• 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.

Last session together with this client in practicum. No homework.

Center, ground, check-in. Observing the breath, smoothing out and quieting the breath. Awareness practice. Sharing. Stability, standing with back at the wall, adapted chair pose. Super gentle downward facing dog at the wall. Calf stretches. Sun breaths. Walking meditation: lifting, shifting, placing. Mindful, conscious walking. Supine breath observation, full diaphragmatic breathing, audible sigh breathing, natural breath. Guided relaxation. Wrap-up. Grief counseling referral assistance.

Over the last three weeks, between our yoga therapy sessions, the client has been experiencing acute, debilitating lower back pain. X-rays and MRI revealed spinal stenosis, in T12-L1 and L4-L5 areas, anterior and lateral osteophytes (bone spurs,) bulging discs at L2-L3 and L3-L4. She completed taking muscle relaxers, prednisone, and oxycodone at the end of last week. She has had three PT sessions, the most recent one this morning. She moved gingerly, with much caution. My session plan went out the window. We kept movement to a minimum with emphasis on awareness.

The client is going to follow-up with the psychotherapist I am working with to find a grief counselor referral. That’s great progress after eight years since the death of her husband and son.

The most recent episode of pain and analysis of her imaging made me aware of the extent of arthritis throughout her body. This adds another dimension and layer to her care plan. If we continue to work together, I will keep this in mind. I have been impressed with the client’s openness and willingness to explore grief counseling and processing grief somatically.

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