In this coaching episode of the Yoga in the Therapy Room podcast, we explore the ethical and trauma-informed integration of yoga into therapy sessions. Joined by Kelly Henry, the episode explores the ethics of using yoga for emotional regulation and body-based trauma processing in clinical settings. They discuss practical tips and challenges therapists face when incorporating yoga into their practice, focusing on maintaining ethical guidelines and client autonomy. The episode also highlights the importance of informed consent, co-regulation, and the integration of yoga with other therapeutic modalities.

MEET Kelly Henry

Kelly Henry, a Licensed Independent Social Worker-Supervisor (LISW-S) and Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor, YTT, is the proud owner and operator of Sol Therapy LLC. With a rich background spanning over two decades, Kelly has dedicated her career to delivering comprehensive mental health and substance abuse services. Her expertise encompasses various settings, including community mental health, inpatient and outpatient behavioral health facilities, substance abuse treatment centers, and Day Treatment programs. Kelly's core philosophy revolves around self-empowerment, firmly believing that everyone is entitled to the highest quality of life. Complementing her established practices, Kelly recently obtained certification in yoga, with the aim of integrating mindfulness and meditation techniques into her conventional psychotherapeutic approaches. Through her unwavering commitment, Kelly instills hope and provides invaluable support to all individuals under her care.

Find out more at Sol Therapy and connect with Kelly on Facebook

• Practical Tips for Integrating Yoga into Therapy
• Ethical Considerations and Client Autonomy
• Combining Yoga with Counseling Theories

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How To Build Competence and Confidence in Integrating Yoga Into the Therapy Room

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In today’s” Yoga Snack,” we discuss simple yet effective vagal toning exercises designed to help regulate the nervous system and promote a sense of calm. Tailored for both personal self-care and therapeutic client sessions, the episode dives into practices such as diaphragmatic breathing, shoulder release techniques, and bee breath meditation. Additionally, listeners can gain insights into the anatomical and physiological aspects of the vagus nerve, its role in stress regulation, and the application of these exercises in therapy sessions.

" Knowing that bringing yoga into the therapy room can be an experiment to see what works for each client, and it's important to individualize to different bodies and needs." -Chris McDonald

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How To Build Competence and Confidence in Integrating Yoga Into the Therapy Room

Holistic Mindful Check-Ins by Chris McDonald, LCMHCS

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

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In this episode, we focus on safely guiding hypermobile clients through yoga practices to prevent injury and support long-term well-being. We discuss key safety considerations, common misconceptions, and practical techniques for yoga practices tailored to clients with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and hypermobility. Libby shares her journey with hypermobility, explores its impact on the nervous system and mental health, and provides actionable advice on effective queuing and creating empowering yoga experiences.

MEET Libby Hinsley

Libby Hinsley is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, yoga teacher trainer, and personal trainer specializing in treating hypermobility syndromes and chronic pain. Her book, Yoga for Bendy People: Optimizing the benefits of yoga for hypermobility, was published in 2022 and explores how people with joint hypermobility syndromes can use the tools of yoga to support their thriving. She has also developed a successful strength training program for people with hypermobility syndromes. As a person living with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and related health conditions, she is committed to raising awareness about hypermobility syndromes in the yoga and physical therapy communities and beyond. She also teaches anatomy for yoga teachers through her program called Anatomy Bites.

Find out more at Libby Hinsley and connect with Libby on Instagram, and check out the Zebra Talks Podcast

• Understanding hypermobility and its challenges
• What are EDS and hypermobility?
• Symptoms and diagnosis of EDS
• Yoga practices for hypermobility
• Queuing techniques for hypermobility
• Understanding proprioception and body awareness
• Improving proprioception through mindful movement

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How To Build Competence and Confidence in Integrating Yoga Into the Therapy Room

Holistic Mindful Check-Ins by Chris McDonald, LCMHCS

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor

In this episode, we explore the integration of yoga and holistic practices into public mental health care. We discuss practical strategies to make these tools accessible for clients, the benefits of trauma-informed yoga, breathwork, and mindfulness, and the barriers to implementation. Nina Marie shares her experiences as a peer support specialist, explaining how techniques like resourcing can be beneficial in public mental health settings. Learn about their approaches to making mental health care more compassionate and accessible, complete with a guided resourcing activity for therapists to incorporate into their practices.

MEET Nina Marie Collins

I am a 500-hr yoga teacher, and I also work in the public mental health field as a Peer Support Specialist. I care deeply about bringing holistic practices into mental health care, particularly public mental health care which often serves people with both mental health challenges and poverty. These people may otherwise not get access to holistic practices. I have taught yoga in several of the mental health settings I've worked in. Recently, I am completed a training to be a facilitator of energy work. I am passionate about bringing holistic practices and spirituality into mental health care, particularly in the public system.

Find out more at Spectrum Yoga and connect with Nina on Instagram and Facebook

• Integrating Yoga into Public Mental Health
• Challenges and Strategies in Public Mental Health
• Success Stories and Practical Applications
• Resourcing Practice Demonstration

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How To Build Competence and Confidence in Integrating Yoga Into the Therapy Room

Holistic Mindful Check-Ins by Chris McDonald, LCMHCS

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

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In this episode, we explore how yoga practices such as self-awareness, movement, and breath can help navigate grief. Edy shares her personal journey and how it guided her to develop therapeutic practices for others. The discussion includes how grief manifests in the body, the importance of movement and breath in emotional release, and practical tools for therapists to aid clients. We discuss innovative concepts like the Liberation Protocol and sexual grief, offering listeners insightful strategies to handle grief.

MEET Edy Nathan

Edy Nathan MA, LCSWR is an author, public speaker, and licensed therapist. She is an AASECT-certified sex therapist, hypnotherapist, and certified EMDR practitioner with more than 20 years of experience. Edy earned degrees from New York University and Fordham University, with post-graduate training at the Ackerman Institute for Family Therapy. She practices in New York City. In her expertise as a grief therapist, she interweaves her formal training as a psychotherapist with breathwork, guided imagery, ritual, and storytelling. Trauma, abuse, and grief cause the soul to become imbalanced: The goal of the work is to find emotional calibration or balance to defy the depth of darkness and the grip grief often has on the psyche. She believes that everyone experiences grief throughout their lives. Grief is not just about the death of a loved one, but the losses we experience in life.

Find out more at Edy Nathan and connect with Edy on Facebook, X, and Instagram

Unmasking the Pain of Loss: Helping Clients Identify & Work with Grief

Trauma-Informed Yoga for Therapists: A Practical Approach

• Understanding how the body holds grief
• The concept of sexual grief
• Empathy and self-awareness in grief
• Practical breathing techniques for anxiety
• Understanding anxiety and the nervous system
• The power of journaling for grief
• Breath work practices for self-regulation

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In this episode, I discuss common fears and uncertainties therapists face when integrating yoga into their clinical practice. I will offer practical advice on how to integrate trauma-informed yoga practices into sessions confidently and ethically, even without extensive yoga training. I will go over simple practices like breath awareness and grounding which can significantly enhance emotional and nervous system regulation for clients. I also discuss ways to introduce yoga to clients, whether in-person or via telehealth, the importance of informed consent, and client safety.

Holistic Mindful Check-Ins by Chris McDonald, LCMHCS

Trauma-Informed Yoga for Therapists: A Practical Approach

"Teaching clients to be more self-aware, aware of their thoughts, their energy levels, where are they in this room, this moment? Those simple questions can help bring awareness, which is yoga practices.”

• Understanding therapist's hesitations
• Normalizing fears and building confidence
• Practical yoga integration techniques
• Ethical considerations and informed consent
• Building confidence through practice

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How To Build Competence and Confidence in Integrating Yoga Into the Therapy Room

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

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In this episode, we discuss how to harness anger in a healthy and embodied way through yoga. We will look at various techniques using movement, breath, and sound to express and release anger. This episode includes a guided practice to help therapists introduce these methods to their clients and understand their own emotional regulation. We will also look at the cultural and social barriers to expressing anger, and the importance of recognizing anger as an energy that needs to be acknowledged and processed.

Episode 122 What Is Grief Yoga? | How To Use It In Sessions Today: Interview with Paul Denniston

Trauma-Informed Yoga for Therapists: A Practical Approach

" When we allow anger to move through us, we create space for clarity, relief, and balance. We restore balance in our nervous system, freeing up energy that was once trapped in frustration or tension." -Chris McDonald

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How To Build Competence and Confidence in Integrating Yoga Into the Therapy Room

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Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

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In this episode, we explore Thought Field Therapy (TFT) and its applications for first responders experiencing chronic stress. Guest Robert Bray, a traumatic stress recovery expert, joins us to discuss his extensive experience and the efficacy of TFT, a technique that alleviates negative emotions by stimulating meridian treatment points. We discuss combining TFT with parts work and yoga to help clients manage anxiety, regulate their nervous systems, and build resilience. Robert outlines how TFT can be integrated with other therapies, offering practical advice and methods to bring yoga into therapy sessions effectively.

MEET Robert Bray

Robert L. Bray, Ph.D., LCSW has worked in the field of traumatic stress recovery for over 40 years. Beginning as a volunteer on a crisis hotline and throughout his professional career, he has always focused on the impact of traumatic stress on the mental and physical health of individuals, families, and communities. Dr. Bray has extensive experience as a clinician helping in recovery from natural disasters, criminal acts, and domestic violence of all types. He has been training, writing, and developing Thought Field Therapy since 1996. Dr. Bray’s book “Heal Traumatic Stress NOW: Complete Recovery with Thought Field Therapy – No Open Wounds” provides a consumer-friendly self-help guide to anyone struggling with overwhelming stress. He is also an approved ICISF trainer. https://rlbray.com/

Find out more at Thought Field Therapy Center and connect with Robert on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube

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• Understanding Thought Field Therapy
• Live Demonstration of TFT
• Memory Consolidation and Trauma Response
• Memory Reconsolidation Techniques
• Understanding Trauma in First Responders
• Inner Child Work and Tapping
• Yoga and Tapping Integration

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How To Build Competence and Confidence in Integrating Yoga Into the...