Queer Yoga Therapy
Access to affirming, knowledgeable and dare I say celebratory healthcare and wellness spaces is important for those of us in the LGBTQIA+ communities.
There are too many stories of people experiencing harm and feelings of judgement, un-safety, and the need to justify and defend themselves in spaces which are intended for health and wellness such as doctors offices, therapist’s couches and yoga studios. This happens regardless of whether the reason for seeking help is or isn’t related to being queer or trans (1).
This dynamic can increase inner stress reactions, anxiety and avoidance of the spaces and care that we as LGBTQIA+ people need.
It is my hope that Collaborative Motion can provide a space of safety and support for those in the LGBTQIA+ communities whether they come for LGBTQ related issues or general health, wellbeing and personal or spiritual development. I offer online yoga therapy or sessions can be arranged in person in Haarlem.
Yoga therapy for LGBTQIA+ people
There are 3 principles underlying my approach to queer yoga therapy:
befriending body, befriending self and befriending life.
We do this by:
Coming in kind contact with our body
Finding strength in our queerness and transness
Increasing wellbeing and decreasing unnecessary suffering
Being queer or trans is beautiful and can be a deep source of inner strength.
The three principles come out of blending my experience as a queer, trans non-binary, white-bodied, anti-racist person with my trainings and experience in yoga therapy and embodiment coaching as well as mindfulness and compassion.
As a queer yoga therapist for LGBTQIA+ people, I want to proclaim loudly and proudly that being queer and being trans is beautiful! It can be a deep source of inner strength and it is in some important way a part of your life’s purpose and calling. This is the foundation upon which gender affirming and sexuality affirming queer and trans care is built.
What is Yoga therapy for LGBTQIA+ People
As there are in medicine, psychology, and other forms of healthcare there are many approaches to yoga therapy. In talking about yoga therapy, I am describing my approach.
Yoga therapy supports you in increasing your overall health and wellbeing. This is different than just treating or managing symptoms. (You may find it useful to read about the yoga therapy view of health and wellness in our post 3 Myths about Yoga Therapy, Health and Wellness.)
It is a holistic bodymind therapy safely blending modern science and wisdom traditions. Rather than intending to replace medical or psychological care, it is a complementary therapy and your yoga therapist is a part of your care team alongside physical therapists, doctors, psychologists and any other healthcare provider you may need.
It can be restorative, preventative and in many cases, it can be curative or provide support with ongoing management of symptoms as well as developing a new relationship with the symptoms.
The tools of LGBTQIA+ inclusive yoga therapy
Standard tools used in yoga therapy include: breathing, therapeutic movement, diet and lifestyle changes, relaxation, visualisation, sound, embodied ethics, self-study, mindfulness, self-compassion, yoga philosophy and more. Additionally, as a trained and experienced holistic somatic coach, I draw from a large range of tools rooted in positive psychology, embodiment coaching, and trauma informed somatic practices.
These tools are made accessible for any and all bodies because yoga therapy is expertly tailored to clients and their needs and goals. Further, it is delivered in a trauma-informed way. Not all mindfulness or yoga is trauma-sensitive. In my practice, I deliver trauma-sensitive mindfulness, trauma-sensitive yoga and generally adhere to trauma-informed principles.
Why would queer and trans people work with a yoga therapist?
Queer and trans people come to Yoga Therapy when they want safe and affirming support for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health as well as for embodiment coaching and personal development reasons.
I notice in general that LGBTQIA+ people seek out a yoga therapist when they are:
Looking to increase satisfaction in life and work
Stress management - Navigating stress and things that cause you stress or discomfort including sleep and pain difficulties
Embrace your authentic self - Be courageous, authentic, and resilient.
Find recovery and self care practices that work - Explore and find a form of yoga or mindfulness that is accessible, safe and effective for them
Meaning and goal achievement - Enjoy life connected to what matters most to you.
Changing beliefs, behaviours and habits - Discover new ways of being, doing and interacting
(These are similar reasons to seeking out a holistic life coach.)
Experiencing health conditions and symptoms such as:
Aches, pains or injury recovery
Chronic conditions, pain or recovery from illness
Sleep or digestion problems
Developing functional breathing patterns
Increasing mobility, strength and range of motion
Anxiety, stress and energy management including burnout prevention or recovery
Looking to improve overall health and wellbeing
Cancer care
Navigating LGBTQIA+ topics such as:
Embodiment and developing a kinder more comfortable relationship with your body
Dysphoria / dysmorphia
Self-acceptance and self-compassion
Allowing queerness or transness to be your strength
Exploring gender identity or sexual orientation
Working with consent and boundaries
Experiencing rest, restoration and healing
Navigating minority stress
Living with courageous authenticity
Taking up space
Releasing shame
Navigating transitions (social, medical, personal)
Is yoga therapy for LGBTQIA+ people effective?
Yoga therapy and the tools which it uses have been shown to be an effective complementary therapy for many conditions. It supports greater resilience, wellbeing, reduced stress and inflammation, reduced chronic pain, improved sleep, digestion and more. Additionally studies on mindfulness, compassion and movement all point to numerous potential benefits. Research involving yoga, mindfulness, compassion, breathwork, health and wellbeing is continually evolving. You can find further resources and studies in this resources for yoga therapy post.
Many clients report both a reduction in and a new relationship with any symptoms that brought them to yoga therapy. Additionally they report an increased comfort with themselves, an overall increased satisfaction with life and a sense of inner balance even when dealing with challenges.
Does online yoga therapy really work?
Experience with our clients as well as research shows that online yoga therapy can be very effective. Clients often report being surprised at just how well it works! In fact, many clients prefer the freedom allowed by being able to attend sessions from the safety of home or another location of their choice. Would you rather have a session in person? Just get in touch or make sure to bring this up during your free consultation.
Queer yoga therapy in 4 steps
1. Intake
Free online 45m consultation
Complete the intake form
60 - 90m intake conversation.
2. Personal Assessment
1-2 sessions
Building on the intake, we will do a 60 - 90m assessment exploring movement and breathing.
After assessment, you may receive advice regarding referrals.
3. Treatment
3 or more sessions
60-90m sessions
(generally weekly or bi-weekly)
Home practice with supporting materials as needed
4. Check & Adjust
Many clients report that yoga therapy was a powerful time for them that empowered them with tools and skills they could use for long after the work together was finished. Throughout the process we will regularly evaluate and tailor the treatment. Treatment lasts for a minimum of 3 sessions. Yoga therapy tends to be a slow and powerful treatment and it is not uncommon to work together regularly for 6-12 months.
Still have questions?
Still have a question and not ready to book a consultation? Feel free to get in touch.
Footnotes
An important aside about the use of language. I use the word queer as an umbrella term for all sexualities beyond heterosexuality. Similarly, I use the word trans as an umbrella term to refer to transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender expansive people whether they adhere to a gender binary or not. I use LGBTQIA+ or occasionally LGBTQ as an umbrella for the diverse queer and trans communities. I use BIPOC when specifically referring to Black, Indigenous, Brown, and all people of colour. These decisions are with the intent of being as inclusive as possible while also maintaining an ease in writing. I acknowledge that hidden within these terms is a rich diversity of lived experiences which cannot be adequately communicated by an umbrella term