Yoga is the practice of creating unity between mind and body. When there's a disconnect between mind and body, our lives become unbalanced, causing stress, fatigue and ultimately, illness. The reverse can happen when you reunite your mind and body through yoga. Your mind and your body can start to heal naturally, helping you to feel healthier, happier, more balanced, and more alive!
I discovered yoga through my own health crisis. During my internship to become a psychotherapist, my life became so stressful and unbalanced (working 80 hours a week with severely traumatized children and families) that my body actually broke down. This was a scary time for me… After all, I was in the healing profession. How could I have allowed this to happen to me, didn’t I know better? Maybe not… This experience was a difficult way to learn that I needed to be kinder to my body. Unfortunately, our society does not always support this mind body connection, but separates the two, causing confusion, disharmony, and distress.
During my graduate educational training in clinical psychology, there was such an emphasis on healing the mind that the connection between body and mind was easily overlooked, or even left out completely. We have all heard of "psychosomatic" - when a physical illness is caused or aggravated by a mental factor such as an internal conflict or stress. And there is also just the opposite, "somatopsychic" - which describes the effects of the body on the mind. In today’s fast paced society, we can no longer afford to ignore the complexities of this mind-body connection.
When body and mind are separate, it is like we are going through life with blinders on, not seeing the whole picture. When we shut ourselves off from the body’s wisdom, we can become trapped in the stories of our minds, and loop through traumas and negative past experiences without moving forward.
You know that feeling of being “stuck.” Stuck is a great clinical term… Lol, but we all get what that means, right? When we feel stuck, that's an indicator that we need to get up and move our bodies, shake things up and out, do a little yoga, a little movement, and some deep breathing. Surprise surprise, this helps heal the mind too. Who would have thought?
Today, I know that true healing comes when we re-connect body and mind. That is why I utilize yoga - breath work, meditation, and gentle movements to help my clients to heal. Some times making true transformation means we have to get off the therapeutic couch and back into our bodies so that we can make lasting transformation.
If you are interested in hearing more about my Find Your Flourish workshops and events, or want to arrange for a free 15-minute consultation for private coaching, contact me here.
Tiffany Goyer, MA, RYT, merges her vast education and experience as a Coach, Marriage and Family Therapist, Practitioner of Neuro-Emotional Technique (NET) and study of Yoga to bring together a wealth of healing modalities to synchronize the body, mind and spirit. Tiffany holds two 200-hr Yoga Teacher Certifications -- One in Kundalini Yoga from Yoga West, and a second in Hatha and Vinyasa Yoga from YogaWorks. She has also been trained in LifeForce Yoga™, which is specifically designed for healthy management of mood. Tiffany utilizes this collection of yoga styles in Find Your Flourish™ classes and workshops, to inspire you to more easily master emotions, embody confidence, and produce positive lasting changes
