1:1 CLINICAL YOGA SESSIONS
More and more, research tells us that to prevent or recover from injury or illness the whole body and mind needs to be in balance, the best results often being through a multi-faceted approach. For me, Clinical Yoga represents this approach, where traditional Physiotherapy (assessing and treating a specific physical issue in a bio-psycho-social model) is integrated with Yoga (usually movement, breath work, meditation, energy work) and Mindfulness Based Practices (where experiential learning allow true awareness and body-mind connection to grow) resulting in a more holistic way to get physically and mentally in balance - helping you to recover better, feel stronger, have more confidence and be more present in life.
Clinical Yoga for Wellbeing and Rehabilitation
As a Physiotherapist I have experience helping people to get back on their feet and back to doing the things they love after injury, illness or surgery. In my experience, I have found that integrating Physio into Clinical Yoga often has more sustainable results for recovery. More and more I’m aware that sustainable rehabilitation takes a ‘whole person’ approach addressing physical, psychological, social, environmental and spiritual factors.
The initial appointment is usually 90 minutes, this enables sufficient time to hear your story, carry out assessments where needed and make a good start on exploring and implementing strategies and techniques to start to work towards your goals.
Follow up appointments are 1 hour.
Appointments are available online (when appropriate - please call for a chat if you’d prefer the online option) as a home visit or at the Highland Wellness Centre in Inverness.
Clinical Yoga and Adventure Sports
The aim of this session is to maximise injury prevention and working with the body to maintain balance and enhance/improve your relationship with Outdoor and Adventure Sports. This is on a 1:1 basis to create a tailor made ‘clinical yoga’ programme, which you will receive as an online video.
Example 1:1 sessions would be to create a bespoke yoga programme for Mountain Bikers/Bikepackers/Backpackers/Climbers/Road Cyclists/Hikers/Paddlers…. with the aim of injury prevention/strength increase/joint stability improvements/improved confidence/increased body awareness/elongation of the positive psychological benefit/ coping with injury.
Initial appointment are usually 1 hour, with follow up appointments (where necessary) are also 1 hour.
Appointments are available online, as a home visit or at the Highland Wellness Centre in Inverness.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is imbued within all aspects of Hope Yoga Physio, whether this is with the attitude we take to sessions i.e. approaching difficulty with curiosity, or specific mindfulness techniques aimed at facilitating healing. In my MSc in Physiotherapy I extensive researched the evidence of mindfulness based interventions within healthcare and specifically in Chronic (Pain) Conditions. I later completed my Level 1 training in Mindfulness Based Interventions and Mindfulness Yin Yoga training with the incredible Kathy Ward from Mindfulness Academy International. You can read more about Kathy here, and watch her TEDx talk here.
The evidence grows almost daily in support of mindfulness based interventions in the treatment and adjunct treatment for a wide range of presentations such as stress, anxiety, pain conditions, as well as improvements in speed of healing; coping with chronic illness ; injury and illness recovery. Therefore, as an evidence-based practitioner, it is important to keep abreast of the research and apply in practice to the benefit of my clients.
F.A.Q’s - Clinical Yoga for Wellness and Rehabilitation
Err, so, tell me again, what exactly is Clinical Yoga?
It’s basically Yoga blended with Physiotherapy. By Yoga I mean (mostly) body positions/postures/movements, breathing techniques, mindfulness and meditation techniques. It takes Physiotherapy and Yoga and integrates them to offer a more holistic ‘therapy’ than either one alone.
In Physiotherapy the aim is to treat a specific condition and this is usually done by focusing mainly on the ‘problem’ area. The contribution of yoga is that a person is seen more holistically, bringing balance into the persons body/mind in order to create the optimum environment for healing. Mindfulness allows an increase of self awareness in a non-judgemental way, to really help us figure out together what is going on. Essentially, it is integrative physiotherapy. Or physio-yoga-therapy. Or holistic physio….
Basically, I look at why the injury/condition/experience might have happened and what can be done to encourage healing. For example, if there is pain, I want to know where it is coming from, what is making it worse and what can make it better. For example, we know that stress and anxiety amplify pain responses and muscle tension, so if you don’t also address these areas, any healing will be unsustainable.
Treatment varies greatly with the individual, but usually includes influences from yoga and mindfulness, such as yoga postures, breathing techniques, meditation and relaxation techniques. Sometimes ‘physio’ exercises are given, but only if the person actually wants to and will do them, otherwise we find practical and realistic ways to achieve the same end.
The techniques used are all evidence based and are well within my scope of practice as a Physiotherapist, but my lived experience and training in yoga and mindfulness allows this approach to be seamlessness integrated. Furthermore, there is no pre-requisite to have any prior knowledge of yoga or mindfulness, or physiotherapy for that matter, before having a session.
What can you treat with this approach?
Anything you’d see a ‘normal’ physio for. But also conditions/experiences such as
persistent pain
for a boost in recovery after an illness or a stay in hospital
physical symptoms/pain following a stressful event(s)
The aim is to provide the client with the skills to facilitate their own healing. This is not a ‘magic pill’ / sticking plaster approach. We get to the root of the imbalance and gently and sustainable create long term healing. My aim is to be a catalyst of healing and wellness, helping to facilitate the journey but not getting in the way.
What happens in the first consultation/initial appointment?
We will have a chat. I’ll collect any relevant medical background/information and then I want to hear your story, what is going on and what you want to achieve from the session. I will then do a physical assessment, and depending on the presentation consider looking at ranges of movements around joints, functional movements, strength, balance, stiffness, swelling, pain level etc. We will then make a plan together on the best approach for your healing, and make a start! The first session is usually 1.5h.
What happens in a follow up appointment?
We continue with the treatment plan. This might mean learning/adapting/practising techniques or movement patterns, it might be further hands on treatment. It really depends on the needs of the individual. This session lasts approximately 1 hour.
How many sessions will I need?
Sometimes, 1 initial session with a follow-up session is all is needed to make a huge difference, particularly with a more simple presentation. More usually, around 6 sessions will really result in some longstanding changes. Each individual is different. With a clinical yoga for adventure sports session, just 1 or 2 sessions is usually enough to get going, with regular top-up sessions an option too.
How do I book?
Please give me a call on 07908065365 and we can have a chat to see if I might be able to help. Alternatively, send me an email to hopeyogaphysio@gmail.com with a brief background and a contact number and I can give you a call.
Or click here:
Where are the sessions held?
I offer in-person, online and a mixture of both.
I am currently able to offer in-person appointment in Inverness.
Home visits are available in the locality of Dingwall/Strathpeffer/Contin/Conon Bridge.
Please get in touch to see which method suits you best.
Price?
Initial Consultation -Clinical Yoga (for Wellness and Rehabilitation) - 90mins - £70
Initial Consultation - Clinical Yoga (for Adventure Sports) - 60 mins - £60
Follow-up appointment - 60 mins- £60
Block of 4 follow up appointments - £195
Contact
Email or call Alice on 07908065365 or hopeyogaphysio@gmail.com or
