Yoga in the Therapy Room: Strategies for Mental Health Therapists

By: Chris McDonald LCMHCS
  • Summary

  • Welcome to "Yoga in the Therapy Room: The Nontraditional Therapist's Guide to Integrating Yoga into Your Therapy Practice." This podcast is designed to empower mental health therapists with the knowledge and confidence to integrate yoga into their sessions safely and ethically. Whether you're new to yoga or looking to enhance your therapeutic toolkit, our trauma-informed approach ensures that you can incorporate simple, easy-to-use yoga practices tailored to your clients' needs. Join us as we explore practical techniques, discuss the latest research, yoga philosophies, and share expert insights to help you seamlessly blend yoga with traditional therapy methods. Discover how yoga can support trauma recovery, reduce anxiety and depression, and foster a deeper connection with your clients, enhancing therapeutic rapport. Additionally, learn how these practices can serve as a powerful form of self-care for therapists, enhancing your own well-being and resilience. Deepen your knowledge of different yoga traditions and practices, and learn how to keep these practices accessible for all clients, regardless of their physical abilities, diverse backgrounds, or experience with yoga. Experience the added benefit of personal and professional transformation, enriching both your therapy practice and your own life. Tune in to "Yoga in the Therapy Room" and start your journey towards a more holistic and effective therapy practice today.
    Copyright 2024 Chris McDonald, LCMHCS
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Episodes
  • 210 Yoga Snack | Pranayama Color Breathing Practice Episode By Chris McDonald
    Nov 20 2024

    In today’s” Yoga Snack,” we focus on a Pranayama practice called color breathing. This practice combines breathwork with visualization to help clients manage stress, connect with their inner world, and achieve greater self-awareness. We discuss how therapists can integrate these techniques into their sessions, providing clients with easy-to-implement tools to enhance their well-being.

    "This is something you could do while you’re driving, you can do them while you're in a waiting room, and we can do them as we take breaks during the day as therapists for our own self-care”

    Colour For Health

    Connect With Me

    Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

    Facebook: Yoga In The Therapy Podcast

    Join the private Facebook Group: Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room

    TikTok: @YogaChris58

    Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, and Spotify

    Sign up for my FREE email course: How to Build Confidence As A Holistic Counselor

    Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

    Claim your 30-Day Aura Guest Pass from Chris McDonald

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    18 mins
  • 209 How To Integrate Mudras Into Clinical Sessions: Episode By Chris McDonald
    Nov 13 2024

    In this episode of Yoga in the Therapy Room, we explore the ancient practice of mudras—symbolic hand gestures used in yoga and meditation to channel life force energy. We discuss the origins, benefits, and practical applications of various mudras, including their potential to enhance mood, and focus, and reduce stress. This guide is designed for therapists looking to integrate these techniques into their practice and individuals interested in incorporating them into their self-care routines. This episode walks you through mudras like Anjali, Gyan, Dhyana, and Apana and the benefits of each of these techniques.

    " If we go back to interoception and noticing what's going on in our body if we have our hands in a mudra, we can feel the sensations of the fingertips touching, the placement of the hands if they're on the lap. Just even connecting with that alone can be grounding or a mindfulness practice." -Chris McDonald

    • Understanding Mudras: Definition and Benefits
    • Exploring the Elements and Origins of Mudras
    • Practical Applications and Benefits of Mudras
    • Guided Mudra Practices
    • Integrating Mudras into Therapy and Self-Care

    Connect With Me

    Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

    Facebook: Yoga In The Therapy Podcast

    Join the private Facebook Group: Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room

    TikTok: @YogaChris58

    Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, and Spotify

    Sign up for my FREE email course: How to Build Confidence As A Holistic Counselor

    Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

    Claim your 30-Day Aura Guest Pass from Chris McDonald

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    27 mins
  • 208 How Yoga In The Therapy Room Can Help With Nervous System Regulation: Interview With Amanda Baker
    Nov 6 2024

    In this episode, we discuss how yoga can be a powerful tool for nervous system regulation, particularly for therapists and their clients dealing with trauma and anxiety. Amanda, a mental health therapist and yoga instructor, shares her journey into yoga and offers practical insights into bringing yoga into the therapy room. She highlights the importance of an intuitive approach and provides a hands-on yoga practice to help you experience the benefits firsthand. Amanda also discusses the integration of various therapeutic theories with yoga, emphasizing the role of self-care and the therapist's own nervous system regulation.

    MEET Amanda Baker

    Amanda believes that we are more authentic as our child-like selves than we are as an adult. We are more likely to share our truth and live our truth as children, but who says we have to stop? Amanda is a mental health therapist, 500hr yoga instructor, and poet. She integrates mental health, yoga, creativity, and writing into her work and daily life. Amanda has worked in the clinical field of social work for over 10 years and in the last five she has utilized yoga psychology as a framework for treating mental health diagnoses, symptoms, and mind-body restoration. Amanda came back to her child-like passions just before the pandemic as she embarked on basic yoga teaching training and writing poetry daily. She loved music, dance, and writing as a kid. In coming back to self with her interests she stumbled on the healing benefits of these inner resources in self. Your mind, your body, and your heart. Amanda offers therapeutic yoga workshops, classes, and one-on-one therapy in Baltimore, MD. She also has two published poetry books, entitled ASK: A Collection of Poetry, Lyrics, and Words as well as "What Is Another Word for Intimacy" which can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Yellow Arrow Publishing. Apply

    Find out more at Amanda Baker Writes and connect with Amanda on Instagram and at Fire Fly Counseling Collective

    ASK: A Collection of Poetry, Lyrics, and Words by Amanda Baker

    Amanda Baker Patreon

    • Integrating Yoga into Therapy
    • Nervous System Regulation through Yoga
    • Clinical Theories and Yoga
    • Practical Applications and Techniques
    • Embodying Confidence Through Yoga Practice
    • Therapist Self-Care and Client Connection
    • Trauma-Informed Yoga Practices
    • Guided Yoga Practice for Listeners

    Connect With Me

    Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

    Facebook: Yoga In The Therapy Podcast

    Join the private Facebook Group: Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room

    TikTok: @YogaChris58

    Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts,

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    41 mins

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