Gary's Newsletter 365: Yoga - Moving Beyond Talk Therapy?

YOGA - MOVING BEYOND TALK THERAPY?

In November 2009 Monitor on Psychology published an article titled "Yoga as a Practice Tool." The writer suggested that counselors have "painted themselves in the corner by only doing talk therapy. There's much more that can be accomplished if you integrate it with other sorts of modalities, such as biofeedback, relaxation training or yoga." The article described how yoga can improve overall physical fitness, strength, flexibility and lung capacity, while reducing heart rate, blood pressure and back pain. Recent research also shows that "yoga may help strengthen social attachments, reduce stress and relieve anxiety, depression and insomnia." Some evidence suggests that in treating PTSD and other trauma disorders, yoga based treatment may be more effective than traditional psychotherapy. This is not surprising based on what we know about trauma and the brain and about ways in which exercise relates to positive mood alteration.

All counselors know the physical and mental health value of non-verbal influences including exercise, rest, sound nutrition, music and more therapeutic interventions such as psychodrama and art therapy. Yoga often is placed alongside these methods as an evidence-based form of exercise that relaxes the body and calms the mind. But yoga is rooted in Eastern philosophies that can go beyond physical exercise and be far removed from anything Christian.

Can Christian practitioners use yoga, mindfulness techniques, and other proven methods but without acknowledging their Hindu, Buddhist or "new age" foundations? Probably we agree that counselors must move beyond therapy that is all talk. But I am cautious about methods that have strong non-Christian and anti-Christian roots. Isn't this playing with fire, especially when the methods are closely integrated with their underlying philosophies? Even if they bring positive change, this does not justify using therapeutic methods without discretion. I am open to new ideas (even those rooted in antiquity) but I try to evaluate what I embrace or use. Sometimes the end does not justify the means. But ponder this: Maybe the yoga fascination also opens opportunities for showing the therapeutic effectiveness of Christian spiritual practices. What do you think?