Yoga and Trauma

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Yoga

We can all agree that the amazing mental and physical benefits of yoga should be accessible to everyone, but that doesn’t always happen. People of colour are often under-represented; and those on low incomes and/or living in areas of high deprivation often find yoga is not accessible to them. Paul and Heather talk to Donna Noble, author of Body Positive Yoga, Dr Sally Brown, whose doctoral thesis at Leeds Becket University was on barriers to yoga participation, and to Dr Rebekah Lawrence, an NHS Doctor and founder of We Are Pana.

Yoga and Trauma

Trauma informed yoga is one of the fastest-growing therapeutic applications of yoga. And have trauma awareness as a yoga teacher is crucial because many trauma survivors will be in your class – whether you know it or not. So, what does trauma-informed teaching actually look like in practice? What are the risks of getting it wrong? And how can yoga teachers adjust their approach or specialize in this vital area? Paul and Heather talk to Rachel Bilski, Operations and Business Development Manager at the national charity, PTSD UK and also a yoga therapist and lecturer at The Minded Institute.

The Doctor Will See You.....Less Often

Primary Care is usually the first point of contact for patients – and where prevention and early intervention of NCDs can most effectively take place. Paul and Heather talk to GP, Dr Chang Sun Park, about her personal journey in yoga, bringing lifestyle medicine into General Practice, and how the benefits of yoga might be introduced to medical students.

Changing the World One Breath at a Time

Paul Fox and Heather Mason - who do they think they are? Paul and Heather introduce themselves and their work on integrating evidence-based yoga into healthcare. Hear how Heather nearly became a Buddhist Nun; and how Paul's was so impressed by a yogi with a head wound! Seven years into their mission, Paul and Heather describe what it takes to have yoga on prescription, how to make yoga classes NHS-friendly, and the benefits to patients, staff and society of having yoga integrated into healthcare. They also explain why their work is rooted in the yoga tradition. In this first episode Paul and Heather set the scene. Future episodes will include guests who are leaders in their field, coving academic research, breathwork, psychiatry, psychology, social prescribing and General Practice. www.yogainhealthcarealliance.com [http://www.yogainhealthcarealliance.com]