What is the Mindfulness Yoga Therapy Training in Eating Disorders Certificate Program?
Reconnect with Food® Yoga Therapy combines the healing modalities of breath, movement, yoga philosophy, dialogue, along with a sequenced flow and meditation intertwined with traditional psychotherapy intervention models. The focus is not exclusively on the yoga postures. The chakras, along with the eight limbs of yoga are intertwined as themes in the healing process. The body’s chakras parallel two chains of nerve bundles located on each side of the spinal cord. Yoga involves spinal movements that activate the body’s chakras and can easily release a person’s physical tension and pain, which then in turn can help release stored emotions.
A variety of conventional methods have been used to treat eating disorders including:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is based on the idea that thoughts can cause feelings. Pure CBT involves thought stoppage, reframing and extinction of thoughts.
- Dialectic behavior therapy (DBT), which emphasizes techniques for emotion regulation, concepts of distress tolerance, acceptance and mindful awareness.
- Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) a combination of CBT therapy and meditative practices.
- Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) which uses an approach to embrace the moment fully so clients can gain the skills to re-contextualize and accept their emotions.
The Mindfulness Yoga Therapy Training Program in Eating Disorders weaves these traditional methods into our training methodology with an emphasis on mindfulness. Mindfulness yoga incorporates awareness of the body’s functions and feelings. Mindfulness helps individuals understand their own thought processes. Mindful awareness, along with mindful eating and nutrition principles are also incorporated in this training program. Mindful awareness is about being in tune with how one feels and having an awareness of what is going on inside one’s body. Through yoga, meditation and practice, individuals who struggle with eating disorders learn to trust and understand the messages given by their own body and begin to focus on inner qualities verses, personal appearance.
Studies have shown that mindful yoga and meditation can affect the cerebral cortex, improving focus and awareness. The cerebral cortex is the center of the brain that is responsible for impulses, irrational thoughts, and behaviors. Activating the cerebral cortex can diminish the impulsivity along with irrational thoughts and behaviors involved in eating disorders, substance abuse and related addictions.
