1 19 161 "WE REALLY NEED THIS": TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA FOR VETERAN WOMEN WITH A HISTORY OF MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA. OBJECTIVES: UP TO 70% OF WOMEN SERVICE MEMBERS IN THE UNITED STATES REPORT MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA (MST); MANY DEVELOP POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) AND CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS. TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA (TIY) IS SUGGESTED TO IMPROVE PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS AND SHOWN FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE IN EMERGING RESEARCH, YET NO WORK HAS EVALUATED TIY IN MST SURVIVORS. THE CURRENT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AIMED TO EXAMINE TIY'S FEASIBILITY, ACCEPTABILITY, AND PERCEIVED EFFECTS IN THE CONTEXT OF MST. DESIGN: COLLECTIVE CASE SERIES (N = 7). SETTING: NEW ENGLAND VET CENTER. INTERVENTIONS: EXTANT TIY PROGRAM (MINDFUL YOGA THERAPY) ADAPTED FOR VETERAN WOMEN WITH MST IN CONCURRENT PSYCHOTHERAPY. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ATTRITION AND ATTENDANCE; QUALITATIVE EXIT INTERVIEW; VALIDATED SELF-REPORT MEASURE OF NEGATIVE AFFECT PRE/POST EACH YOGA CLASS, AND SYMPTOM SEVERITY ASSESSMENTS AND SURVEYS BEFORE (T1; TIME 1) AND AFTER THE YOGA PROGRAM (T2; TIME 2). RESULTS: FEASIBILITY WAS DEMONSTRATED AND WOMEN REPORTED TIY WAS ACCEPTABLE. IN QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS, WOMEN REPORTED IMPROVED SYMPTOM SEVERITY, DIET, EXERCISE, ALCOHOL USE, SLEEP, AND PAIN; REDUCED MEDICATION USE; AND THEMES RELATED TO STRESS REDUCTION, MINDFULNESS, AND SELF-COMPASSION. REGARDING QUANTITATIVE CHANGE, RESULTS SUGGEST ACUTE REDUCTIONS IN NEGATIVE AFFECT FOLLOWING YOGA SESSIONS ACROSS PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS IMPROVED AFFECT DYSREGULATION, SHAME, AND MINDFULNESS T1 TO T2. CONCLUSIONS: TIY IS BOTH FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE TO VETERAN WOMEN MST SURVIVORS IN ONE SPECIFIC VET CENTER, WITH PERCEIVED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BENEFITS. RESULTS SUGGEST TIY MAY TARGET PSYCHOSOCIAL MECHANISMS IMPLICATED IN HEALTH BEHAVIOR CHANGE (STRESS REDUCTION, MINDFULNESS, AFFECT REGULATION, SHAME). FORMAL RESEARCH SHOULD BE CONDUCTED TO CONFIRM THESE QI PROJECT RESULTS. 2021 2 420 40 BRIDGING BODY AND MIND: CASE SERIES OF A 10-WEEK TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA PROTOCOL FOR VETERANS. THIS CASE SERIES EXPLORED THE FEASIBILITY AND PRELIMINARY EFFICACY OF THERAPEUTIC YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY FORM OF TREATMENT FOR COMBAT-RELATED TRAUMA. THE SERIES RECRUITED FOR AND IMPLEMENTED A 10-WEEK TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA PROTOCOL FOR VETERANS IN AN INTERPROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY HEALTH TREATMENT SETTING. PARTICIPANTS WERE ENROLLED IN A SERIES OF 90-MINUTE THERAPEUTIC YOGA CLASSES ADAPTED TO BE TRAUMA-INFORMED. FEASIBILITY WAS MEASURED BY RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION IN THE STUDY. PRELIMINARY EFFICACY WAS EXPLORED VIA THE POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER CHECKLIST, SCALE OF BODY CONNECTION, PROMIS-29, PROMIS ALCOHOL USE, PROMIS SUBSTANCE USE, DIFFICULTIES IN EMOTIONAL REGULATION SCALE, AND SELF-COMPASSION SCALE-SHORT FORM. ALL MEASURES WERE ADMINISTERED AT BASELINE, WEEK 5, WEEK 10, AND AT A 5-WEEK FOLLOW-UP. A QUALITATIVE FEASIBILITY QUESTIONNAIRE WAS ADMINISTERED WEEKLY AND AT THE 5-WEEK FOLLOW-UP TO ASSESS BARRIERS AND MOTIVATORS FOR HOME PRACTICE AND TO COLLECT FEEDBACK ABOUT SESSION CONTENT. RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES RESULTED IN ONLY SEVEN INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS. FOUR PARTICIPANTS (THREE MALES, ONE FEMALE) WERE SUCCESSFULLY ENROLLED IN THE STUDY AFTER SEVEN PHONE SCREENINGS AND FIVE IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS. THE FOUR ENROLLED CLIENTS HAD A 100% FOLLOW-UP RETENTION RATE, REPORTED NO ADVERSE EVENTS, AND ON AVERAGE PARTICIPATED IN 85% OF CLASSES. CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT ENHANCEMENTS WERE OBSERVED ON TRAUMA- AND BODY CONNECTION-RELATED SCALES FOR THREE PARTICIPANTS FROM BASELINE TO FOLLOW-UP. QUALITATIVE DATA REVEALED THAT MOTIVATORS TO PRACTICE INCLUDE IN-SESSION PHILOSOPHICAL DISCUSSIONS BASED ON PSYCHOLOGICAL THEMES; BREATHWORK; MINDFULNESS; AND PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, WORK/ACADEMIC, AND MENTAL HEALTH IMPACT. BARRIERS INCLUDED MOTIVATION, TIME, AND LOCATION. IMPORTANT THEMES EMERGED RELATED TO CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR VETERANS. ALTHOUGH THIS 10-WEEK TRAUMA-INFORMED PROTOCOL FACED CHALLENGES TO RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND PARTICIPATION WERE HIGH. EFFICACY MEASURES YIELDED PROMISING RESULTS FOR REDUCING TRAUMA-RELATED SYMPTOMS. 2019 3 252 41 A YOGA PROGRAM FOR THE SYMPTOMS OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER IN VETERANS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PILOT STUDY WAS TO EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF A YOGA PROGRAM AS AN ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY FOR IMPROVING POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) SYMPTOMS IN VETERANS WITH MILITARY-RELATED PTSD. VETERANS (N = 12) PARTICIPATED IN A 6 WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION HELD TWICE A WEEK. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN PTSD HYPERAROUSAL SYMPTOMS AND OVERALL SLEEP QUALITY AS WELL AS DAYTIME DYSFUNCTION RELATED TO SLEEP. THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TOTAL PTSD, ANGER, OR QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOME SCORES. THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT THIS YOGA PROGRAM MAY BE AN EFFECTIVE ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY FOR IMPROVING HYPERAROUSAL SYMPTOMS OF PTSD INCLUDING SLEEP QUALITY. THIS STUDY DEMONSTRATES THAT THE YOGA PROGRAM IS ACCEPTABLE, FEASIBLE, AND THAT THERE IS GOOD ADHERENCE IN A VETERAN POPULATION. 2013 4 1892 38 RELAX WHILE YOU REHABILITATE: A PILOT STUDY INTEGRATING A NOVEL, YOGA-BASED MINDFULNESS GROUP INTERVENTION INTO A RESIDENTIAL MILITARY BRAIN INJURY REHABILITATION PROGRAM. OBJECTIVE: THIS PRELIMINARY, PILOT STUDY ASSESSED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A GROUP-BASED, MINDFULNESS INTERVENTION IN A RESIDENTIAL, REHABILITATION SETTING WITH SPECIFIC FOCUS ON ASSESSING PARTICIPANTS' SELF-REPORT OF PERCEIVED BENEFIT OF THE INTERVENTION ON OVERALL HEALTH, PAIN, SLEEP, MOOD/ANXIETY, ATTENTION, AND SELF-AWARENESS, AS WELL AS IMPLEMENTING MODIFICATIONS NEEDED FOR SUCCESSFUL INTERVENTION APPLICATION AMONG A DIVERSE, CLINICAL MILITARY POPULATION. METHOD/DESIGN: PARTICIPANTS WERE 19 VETERANS AND ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS WITH A HISTORY OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI; 63% SEVERE) WHO COMPLETED A MINDFULNESS-BASED GROUP INTERVENTION DURING INPATIENT ADMISSION AT A VETERANS AFFAIRS POLYTRAUMA TRANSITIONAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM (PTRP). MINDFULNESS AND YOGA SKILLS WERE TAUGHT IN A REQUIRED, WEEKLY GROUP INCORPORATED INTO PARTICIPANTS' REHABILITATION SCHEDULE. OPINIONS AND ATTITUDES ABOUT MINDFULNESS, AS WELL AS PERTINENT SELF-REPORT OUTCOME MEASURES, WERE OBTAINED PRE- AND POSTGROUP PARTICIPATION. RESULTS: RESULTS SUGGESTED THAT PARTICIPATION IN THE GROUP WAS POSITIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH INDIVIDUALS' SELF-REPORTED BELIEF ABOUT THE BENEFIT OF MINDFULNESS IN THE AREAS OF OVERALL HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH, MOOD, FOCUS, AND SELF-AWARENESS. THE MORE GROUPS ATTENDED, THE MORE POSITIVE THE PARTICIPANTS' BELIEFS ABOUT POTENTIAL IMPACT ON OVERALL HEALTH AND MOOD BECAME, EVEN WHILE CONTROLLING FOR LENGTH OF REHABILITATION STAY. ADDITIONALLY, SEVERAL SPECIFIC GROUP MODIFICATIONS RELEVANT TO THIS POPULATION (E.G., PHYSICAL/ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS, REPETITION, IGNORING/REORIENTING) WERE IMPLEMENTED TO SUPPORT SUCCESSFUL PARTICIPATION. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: THESE PRELIMINARY AND EXPLORATORY FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT IT MAY BE WORTHWHILE FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS, CLINICIANS, AND OTHER HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WORKING WITH A MIXED TBI POPULATION, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY A MILITARY POPULATION WITH TBI, TO CONSIDER INTRODUCING MINDFULNESS SKILLS AS PART OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY REHABILITATION. (PSYCINFO DATABASE RECORD 2018 5 2244 44 THE INFLUENCE OF TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA (TIY) ON EMOTION REGULATION AND SKILLED AWARENESS IN SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS. THIS STUDY EXAMINED A TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA (TIY) INTERVENTION CREATED SPECIFICALLY FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS AND DELIVERED IN A COMMUNITY-BASED GROUP SETTING. MUCH OF THE EXISTING RESEARCH ON THIS TYPE OF INTERVENTION HAS BEEN CONDUCTED IN CLINICAL TRIALS AS OPPOSED TO COMMUNITY-BASED VENUES. AS SEXUAL ASSAULT IS A COMMON TYPE OF TRAUMA AND RESULTS MORE COMMONLY IN POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD), THE CURRENT STUDY AIMED TO SHED LIGHT ON THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF A TRAUMA-SENSITIVE YOGA AND MINDFULNESS INTERVENTION FOR SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE NATURAL SETTING OF A COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION. THE INTERVENTION WAS DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED BY LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS AND REGISTERED YOGA TEACHERS AND MODELED ON THE EVIDENCE-BASED WORK OF THE TRAUMA CENTER AT THE JUSTICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE. THE STUDY EMPLOYED A TRADITIONAL QUANTITATIVE ONE-SAMPLE, PRE- AND POSTTEST DESIGN. SURVEY ITEMS WERE DRAWN FROM TWO EXISTING MEASURES: (1) FIVE FACET MINDFULNESS QUESTIONNAIRE AND (2) DIFFICULTIES IN EMOTION REGULATION SCALE. THE MAJORITY OF THE SAMPLE (N = 37) IDENTIFIED AS WHITE (67.6%), FOLLOWED BY LATINA (13.5%), AFRICAN AMERICAN (8.1%), MULTIRACIAL (5.4%), AND OTHER (2.7%). THE MEAN AGE OF PARTICIPANTS WAS 29 YEARS (STANDARD DEVIATION 8 YEARS, RANGE 18-56 YEARS). ALL PARTICIPANTS IDENTIFIED AS FEMALE. FINDINGS DEMONSTRATED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN PARTICIPANTS' EMOTION REGULATION AND SKILLED AWARENESS, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO REDUCE PTSD SYMPTOMATOLOGY. THE PRESENT DISCUSSION CONSIDERS THE RESULTS IN LIGHT OF PREVIOUS RESEARCH AND PRESENTS STUDY LIMITATIONS. 2020 6 905 35 EFFECTIVENESS OF AN EXTENDED YOGA TREATMENT FOR WOMEN WITH CHRONIC POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER. BACKGROUND: YOGA HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE AN EFFECTIVE POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) TREATMENT FOR A VARIETY OF TRAUMA SURVIVORS, INCLUDING FEMALES WITH CHRONIC PTSD. AIM/PURPOSE: THE CURRENT STUDY BUILDS ON EXTANT RESEARCH BY EXAMINING AN EXTENDED TRAUMA-SENSITIVE YOGA TREATMENT FOR WOMEN WITH CHRONIC PTSD. THE STUDY SOUGHT TO OPTIMIZE THE RESULTS OF A TREATMENT PROTOCOL EXAMINED IN A RECENT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL WITH A SHORTER DURATION AND WITHOUT ASSIGNMENT OR MONITORING OF HOME PRACTICE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: THE AUTHORS EXAMINED A 20-WEEK TRAUMA-SENSITIVE YOGA TREATMENT IN A NON-RANDOMIZED SINGLE-GROUP TREATMENT FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR WOMEN WITH CHRONIC TREATMENT-RESISTANT PTSD (N = 9). THE AUTHORS EXAMINED PTSD AND DISSOCIATION SYMPTOM REDUCTION OVER SEVERAL ASSESSMENT PERIODS. RESULTS: THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN PTSD AND DISSOCIATIVE SYMPTOMATOLOGY ABOVE AND BEYOND SIMILAR TREATMENTS OF A SHORTER DURATION. CONCLUSIONS: THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT MORE INTENSIVE TRAUMA-SENSITIVE YOGA TREATMENT CHARACTERIZED BY LONGER DURATION AND INTENTIONAL ASSIGNMENT AND MONITORING OF HOME PRACTICE MAY BE MORE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SEVERE AND CHRONIC PTSD. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS FOR THE POTENTIALLY MORE SUBSTANTIAL ROLE OF YOGA AS AN INTERVENTION FOR A SUBSET OF ADULTS WITH CHRONIC TREATMENT-RESISTANT PTSD ARE DISCUSSED. 2017 7 574 37 DELIVERING INTEGRATIVE RESTORATION-YOGA NIDRA MEDITATION (IREST(R)) TO WOMEN WITH SEXUAL TRAUMA AT A VETERAN'S MEDICAL CENTER: A PILOT STUDY. OBJECTIVE: THIS PILOT STUDY EXAMINES IREST, A FORM OF GUIDED MINDFULNESS MEDITATION, AND ITS ABILITY TO REDUCE SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH SEXUAL TRAUMA, INCLUDING MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA (MST), IN A SAMPLE OF WOMEN SEEKING PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES AT A DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA) MEDICAL CENTER. METHODS: 90-MINUTE SESSIONS WERE HELD 19 TIMES, TWICE A WEEK FOR 10 WEEKS, EXCEPT FOR THE WEEK WITH A HOLIDAY. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED SELF-REPORT MEASURES BRIEF SYMPTOM INVENTORY-18 (BSI), POSTTRAUMATIC COGNITIONS INVENTORY (PTCI), AND THE POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER CHECK LIST (PCL) PRE- AND POST-TREATMENT. SIXTEEN WOMEN WERE RECRUITED: 15 ENROLLED, 5 DROPPED DUE TO TRANSPORTATION ISSUES, AND 10 COMPLETED THE PROTOCOL. RESULTS: COMPLETERS REPORTED SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN SYMPTOMS OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PCL, T (9) = 3.17, P < 0.01, D = 0.66), NEGATIVE THOUGHTS OF SELF-BLAME (PTCI T (9) = 2.96, P < 0.05, D = 0.52), AND DEPRESSION (BSI, T (9) = 2.33, P < 0.05, D = 0.64). PARTICIPANTS ALSO OFFERED VERBAL REPORTS OF DECREASED BODY TENSION, IMPROVED QUALITY OF SLEEP, IMPROVED ABILITY TO HANDLE INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS, IMPROVED ABILITY TO MANAGE STRESS, AND AN INCREASED FEELING OF JOY. PARTICIPANTS ALSO ENTHUSIASTICALLY ENDORSED THE CLASS AND STATED THEY WOULD TAKE IT AGAIN AND RECOMMEND IT TO OTHERS. CONCLUSIONS: THIS SMALL PILOT STUDY SHOWED PROMISING RESULTS FOR DELIVERING IREST TO WOMEN WITH SEXUAL TRAUMA IN A VA MEDICAL CENTER. FURTHER RESEARCH IS WARRANTED. 2014 8 1830 36 PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY AND SET-SHIFTING AMONG VETERANS PARTICIPATING IN A YOGA PROGRAM: A PILOT STUDY. INTRODUCTION: TRAUMA-FOCUSED PSYCHOTHERAPIES DO NOT MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL VETERANS. YOGA SHOWS SOME POTENTIAL IN REDUCING STRESS AND PERHAPS EVEN PTSD IN VETERANS, ALTHOUGH LITTLE IS UNDERSTOOD ABOUT THE MECHANISMS OF ACTION. THIS STUDY IDENTIFIES PRELIMINARY CORRELATES OF CHANGE IN PTSD AND PERCEIVED STRESS FOR VETERANS PARTICIPATING IN YOGA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: NINE VETERANS (SEVEN MALES AND TWO FEMALES) WERE RECRUITED FROM AN EXISTING CLINICAL YOGA PROGRAM AND OBSERVED OVER 16 WK. SEVERITY OF PTSD SYMPTOMS (PCL-5) AND PERCEIVED STRESS (PSS-10) WERE COLLECTED AT BASELINE AND WEEKS 4, 6, 8, AND 16. PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY (AAQ-II) AND SET-SHIFTING (RATIO OF TRAIL MAKING TEST A TO B) WERE COLLECTED AT BASELINE AND AT WEEK 6. SUBJECTS ATTENDED YOGA SESSIONS FREELY, RANGING FROM 1 TO 23 CLASSES OVER THE 16 WEEKS. THE STANFORD UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVED THIS RESEARCH PROTOCOL. RESULTS: SELF-REPORTED PTSD SYMPTOMS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED WHILE PERCEIVED STRESS DID NOT. LOWER BASELINE SET-SHIFTING PREDICTED GREATER IMPROVEMENTS IN PTSD BETWEEN BASELINE AND 4 WEEKS; EARLY IMPROVEMENTS IN SET-SHIFTING PREDICTED OVERALL REDUCTION IN PTSD. GREATER PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY WAS ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER PTSD AND PERCEIVED STRESS; MORE YOGA PRACTICE, BEFORE AND DURING THE STUDY, WAS ASSOCIATED WITH GREATER PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY. OTHER PREDICTORS WERE NOT SUPPORTED. CONCLUSIONS: IN A SMALL UNCONTROLLED SAMPLE, PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY AND SET-SHIFTING PREDICTED CHANGES IN PTSD SYMPTOMS IN VETERANS PARTICIPATING IN A CLINICAL YOGA PROGRAM, WHICH SUPPORTS FINDINGS FROM PRIOR RESEARCH. FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD INCLUDE AN ACTIVE COMPARISON GROUP AND RECORD FREQUENCY OF YOGA PRACTICED OUTSIDE FORMAL SESSIONS. 2018 9 113 38 A PILOT STUDY OF A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF YOGA AS AN INTERVENTION FOR PTSD SYMPTOMS IN WOMEN. POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) IS A DEBILITATING CONDITION THAT AFFECTS APPROXIMATELY 10% OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES. ALTHOUGH EFFECTIVE PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC TREATMENTS FOR PTSD EXIST, CLIENTS WITH PTSD REPORT ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES SUCH AS YOGA. IN PARTICULAR, YOGA MAY DOWNREGULATE THE STRESS RESPONSE AND POSITIVELY IMPACT PTSD AND COMORBID DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY SYMPTOMS. WE CONDUCTED A PILOT STUDY OF A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL COMPARING A 12-SESSION KRIPALU-BASED YOGA INTERVENTION WITH AN ASSESSMENT CONTROL GROUP. PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED 38 WOMEN WITH CURRENT FULL OR SUBTHRESHOLD PTSD SYMPTOMS. DURING THE INTERVENTION, YOGA PARTICIPANTS SHOWED DECREASES IN REEXPERIENCING AND HYPERAROUSAL SYMPTOMS. THE ASSESSMENT CONTROL GROUP, HOWEVER, SHOWED DECREASES IN REEXPERIENCING AND ANXIETY SYMPTOMS AS WELL, WHICH MAY BE A RESULT OF THE POSITIVE EFFECT OF SELF-MONITORING ON PTSD AND ASSOCIATED SYMPTOMS. BETWEEN-GROUPS EFFECT SIZES WERE SMALL TO MODERATE (0.08-0.31). ALTHOUGH MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED, YOGA MAY BE AN EFFECTIVE ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT FOR PTSD. PARTICIPANTS RESPONDED POSITIVELY TO THE INTERVENTION, SUGGESTING THAT IT WAS TOLERABLE FOR THIS SAMPLE. FINDINGS UNDERSCORE THE NEED FOR FUTURE RESEARCH INVESTIGATING MECHANISMS BY WHICH YOGA MAY IMPACT MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS, GENDER COMPARISONS, AND THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF YOGA PRACTICE. 2014 10 155 33 A QUALITATIVE STUDY EXPLORING YOGA IN VETERANS WITH PTSD SYMPTOMS. QUANTITATIVE STUDIES OF YOGA HAVE REPORTED REDUCED POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) SYMPTOMS IN VETERANS, BUT LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT HOW AND WHY VETERANS ARE ATTRACTED TO AND STICK WITH A YOGA PRACTICE. GUIDED BY THE HEALTH BELIEF MODEL, THIS STUDY EXAMINED VETERANS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE BENEFITS, BARRIERS, AND MOTIVATIONS TO CONTINUE PRACTICING TRAUMA-SENSITIVE YOGA. INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH NINE INDIVIDUALS, FIVE OF WHOM COMPLETED A 6-WEEK TRAUMA-SENSITIVE YOGA INTERVENTION DESIGNED FOR VETERANS AND FOUR WHO DID NOT COMPLETE THE INTERVENTION. TRANSCRIPTS WERE ANALYZED FOR THEMES. THE BENEFITS IDENTIFIED BY VETERANS WERE FINDING MENTAL STILLNESS, BODY AWARENESS, AND SOCIAL CONNECTION. THE BARRIERS WERE PERCEPTIONS THAT YOGA IS SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE, ESPECIALLY FOR MEN, AND PHYSICALLY UNCHALLENGING. UNDERSTANDING THESE BENEFITS AND BARRIERS CAN HELP TO MAKE YOGA MORE ATTRACTIVE TO SERVICE MEMBERS AND VETERANS. FOR EXAMPLE, MEDICAL PERSONNEL CAN REFER SERVICE MEMBERS AND VETERANS TO YOGA NOT ONLY FOR PTSD SYMPTOMS, BUT ALSO TO ADDRESS BACK PAIN AND TO REDUCE ISOLATION. ACCESS TO MALE YOGA INSTRUCTORS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE THEMSELVES SERVICE MEMBERS OR VETERANS, COULD BE EXPANDED, AND CLASSES COULD BE INTEGRATED INTO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ROUTINES REQUIRED OF ACTIVE-DUTY PERSONNEL. PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS CAN FEATURE MALE SERVICE MEMBERS AND VETERANS WITH CAPTIONS RELATED TO YOGA AS A WAY TO INCREASE RESILIENCY, SELF-SUFFICIENCY, AND PHYSICAL AND MENTAL MISSION READINESS. FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY CAN HELP THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION IMPLEMENT YOGA AS AN ADJUNCT OR ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT FOR VETERANS WITH PTSD SYMPTOMS. 2018 11 2312 33 TRAUMA SENSITIVE YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT FOR POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: A QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS. RESEARCH ON POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND CHRONIC CHILDHOOD ABUSE HAS REVEALED THAT TRADITIONAL TRAUMA TREATMENTS OFTEN FAIL TO FULLY ADDRESS THE COMPLICATED SYMPTOM PRESENTATION, INCLUDING THE SOMATIC COMPLAINTS, LOSS OF AWARENESS OF ONE'S EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL BEING IN THE PRESENT MOMENT, AND OVERALL LACK OF INTEGRATION BETWEEN THE SELF AND THE BODY. THE MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTION OF HATHA YOGA SHOWS PROMISE AS A COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT, AND FOCUSES ON PERSONAL GROWTH IN ADDITION TO SYMPTOM REDUCTION. THIS QUALITATIVE STUDY EXPLORED THE EXPERIENCES OF THIRTY-ONE ADULT WOMEN WITH PTSD RELATED TO CHRONIC CHILDHOOD TRAUMA WHO PARTICIPATED IN A 10-WEEK TRAUMA SENSITIVE YOGA CLASS, SPECIFICALLY EXAMINING PERCEIVED CHANGES IN SYMPTOMS AND PERSONAL GROWTH. FIVE THEMES WERE IDENTIFIED THAT REFLECT PARTICIPANTS' FEELINGS OF GRATITUDE AND COMPASSION, RELATEDNESS, ACCEPTANCE, CENTEREDNESS, AND EMPOWERMENT. RESULTS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH AND CLINICAL WORK ARE PRESENTED. 2017 12 246 32 A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS: A PRELIMINARY RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL. YOGA MAY BE EFFECTIVE IN THE REDUCTION OF PTSD SYMPTOMOLOGY. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF A KUNDALINI YOGA (KY) TREATMENT ON PTSD SYMPTOMS AND OVERALL WELLBEING. TO SUPPLEMENT THE CURRENT FIELD OF INQUIRY, A PILOT RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL (RCT) WAS CONDUCTED COMPARING AN 8-SESSION KY INTERVENTION WITH A WAITLIST CONTROL GROUP. 80 INDIVIDUALS WITH CURRENT PTSD SYMPTOMS PARTICIPATED. BOTH GROUPS DEMONSTRATED CHANGES IN PTSD SYMPTOMOLOGY BUT YOGA PARTICIPANTS SHOWED GREATER CHANGES IN MEASURES OF SLEEP, POSITIVE AFFECT, PERCEIVED STRESS, ANXIETY, STRESS, AND RESILIENCE. BETWEEN-GROUPS EFFECT SIZES WERE SMALL TO MODERATE (0.09-0.25). KY MAY BE AN ADJUNCTIVE OR ALTERNATIVE INTERVENTION FOR PTSD. FINDINGS INDICATE THE NEED FOR FURTHER YOGA RESEARCH TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISM OF YOGA IN RELATION TO MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH, GENDER AND ETHNIC COMPARISONS, AND SHORT- AND LONG-TERM YOGA PRACTICE FOR PSYCHIATRIC CONDITIONS. 2015 13 250 33 A YOGA INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM SYMPTOMS OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: A QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTIVE STUDY. OBJECTIVE: TO UNDERSTAND HOW INDIVIDUALS WITH SYMPTOMS OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) PERCEIVE A TRAUMA-SENSITIVE KUNDALINI YOGA (KY) PROGRAM. METHODS: DIGITALLY RECORDED TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS 30-60 MINUTES IN DURATION WERE CONDUCTED WITH 40 INDIVIDUALS WITH PTSD PARTICIPATING IN AN 8-WEEK KY TREATMENT PROGRAM. INTERVIEWS WERE TRANSCRIBED VERBATIM AND ANALYZED USING QUALITATIVE THEMATIC ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES. RESULTS: QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS IDENTIFIES THREE MAJOR THEMES: SELF-OBSERVED CHANGES, NEW AWARENESS, AND THE YOGA PROGRAM ITSELF. FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT PARTICIPANTS NOTED CHANGES IN AREAS OF HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, LIFESTYLE, PSYCHOSOCIAL INTEGRATION, AND PERCEPTIONS OF SELF IN RELATION TO THE WORLD. PRESENTED ARE PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR TRAUMA-RELATED PROGRAMMING. CONCLUSION: THERE IS A NEED TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE AND POTENTIALLY EMPOWERING APPROACHES TO TRAUMA TREATMENT. YOGA-RELATED SELF-CARE OR SELF-MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ARE WIDELY ACCESSIBLE, ARE EMPOWERING, AND MAY ADDRESS THE MIND-BODY ELEMENTS OF PTSD. 2015 14 2286 32 THE USE OF YOGA IN SPECIALIZED VA PTSD TREATMENT PROGRAMS. BACKGROUND: POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) IS A CHRONIC, DEBILITATING ANXIETY DISORDER THAT IS HIGHLY PREVALENT AMONG U.S. MILITARY VETERANS. YOGA, DEFINED TO INCLUDE PHYSICAL POSTURES (ASANA) AND MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION, IS BEING INCREASINGLY USED AS AN ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT FOR PTSD AND OTHER PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS. NO RESEARCH OR ADMINISTRATIVE DATA HAVE DETAILED THE USE OF THESE SERVICES IN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS' (VA) 170 PTSD TREATMENT PROGRAMS. METHODS: ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE PROGRAM COORDINATORS OR DESIGNATED STAFF COMPLETED AN 81-ITEM SURVEY OF THEIR PROGRAM'S USE OF COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE MODALITIES IN THE PAST YEAR. THIS REPORT DESCRIBES DATA FROM A SUBSET OF 30 QUESTIONS USED TO ASSESS THE PREVALENCE, NATURE, AND CONTEXT OF THE USE OF YOGA, MINDFULNESS, AND MEDITATION OTHER THAN MINDFULNESS PRACTICES. RESULTS: RESULTS REVEALED THAT THESE PRACTICES ARE WIDELY OFFERED IN VA SPECIALIZED PTSD TREATMENT PROGRAMS AND THAT THERE IS GREAT VARIABILITY IN THE CONTEXT AND NATURE OF HOW THEY ARE DELIVERED. CONCLUSIONS: UNDERSTANDING HOW YOGA IS USED BY THESE PROGRAMS MAY INFORM ONGOING EFFORTS TO DEFINE AND DISTINGUISH YOGA THERAPY AS A RESPECTED THERAPEUTIC DISCIPLINE AND TO CREATE PATIENT-CENTERED CARE MODELS THAT MINDFULLY FULFILL THE UNMET NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, INCLUDING VETERANS WITH PTSD. 2012 15 1812 37 PROGRAM EVALUATION OF TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. BACKGROUND: TRAUMA IS HIGHLY PREVALENT AMONG VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE INCARCERATED, IN TREATMENT FOR SUBSTANCE USE, OR SEEKING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA SEEKS TO CREATE A SAFER YOGA PRACTICE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH A TRAUMA HISTORY AND MAY IMPROVE EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING. THUS, WE CONDUCTED AN EVALUATION OF A TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA PROGRAM TO GAIN INSIGHT INTO PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCES. METHODS: TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA CLASSES WERE LED BY TRAINED VOLUNTEERS AND HELD IN THREE SECTORS THAT WORK WITH VULNERABLE POPULATIONS: CORRECTIONS AND REENTRY, SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT AND RECOVERY, AND COMMUNITY AND MENTAL HEALTH. DATA WERE COLLECTED VIA ANONYMOUS SURVEY USING A RETROSPECTIVE PRE-POST DESIGN. THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT CAPTURED REASONS FOR STUDENT PARTICIPATION AND PERCEIVED EFFECTS OF YOGA ON EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING. RESULTS: STUDENTS WERE MOTIVATED TO PARTICIPATE IN YOGA CLASSES BY EXPECTATIONS OF PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND SPIRITUAL BENEFIT. STUDENTS REPORTED PERCEIVED IMPROVEMENTS IN EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING AND GREATER USE OF SELF-REGULATION SKILLS AFTER STARTING YOGA. CONCLUSION: OUR FINDINGS SUGGEST TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA IS PERCEIVED AS BENEFICIAL BY VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM OR RECOVERING FROM SUBSTANCE USE. OUR RESULTS SUPPORT THE VALUE OF OFFERING TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA IN INSTITUTIONALIZED AND COMMUNITY SETTINGS. IMPROVEMENTS IN EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING WARRANT FORMAL STUDY. 2021 16 1998 44 STRENGTH AND AWARENESS IN ACTION: FEASIBILITY OF A YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION FOR POST-ACUTE MILD TBI HEADACHES AMONG VETERANS. BACKGROUND: MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (MTBI) IS A SIGNATURE INJURY SUSTAINED BY VETERANS DURING RECENT CONFLICTS. FOR SOME, MTBI/CONCUSSION IS ASSOCIATED WITH DISABLING SYMPTOMS, INCLUDING POST-CONCUSSIVE HEADACHES (PCH). HOWEVER, THERE ARE LIMITED EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENTS FOR PERSISTENT PCH. OBJECTIVE: INVESTIGATORS ASSESSED THE FEASIBILITY OF DESIGN ELEMENTS OF A YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONAL TRIAL FOR PCH AMONG VETERANS, AS WELL AS THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE INTERVENTION. METHODS: THIS RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED ACCEPTABILITY AND FEASIBILITY TRIAL WAS IMPLEMENTED USING A WAITLIST-CONTROL DESIGN. DESIGN ELEMENTS OF INTEREST INCLUDED: AN EXERCISE RUN-IN CLASS; RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGIES; AND, ECOLOGICAL MOMENTARY ASSESSMENT (EMA) MODALITIES TO TRACK HEADACHES AND YOGA PRACTICE. VETERAN SATISFACTION REGARDING THE INTERVENTION WAS ALSO EVALUATED. A DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED ON CANDIDATE OUTCOMES INCLUDING PCH, POST-CONCUSSIVE SYMPTOMS, PAIN, AND DAILY FUNCTIONING. RESULTS: TWENTY-SEVEN PARTICIPANTS (OUT OF 70 CONSENTED AND ELIGIBLE AFTER STUDY VISIT 1) COMPLETED EACH EVALUATION TIMEPOINT AND REGULARLY ATTENDED YOGA SESSIONS, WITH 89% OF THESE VETERANS REPORTING MODERATE TO HIGH LEVELS OF SATISFACTION WITH THE INTERVENTION AT STUDY COMPLETION. QUALITATIVELY, PARTICIPANTS ENDORSED IMPROVEMENTS IN HEADACHES, CHRONIC PAIN, AND MOOD. FEASIBILITY RESULTS WERE MIXED. INITIAL FEASIBILITY CRITERION REGARDING YOGA ATTENDANCE WAS NOT MET; HOWEVER, MODIFICATIONS, SUCH AS EXPANSION TO AN ADDITIONAL CLINIC SITE AND REDUCTION OF IN-PERSON YOGA SESSIONS WITH INCREASED ENCOURAGEMENT TO USE STUDY-CREATED ONLINE YOGA VIDEOS IMPROVED FEASIBILITY OF THE STUDY DESIGN. PARTICIPANTS MOST FREQUENTLY USED MOBILE AND WEB-BASED EMA MODALITIES TO TRACK YOGA PRACTICE. CONCLUSIONS: ALTHOUGH CHALLENGES WITH FEASIBILITY OF THE STUDY DESIGN ELEMENTS WERE NOTED, RESULTS SUGGESTED ACCEPTABILITY OF THE YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION FOR VETERANS WITH PERSISTENT PCH. ADDITIONAL EXPLORATION REGARDING THE FREQUENCY AND MODALITY OF YOGA DELIVERY (E.G., IN-PERSON, TELEHEALTH) IS WARRANTED. IMPACT: VETERANS FOUND THE YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION ACCEPTABLE, HOWEVER EXPLORATION OF NOVEL MODALITIES OF INTERVENTION DELIVERY WILL LIKELY BE NECESSARY TO ENHANCE THE FEASIBILITY OF INTERVENTION IMPLEMENTATION DURING FUTURE TRIALS. 2021 17 112 37 A PILOT STUDY OF A MINDFULNESS INFORMED YOGA INTERVENTION IN YOUNG PEOPLE WITH PSYCHOSIS. AIM: TO DETERMINE THE ACCEPTABILITY AND SAFETY OF A MINDFULNESS INFORMED YOGA INTERVENTION AS ADJUNCT TO USUAL CARE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH EARLY PSYCHOSIS. METHODS: PEOPLE AGED 16-25 YEARS ATTENDING A COMMUNITY-BASED SPECIALIST EARLY PSYCHOSIS CLINIC WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A 12-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION. THE INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF 1-H WEEKLY CLASSES OF MINDFULNESS INFORMED YOGA. ACCEPTABILITY WAS MEASURED BY UPTAKE, ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPANTS' SATISFACTION. SAFETY WAS MEASURED BY INCIDENCE OF PHYSICAL INJURY, PARTICIPANTS' LEVEL OF COMFORT, DISTRESS AND ANXIETY DURING THE SESSIONS, AND THE FOLLOWING MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES: POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE PSYCHOTIC, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND STRESS SYMPTOMS, SLEEP QUALITY AND FUNCTIONING. RESULTS: OF THOSE WHO CONSENTED TO THE STUDY, 80% (12) PARTICIPATED AND ON AVERAGE ATTENDED 4.4 YOGA CLASSES. THERE WERE NO PHYSICAL INJURIES AND PARTICIPANTS REPORTED MINIMAL DISTRESS AND ANXIETY. POST-INTERVENTION, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN ANXIETY SYMPTOMS AND AN IMPROVEMENT IN FUNCTION. CONCLUSIONS: MINDFULNESS-BASED YOGA INTERVENTIONS ARE BOTH ACCEPTABLE AND SAFE AS AN INTERVENTION FOR YOUTH WITH EARLY PSYCHOSIS. THOUGH NUMBERS WERE SMALL, THE STUDY SHOWS PROMISE FOR YOGA AS A POTENTIALLY USEFUL INTERVENTION. IMPORTANTLY, THERE WAS NO DETERIORATION IN MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES. A LARGER TRIAL EVALUATING CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS IS NOW TIMELY. 2022 18 254 36 A YOGA STRESS REDUCTION INTERVENTION FOR UNIVERSITY FACULTY, STAFF, AND GRADUATE STUDENTS. YOGA CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS AND DECREASED ABILITY TO COPE WITH PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, VOCATIONAL, OR ACADEMIC STRESS. ONE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS CHALLENGED REGARDING ADEQUATE SELF-CARE IN THE FACE OF STRESS ARE PERSONNEL IN UNIVERSITY TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR HELPING PROFESSIONS (E.G., PSYCHOLOGY, NURSING, NUTRITION). THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY EXPLORED ENGAGEMENT IN AND EFFECTIVENESS OF A SYSTEMATIC 10-WEEK YOGA PROGRAM AIMED AT UNIVERSITY FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS. THE INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF 10 WEEKLY 90-MINUTE SESSIONS THAT WERE STRUCTURED TO INCLUDE CONCEPTUAL GROUNDING, BREATHING, POSTURES, AND MEDITATION. WEEKLY CLASS OUTLINES WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS FOR HOME PRACTICE. PARTICIPANTS SIGNED INFORMED CONSENTS, LIABILITY WAIVERS, AND HEALTH SCREENINGS. SELF-REPORTS OF HOME PRACTICE, BARRIERS TO PRACTICE, PERCEIVED STRESS, AND STRESS SYMPTOMS WERE USED TO EVALUATE WHETHER THE INTERVENTION WAS SUCCESSFUL IN ENGAGING PARTICIPANTS AND REDUCING STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOMS. ENGAGEMENT WAS DEMONSTRATED BY STUDY ADHERENCE IN THE FIRST 10-WEEK SERIES (88%; 44 OF 50 ENROLLED), AS WELL AS RE-ENROLLMENT FOR AT LEAST ONE ADDITIONAL 10-WEEK SERIES (64%; 28 OF 44). INTERVENTION SUCCESS WAS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH REPEATED MEASURE S ANOVAS OF 44 PARTICIPANTS' DATA, WHICH SHOWED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT AFTER A SINGLE 10-WEEK SERIES IN PERCEIVED STRESS, AS WELL AS SELF-REPORTED PSYCHOLOGICAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF STRESS. THE STUDY DEMONSTRATES FEASIBILITY OF A YOGA INTERVENTION IN AN ACADEMIC SETTING AND PROVIDES PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE FOR EFFICACY IN STRESS REDUCTION. IT ALSO SUPPLIES 10 DETAILED SESSION PROTOCOLS FOR INTERVENTION REPLICATION. 2015 19 2520 36 YOGA COMPLEMENTS COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY AS AN ADJUNCT TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION: QUALITATIVE FINDINGS FROM A MIXED-METHODS STUDY. OBJECTIVES: COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY (CBT) IS RECOMMENDED FOR TREATING ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, DEMONSTRATING GOOD EFFICACY AND MODERATE RATES OF ENGAGEMENT. TO FURTHER IMPROVE OUTCOMES AND ACCESS TO EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENTS, RESEARCHERS HAVE SOUGHT TO ENHANCE CBT PROTOCOLS WITH MINDFULNESS-BASED APPROACHES, SUCH AS YOGA. THIS STUDY AIMED TO EXAMINE WHETHER YOGA IS AN ACCEPTABLE AND COMPLEMENTARY ADJUNCT TO CBT THROUGH EXPLORING THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION WHO ENGAGED IN AN ADJUNCT THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMME ALONGSIDE GROUP CBT. DESIGN: SINGLE-GROUP QUALITATIVE DESIGN WITH POST-INTERVENTION AND FOLLOW-UP TIMEPOINTS. METHODS: THIRTY-SIX ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SELF-SELECTED INTO A THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMME AS AN ADJUNCT TO GROUP CBT. QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH 27 PARTICIPANTS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE EIGHT-WEEK PROGRAMME AND AGAIN THREE MONTHS LATER. THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS USED TO IDENTIFY COMMON THEMES FROM THE LIVED EXPERIENCES. RESULTS: THREE PRIMARY THEMES, WITH NINE SUBTHEMES, WERE IDENTIFIED WHICH REFLECT THE EXPERIENCES OF THE COMBINED THERAPIES, THE COMPLEMENTARY ELEMENTS, AND PROCESS OF ENGAGEMENT OVER TIME. THE ADJUNCT YOGA PROGRAMME WAS HIGHLY ACCEPTABLE TO ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, ENHANCING ENGAGEMENT AND PERCEIVED OUTCOMES. YOGA WAS IDENTIFIED AS PROVIDING A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF ELEMENTS THAT COMPLEMENTED PROCESSES OF CBT, SUCH AS BEHAVIOURAL ACTIVATION AND THOUGHT DISPUTATION. YOGA PRACTICES REPRESENTED MENTAL HEALTH SELF-MANAGEMENT TOOLS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE AS RELAPSE PREVENTION STRATEGIES. CONCLUSIONS: THERAPEUTIC YOGA WARRANTS CONSIDERATION AS AN ADJUNCT TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AS IT OFFERS UNIQUE AND COMPLEMENTARY ELEMENTS TO CBT AND CAN ENHANCE ENGAGEMENT AND PERCEIVED CLINICAL OUTCOMES. PRACTITIONER POINTS: ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION EXPERIENCED A THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMME AS A SUITABLE AND APPEALING ADJUNCT THAT ENHANCED ENGAGEMENT WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT. YOGA OFFERS A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF ELEMENTS, INCLUDING A VALUES SYSTEM, BODY-BASED MINDFULNESS PRACTICES, AND BREATHING TECHNIQUES, THAT COMPLEMENT CBT PROCESSES, SUCH AS BEHAVIOURAL ACTIVATION, AWARENESS OF MALADAPTIVE PATTERNS, AND THOUGHT DISPUTATION. A THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMME PROVIDES ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION WITH AN ACCESSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE MENTAL HEALTH SELF-MANAGEMENT TOOL. THERAPEUTIC YOGA CAN BE CONSIDERED FOR INTEGRATION TO MODELS OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE PROVISION TO ENHANCE ENGAGEMENT AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES FOR ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. 2021 20 2204 44 THE EXPERIENCE OF MINDFUL YOGA FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH DEPRESSION. WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: MINDFUL YOGA COMBINES YOGA TECHNIQUES WITH THE MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION APPROACH. PREVIOUS STUDIES ON MINDFUL YOGA HAVE REPORTED IMPROVEMENTS IN DEPRESSION FOR WORKING-AGE ADULTS, BUT NO STUDIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED WITH OLDER PEOPLE. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: MINDFUL YOGA MAY BE A SAFE AND ACCEPTABLE INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH OF OLDER ADULTS WITH DEPRESSION. THE BENEFICIAL THERAPEUTIC INGREDIENTS OF MINDFUL YOGA, INCLUDED CALMNESS, BEING NON-JUDGMENTAL, LETTING GO AND SEIZING THE DAY. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: SINGLE-SEX MINDFUL YOGA GROUPS MAY BE MORE ACCEPTABLE FOR SOME PEOPLE. WELL-CONDUCTED FEASIBILITY STUDIES COMPARING MINDFUL YOGA WITH AN ALTERNATIVE GROUP-BASED APPROACH ARE NECESSARY. ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION MINDFUL YOGA COMBINES YOGA TECHNIQUES WITH THE MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION APPROACH. PREVIOUS STUDIES ON MINDFUL YOGA HAVE REPORTED IMPROVEMENTS IN DEPRESSION FOR WORKING-AGE ADULTS, BUT NO STUDIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED WITH OLDER PEOPLE. AIMS TO EXPLORE THE EXPERIENCES OF OLDER ADULTS WITH DEPRESSION PARTICIPATING IN A MINDFUL YOGA GROUP TO ESTABLISH WHETHER THE APPROACH HAS POTENTIAL AS A FUTURE INTERVENTION FOR THIS CLIENT GROUP. METHOD THIS STUDY ADOPTED A QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTIVE METHOD AND USED INDUCTIVE CONTENT ANALYSIS. EIGHTEEN IN-DEPTH INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH NINE PARTICIPANTS (EACH PARTICIPANT HAD ONE INTERVIEW FOLLOWING THE PROGRAMME AND ANOTHER FOUR WEEKS LATER). RESULTS SIX MAIN THEMES EMERGED: "IMPROVED PHYSICAL STATUS," "ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY," "POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS," "PERCEIVED THERAPEUTIC INGREDIENTS," "FACILITATORS OF PRACTISING MINDFUL YOGA" AND "BARRIERS TO PRACTISING MINDFUL YOGA.". DISCUSSION MOST PARTICIPANTS REPORTED BENEFITTING FROM THE PROGRAMME. TWO MALE PARTICIPANTS EXPRESSED THAT EXERCISES WERE TOO CHALLENGING AND MORE SUITED TO WOMEN, SUGGESTING SINGLE-SEX GROUPS MAY BE MORE ACCEPTABLE. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE MINDFUL YOGA MAY BE AN ACCEPTABLE/USEFUL INTERVENTION FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH DEPRESSION, BUT FUTURE STUDIES ARE REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH ITS FEASIBILITY AND POTENTIAL EFFICACY. 2019