• Check in, centering, balanced hatha yoga set considering contraindications, relaxation (with imagery as appropriate),
• Balanced pranayama considering contraindications, meditation/centering.
• Include at least one suggestion from Karma, Bhakti, Raja, or Jnana Yoga tailored for this client.

Karen’s primary goal is to alleviate chronic lower back pain due to pinched nerves. Also
she would like to manage/reduce her stress and maintain her weight loss.

She can now get into her car normally, a task she struggled with due to hip pain before her hip replacement in 2019. This improvement in mobility is a positive sign of her physical progress.
Those gentle stretches and spinal twist also helped to alleviate the pain in her lower back. She was able to reduce the dosage of her pain medication.

Karen has experienced a significant boost in her energy levels. She feels much more energized than before, with enough vitality to clean her entire house. This improvement is achieved by meditation and breathing practices, which have helped her manage her energy and mental clarity.

Karen spends quality time with her mother every night, which brings her joy and emotional fulfillment, her volunteer work at church plays a significant role in her emotional well-being. Her emotional state has been improved and she can control her mind by regular breathing practice and restorative yoga practice.

Karen continues to engage in daily devotional reading and reflection, which helps process her thoughts and emotions. This practice aids in her mental clarity and self-reflection. Her sense of self is closely tied to her family connections and her ability to maintain an active life.

Adding reflection on daily devotional reading with her mother helps her feel grounded and spiritually connected. She acknowledges that this practice has allowed her to shift her thinking, bringing a sense of peace and acceptance.

Karen reported she had more energy and was feeling good during savasana on the floor and noted that her lower back pain has improved. She was able to reduce her pain medication to half. Additionally, her quality of sleep has improved since she began practicing alternate nostril breathing before going to sleep.

Alternate nostril breathing
asanas on the mat – child pose, knee to chest, spinal twist, and cat-cow
heel drop exercise
devotional reading and reflection

Related to what I learned, in future sessions, I would prioritize a more detailed initial assessment of not just physical capabilities but also emotional readiness for certain practices. For instance, understanding Karen’s fear of floor exercises earlier could have allowed me to introduce those movements more gradually, ensuring she felt secure.

Yes, I enjoyed providing my services to Karen. Throughout our sessions, I was able to witness her gradual progress and growing confidence in practicing yoga, despite her physical challenges. Her positive response to practices such as breathing practice, and gentle stretches, and her ability to reduce pain medication and improve sleep quality were a result of her willingness to improve her well-being and the effectiveness of the program.