What is Yoga Therapy

This chapter combines insights from the neuroscientific research on yoga and meditation with the practical application of yoga therapy. The chapter opens with an overview of neuroscientific concepts related to the practice of yoga and meditation, such as attention, emotional regulation, body awareness, and autonomic regulation. The authors summarise the known effects of yoga and meditation, in relation to these concepts and common mental health disorders. The chapter continues with a case study, a personalised yoga therapy intervention in a client experiencing psychotic symptoms. The intervention is grounded in yoga philosophy, and in the neuroscientific concepts introduced previously. This section is written from the perspective of a yoga therapist and includes practical tips. In the final section, the authors suggest possible directions for future research and implementation of yoga therapy as a complementary treatment in mental healthcare.