Healing Through an Integration of Physiotherapy and Yoga Therapy
As a physiotherapist who uses yoga therapy in her practice, I am continually in awe of the potential for healing that comes from treating a person’s body, mind and spirit. What used to be just a “job” to me, has become a healing opportunity, both for the incredible people that come to see me, and for myself.
I have been a physiotherapist for 6 years and my practice has grown and evolved over the years. When I received my Bachelor of Medical Rehabilitation in PT, it was a gateway into healing the physical body. It laid the groundwork for an in depth knowledge of how the body works, but the more I practiced PT, the more I realized something was missing. The mechanistic view of “strengthen what’s weak and stretch what’s tight” didn’t always work. I knew there had to be something more.
I started out on my own yoga path to get more bendy and feel less stressed while attending university. It didn’t take long before I realized that “this yoga thing” could be a valuable tool in my physiotherapy toolbox for helping clients. After graduating university, I took my yoga teacher training in India where I gained more yoga knowledge, a deeper understanding of sadhana, and an official certificate.
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I began to teach shortly after I returned home, and it was easy to integrate yoga into my PT treatments. It started by adding yoga poses to my patients’ home exercise programs. Then came breathing and meditation exercises. Now, I am thrilled when I can also recommend a mantra, ayurvedic advice, or a yoga nidra practice to round out their PT session.
I now understand that these things may have served my clients in some way, but with their willingness, we can work together to shift and build new patterns and habits to serve them in the present. That’s the key difference for me. It’s less about me fixing them, and more about us working together so they can walk out of the treatment room and into the world on their own two feet.
As a physio-yoga therapist, my desire to help now goes beyond pain relief and better range of motion. I want to connect with people as they truly are, and to help them build awareness so that they may realize their highest potential in life. It absolutely blows my mind every time I see another person take those brave first steps, and it makes my heart sing to watch them grow into beautiful, strong, healthy people. These are the real “goodies” of healing.
Kristie McGregor
Kristie McGregor