About me and yoga therapy

by Natasha Whelan

 

 I wanted to re-introduce myself to you all, as it has been a while.

 

I have been a yoga teacher for almost two decades and a yoga therapist and nutrition and health coach for six years. I’m a constant learner and have done many courses over the years to keep me up to date with my skills and this allows me to integrate other modalities into my practice.

 

My practice is all about serving others in a way that improves how they function in the world and empowering them to take control of their own lives through movement, breath, rest, and meditation practices.

 

Yoga has always been constant in my life and has helped support me in many ways, from anxiety, depression, pain, hypermobility and perimenopause.

 

When I first started, it helped me deal with anxiety and depression. Recently, it has helped me navigate my perimenopause and ease symptoms such as hot flashes, poor sleep, and mood changes. 

 

 I use yoga as either primary or complementary therapy. For example, when I had a recent client who had whiplash, she went to a physiotherapist and an osteopath as her primary care. I used yoga therapy as a complementary therapy to help her manage the pain and recover from the accident, which left her in a heightened stress state. 

 

What is yoga therapy?


Yoga Therapy uses the yoga traditions of movement, breathing, and deep relaxation to promote all round health, as well as alleviate medical conditions. It is a personalised approach centred around your goals and individual needs. 

 

You can benefit from yoga therapy if you suffer from:

 

  • Acute or chronic pain
  • Sleep issues/fatigue 
  • Stress/anxiety
  • Orthopaedic pain
  • Digestion issues
  • Headaches/migraines
  • Respiratory disorders

 

It can also help improve your athletic performance, promote healthy ageing, and give you a smoother transition to perimenopause.


How is yoga therapy different from a traditional group yoga class? 

A general public yoga class is a great way to ease everyday aches and pains and mood complaints. Yoga therapy goes much further because it is completely tailored to you. During our one-to-one sessions, I assess your breathing, movement, and lifestyle and suggest techniques that you can add to your daily wellness practices.

 

How can you incorporate yoga therapy into your life?
 

I’m often asked how I help my clients use yoga therapy to manage their pain or illnesses. My practice provides two approaches.

1. When the client is suffering from a severe injury or a long-term illness, I suggest that they ask their physician if yoga therapy can be part of their recovery plan. I’m always willing to have a chat with healthcare providers to explain more about what I do.

2. If the client wants to address or improve a less severe condition, then we use yoga as their primary therapy method.

 

Incorporating yoga into your life can be part of your health plan. The best way to make lasting lifestyle and health changes is to take small steps. Those changes will soon add up. One step at a time. 

 

I hope this blog has helped you understand more about yoga therapy and what I do. If you have any further questions or you would like to set up a call. You can send me a message here

 

 

If you are interested in some of the courses I have done, here they are:

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