Client wants yoga therapy to manage stress and tension. This seems to be causing extreme anger and irritability that is affecting is relationships and work life. He had high blood pressure as well as TMJ and tinnitus in his ears.

Over 1 month, suggested morning walking mediation for 5 mins for 3-5 days a week followed by 5 minutes of stretching and extended exhalation. Offered a 10 minute chair yoga sequence that can be done during the work day and encouraged at least once a day. Also included one mindful meal a day of his choice with a friend or loved one.

Client is a 42 year old male, He is in general good health and shape, but has high blood pressure, TMJ and tinnitus. He is married and has 2 high school age children and an high-level executive position at a successful company. The pressure of his job he tends to take out on co workers and family and has become generally angry which is becoming isolating. He works out with weights on weekends when he finds the time and open to yoga practices to help relieve tension.

I envisioned working with this client to be a challenge because of the anger. So I decided to add some soothing but uplifting music to the asana a well as the pranayama and mediation. In order to break down the defense nature and a focus outside of just the teaching but also inline with movement and stillness.

In working with this client I chose mostly Hatha, over time I would like to introduce Karma yoga practices.

In the first few sessions it was challenging to get through the anger at the beginning of our time. So I allowed him to talk for about 10 minutes and just listen, this seemed to ease him into the time. Once we started the music and the asana the parasympathetic nervous system was clearly activated. He holds a lot of tension in his jaw, so when we began the body scan I added an exercise to part the lips and soften the jaw. It took a whole for this to work but eventually I noticed a bit more relaxation and less stress being held. The mediation began with some standing breathing techniques then moved to seated because he appears to get fidgety if seated too long and towards the end of the meditation we were able to do the extended exhalation.

After our sessions together I suggested he have some music playing in his office when appropriate, also the 5-10 minutes of the chair yoga. The intention is to release the anger and stress before it becomes to big to manage and he would be able to communicate better with his co workers. This would hopefully trickle in to his family life because holds a lot in and that turns to that tension in the jaw. We discussed taking one of his kids at a time to volunteer with the local community center coaching sports. He seemed to like the idea and knew the people to contact. It was encouraged to continue with the asana and meditation with the extended exhalation 5 days a week.

The intended plan was mostly applied with this client, the changes the arose with the talking at the beginning of the session and adding the music was well as the movement with the mediation. He stated the mindful meal was not something he followed up on but was doing the walking in the morning before work and found that helpful.
The anger seemed to subside a little more each time we met, if he keeps up with the practices and adds the karma yoga in his life I believe this will be successful and aid in the tinnitus as well as his blood pressure.

The adaptations of the music and the talking were very organic, I have done a lot of research of music therapy and mental health and how effective it is. Being nervous about the anger and how to bring his guard down for the yoga practices helped me use tools that assist me and allow it work for someone else.

Anger is different for everyone so this being the key symptom I was working with I can't say I would definitely approach it the same way. To meet someone I would need to be able to figure out what triggers there may be and avoid them. for instead music can cause more agitation with someone. I would have liked to have introduced the Karma yoga earlier because I would have enjoyed seeing the progression of the coaching at the community center as well as the connection to his teenage kids.