Yoga vs. Yoga Therapy: What's the Difference?
How is yoga therapy different from yoga?
The Quick Answer
While yoga is a general practice for overall well-being, yoga therapy is the specific application of yogic tools to treat diagnosed health conditions. Yoga therapy is often one-on-one and focuses on specific clinical outcomes, whereas general yoga is typically group-based and fitness-oriented.
Why We Ask This
Students often wonder if a regular yoga class will fix their back pain or anxiety, not realizing that general classes aren't designed for clinical treatment and could sometimes aggravate injuries.
The Practical Science
The Minded Institute explains that yoga therapy is an 'evolving field' focused on evidence-based practices for specific conditions. A general yoga teacher knows how to lead a flow; a yoga therapist understands pathology, contraindications, and how to adapt practices for safety and healing.
In Clinical Practice
If you have a general goal of flexibility, a yoga class is great. If you have sciatica, PTSD, or a heart condition, yoga therapy offers a safe, medically-informed protocol designed specifically for that diagnosis.
References & Context
What's the Difference Between Yoga and Yoga Therapy?"While yoga is a healthy pursuit that can benefit it's practitioners in its general form, yoga therapy is an evolving field which focuses on using evidence-based yogic practices in the treatment of specific health conditions.Mar 11, 2021"