Yoga Therapy: Why Is There Never One Right Practice?

As more and more people enjoy the overall health benefits of practising yoga in a group class, taking 1:1 lessons is also becoming popular. Providing 1:1 yoga therapy for an individual seeking to address particular health conditions within the parameters of their personal life circumstances requires a significant step-change from our general everyday teaching.

This workshop will stimulate a reframing of health and how to support it, from the whole-person centred perspective of yoga and ayurveda. We will explore how practices can, and must, vary immensely, even when two people present with the same illness. If we are to sincerely meet an individual’s needs there is never one right practice! Instead of ‘prescription practices’ the practice will need to reflect the complexity of each individual. You will be led in an interactive session to skillfully build a person-appropriate practice, experience a practice and gain some fundamental insights into the creative and impactful work of experienced yoga therapists.

Please bring a mat and block/bolsters to sit on, pen and paper to make notes if you wish (comprehensive handouts will be provided at the end).

This event is run by:

Sabine Dahn combines her work as a yoga teacher and therapist with teaching ceramics and creating her own artwork. Trained within the Viniyoga tradition , she is a BWY CPD trainer covering a wide range of topics, including a particular focus on mental health. She has collaborated with MIND and developed her own Mental Health Yoga Programme.

Alongside her private practice, established in 2008, she has offered yoga therapy on the haematology, gynae-oncology and children’s oncology wards at the Royal Sussex Hospital, Brighton. She recently drew up a programme of yoga for health promotion courses within the Learning for Health & Wellbeing section of Aspire Sussex Adult Education.

She is passionate about nature and accepting its gifts to care for our health whilst also protecting and sustaining our planet. This finds expression in her work as a Wellbeing Advisor within an anthroposophical context and supported by Weleda.

Barbara Dancer has run a yoga therapy practice since 2007, is on the committee for the British Council for Yoga Therapy (BCYT) and has been a Course Assessor for BCYT Accreditation.

She was Chair of BCYT between 2013-2016, working on the Core Curriculum as the basis for accreditation of UK yoga therapy training. She has taught yoga therapy privately, within the charity sector, in complementary health settings and within a publicly funded project.

“I enjoy working with people, providing tailored support and empowering them to improve their health. It’s fascinating and extremely rewarding work. On a larger scale, I would like to see yoga therapy “coming of age” and being part of community-based healthcare offering the important approaches of person-centred care and more involvement in one’s own health.’

Barbara studied and was employed in environmental science and acoustics before working in yoga full-time. She still has a strong interest in all things environmental and loves getting outdoors and walking in her local area of the Chilterns.