Yoga Therapy

Yoga therapy is a personalized approach to using yoga for health and well-being, especially when someone is dealing with a physical or mental health issue. It draws from the full range of yoga practices, movement, breathwork, mantra, relaxation, and mindfulness.

It’s rooted in the traditional aspects of yoga (self-regulation, awareness, balance), but it’s applied in a way that supports a person’s specific condition, symptoms, or life context.

According to the International Association of Yoga Therapists “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.”

  • Yoga may be adapted to the person, but it’s not guided by clinical reasoning. There’s usually no specific health condition being addressed. The teacher may draw from asana, pranayama, and meditation, but not with a therapeutic intent.

    Yoga therapy is aimed at supporting someone with a specific health challenge. It is evidence-informed, and the therapist is trained in basic anatomy, pathology, scope of practice, and when to refer out. Practices are chosen based on how the nervous system, pain, breath, and function relate to the person’s condition. Yoga therapy is more collaborative (the client’s feedback shapes the session) and it’s often part of a broader self-regulation or rehab strategy, sometimes alongside physiotherapy, psychotherapy, or medical care.

  • Sessions are 75 minutes (first assessment is 90 min). They include:

    • Check-in: How you’re doing, symptoms, changes since last time

    • Practice: Movement, breathing, relaxation, body awareness, sometimes seated reflection

    • Education: Helping you understand your body, stress response, habits, or how to pace your energy

    • Adaptation: Adjusting the practice to your ability, capacity, or energy that day

    • Home practice: You’ll usually be given something simple and doable to try between sessions

  • There’s no fixed number as it depends on the person’s goals and condition. But in practice:

    • Many people work with a yoga therapist for 4 to 10 sessions

    • Some continue longer, especially with chronic or complex conditions

    • Some just want a short-term plan or home practice they can keep up on their own

    A good yoga therapist will scale back their involvement once the client is confident and independent.

  •  Initial Assessment (not part of package) €80

    • 1 session €80

    • 5 session package €350

  • Yvonne Manzi (Chartered Physiotherapist and Yoga Therapist)

  • You can book directly via www.neurokinetica.com

A woman performs a shoulder stand yoga pose with her legs extended upward, supported by a chair, on a yoga mat indoors.