Joanne Spence, a certified Yoga therapist and slow movement maven, M.A. and author of Trauma Informed Yoga- A Toolbox for Therapists, shares with Shira her yoga story. How chronic pain from a car accident, lack of sleep and associated depression led her to yoga classes and becoming a yoga therapist.

This podcast is about teaching only what we know, feel and intuitively experienced, how yoga increases our awareness to our inherent strength, power, complexity and adaptable system of our body as the hormonal changes during pregnancy and motherhood raising many issues and energy changes, asking us to be radically accepting of ourselves.

Yoga therapy is a specific way to apply yogic practice to our conditions to increase, decrease and change our energy and affecting mental health. Yoga therapists see these as intertwined and can create a customised practice according to individuals needs.

Joanne touches on why and how such a small but vital aspect such as movement co-ordinated with breath, changes our physiology, even just standing up! How breathing is a direct access to the nervous system, pathway into releasing tension, reinvigorating our physiological resources , and how yoga trains us to be more tolerant, resilient and be adaptable to different situations.

Joanne explains why physiological understanding and scientific language is important, such as; phenomenological reflection- first person experience. We need to know that the practices and results are duplicatable and measurable. These practicalities provide evidence to get programs funded.