Integrative Yoga as an Integrative

Integrative Yoga

Yoga as an Integrative Therapeutic Strategy

As a mental health professional, I anticipate using integrative therapy techniques which combine cognitive behavioral strategies with stress-management techniques. Indeed, many subject that I expect to treat will be faced with stress and anxiety disorders that may be controlled through such coping strategies as Yoga-based therapy.

Yoga and guided meditation are key elements of the practice engaging the Buddhist way of life. The underpinning of Buddhist revelation lay in drawing a distinction between the mundane and the spiritual, with the former being a distortion and the latter constituting eternal reality. It is said that the mind is clouded in its experiences by the constant chatter of human emotional, intellectual and sensory perception. Only through one's removal of his self from this manufactured plane of existence can he begin to find clarity. This is the supposition at the base of Yoga exercise and regiment. The form of meditation centers on the principle of finding calm in the midst of what is fundamentally a chaotic existence.

In many ways, this aligns directly with the goals of stress management and integrative therapy as they are described in the text by Mohr (2008), which notes that "Yoga is used to relieve anxiety, stress, and pain; treat addictions and migraines; enhance spatial memory; and increase auditory and visual perceptions. There are many styles of yoga; each is a unique combination of physical postures and exercises (asanas), breathing techniques (praynayamas), relaxation, diet, and proper thinking." (p. 330)

This is a practice which had been utilized in early Buddhism and has since come to permeate secular and mainstream contexts as a way of exercise, physical therapy and psychological therapy. For many mental health patients, symptoms such as panic attacks, depression and erratic behavior may stem from an inability to cope with the chaotic stresses of one's life, whether internally, on the job or at home. The stress encountered in these contexts may cause one's body to shut down rather than cope. A Yoga-based therapeutic approach would be a significant mode through which to train a patient's mind to put the various tasks and pressures that he or she faces into a manageable perspective. Certainly, the philosophical implications of Yoga object to assigning so great a level of importance to daily mundane activities that one is incapable of managing these. This ideological position underscores the theory behind Yoga-Based Therapy.

The text by Davis et al. (2008) points out that the stressors faced by anxiety disorder subjects are normal. It is the way that such subjects respond that is problematic. Therefore, employing Yoga-oriented strategies can help to arm patients with a normal response capability. As Davis et al. note, "tension is a normal part of your daily routine, and you need an exercise that will help you let off steam. . . . If you feel that 'your glass is half empty' by the end of your workday, then a set of centering exercises like yoga or tai chi may be just what you need. The list of exercises below highlights some of the typical advantages and disadvantages of each and will help you select the best form of exercise for yourself." (341)