• 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.

I had to shift this plan a bit because of variable attendance. I covered as much as I could in yoga philosophy in each session, but proceeding at a much slower pace in how much I covered over the series because I knew that at least one client was missing and would be missing the discussion when they returned. I don’t think they noticed just how much I was having to adjust, but this felt more disjointed for me than the other groups.

I was able to make adjustments for the two students that had low back pain because B was not in attendance, so that they could experience spinal twists, which I don’t teach when he is present. I am glad that I was able to make this adjustment.

Clients B, M, and S all reported reductions in stress and anxiety, despite additional seriously stressful events occurring during the time period that our sessions took place. M and S reported improvements to health. A has reported that she is applying the tools and in the moment feels reduced stress, but it is unclear how she has progressed towards stress and anxiety reduction overall and there have been no reported improvements in overall health. I have observed reduction in anxiety in B, M, and S through relaxation of natural breathing without prompting and through slower paced talking during discussions. I also have observed adjustments in physical movements in all three, with more awareness to the body and slower, more deliberate movements during asana. A did not present in the first session that she attended with any signs of visible anxiety or stress. Her breathing was already relaxed and the physical body appeared the same. I saw no changes in this area in the last session.

B improved in some physical flexibility and strength but then had a setback with an injury between sessions 3 and 4. M and S both improved with reduction in physical pain. A had no reported or observed improvements.

B, M, and S appeared calmer in sessions after their second session and reported home practices. All three had normal relaxed breathing without prompting at the start of sessions. All three had less visible tension in the shoulders and body. A seemed to worsen, with more excitable energy in her second session (session 4.)

B, M, and S all reported reductions in stress and anxiety and these were observed by me through calmer, more balanced speech and through normal relaxed breathing without prompting. A seemed to be more disrupted emotionally, self-reporting increased anxiety and stress.

B, M, and S reported less self criticism and less rumination and being able to stay present. A seemed to worsen in this area, struggling with some of the feelings that were surfacing around stress and change in life.

B, M, and S have been building support networks outside of family since we started meeting and setting boundaries for self with interpersonal relationships that involve codependency. A is Muslim and reports that she continues to follow her religious and spiritual practices. She said that she relies on her family a lot for support and her religious community. I talked with all of them about their Sadhana practice being a support for themselves too and ensuring that they have a daily practice as an opportunity to remove obstacles as they arise.

M has thanked me repeatedly for supporting her with an individual session. She says that she includes me in her list of her supporters that she knows she can rely on to assist her in a way that isn’t judging her.
S said that they feel like I have shown up for them without judgment and have tailored practices in our sessions in a way that has helped them have awareness about their emotions and to feel like they’re about to “do something about it” for the first time.
B asked me if I could work with his son who is in middle school for yoga therapy. He said that his family has observed a lot of changes in him (B) as a result of our sessions together and his son is interested. He also said he appreciates how I’m helping him not be so hard on himself.
A has shared with me how much she feels supported in our sessions and how well she feels I support others. She said that she is thankful for the way I ask them questions to think about how they might heal themselves.

Contemplate whether you’re helping, serving, or fixing others. Read In The Service of Life, think about what you’re currently doing and some options for adjustments, and we will discuss this next time.

I would probably have asked for help from my mentor sooner about the client that has been inconsistently attending. I think ultimately it won’t benefit her as much, but perhaps she will receive some benefit from the practice.

I’d like to receive some suggestions about what to do when a client only attends two out of five sessions, when they’re missing fundamental pieces of the yoga philosophy that accompanies the homework. I was very clear before registration with all of them that this is not like yoga classes and also discussed this in intake and session 1. Should I continue to include all clients even those that don’t attend on homework? How do I balance the dropping in so that it’s not disruptive to the other clients?

Is yoga therapy appropriate for a middle schooler and what would that look like? Would I have the parent participate with them?

Yes, but this group series was cognitively fatiguing for me at times because of the adjusting that I was having to do.