I used the "triangle model" of healing (imagery, creativity, meaning): I assisted the client through working with guided imagery to access inner creativity and meaning while moving into the retirement phase of life. This helped break the cycle of worry, stress, and depression for the client.

I met the client for two sessions: The first session was for intake questions to find objects, animals, and colors he liked. The second session, the following day, was used for yoga nidra and guided meditation based on his imagery choices; and time for discussing what the meditation brought up for him.

59-year-old male preparing for retirement after a long career in the military and civil service. The client is preparing for retirement after 20 years of military service and 15 years working in civil service. He is unsure if he wants to work part-time, focus on volunteer work, or something else. He is requesting help in discerning what his next steps in life might look like. His spiritual life and practice are important to him, and he wants to do something to make a difference in the world.

I envisioned using the "triangle model" of healing (imagery, creativity, meaning): I assisted the client through working with guided imagery to access inner creativity and meaning while moving into the retirement phase of life. This helped break the cycle of worry, stress, and depression for the client. I met the client for two sessions: The first session was for intake to find objects, animals, and colors he liked. The second session, the following day, was used for yoga nidra and guided meditation based on his imagery choices; and time for discussing what the meditation brought up for him.

I used mainly Raja Yoga in the form of guided meditation to help the client connect with his deepest Self via imagery he could trust. In this way, the client was able to relax, listen to his heart and inner creativity, and find some meaningful answers about what he can do during his retirement years.

I met the client in my living room for both sessions where I set him up in a comfortable restorative asana using a bolster, two blocks, and three blankets. After making sure he felt warm and comfortable, I asked the intake questions on the first session. With the same set-up, I facilitated the guided meditation and discussion the following day.

The client was satisfied with this experience. He plans to continue taking group yoga classes at the recreation center near his home. He also plans to continue his daily Buddhist practices including meditation, and occasional short morning asana practice before work. He is open to exploring how his yoga practices might change after retirement. I let him know I am available if he would to meet for private yoga therapy sessions in the future.

Yes, I applied the intended plan with the client. On the first session, he told me he likes dogs and young children because of their playfulness and unconditional love; he likes trees and plants for their connection to nature and God; and his favorite colors are blue and green for their calming influence. With this information, I created a personalized guided meditation for him. On our second session, I asked him to imagine himself sitting on a wooden bench at a park watching children on a playground and watching a dog playing fetch with his owner. I emphasized the beautiful green trees and grass, and the sunny blue sky with fluffy white clouds. I invited him to notice his thoughts and feelings regarding this scene. Our discussion after the meditation helped him see some areas where he could focus his activities after retirement which was the goal of our time together.

Yes, the main thing I needed to adapt was the amount of time I had planned for the sessions. I ended up needing quite a bit more time, and fortunately, this was okay with the client. I needed twenty minutes instead of ten minutes to identify the client's imagery on the first session. This was due to the fact that he was nervous and unsure of what to expect. I needed more time to help him relax and trust the process. On the second session, I needed more than the thirty minutes planned for yoga nidra, guided meditation, and discussion. We used almost forty minutes total. I learned that planned interventions can take more time than expected because it is important not to rush and to make sure the client is comfortable with the process.

Yes, in a similar situation, I would use a similar technique. This teaching on the "triangle model" of healing really jumped out to me during the Healing Relationships module. It makes complete sense to me that deep healing can involve using imagery to access inner creativity and find personal meaning for the client. During the Healing Relationships module, I had a great experience working with my partner on this exercise. I found that I was easily able to use his stated imagery to create a meaningful guided meditation for him. The same thing happened with this client for the TCA. I seem to have a gift for intuiting what would be helpful for the client in guided meditation. In this case, during our discussion after the meditation, the client stated he can see himself doing volunteer work or part-time work with an animal shelter or one of the parks or recreation centers in Virginia Beach. Overall, this was a very satisfying experience for me as the yoga therapist.