Yoga as a Part of Counseling? Benefits for PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression
Yoga is widely known for reducing stress, improving flexibility and concentration, and promoting a sense of peace, to name a few. But did you know it can help you with emotional trauma? Lingering emotional trauma can manifest into symptoms such as depression, anxiety, anger, and PTSD. Since trauma is stored in our body (autonomic nervous system or ANS), it is important to find a way to release it. Therapy and focused counseling with EMDR may help you work through your emotional trauma. In addition, I often recommend yoga because it can help release stuck emotions and energy that is stored in the ANS where your body stores trauma in your body. Researchers have found that yoga helps reduce mental health symptoms because it helps regulate your heart which can help restore your nervous system. When you have a regulated system, you feel calmer and less stressed. Yes, yoga can help you feel calmer and less stressed even if you do not have lingering emotional trauma. If you have ongoing environmental stress, like work stress and family stress, yoga can help you too.
How do we know yoga helps?
Many people who practice yoga know it works because of the way they feel. However, there is research evidence that supports the benefits of yoga. For example, researchers have found both yoga and meditation can help increase heart rate variability (HRV). Why is HRV important? Increasing your HRV is good because it is the distance between one heartbeat to the next. Imagine when you feel stressed or anxious, your breathing is shallow and your HRV is reduced (heart beating fast). When you are feeling relaxed and engaged in deep breathing, there is more space between each heartbeat, so your HRV is increased. When your HRV is increased it helps balance your autonomic nervous system (ANS) so you feel more regulated.
It is important because when you have a balanced and regulated autonomic nervous system, you have better control over the way you react to minor frustrations or stresses in your life. This is called emotion regulation- the ability to calmly assess what is going on and access our reasonable minds, instead of being ruled by our emotional minds. People who have poorly regulated autonomic nervous systems can be thrown off balance easily both on a mental and physical level. For example, they may be easily upset by a minor hassle in life or a conflict. Further, decreased HRV is correlated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and more. Therefore, if you can find ways to increase your HRV, you can help reduce your PTSD or anxiety symptoms.
But what if I am not a “yoga” person?
Many clients feel intimidated because they think they need to be ultra-flexible or a pretzel to do yoga. This is not the case! Many types of yoga may match your comfort level. What type of class should you choose? Although there are several types of yoga (i.e. Vinyasa, hot, yin, yang, Hatha, Bikram, etc.), all consist of a combination of pranayama (breath practices) and asana (postures). Finding the right program for you may consist of some trial and error, some people enjoy more physically active yoga such as vinyasas or Bikram (yang), while others may enjoy a less physically intense practice (yin). By doing some experimenting, you can find the right type for you. Usually, clients try their first few classes and notice how relaxed they feel after class. Some may notice a more restful sleep or some other benefit that motivates them to continue.
In sum, yoga is a great complementary therapy to help with your work in counseling. Whether it’s an addition to EMDR therapy, counseling, or CBT therapy, practicing yoga can help improve the way you feel about yourself. Not only has it been shown to help with physical ailments such as chronic pain, but mental health symptoms as well. We all have mental health symptoms in this lifetime, whether feelings of anxiety, depression, or overall stress. Yoga can help you learn self-regulation and to promote resilience and an overall sense of well-being. Yoga can be a great addition to counseling and therapy because it will help you feel better.
Sources:
Stearn.s & Stearns (2013). Yoga for Emotional Trauma
Van derKolk (2014). The Body Keeps the Score.
