Get started with VIVAYA therapeutic yoga classes

Get started with VIVAYA therapeutic yoga classes

Our Yoga Guides know from experience that yoga is a powerful means of helping people feel better and grow stronger; a type of healing therapy.

Yoga, in general, is a wonderful therapeutic practice that supports so many health benefits.

Isn't all Yoga Therapeutic?

We've talked before about the physical and benefits of yoga (see the benefits here) and at VIVAYA, we love to deliver all kinds of yoga styles to the comfort of your own home, simply at the click of a button. 

As with other types of therapy, yoga can have a deep relief from mental and physical stress. Its world of styles, poses, including breathing techniques, and meditation can have a profound impact on your wellbeing. 

therapeutic-yoga-vivaya-002.jpeg                                           Think of it as beautiful, healing therapy.

When it comes to a specific focus on an area of weakness or ailment, Therapeutic Yoga can then be used to address those specific health issues and support your individual healing journey.

Overall Therapeutic Benefits of Therapeutic Yoga

From a mental wellbeing standpoint, Therapeutic Yoga benefits are amazing for reducing anxiety, stress, balancing our emotions and improving sleep.

From a physical standpoint, yoga can help promote clean heart health and reduce inflammation as well as a more in-depth impact on our internal systems, harmonizing and balancing our flow.

  • Our Respiratory System - Yoga places attention on the breath, which can have very different effects on the body, both physically and mentally. A calm but full breath repeated during a typical yoga class boosts energy levels by oxygenating the blood and thus all our organs, tissues, and cells.

  • Our Nervous System -- Our nervous system is particularly active during sleep, rest, and digestion. Sometimes, our nervous system is activated in response to danger, stress, or intensive exercise (often referred to as the "fight or flight" response). It speeds up the heart rate and releases adrenaline.

  • Our Spine -- The balances and bends of yoga practice are great for improving spine alignment of the spine. Certain bends also help to decompress the discs of the lower spine and inversions. Spinal nerves can also be positively impacted by deep stretches, going on to form nerve plexuses (think of these as networks) which correspond with the location of chakras (link to the general yoga blog post that mentions chakras) in the body. 

therapeutic-yoga-vivaya-003.jpeg Like much of yoga's practice, Therapeutic Yoga comes in many forms...

Modern medicine is based on a dead body anatomy, but we are dealing with a human being who is alive, who has emotions and intellect and with so many things happening.

Krishnamacharya

Have you tried Therapeutic Hatha Yoga?

Hatha Yoga uses postures, movements, and breathing techniques to help increase our breathing capacity. The breathing techniques of Hatha yoga focus on conscious, prolonged inhalation, retention, and exhalation. It is through the unification of the physical body, breath, and concentration while performing the postures and movements that clear the energy channels of the body and restores balance.

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How about Therapeutic Restorative Yoga?

Restorative yoga is a very calm form of yoga -- healing the body from stress and disease, to activate our nervous system. Restorative yoga is all about letting go and recharging your body. The aim is to hold positions and relax into the moment. You may use blocks and bolsters to create the optimal relaxed condition for the body's muscles, and you often hold each position, between 10- 30 minutes.

Restorative yoga is also a wonderful remedy for improving your sleep, preventing stress, and helping your overall focus. Due to its calming pace and long holds, Restorative yoga is a perfect practice to use at home.

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Can Therapeutic Yoga Support Seniors?

The health benefits of yoga for seniors go beyond that of just remaining active. Yoga can help calm the mind, strengthen the body in a gentle, therapeutic way.

Practicing yoga at a senior age can help burn fat, build muscle, and strengthen bones to reduce the risk of Osteoporosis, a common condition as we get older that weakens bones. Therapeutic Yoga's calming postures and movements can also aid in lowering blood pressure. It can also be used to help build a stronger core to support balance. This can be hugely beneficial as we age, to prevent a lack of mobility or even falls.

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Use Therapeutic Yoga Classes for Alignment and Posture

When we spend much of our time at home and work sitting, it can lead to pain and discomfort in our shoulders, lower back, and hips. In-between desk jobs, regular driving, and other lifestyle habits -- it's hard to get away from prolonged periods of sitting. Yoga is a proven aid to help combat rounded shoulders, tight/weak hip flexors, and a weak core. 

What if I have specific ailments?

Therapeutic Yoga can also provide more personalized support...

"Yoga Therapy" can be directed to a specific aim or aims concerning a health condition, whether on a physical, psychological, or spiritual level. 

It uses a specialized approach that considers the individual, their abilities and needs.

A specially trained Yoga "Therapist" Guide works with the student through active listening, consideration and helps them build a safe space to empower them through their own healing within their personalized yoga practice.

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Why is it "Therapeutic"?

We think of "Therapy" as a treatment, a method designed to help someone feel better, grow stronger and healthier. We all face periods in our lifetime of illness and mental & emotional stress, and often seek a form of therapy or treatment to guide us through.

Yoga therapy is the process of empowering individuals to progress toward improved health and well-being through the application of the teachings and practices of Yoga.

The International Association of Yoga Therapists 

Yoga therapists look at a student's health condition, possible sources of the issue, and the impacts being made from the student's abilities and lifestyle. The goal is to treat the person, not just the condition they seek support with.

How does Therapeutic Yoga work?

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Yoga therapy can address the healing process in different ways; teaching suitable movements for the student in their specific area of need, seeking methods to help the student reduce the effects of stress in their life, perhaps with meditation and relaxation techniques. As you progress through Yoga therapy, you may find yourself assessing your home and work areas, exploring ergonomic and high-intensity factors, and learning how Therapeutic Yoga can be best incorporated into their lifestyle, to address these areas.

Yoga therapy explores illness through interaction at the body and mind levels; this allows students to better understand any disturbances in the mind or thoughts and how to reduce them. This may, in turn, lead to deeper understandings for the student, sometimes with a spiritual element or aspects of deeper meaning.

At VIVAYA, we care about being able to provide a range of expert guides to help provide your personalized path of wellness. It's important to us that your journey feels personal, heard, and safe. Our expert Guides use their trained intuition to help you create your haven at home, to focus on your therapy or healing journey, in whatever form it takes.

Meet Our Therapeutic Yoga Guide, Harvey Deutch

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Harvey has been a Physical Therapist for 40 years and a Yoga teacher for 20 years. His expertise includes a seamless blend of art and science within yoga and physical therapy. His popular Therapeutic Yoga class demonstrates a beautiful alchemy of mixing the two.

I try to treat others as I expect and want to be treated myself. Alignment between thoughts, words and actions guides this journey.

Harvey Deutch's Philosophy

You can find Harvey teaching this unique and specialist Therapeutic Yoga once a day - Learn how to capture your breath and marry it with movement to discover your customized practice. Therapeutic Yoga is for everyone who has the desire to learn how to practice from the inside out.

Harvey also has a special "Wall Wednesday"

  • This unique class often involves A simple set of four ropes hanging at two different heights off a wall. As we teach virtually, you may not have ropes set up at home, so Harvey teaches using the wall without the ropes, so you will still experience the harmonious benefits. A solid surface to practice against gives us added stability and balance to be able to deepen and refine our poses. 

You can find Harvey's class schedule here.

Try Free Online Therapeutic Yoga

Distance need not be an obstacle between receiving the support you need. Through the beauty of VIVAYA, a full spectrum of healing offerings is at your fingertips and accessible from the comfort of your own space, wherever that may be.

VIVAYA offers 14 days completely free Before you join, with no obligation, so you can take your time to become familiar with the platform and teachers, so you have peace of mind when you are ready to make your membership official.

Choose from a variety of different classes, workshops and 1:1 coach sessions at your leisure, and experience a whole new sanctuary of self-care, at your fingertips.