I often get asked what the difference is between Yoga and Yoga Therapy so I thought it may be helpful to share with you my thoughts about this below.
Yoga and yoga therapy both share the same foundation, but their purposes, settings, and approaches are distinct.
Yoga Class vs Yoga Therapy Session
A yoga class can support general wellness, offering group guidance / instruction in postures (asanas), breathwork, relaxation and sometimes meditation. It’s designed to help you get to know your body and your self better and support you in bringing yourself out of your head and into your body. It can also increase flexibility, mobility, strength, move force through the body and help you calm your mind. As you yourself know, you may be attending for a variety of reasons including to stretch, de-stress, or move your body in a supportive group environment. You may attend private 1-2 -1 sessions for the same reasons or to work around or through a specific injury so that you can enjoy your yoga practise again, or to rest deeply in a restorative yoga session.
Yoga therapy, on the other hand, is tailored to specific health concerns. In individual or small-group sessions, a yoga therapist uses customised practices to address specific issues such as anxiety, depression, stress, chronic pain, diabetes, Parkinson's, chronic fatigue or mobility challenges. The focus isn’t just on practicing yoga but on creating a sustainable, personalised path to healing and empowerment. This is done through practices including movement techniques such as yoga, breathing, mindfulness techniques, meditation, the latest neuroscience and psychology and other tools to empower a person towards improved health, alleviate symptoms, improve mental and physical health and wellbeing and cope with life's challenges. It can also specifically help a person to develop skills that improve nervous system resiliency, build a greater sense of agency and safety within, increase emotional regulation skills and create a more positive relationship with oneself.
Yoga Teacher vs. Yoga Therapist
A yoga teacher’s primary role is to guide students in yoga practices safely and effectively. Yoga teachers design classes based on general ability levels, often incorporating modifications for diverse groups. As a yoga teacher I am accredited to teach by the British Wheel of yoga (although in the UK you don't need any qualifications or accreditation to teach yoga). If you are interested, you can read all about my qualifications and trainings here.
Yoga therapists, certified through organizations like the Minded Institute and / or the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT), work more deeply. They assess clients’ physical, emotional, and mental health through interviews and observations. Their role is less about teaching yoga techniques and more about helping clients manage symptoms, improve function, and foster independence in their healing.As a Yoga therapist I also have a yoga therapy supervisor who supports me in improving client care, who offers me guidance and advice and guides me on professional development helping me grow my knowledge, self awareness and clinical skills.
Both yoga and yoga therapy are valuable. You can of course choose which one is right for you based on your needs and goals.
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