puja holds a D.M.D. doctorate degree and has completed multiple training courses in yoga, meditation, and ancient wisdom. She teaches corporate mindfulness guided meditations and is the author of the multiple award-winning novel For My Sister focuses on girls' rights.

Find out more at Puja Shah and connect with Puja on Instagram and at For My Sister

• Yoga and Creativity
• Integrating Yoga into Therapy
• The Power of Letting Go in Yoga
• Mindfulness and Emotional Release
• Creating Space for Self-Care
• A Yoga Practice for Creativity

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

In today's" Yoga Snack," we focus on a Pranayama practice called color breathing. This practice combines breathwork with visualization to help clients manage stress, connect with their inner world, and achieve greater self-awareness. We discuss how therapists can integrate these techniques into their sessions, providing clients with easy-to-implement tools to enhance their well-being.

"This is something you could do while you're driving, you can do them while you're in a waiting room, and we can do them as we take breaks during the day as therapists for our own self-care"

Colour For Health

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

In this episode of Yoga in the Therapy Room, we explore the ancient practice of mudras—symbolic hand gestures used in yoga and meditation to channel life force energy. We discuss the origins, benefits, and practical applications of various mudras, including their potential to enhance mood, and focus, and reduce stress. This guide is designed for therapists looking to integrate these techniques into their practice and individuals interested in incorporating them into their self-care routines. This episode walks you through mudras like Anjali, Gyan, Dhyana, and Apana and the benefits of each of these techniques.

" If we go back to interoception and noticing what's going on in our body if we have our hands in a mudra, we can feel the sensations of the fingertips touching, the placement of the hands if they're on the lap. Just even connecting with that alone can be grounding or a mindfulness practice." -Chris McDonald

• Understanding Mudras: Definition and Benefits
• Exploring the Elements and Origins of Mudras
• Practical Applications and Benefits of Mudras
• Guided Mudra Practices
• Integrating Mudras into Therapy and Self-Care

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

In this episode, we discuss how yoga can be a powerful tool for nervous system regulation, particularly for therapists and their clients dealing with trauma and anxiety. Amanda, a mental health therapist and yoga instructor, shares her journey into yoga and offers practical insights into bringing yoga into the therapy room. She highlights the importance of an intuitive approach and provides a hands-on yoga practice to help you experience the benefits firsthand. Amanda also discusses the integration of various therapeutic theories with yoga, emphasizing the role of self-care and the therapist's own nervous system regulation.

MEET Amanda Baker

Amanda believes that we are more authentic as our child-like selves than we are as an adult. We are more likely to share our truth and live our truth as children, but who says we have to stop? Amanda is a mental health therapist, 500hr yoga instructor, and poet. She integrates mental health, yoga, creativity, and writing into her work and daily life. Amanda has worked in the clinical field of social work for over 10 years and in the last five she has utilized yoga psychology as a framework for treating mental health diagnoses, symptoms, and mind-body restoration. Amanda came back to her child-like passions just before the pandemic as she embarked on basic yoga teaching training and writing poetry daily. She loved music, dance, and writing as a kid. In coming back to self with her interests she stumbled on the healing benefits of these inner resources in self. Your mind, your body, and your heart. Amanda offers therapeutic yoga workshops, classes, and one-on-one therapy in Baltimore, MD. She also has two published poetry books, entitled ASK: A Collection of Poetry, Lyrics, and Words as well as "What Is Another Word for Intimacy" which can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Yellow Arrow Publishing. Apply

Find out more at Amanda Baker Writes and connect with Amanda on Instagram and at Fire Fly Counseling Collective

ASK: A Collection of Poetry, Lyrics, and Words by Amanda Baker

Amanda Baker Patreon

• Integrating Yoga into Therapy
• Nervous System Regulation through Yoga
• Clinical Theories and Yoga
• Practical Applications and Techniques
• Embodying Confidence Through Yoga Practice
• Therapist Self-Care and Client Connection
• Trauma-Informed Yoga Practices
• Guided Yoga Practice for Listeners

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)