Yoga Therapy
A journey of thousand miles begins with a single step
How Yoga Therapy can help
- Reducing symptoms of illness or injury and help with the healing process
- Establishing more functional breath and movement patterns
- Stress induced suffering, like anxiety, burnout, panic attacks
- Respiration issues, like asthma
- Digestive issues, like IBS
- Cardiovascular issues, like blood pressure
- Pain management
- Any physical and mental suffering to improve life quality and enhance positive coping strategies
Yoga Therapy is the adaption of yoga practises for any health challenges.
I will draw on yogic techniques like postures, breath work, and meditation/mindfulness.
By integrating mind and body, we restore balance to the physical, physiological and mental/emotional system.
No previous experience of yoga is necessary.
A self-empowering process
Yoga Therapy can put you back into the driver’s seat, where you can be in control of your own healing.
When we start working together, I will analyse and address your needs taking into account physical, energetic, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects.
I will give you a home practice, which will be refined and developed over several sessions if needed. These practices will become your toolbox, with which you can address the issues in the future yourself, shall they arise again.
What you can expect
Before our first yoga therapy session, I will email you a questionnaire to gather historical information relevant to your current condition(s). Questions about history of medical illness, injury, past and current treatment, medication and supplements you may be taking, and about activities of daily living (diet, sleep, activity).
In our first session, we will first have an in-take talk, and I will also assess your movement and breathing patterns. Then, based on the information you provided on the questionnaire and our chat, I will develop a yoga practice for you at home.
I will ensure that you know how to do all of the elements of the home practice safely, and I will provide you with a written copy of your practice.
We will also discuss how much time you have for this practice, so it won’t be overwhelming and can fit easily into your daily life.
Doing this practice daily between sessions is essential so we can build on and progress for you to improve your condition.
If you book follow-up sessions, I will check in with you about how the practice works for you. We then refine, modify and change the elements of your practice as needed.
Dress in comfortable clothing where you can stretch and move freely.
Antony’s testimonial
“I was unlucky to have a vertical impact from a pothole I hit on my motorbike. It left me with no movement without excruciating pain in my lower back, which also radiated into my legs as sciatica. An MRI showed that I had a chronic condition of the spondololytic spondylolistheses and foraminal narrowing and nerve roots impingement.
Simply put, the acute pain was due to misalignment of my spine and the impact forced the disc to protrude, resulting in more compression. My only option from what I was told was injections and surgery to fuse the vertebrae, Catherine suggested yoga therapy instead. So I gave it a try.
Catherine helped me understand how to move safely during my daily life, set up my workplace (I am an artist/sculptor), lift things, and set myself up for sleep without pain. I became aware of my old movement patterns, which added to my chronic pain. We adjusted them, so I move more freely again. I developed a new understanding of my body and a deeper awareness of its responses. I learnt which movement to avoid initially until I got better.
Catherine gave me daily homework. With gentle yoga exercises, incredibly the pain started to subdue, and I was able to build up strength and mobility to support my lower back. Catherine developed a program for me, which I practise now whenever I feel my back could benefit from it.
She also worked with me on reducing my stress, as with the above diagnosis, I was scared of not being able to live my active life anymore. So she added relaxing exercises, Yoga Nidra and breathing exercises to calm my mind and relax my body have been of great use as tools to keep the rest of myself supported.
Within a couple of months, the pain subdued, and today, I can ride my motorbike for hours and go snowboarding and kiteboarding again. It feels incredible having my life back. I now know my body better, I am aware of the signs triggered by stress or extended sitting before it’s too severe… plus now thankfully I have tools to take care of it!
I trust Catherine 100%, she is so knowledgeable, and I felt totally comfortable and safe with her.”
Freedom & Peace
Physical injuries can have an immense impact on our mental health. I know this from my own experience dealing with whiplash from a car accident. It left me physically impaired, I could only be active for a few hours a day, and I ended up in a deep depression.
I found my peace in meditation, allowing my body to recover slowly. I started to study and enquire the mind body relationship, its influence and interactions, and have been fascinated about the power of our mind ever since.
When we struggle physically, there is no space in the mind for anything else, pain consumes us. To heal, we need to make space and peel away any additional stress and suffering our mind has added, creating space to deal with the condition and to start healing.
On my yoga journey, I had to overcome many obstacles. I needed the courage to change physically and mentally. And I know the value of reaching out and finding support along the way.
Prices & Packages
Single Session
£95
Tailored to your needs
In person session:
I am located in East London.
I can travel to your home, depending where,
additional cost might be added (£20/30min).
5 sessions package
valid for 3 months
£425
5 x 1 hour live stream zoom session
Email support between sessions
Tailored to your needs
What people are saying
“Catherine lead me through a series of asanas and breathing exercises to improve my breathing and increase my lung capacity. Over the weeks of teaching and practice I found I was much more aware and in control of how I was breathing. I also found my shoulders, which had been very tight and stiff, were much more free which helps my posture and allows more air in. I’m confident that with practice I can increase my lung capacity, and I look forward to my next check-up.
Catherine was very calm and supportive, and took the time to listen to me and to understand what my problems were. Her knowledge of yoga asana meant she was able to find an alternative posture to suit my needs.
Yoga Nidra for anxiety and difficulty getting to sleep I often suffer from anxiety and I find it hard to get to sleep at night. The Yoga Nidra worked well for me, calming my mind in the evening and helping me to switch off from the day. I could also use the breathing in bed at night to put myself into a more restful state.” – Graham
“Catherine’s sessions were always organised and well planned in terms of their content ; they were tailor made to my situation and needs and beneficial when it came to the exercices to practice.
Catherine was always open, friendly and professional during the sessions + in between 2 sessions to reply to my questions on the practice of the exercices;
I felt she provided me a good ‘toolbox’ which I can use on a daily basis; It has open new doors for me as I am getting interested in yoga, relaxation, meditation and I recommend my friends, colleagues and relative on all the positive effects of yoga!” – Christine
“Working with Catherine, over five Yoga Therapy sessions has been a real boon. It has heightened my awareness of my body, and given me the confidence to redress long standing alignment issues through specific and (mainly) easy exercises. I now have a greater appreciation of the system of yoga, and how all of the elements, including pranayama, bring specific benefits to the body. As Catherine can testify, I have thoroughly enjoyed being introduced to Yoga Nidra but also to standing straighter. Thank you!” – Neni