The Healing Power of Yoga Therapy During Addiction and Mental Health Recovery

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Many people believe that yoga is simply the poses people do in a yoga practice, however, that is not what yoga is. Yoga philosophy is a set of practices that you can choose to incorporate into your daily life that will lead you to inner peace, happiness, overall health, and overall well-being.

Yoga is an ancient practice that has been passed down for thousands of years. It consists of an 8-limbed path designed to lead the yoga therapist to a state of self-realization or union of mind, body, and spirit. Slowly but surely as you engage, you begin to open yourself to a higher vibration, an expansion of consciousness, a belief, and an inner knowing that you are much greater than you ever imagined yourself to be.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga

At Villa Kali Ma, you will be introduced to many therapy practices that are referred to as “yoga”. However, Hatha Yoga is the tradition from which all others stemmed. It is a very common practice that includes breathing exercises and movements of Ashtanga. The Eight Limbs of Yoga teaches how to better relate to self by engaging in self-care, and how to better relate to others and the world. Hatha is about coming into balance in all areas of your life, mind, body, and soul.

What is the Result of Hatha Yoga Therapy?

The result of Hatha Yoga Therapy is clarity, peace, and a deep contentment mentally like you have never felt before. Your heart will open, and self-love will come in.  Fear and self-doubt will leave you and the purpose of your life will become clear. You will begin to know yourself as a spiritual being living in a temporary human body. Once you get in touch with this belief about yourself, you will no longer feel the need to self-medicate and all your wounds will begin to heal.

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Integrative Yoga Therapy in Addiction Recovery | Villa Kali Ma

What are the Limbs of the Eight Limbs of Yoga?

The first two limbs of the eight-limbed path are the Yamas and the Niyamas. The Yamas are five restraints you can practice relating with others in a way that brings peace and contentment to your mind and heart. The Niyamas are five ways you can relate with yourself to bring health and well-being to your mind and body. Becoming aware of these yoga practices and beginning to incorporate them into the way you live your life will immediately lift your self-esteem and instill a sense of integrity in your being. These first two limbs will ignite the flame of self-love in your heart and you will begin to heal from all physical and mental health conditions.

The third and fourth limbs of the eight-limbed path are Asana and Pranayama. The purpose of Asana is to help you get comfortable, which will enable you to be able to sit in stillness in meditation. These poses include the six movements of the spine and stretching in ways that open the energy channels of the inside and allow for greater comfort and ease during periods in seated meditation yoga postures. Pranayama is a breath control practice that is synchronized with the movement practices, creating a flow of movement with breath. Pranayama can also be practiced separately from the asana movements and is a powerful tool for calming the nervous system and alleviating stress, anxiety, and racing thoughts.

The next two limbs are Pratyahara, which means withdrawal of the senses, and Dharana, which is one-pointed concentration. Pratyahara is achieved simply by closing the eyes, which closes off the sense of sight, and then directing your attention to the inner self to begin sensing what is going on there. So Pratyahara is simply practicing turning your senses inward.

Dharana is a practice of directing your attention to one thing and keeping your focus there for the duration of your practice. With practice, you will learn how to calm the body and the mind and bring them into a state of complete relaxation. This is a powerful tool for recovery, giving you the ability to control the tendency of the mind to act on every craving and compulsion.

The last two limbs are Dhyana and Samadhi. These two limbs are not a practice of yoga, they are a gift bestowed onto the yoga therapist due to their efforts with the other six limbs. Dhyana, which refers to the state of meditation, is impossible to achieve without a calm mind and body.

If you just sit down and set a timer to meditate for 10 minutes, most likely you will experience 10 minutes of random thoughts. True meditation is something that you will experience when you are practicing Dharana. You will suddenly realize that you have achieved an altered state of consciousness that you have never experienced before. This is the gift. Then with enough practice, you may be given the gift of Samadhi, which is the experience of merging into spirit so completely that you no longer identify yourself as the body and ego.

At Villa Kali Ma in San Diego County, you will be immersed in these yoga therapy sessions, and you will have an experience of your conscious awareness shifting from being driven by your ego (false sense of self) to being guided by your newfound connection to your own higher self and soul. You will experience states of complete peace, calm, love, joy, and even bliss during these yoga exercises. Your troubles will no longer seem insurmountable as you begin to realize your inner strength and step into your power to overcome all obstacles in your path.

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini Yoga is an incredibly powerful practice that encompasses elements from nearly all lineages, yet what makes Kundalini truly unique is its emphasis on Kriyas. Kriyas are repetitive movements incorporated with specific chanting and/or breathing techniques that create mental and physical resistance and allow observation of mechanisms of the mind. For this reason, it is often referred to as the “yoga of awareness.” The benefits of yoga therapy are exponential, both on and off the mat. The more awareness one has of their operating system (aka the mind) the easier it becomes to recognize how we respond to life. This type of yoga focuses on psychology or one’s psyche, along with nutritional health, and spirituality.

By voluntarily inducing resistance and encouraging observation of the yoga therapy session, the goal is to deepen the understanding of one’s inner world and learn to pause and notice any discomfort and breathe. The power of choice lies within this pause, so learning to harness that power takes discipline and commitment but will fundamentally change your life.

Experiencing that you have the power to choose in any given moment how you respond to life is a necessary tool for overcoming any kind of addiction or challenge. Embodying this through continued practice trains us to become active participants in our own lives, which leads to a cascade of better choices and a more empowered and mindful way of living.

At Villa Kali Ma in San Diego County, we focus on the “beyond addiction” method, which is a Kundalini-based recovery program created in collaboration with Canadian Psychologist and Addiction Specialist Gabor Mate, to provide an alternative approach to the treatment of addiction, through a process of tools, practices, and self-study. The program is a wonderful compliment to the many healing modalities offered at Villa Kali Ma, which includes (but is not limited to):


Yin Yoga

In Yin Yoga, poses are held for long periods to allow a deep stretch of the connective tissue, open the body’s energy channels, and allow the energy to flow freely without being blocked. Yin works with the same philosophy as Chinese medicine and acupuncture which teaches that the body has a system of meridians that connect our different parts and systems and that these energy channels need to be kept open so that the flow of chi can maintain health and vitality.

Yin also has a second and more important benefit in that it trains the mind to withstand discomfort and resist instant gratification. By focusing on the breath and watching the mind “talk” but not reacting to what it’s saying during the holding of the poses, we come to realize that we have power over our mind and that we don’t have to listen to and react to everything it’s telling us. As we continue practicing this type of therapy, we build our “willpower” because our will is in control, not our mind.

We begin to see that we are not the mind, but we are aware of the mind. This is a very important and powerful realization! This helps us take back control over our actions. As we begin to watch the mind talk and complain and judge, we realize we still have the final say, we do not have to let the mind have its way. The long holding of these poses becomes very uncomfortable and the mind starts to complain and come up with all kinds of reasons why we need to adjust ourselves so that we can be comfortable again.

Yin teaches us to resist this urge and stay in the pose for the duration of the indicated time, usually about 5-10 minutes. Some yoga therapists call this a form of “psychic surgery” because it cuts right to the root of our problems. Most of our problems begin in the mind. Most of our problems are considered problems because the mind judged them to be a problem, and the mind can have a problem with almost anything! It teaches us courage, acceptance, and patience, and builds our self-confidence and self-esteem. Cultivating these qualities can help us to maintain long-term sobriety and create a sustainable recovery.


Restorative Yoga

Restorative Yoga is an amazing way to let go and relax. It entails long relaxing passive postures to tap into a deep state of restoration. All postures are done on the floor with props such as bolsters, blocks, and blankets with an emphasis on comfort and support.

Gentle breathing techniques are paired with postures that lead to a state of deep meditation. This restorative class will nourish and awaken all layers of life – environmental, physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual. It will assist in awakening you to your divine nature.

Studies have found that it is equal to or better than exercise for decreasing cortisol, which is the stress hormone that is released during the fight or flight response. High levels of cortisol can affect blood pressure, sleep cycles, inflammation, weight gain, and cause irritability and mood disorders. Yoga therapy involves maintaining postures mindfully and with breath awareness can reduce stress levels, improve immunity, decrease blood pressure, and heart rate, improve sleep, and reduce aches and pains.

It has also been found to improve the quality of life for people with chronic illness, reduce hot flashes in menopausal women, and improve symptoms of anxiety and depression. There have also been studies that show that restorative-based yoga reduces cravings and helps addicts maintain sobriety. A study determined that addiction relapse is sometimes a never-ending cycle because of the disconnect between the mind, body, and spirit that most addicts experience. The study showed that yoga therapy forced the two to work together holistically to help moderate the stress response.

This, in turn, reduced the instance of relapse in the group that was studied. Other research has shown that yoga therapy increases levels of Gaba in the brain. People who suffer from depression, anxiety, and mood disorders, which go together with addiction, often have low levels of Gaba. It also regulates the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system which in turn was shown to reduce cravings in those suffering from addiction. The bottom line is it has so many documented benefits which make it a perfect therapy for recovery of your physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Yoga soothes the nervous system, encourages mindfulness, cultivates awareness, and strengthens your ability to detach from your bad habits and accept life on life’s terms. Best of all, it is easy, and makes you feel great! To learn more about our therapy program or any of our other amazing healing modalities included in your stay here at Villa Kali Ma, contact us today.

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What is Yoga Therapy?

Integrative Yoga Therapy

Yoga therapy is a form of healing modality that centers on the application of mental, emotional, and physical healing. Bringing the riches of an ancient healing tradition to a systematized and approachable method, yoga therapy unites several of the most impactful yoga practices in one place, including meditation, pranayama, asanas, and mantra. It is generally used as an adjunct therapy. Yoga intends to offer a comprehensive path to well-being, which can be learned experientially and used in all kinds of settings, including work, schools, and recovery settings.

Villa Kali Ma in San Diego County incorporates the many benefits of yoga therapy into our programs for women recovering from addiction and/or working towards optimal health. The skills taught are adapted from traditional facets of yoga: breath, posture, poses, imagery, relaxation techniques, and meditation. Yoga therapy supports the use of these methods with an in-depth comprehension of wellness and the operations of the body during the healing process, from a contemporary Western medical mindset as well as from a non-Western lens.

It understands that our shared troubles with physical, collective, and planetary discord have deep roots in non-obvious causes. It is generally open and curious, therefore, to many paths of discovery of wellness and has an inclusionary approach to understanding illness and its cure.

It is often available in a variety of settings, including recovery settings, hospitals, organizations, and schools. Joining ancient wisdom with the requirements of our contemporary world has effectively assisted many people, families, and communities in recovering health and happiness.

It may be offered in classes, in groups, and one-on-one. It adapts tools to fit the specific needs of the population being served, taking into account personal and contextual factors when designing the healing solution.

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Yoga Therapy Benefits During Recovery

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A truly comprehensive path to treating mind, body, community, and spirit, yoga therapy has many positive effects and impacts when used during recovery. Substance abuse programs around the globe are including yoga therapies in recognition of the therapy’s beneficial role in bringing people back to wellness at multiple levels of their being. Villa Kali Ma’s founder, Kay White, founded Villa Kali Ma from her positive experiences of sobriety and many octaves of higher happiness through the effects of yoga.

One immediate area of improvement for people receiving yoga therapy as a part of their recovery or mental health treatment program relates to the ability to reset one’s state of being swiftly because of the effective tools for self-regulation and emotion modulation. Due to the primacy of the physical body in distress as well as happiness, the approach to self-balancing and harmonization helps enormously, as people learn how to be in charge of their inner states.

Women who enter treatment and/or seek help for emotional suffering have often either never experienced or long forgotten what it feels like to feel safe, ok, relaxed, and pleasantly alert in their inner bodies. Working within the inner level of being as a starting point is also shown to be one of the most effective paths for working with trauma, for the simple reason that trauma is rooted primarily in our nervous systems and brains.

What are the Life-Changing Tools Used in Yoga Therapy?

The life-changing tools used in yoga therapy, which include transformational breath work, detoxifying and energizing poses, balancing postures, mudras (hand poses, or sacred gestures), mantra (chants), and the deeply soothing practices of Yoga Nidra (deep yogic rest), are each excellent in a specific, targeted way for invoking states of peace, safety and deep wellbeing.

The tools not only get straight to the source of trauma and suffering to provide relief but deeply rewire and retrain the nervous system so that over time bodies can stabilize around happiness and well-being. Bodies that feel good, safe, and happy will not turn to substances nor be prone to the pain and suffering associated with the troubling minds of so many women of our time.

Increasingly, addiction treatment providers and mental health programs are learning the benefits of teaching clients to use the full approach to wellness for self-regulation and mental-emotional rebalancing. Villa Kali Ma’s holistic programs for mental health and addiction recovery are built around the core insights, methodologies, and worldview provided.

Overall, it enhances, supports, and underscores the goals of mental health and addiction recovery in several ways. Due to its emphasis on meditation, mindfulness, and self-soothing practices, it vastly enhances abilities relating to self-observation, inducing states of wise mind, also called neutral witness or compassionate observer. The curious, compassionate, but relaxed state of being able to watch one’s experience with loving detachment is key in any path to regaining self-control, re-empowerment, and moving on in life from one’s past troubles.

What Do Yoga Therapy Methods Help With?

Yoga therapy methods help with many daily life activities for people recovering from a life hurt by substance abuse or mental illness patterning, as well. The practices have been shown to assist in reducing drug cravings, neutralizing triggers, providing a healthy mindset and outlook, as well as assisting in preventing relapse. Further pros include better health and eating habits, better sleep, less stress, better energy levels, increased stamina, reduced fatigue, and an easier time tolerating times of difficulty. All in all, it is rich in resources for any woman seeking to recover from the difficulties that accompany addiction, trauma, and mental health struggles.

What to Expect from a Yoga Session

A session of yoga therapy will address aspects of the mind, body, and spirit. Yogic traditions see these three parts of the human experience as inseparable, with each impacting the other in complex ways. A given session may include elements of poses, personally tailored yoga recommendations, physical therapy, meditation, mantras, breath work, relaxation exercises, and/or mudras (hand gestures) all guided by a certified yoga therapist to improve mental and physical health through physical postures.

Since yoga therapy approaches health through a holistic lens, mental health professionals will help you see any physical ailments as also having mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects. Likewise, mental, emotional, and spiritual maladies will be treated as connected and intimately related to your physiology. Therapeutic yoga will be led by physical therapists to help with stress management and mental health problems. The therapeutic effects will be an important element of the treatment plan.

Unlike a yoga class, in which teachers guide students, the sessions work more fluidly and interactively, focusing specifically on you and your needs as they emerge in real-time, moment by moment. You can expect your Yoga Therapist to coach you directly on how to incorporate practices of yoga, like breathing, postures, meditation, and mindfulness techniques into your daily life requirements outside of your first session with a small group. Part of the work will be to generate a plan and approach to practicing yoga regularly on your own that will best target your needs and fit well into your life.

As you practice yoga in other forms, you will see the fruit of easing symptoms in your life. Yoga can reverse heart disease, heal multiple sclerosis, and improve symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Before engaging in yoga, however, it’s best to speak to a healthcare provider first. Yoga experience is not required, and the yoga therapists will tailor the session to your current level of fitness and mobility. Overall you can expect the following to come to you:

  • Boosted health, immunity, happiness, and wellbeing, including a more positive outlook on life
  • Reduced fatigue and pain, more natural self-soothing and distress-tolerance capacity
  • More regularity and consistency in mental-emotional health and balance
  • Enhanced toolkit of on-the-spot coping methods for stressful times, like a yoga journal
  • Better physical condition, balance, flexibility, and stamina

Yoga Instructors Offer Yoga at Villa Kali Ma in San Diego County

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More and more, yoga therapy is offered around the globe in many kinds of settings, in recognition of positive outcomes associated as an assist in improving everything from physical health to community-wide problems.

You can also work with a Yoga Therapist in solo sessions by working with a practitioner in your community. Some Yoga Therapists offer online sessions, and there are also training centers and classes offering introductions to methods and practices.

Overall when working with yoga therapy you can expect to work with a qualified professional who will help you in the creation of a personalized practice that will allow you to experience the many rewards of this rich, ancient tradition of wellbeing of mind, body, and soul.

Villa Kali Ma offers yoga therapy as a central part of our holistic recovery programs for women recovering from trauma, addictions, and mental health struggles. There are many ways to check out how we have adapted and integrated these healing practices to work specifically with the contemporary forms of suffering experienced by women today.

If you choose to work with us in one of our many programs, you will experience powerful yoga therapy directly among our community of women. Join us today to get started on your journey to healing and recovery.

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“

I don't believe it to be an exaggeration to say that Villa Kali Ma saved my life.
I couldn't have asked for a better environment to heal and redirect onto a path towards true living.

KRISTEN B.
“

This place completely changed my life. I needed a drastic change from the typical recovery environment in order to stay sober long-term. I can honestly say that I love who I am today and I am forever grateful for Villa Kali Ma!

CYNTHIA B.
“

I am so grateful I found Villa Kali Ma, it has truly changed my life. Kay is awesome and the entire team who works there is absolutely amazing. If you need treatment, I highly recommend making this the start to your recovery.

SUZIE H.

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out-of-network provider with TRICARE accepting most PPO plans or out-of-network benefits.
Call (760) 350-3131 for information on cost and payment options.