YOGA THERAPY IN MEDICAL SETTINGS
Yoga Therapy is not a substitute for medical treatment but rather serves as a complement to conventional Western biomedicine.159 In general, the role of the yoga therapist is to support and help an individual manage their own personal self-care alongside their doctors and treatments160 and to respect their relationship with the primary caregiver or physician.
On a global scale, Yoga Therapy is being formally introduced into medical settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers, and mental health programs, serving people across different stages and with a variety of conditions and diagnoses. ‘Yoga Therapy aligns with biopsychosocial-spiritual approach wellness and is increasingly included in university and continuing education curricula for health care providers.’151
The therapeutic methods of Yoga therapy are now being incorporated into top healthcare systems’ integrative medicine programs with certified yoga therapists increasingly engaged in clinical roles. Many yoga therapists are collaborating with health care providers to develop plans that complement and support patients’ care journeys, with a majority of the more than 5,000 members of the International Association of YogaTherapists (IAYT) now working in hospital settings, outpatient clinics, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and oncology.152
The status of Yoga Therapy as a legitimate discipline and complement to medical treatments has been made possible through the pioneering efforts of administrators, advocates, and teachers across the globe, who have spent years educating physicians, providers, and groups in the healthcare arena about the effective modalities and practices of Yoga Therapy.
Among the many prestigious medical settings in the U.S. that currently offer Yoga Therapy to patients are Duke Health’s Duke Integrative Medicine Center,153 the Columbia University Irving Medical Center,154 the Mayo Clinic Health System,155 Cedars Sinai Medical Center,156 Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center157 and more.
The Duke Integrative Medicine Center includes Yoga Therapy as a modality on-site where clients can book appointments to create personalized plans that fit their skill level, health goals, and interests.158 Yoga Therapy is offered as a complement to traditional treatments for an ‘a wide range of conditions, including cancer, osteoarthritis, insomnia, and fibromyalgia with the goal of helping clients overcome their pain and manage stress.
151 YogaTherapy.Health. ‘For Health care Providers’. International Association of Yoga Therapists’. 2022.
152 Enfield, S. ‘Why More Western Doctors Are Now Prescribing Yoga Therapy’. Yoga Journal. 2016.
153 Duke Health. ‘Duke Integrative Medicine Center’. 2023.
154 Columbia University. ‘Columbia University Irving Medical Center’. 2023.
155 Mayo Clinic Health System. ‘Integrative Medicine & Health in Red Wing, Minnesota’. 2023.
156 Cedars Sinai. ‘Wellness, Resilience and Survivorship’. 2023.
157 Johns Hopkins Medicine. ‘Claudia Mayer/Tina Broccolino Cancer Resource Center’. 2023.
158 Duke Health. ‘Acupuncture, Massage Therapy and Yoga Therapy’. 2022.
159 National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. ‘Yoga for Health’. National Institutes of Health. 2020.
160 GWI Yoga Therapy Initiative. ‘GWI Yoga Therapy Initiative Interview with Gary Kraftsow, 2022’. Global WellnessInstitute. 2022.
Prestigious Medical Settings Currently Offering Yoga Therapy as a Distinct Therapeutic Modality
U.S.
•Duke Health, North Carolina
•Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado
•Columbia University, New York
•Mayo Clinic Health System, Southern Minnesota, Western Wisconsin and Northern Iowa
•Venice Family Clinic, Greater Los Angeles Area, California
•Mount Sinai, New York Metropolitan Area
•UCLA Health, Southern California
•Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Greater Los Angeles Area, California
•Tower Cancer Research Foundation’s Magnolia House, Southern California
•Johns Hopkins Howard County General Hospital (Johns Hopkins Medicine), Baltimore, Maryland
•Corewell Health, Michigan
•The Christ Hospital Health Network, Greater Cincinnati, Ohio
Australia
•Tongala Health (Kyabram District HealthService), Tongala, Victoria, Australia
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Sweden
•MediYoga of Sweden Institute, Sweden
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India
•Sakra World Hospital, Varthur, Bangalore •Kaivalyadhama, Lonavala, in Western India •Bhaktivedanta Hospital & Research Institute, Thane, Maharashtra, India
•PSG Hospitals, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
•Satyanand Hospital, Kondhwa Pune, Maharashtra, India
•St. Thomas Hospital Chethipuzha, Chethipuzha Kadavu, Changanassery, Kerala, India