Using Yoga as a Tool to Treat Addiction
I am excited to be teaching the course “Yoga and Meditation as Adjunct Treatment for Addiction” in January 2012 as part of the CASAC (Certified Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor) at the Hunter School of Social Work in New York City. In planning the course, I continue to ask the question, “So, how can the practice of yoga be helpful for someone with an addiction?”
The answer to this question can be found in the 2nd Yoga Sutra, “Yoga citta vritti nirodhah,” which translates to “yoga is a practice of stilling the fluctuations in the mind.” Craving a cigarette, a drink, a food, or prescription medication… this craving is often the result of an uncomfortable feeling and an attempt to make the feeling go away. As human beings, we all attempt to avoid uncomfortable or painful feelings. Each of us does this in a different way, but when people develop addictions, they turn to an outside substance to feel better and to numb the uncomfortable feeling. The problem is that as the tolerance for the substance builds, the dependence on it increases, and while the substance may or may not be life threatening, the initial problem still remains.
In considering the question, I have reflected on my own yoga practice to understand what happens for me when I practice the postures. In the most basic sense, yoga teaches me to stay with my feelings, whatever they may be, as I transition through awkward and uncomfortable movements. As I practice these postures, I feel a range of emotions from excitement and energy to avoidance and anxiety. Last week in my Iyengar Yoga Teacher Training Level 1 class, when the teacher called out Parsvotanasana, a feeling of dread coursed through me. This is a pose that has always been difficult for me. I felt like leaving the studio. With a big exhalation, I began to move into the pose. I tried to refine my posture, balance well on my two feet, extend my spine evenly, but only grew more anxious. Then I changed my course; instead of being so concerned about the subtle shape I was trying to contort myself into, I paid attention to my feelings of anxiety and discomfort. I focused on using my breath to relax and tolerate the feelings. I settled right into the pose that I had been so dreading.
Easy? Not at all. But this is the value of the practice of yoga – it allows for the opportunity to become more aware of how to handle difficult situations. Yoga trains people to stay with their difficult feelings rather than escape from them for a quick fix. This skill, and the opportunity to develop it through a physical practice, is the power that yoga can bring to those struggling with addiction.
Here is a link to the course:
http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/pdfs/casac_winter_flyer.pdf
Integrating Yoga with Psychotherapy
Welcome to my blog! This will be a place to explore the intersection of psychotherapy, yoga, and all things related. My practice is based in New York City and in this blog I will be posting ideas, questions, and discussion topics relevant to my practice — I hope you enjoy reading them! I welcome any comments or questions.
So Why Do Yoga and Psychotherapy Make Sense Together?
In Gestalt Psychotherapy, the therapist-client relationship creates the space for challenging emotional feelings to surface. The client is encouraged to stay with these feelings, then explore, and learn from them. With proper support, this practice can lead to insight, growth, and greater wellbeing. In yoga, students choose to put themselves into challenging physical postures and then learn to breathe through them. Yoga students are encouraged to stay in the pose and notice their thoughts. Similarly to the support of the therapist, the teacher provides the direction to adjust into the posture and breath. Through parallel methods, both therapy and yoga offer a transformative opportunity leading to health.