ALL Are Welcome Here

Integrating Yoga in Health Care is 15 hour interactive course designed to introduce the vast practice of Yoga and it's principles of physical postures (asanas), breathing (pranayama), and meditation (dhyana) in to the traditional model of medicine. Participants will gain an understanding of common yoga postures and how to implement them in to a treatment plan including adaptations and modifications using yoga props. Participants will learn pranayama techniques - a critical missing link in Western medicine - which can help regulate chronic, acute, and post-surgical pain, decrease inflammation, and cultivate a built-in, easily accessible, and free tool for managing overall well being. In addition, attendees will learn basic breath awareness meditation and mantra (sound or word) based meditation techniques that are simple and universally relatable. Upon completion of the course, participants will have the unique and highly effective tool of yoga added to their professional toolbox. This course is designed for Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and other professions in the Allied Health realm of medicine.

1. Independently integrating common yoga poses (asanas) and when they may be indicated according to medical diagnosis and/or function and the benefits to the major body systems as supported by evidence.

2. Understanding yoga terminology including, but not limited to, the history of yoga and the eight limbs of yoga.

3. How to utilize yoga props such as blocks, blankets, straps, and bolsters to enhance comfort and accessibility among most treatment populations.

4. Correctly identifying the primary Cardinal Plane movement of the spine and pelvis in common yoga poses and why it’s important.

5. Discussion of appropriate billing codes when yoga is adapted for the rehab setting (examples include therapeutic exercise, neuromuscular re-education, balance training etc).

6. Contraindications of yoga poses (asanas) for certain populations (examples include osteoporosis, spinal fusion, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, and joint replacement)

7. Understanding of basic yoga breathing and mindfulness techniques and when to implement/teach in a rehab setting.

8. Contraindications of common breathing techniques and mindfulness techniques for certain populations with a history of trauma, abuse, and PTSD.

9. Correctly identifying the limitations of yoga in the health care setting.

10. Developing a strategy for integrating yoga within a reasonable treatment time frame without the need to prolong or complicate a treatment session.

DAY ONE: (8.0 hours) *excluding lunch, short breaks, and registration
7:30am Registration
8:00am Introduction
8:15am Brief overview of course agenda and objectives; planning for practice
8:30am Yoga Practice (90 minute class)
10:00am Break
10:10am Lecture: history, the eight limbs of yoga, terminology, common poses
12:00-1:00p Lunch on your own
1:00pm Lecture: Cardinal planes in yoga poses (spine/pelvic focus); essential poses;
contraindications of common poses
2:00pm Lab: Demonstration and anatomy of common yoga poses; pranayama/breath
introduction and practice; Cardinal plane considerations; small group work
4:00pm Break
4:10pm Lecture: research/evidence on mindfulness and meditation; Q&A
5:30pm Adjourn Day One

DAY TWO: (7.0 hours) *excluding lunch and short breaks
8:00am Q&A; review/reflect on Day One; group discussion
8:30am Yoga Practice (90 min)
10:00am Break
10:10am Lecture: practical implementation of yoga and obstacles faced in health care setting; billing codes; contraindications; certain conditions and specialty populations (women’s health included)
12:00:12:30 Short lunch on your own
12:30pm Lab: restorative Yoga /propping with guided meditation
1:30pm Lecture: Autonomic Nervous System, vagal nerve, regulation with meditation; long Covid-19 indications, current research/journal articles; Q&A
3:00-3:30pm Adjourn Day Two; course questionnaire; certificates

The Science of Yoga (Ann Swanson)
Yoga Body, Mind, Spirit (Donna Farhi)
Yoga Therapy (Butera/Elgelid)
The Key Muscles of Yoga (Ray Long, MD)
The Key Poses of Yoga (Ray Long, MD)

Oncology practitioners:
Yoga for Cancer (Tari Prinster)

Keynote presentations
Handouts
Videos
Book and study references
Instructor demonstration
Yoga practice
Breathing techniques
Guided meditation
Interactive small group activities
Q&A 

The course is designed for allied health professionals and is approved for 15 continuing education hours by the Louisiana State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners and the Louisiana Occupational Therapy Association.

*Other healthcare professionals are welcome; however, continuing education credits will be the responsibility of the course participant. 

*Experienced yoga teachers can register for the course and will be enrolled pending approval of the course instructor.

The course will be taught over Zoom and the recording will be available for 30 days. A link will be sent prior to the course start date. If you choose this version, you will receive an email with additional details. An online test will be administered upon course completion.