1 380 113 BECOMING CONNECTED: THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF YOGA PARTICIPATION AFTER STROKE. PURPOSE: TO INVESTIGATE THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND PERCEIVED OUTCOMES OF A YOGA PROGRAMME FOR STROKE SURVIVORS. METHOD: THIS ARTICLE REPORTS ON A PRELIMINARY STUDY USING QUALITATIVE METHODS TO INVESTIGATE THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND PERCEIVED OUTCOMES OF A YOGA PROGRAMME. NINE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD EXPERIENCED STROKE WERE INTERVIEWED FOLLOWING A 10-WEEK YOGA PROGRAMME INVOLVING MOVEMENT, BREATHING AND MEDITATION PRACTICES. AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH WAS USED TO DETERMINE MEANINGS ATTACHED TO YOGA PARTICIPATION AS WELL AS PERCEPTIONS OF OUTCOMES. RESULTS: INTERPRETATIVE THEMES EVOLVING FROM THE DATA WERE ORGANISED AROUND A BIO-PSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL OF HEALTH BENEFITS FROM YOGA. EMERGENT THEMES FROM THE ANALYSIS INCLUDED: GREATER SENSATION; FEELING CALMER AND BECOMING CONNECTED. THESE THEMES RESPECTIVELY REVEALED PERCEIVED PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS IN TERMS OF STRENGTH, RANGE OF MOVEMENT OR WALKING ABILITY, AN IMPROVED SENSE OF CALMNESS AND THE POSSIBILITY FOR RECONNECTING AND ACCEPTING A DIFFERENT BODY. CONCLUSION: THE STUDY HAS GENERATED ORIGINAL FINDINGS THAT SUGGEST THAT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD A STROKE YOGA PARTICIPATION CAN PROVIDE A NUMBER OF MEANINGFUL PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL BENEFITS AND SUPPORT THE RATIONALE FOR INCORPORATING YOGA AND MEDITATION-BASED PRACTICES INTO REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES. 2011 2 2800 36 YOGA THERAPY FOR THE MIND EIGHT-WEEK COURSE: PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCES. MINDFULNESS-BASED THERAPIES ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY COMMON IN THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. WHILE THE POPULARITY OF YOGA CONTINUES TO RISE IN WESTERN CULTURE, LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE TO EXPLORE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA FROM A QUALITATIVE, CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE. THIS STUDY EXPLORES PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCES OF THE "YOGA THERAPY FOR THE MIND EIGHT-WEEK COURSE" (YTFTM), AN INTERNATIONAL, MANUALIZED YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTION FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. EIGHT FEMALE PARTICIPANTS TOOK PART IN SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS, AND TRANSCRIPTS WERE ANALYZED USING AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS, WITH FOUR MASTER THEMES EMERGING: "PERSONAL JOURNEY OF CHANGE," "AMBIVALENCE," "MIND/BODY CONNECTION," AND "GROUP EXPERIENCE." THE FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT POTENTIAL CHALLENGES OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING ADEQUATE SUPPORT IN OVERCOMING THESE. FINDINGS ALSO REVEAL THAT PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS FROM THE PRACTICE OF YOGA ASANA IN ADDITION TO MINDFULNESS, SUCH AS A MORE HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, ADAPTIVE COPING STRATEGIES, AND ENHANCED WELL-BEING. 2017 3 1715 38 PERCEIVED MECHANISMS OF CHANGE IN THERAPEUTIC YOGA TARGETING PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS. INTRODUCTION: THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO INVESTIGATE YOGA TEACHERS' AND YOGA THERAPISTS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE WAYS YOGA IS APPLIED TO TREAT SYMPTOMS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, AND IDENTIFY THE DEFINING FEATURES, MAIN COMPONENTS, AND MECHANISMS OF CHANGE IN THERAPEUTIC PRACTICE. METHODS: A QUALITATIVE DESIGN WAS EMPLOYED. SIX YOGA TEACHERS WHO HAD SPECIFIC TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE IN TEACHING THERAPEUTIC YOGA OR PRACTICING 'YOGA THERAPY' TOOK PART IN ONE-TO-ONE INTERVIEWS DURING WHICH THEY GAVE ACCOUNTS OF THEIR EXPERIENCES OF HELPING PEOPLE COPE WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS THROUGH YOGA. PARTICIPANTS' INTERVIEWS WERE TRANSCRIBED VERBATIM AND WERE ANALYSED USING AN INTEGRATIVE INDUCTIVE-DEDUCTIVE THEMATIC ANALYSIS. RESULTS: FOUR KEY THEMES WERE IDENTIFIED IN RELATION TO THE BENEFITS OF THERAPEUTIC YOGA: AWARENESS, CHOICE, RELATIONSHIPS, AND TAILORING. CONCLUSIONS: THE FINDINGS SUPPORT PREVIOUS RESEARCH WHICH SUGGESTS THAT INDIVIDUALISED YOGA THERAPY IS A PROMISING INTERVENTION, AND MAY HELP TO FORM A THEORETICAL RATIONALE FOR THE FUTURE TREATMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS WITH YOGA. 2020 4 2659 40 YOGA IN ADULT CANCER: AN EXPLORATORY, QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE. BACKGROUND: SOME PATIENTS RECEIVING TREATMENT IN CONVENTIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS ACCESS THERAPEUTIC YOGA OUTSIDE THEIR MAINSTREAM CARE TO IMPROVE CANCER SYMPTOMS. GIVEN THE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE GAP AROUND PATIENT PREFERENCES AND DOCUMENTED EXPERIENCES OF YOGA IN ADULT CANCER, THIS STUDY AIMED TO DESCRIBE PATIENT-REPORTED BENEFITS, BARRIERS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF PROGRAMMING FOR YOGA PRACTICE DURING CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT. METHODS: IN DEPTH SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS (N=10) WERE CONDUCTED IN MEN AND WOMEN RECRUITED FROM CANCER CARE CLINICS IN VANCOUVER, CANADA USING A PURPOSIVE SAMPLING TECHNIQUE. THE EXPLORATORY INTERVIEWS WERE AUDIO-RECORDED, TRANSCRIBED AND ANALYZED USING INTERPRETIVE DESCRIPTION METHODOLOGY AND CONSTANT COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS METHODS. RESULTS: FOUR THEMES EMERGED FROM THE DATA TO ADDRESS OUR RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: PATIENT-PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF YOGA, REASONS AND MOTIVATIONS FOR PRACTISING YOGA, HURDLES AND BARRIERS TO PRACTISING YOGA, AND ADVICE FOR EFFECTIVE YOGA PROGRAM DELIVERY IN ADULT CANCER. SEVERAL PATIENTS REPORTED YOGA REDUCED STRESS AND OTHER SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH CANCER TREATMENT. THEMATIC ANALYSIS FOUND THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF GROUP YOGA WAS IMPORTANT, AS WELL AS YOGA'S ABILITY TO ENCOURAGE PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT AND AWARENESS OF PHYSICAL BODY AND SELF. BARRIERS TO YOGA ADHERENCE FROM THE PATIENT PERSPECTIVE INCLUDED LACK OF TIME, SCHEDULING CONFLICTS AND WORRIES ABOUT FINANCIAL BURDEN. CONCLUSION: THIS SMALL, DIVERSE SAMPLE OF PATIENTS REPORTED POSITIVE EXPERIENCES AND NO ADVERSE EFFECTS FOLLOWING YOGA PRACTICE FOR MANAGEMENT OF CANCER AND ITS SYMPTOMS. RESULTS OF THIS QUALITATIVE STUDY IDENTIFIED PATIENT-REPORTED PREFERENCES, BARRIERS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA INTERVENTION OPTIMAL DURING ADULT CANCER TREATMENT. 2015 5 2247 36 THE INTEGRATION OF YOGA IN PHYSICAL THERAPY CLINICAL PRACTICE. HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ARE BEGINNING TO USE YOGA AS A TREATMENT MODALITY. HOWEVER, EVIDENCE EXPLAINING PHYSICAL THERAPISTS' INTEGRATION OF YOGA IN CLINICAL PRACTICE IS LACKING. OBJECTIVE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXPLORE HOW, WHY, AND WITH WHOM PHYSICAL THERAPISTS INTEGRATE YOGA INTO CLINICAL PRACTICE. DESIGN: THIS STUDY IS A SECONDARY ANALYSIS OF QUALITATIVE DATA COLLECTED DURING A LARGER MULTI-METHODS STUDY. THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF 13 INTERVIEWS WAS CONDUCTED. RESULTS: ANALYSIS INDICATED FOUR THEMES, AND SIX SUBTHEMES. FACILITATING YOGA IN CLINICAL PRACTICE AND YOGA TRAINING THEMES; INCLUDING EVALUATION OF OUTCOMES, BILLING, TERMINOLOGY, AND SAFETY SUBTHEMES DESCRIBE HOW PHYSICAL THERAPISTS ARE USING YOGA IN CLINICAL PRACTICE. THE PERCEIVED CLIENT OUTCOMES THEME, INCLUDING PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL OUTCOMES EXPLAIN WHY PHYSICAL THERAPISTS USE YOGA IN PRACTICE. THE YOGA WITH CLINICAL POPULATIONS THEME ADDRESSES WITH WHOM PHYSICAL THERAPISTS ARE USING YOGA. CONCLUSION: PHYSICAL THERAPISTS ARE USING YOGA WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH VARIOUS HEALTH CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE THEIR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. FINDINGS SUPPORT THE NEED FOR PHYSICAL THERAPISTS TO INCREASE THEIR ASSESSMENT AND DOCUMENTATION OF FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH CLIENT'S YOGA PARTICIPATION. DOCUMENTATION COULD CONTRIBUTE TO EVIDENCE-BASED LITERATURE RELATED TO HOW, WHY, AND WITH WHOM PHYSICAL THERAPISTS ARE USING YOGA. DOCUMENTED OUTCOMES COULD ALSO PROVIDE RATIONALE FOR YOGA TO RECEIVE CLASSIFICATION AS A REIMBURSABLE COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE HEALTH APPROACH. FUTURE RESEARCH INVOLVING A LARGER, DIVERSE SAMPLE (E.G., PHYSICAL THERAPISTS WITH VARYING LEVELS OF EDUCATION AND YOGA TRAINING) FOCUSED ON HOW, WHY, AND WITH WHOM PHYSICAL THERAPISTS INTEGRATE YOGA INTO CLINICAL PRACTICE IS RECOMMENDED. 2021 6 1588 42 MEDICAL YOGA: ANOTHER WAY OF BEING IN THE WORLD-A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PERSONS SUFFERING FROM STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOMS. THE PREVALENCE OF STRESS-RELATED ILLNESS HAS GROWN IN RECENT YEARS. MANY OF THESE PATIENTS SEEK HELP IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE. YOGA CAN REDUCE STRESS AND THUS COMPLEMENTS PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPY IN MEDICAL PRACTICE. TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, NO STUDIES HAVE INVESTIGATED PATIENTS' EXPERIENCES OF YOGA TREATMENT IN A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SETTING OR, SPECIFICALLY, THE EXPERIENCES OF YOGA WHEN SUFFERING FROM STRESS-RELATED ILLNESS. THUS, THE AIM OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO EXPLORE THE MEANING OF PARTICIPATING IN MEDICAL YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT FOR STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS IN A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SETTING. THIS STUDY HAS A DESCRIPTIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL DESIGN AND TOOK PLACE AT A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTRE IN SWEDEN DURING 2011. FIVE WOMEN AND ONE MAN (43-51 YEARS) PARTICIPATED. THEY WERE RECRUITED FROM THE INTERVENTION GROUP (N=18) IN A RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL, IN WHICH THEY HAD PARTICIPATED IN A MEDICAL YOGA GROUP IN ADDITION TO STANDARD CARE FOR 12 WEEKS. DATA WERE COLLECTED BY MEANS OF QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS, AND A PHENOMENOLOGICAL DATA ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED. THE ESSENTIAL MEANING OF THE MEDICAL YOGA EXPERIENCE WAS THAT THE MEDICAL YOGA WAS NOT AN ENDPOINT OF RECOVERY BUT THE START OF A PROCESS TOWARDS AN INCREASED SENSE OF WHOLENESS. IT WAS DESCRIBED AS A WAY OF ALLEVIATING SUFFERING, AND IT PROVIDED THE PARTICIPANTS WITH A TOOL FOR DEALING WITH THEIR STRESS AND CURRENT SITUATION ON A PRACTICAL LEVEL. IT LED TO GREATER SELF-AWARENESS AND SELF-ESTEEM, WHICH IN TURN HAD AN IMPLICIT IMPACT ON THEIR LIFEWORLD. IN PHENOMENOLOGICAL TERMS, THIS CAN BE SUMMARIZED AS ANOTHER WAY OF BEING IN THE WORLD, ENCOMPASSING A PERCEPTION OF DEEPENED IDENTITY. FROM A PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE, DUE TO USING THE BODY IN A NEW WAY (YOGA), THE PARTICIPANTS HAD LEARNT TO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY, WHICH ENRICHED AND RECAST THEIR PERCEPTION OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR LIVES. 2014 7 1712 30 PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF YOGA AMONG URBAN SCHOOL STUDENTS: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS. THIS STUDY REPORTS ON THE FINDINGS OF A QUALITATIVE EVALUATION OF A YOGA INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR URBAN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH IN NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS. SIX FOCUS GROUPS WERE CONDUCTED WITH STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN A YEAR-LONG YOGA PROGRAM TO DETERMINE THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL BENEFITS AS WELL AS BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES. RESULTS SHOW THAT STUDENTS PERCEIVED THE BENEFITS OF YOGA AS INCREASED SELF-REGULATION, MINDFULNESS, SELF-ESTEEM, PHYSICAL CONDITIONING, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, AND STRESS REDUCTION. BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES FOR A YOGA PRACTICE INCLUDE LACK OF TIME AND SPACE. THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE BENEFITS EXPERIENCED ARE INTERRELATED TO ONE ANOTHER IS DISCUSSED. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH AND SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMMING ARE ALSO OFFERED. 2016 8 2259 28 THE PRACTICABILITY AND RELEVANCE OF DEVELOPING A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY. THE AIM OF THE STUDY WAS TO UNDERSTAND THE PERSPECTIVES OF MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS, STAFF, AND YOGA TEACHERS ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION TO BE DEVELOPED FOR CONSUMERS WITH A LONG-TERM MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION, IN ADDITION TO ANXIETY AND/OR DEPRESSION. TWO FOCUS GROUPS WERE HELD WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS (N = 8), TWO FOCUS GROUPS WITH MENTAL HEALTH STAFF (N = 13) FROM A METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SETTING, AND FIVE ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS WITH YOGA TEACHERS. PARTICIPANTS WERE ASKED ABOUT THE FEASIBILITY AND APPROPRIATENESS OF A RANGE OF YOGA PRACTICE FEATURES TO BE TESTED AS A NEWLY DEVELOPED YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION. THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS USED TO IDENTIFY THEMES. FINDINGS INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING CONSUMER THEMES: MENTAL HEALTH UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCE OF TEACHERS AND PARTICIPANTS IS IMPORTANT, CREATING A SAFE SPACE AND YOGA PRACTICE ELEMENTS. STAFF THEMES INCLUDED MENTAL HEALTH UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCE OF TEACHERS IS IMPORTANT, ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN, AND YOGA PRACTICE ELEMENTS. YOGA TEACHER THEMES INCLUDED ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN AND YOGA PRACTICE ELEMENTS. MENTAL HEALTH UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCE OF THE YOGA TEACHER, AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE WERE CONSISTENTLY EMPHASIZED BY CONSUMERS AND STAFF. TEACHERS FOCUSED LESS ON SPECIFIC MENTAL HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS, WHICH MAY BE REFLECTIVE OF A BROADER KNOWLEDGE GAP. RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING YOGA PRACTICE ELEMENTS, INCLUDING PRE-INFORMATION, REGULAR AND CONSISTENT PRACTICE, MODIFICATIONS, BREATHWORK, MINDFULNESS AND GUIDED PRACTICE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN FEATURES, WERE CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA RESEARCH. FINDINGS WILL BE USED TO GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION FOR CONSUMERS WITH A LONG-TERM MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION, IN ADDITION TO ANXIETY AND/OR DEPRESSION. 2020 9 2249 39 THE LIVED EXPERIENCE AND PATIENT-REPORTED BENEFITS OF YOGA PARTICIPATION IN AN INPATIENT BRAIN INJURY REHABILITATION SETTING. CONTEXT: THE MULTIFACTORIAL BENEFITS OF YOGA HAVE BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED IN THE LITERATURE, WITH THE INTEGRATION OF YOGA THERAPY INTO HEALTHCARE BEING AN EMERGING FIELD. IN GENERAL, YOGA THERAPY PROGRAMS ARE UTILIZED IN THE COMMUNITY AS AN ADJUNCT TO OTHER THERAPY. AT PRESENT, LIMITED REHABILITATION UNITS ROUTINELY INCORPORATE INTEGRATIVE THERAPY OPTIONS WITHIN A HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENT. AIMS: THE AIM OF THIS STUDY IS TO EXPLORE THE LIVED EXPERIENCE AND PATIENT-REPORTED BENEFITS OF YOGA IN AN INPATIENT BRAIN INJURY REHABILITATION SETTING. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: THIRTY-ONE PARTICIPANTS WERE RECRUITED TO THE STUDY AFTER VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATING IN A YOGA CLASS WITHIN AN INPATIENT BRAIN INJURY REHABILITATION UNIT OF A MAJOR METROPOLITAN HOSPITAL. YOGA SESSIONS WERE HELD WEEKLY FOR 60 MIN AND CONSISTED OF A MODIFIED HATHA YOGA STYLE. THIS WAS A MIXED-METHODS, QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL ONE-GROUP PRETEST-POSTTEST STUDY. METHODOLOGY: QUANTITATIVE DATA WERE COLLECTED TO MEASURE PERCEPTIONS OF RELAXATION AND WELL-BEING BEFORE AND AFTER YOGA CLASSES, ALONG WITH THE SATISFACTION OF THE CLASS. SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WERE UTILIZED TO COLLECT QUALITATIVE DATA OF EXPERIENCES AND PERCEPTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH YOGA PARTICIPATION. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS COMPLETED FOR QUALITATIVE DATA. QUANTITATIVE DATA WERE ANALYZED USING NONPARAMETRIC STATISTICAL METHODS, AND DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS WERE ALSO PROVIDED. RESULTS: THE BENEFITS DESCRIBED BY PARTICIPANTS ARE REPORTED IN THIS PAPER. THESE INCLUDE IMPROVED RELAXATION, PHYSICAL WELL-BEING, EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING, BEING PRESENT, AND SELF-AWARENESS. CONCLUSIONS: THIS STUDY DESCRIBES THE PERSONAL BENEFITS EXPERIENCED FROM REGULAR YOGA PARTICIPATION WITHIN AN INPATIENT REHABILITATION SETTING. 2020 10 2495 29 YOGA AS PALLIATION IN WOMEN WITH ADVANCED CANCER: A PILOT STUDY. OBJECTIVE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS PILOT STUDY WAS TO INVESTIGATE THE PALLIATIVE POTENTIAL OF HOME-BASED YOGA SESSIONS PROVIDED TO WOMEN WITH ADVANCED CANCER. METHOD: PERSONALISED 45-MINUTE YOGA SESSIONS WERE OFFERED TO THREE WOMEN WITH ADVANCED CANCER BY AN EXPERIENCED YOGA TEACHER. EACH WOMAN TOOK PART IN A ONE-TO-ONE INTERVIEW AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE YOGA PROGRAMME AND WAS ASKED TO DESCRIBE HER EXPERIENCES OF THE PROGRAMME'S IMPACT. RESULTS: THE PERSONALISED NATURE OF THE YOGA SESSIONS RESULTED IN SIMILAR POSITIVE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL EFFECTS COMPARABLE TO THOSE DEMONSTRATED IN OTHER STUDIES WITH CANCER PATIENTS. PARTICIPANTS DESCRIBED PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL BENEFITS AS WELL AS THE ALLEVIATION OF ILLNESS IMPACTS. THE ENHANCEMENT OF MIND-BODY AND BODY-SPIRIT CONNECTIONS WERE ALSO NOTED. CONCLUSION: PERSONALISED HOME-BASED YOGA PROGRAMMES FOR PEOPLE WITH ADVANCED CANCER MAY PRODUCE SIMILAR BENEFITS, INCLUDING PALLIATION, AS THOSE INSTITUTIONALLY-BASED PROGRAMMES FOR PEOPLE WITH NON-ADVANCED CANCER. 2016 11 1218 26 EXPLORING THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA AND ITS ABILITY TO INCREASE QUALITY OF LIFE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY IS TO ASSESS THE FINDINGS OF SELECTED ARTICLES REGARDING THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA AND TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE BENEFITS OF REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE. AS PARTICIPATION RATES IN MIND-BODY FITNESS PROGRAMS SUCH AS YOGA CONTINUE TO INCREASE, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THE NATURE OF YOGA AND THE EVIDENCE OF ITS MANY THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS. THUS, THIS MANUSCRIPT PROVIDES INFORMATION REGARDING THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA AS IT HAS BEEN STUDIED IN VARIOUS POPULATIONS CONCERNING A MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT AILMENTS AND CONDITIONS. THERAPEUTIC YOGA IS DEFINED AS THE APPLICATION OF YOGA POSTURES AND PRACTICE TO THE TREATMENT OF HEALTH CONDITIONS AND INVOLVES INSTRUCTION IN YOGIC PRACTICES AND TEACHINGS TO PREVENT REDUCE OR ALLEVIATE STRUCTURAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL PAIN, SUFFERING OR LIMITATIONS. RESULTS FROM THIS STUDY SHOW THAT YOGIC PRACTICES ENHANCE MUSCULAR STRENGTH AND BODY FLEXIBILITY, PROMOTE AND IMPROVE RESPIRATORY AND CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTION, PROMOTE RECOVERY FROM AND TREATMENT OF ADDICTION, REDUCE STRESS, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND CHRONIC PAIN, IMPROVE SLEEP PATTERNS, AND ENHANCE OVERALL WELL-BEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE. 2011 12 2903 32 [HOW SHOULD YOGA IN ANOREXIA NERVOSA TREATMENT BE APPLIED? A QUALITATIVE PILOT STUDY ON YOGA STRATEGIES PERCEIVED TO BE BENEFICIAL FROM PATIENTS' PERSPECTIVE]. AN ALTERED INTEROCEPTION IS A CENTRAL CORRELATE OF ANOREXIA NERVOSA (AN) AND ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE OFFERS A PROMISING APPROACH IN THE TREATMENT OF AN. FIRST RESULTS HAVE SHOWN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA AS A BODY-FOCUSED INTERVENTION IN THE TREATMENT OF AN. HOWEVER, TO DATE THERE IS A LACK OF EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE REGARDING THE QUESTION HOW YOGA STRATEGIES AND YOGA ELEMENTS (POSTURES, RELAXATION, BREATH, MEDITATION) SHOULD BE APPLIED. AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, WE CONDUCTED A QUALITATIVE PILOT STUDY WITH N=6 FEMALE PATIENTS WITH AN UNDERGOING TREATMENT IN A SPECIALIST UNIT SUPPORTING RE-INSERTION SUBSEQUENT TO A PRECEDING INPATIENT AN TREATMENT. STUDY PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED A WEEKLY ONE-HOUR HATHA-YOGA INTERVENTION OVER AT LEAST 12 WEEKS. AFTER THE YOGA INTERVENTION, SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS (1/2 TO 1 HOUR) WERE CONDUCTED TO ASSESS THE EXPERIENCES OF THE STUDY PARTICIPANTS DURING THE YOGA INTERVENTION. THE DATA WERE ANALYZED USING GROUNDED THEORY. AT THE UPPER LEVEL OF ANALYSIS, FOUR CATEGORIES WERE DIFFERENTIATED: INFORMATION REGARDING 1) STUDY PARTICIPANTS' SYMPTOMS, 2) ASPECTS OF THE SETTING EXPERIENCED TO BE BENEFICIAL, 3) YOGA STRATEGIES PERCEIVED TO BE BENEFICIAL AND 4) PERCEIVED CONSEQUENCES OF YOGA STRATEGIES. WITH REGARD TO THE YOGA STRATEGIES PERCEIVED TO BE BENEFICIAL, ANALYSES REVEALED 4 SUBCATEGORIES: FEATURES OF 1) POSTURES AND MOVEMENTS, 2) BREATH AND MEDITATION EXERCISES, 3) RELAXATION EXERCISES AND 4) GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SETTING. THE RESULTS GIVE FIRST INDICATIONS REGARDING THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF AN AND POTENTIAL MECHANISMS. FURTHER QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE STUDIES ARE NEEDED, E.G., WITH REGARD TO EFFECTIVENESS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, MEDIATORS OR MODERATORS TO BETTER EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL OF YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF AN. 2021 13 1577 40 MEANINGS AND PERCEPTIONS OF WOMEN REGARDING THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IN PREGNANCY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: CONSIDERING THAT PREGNANCY TRIGGERS PROFOUND TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE LIFE EXPERIENCE OF WOMEN, AMONG THEM THE NEED TO ADAPT TO A BODY IN A CONSTANT PROCESS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL, PSYCHIC, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CHANGE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY TO WHAT EXTENT YOGA CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THIS PROCESS. FOR THIS REASON, THE PRESENT STUDY AIMED TO COMPREHEND THE MEANINGS AND PERCEPTIONS OF WOMEN REGARDING THE PRACTICE OF YOGA DURING PREGNANCY. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A QUALITATIVE AND DESCRIPTIVE STUDY WAS CARRIED OUT WITH NINE WOMEN AT DIFFERENT GESTATIONAL AGES WHO WERE PRACTICING YOGA IN PLACES WITH ALTERNATIVE AND INTEGRATIVE THERAPIES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN LOCATED IN SAO PAULO, BRAZIL. DATA COLLECTION WAS PERFORMED THROUGH SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS AND THE WOMEN'S STATEMENTS WERE TRANSCRIBED, ANALYSED AND GROUPED INTO THREE THEMATIC CATEGORIES. RESULTS: THE ANALYSIS OF THE INTERVIEWS ALLOWED THE IDENTIFICATION OF THREE CATEGORIES 'BENEFITS OF PRACTICING YOGA', 'SELF-KNOWLEDGE, AUTONOMY AND SELF-CARE' AND 'EMPOWERMENT FOR THE MOMENT OF THE BIRTH'. THESE FINDINGS ALLOWED US TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE WOMEN PERCEIVED THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IN THE PREGNANCY AND CONSIDERED IT FUNDAMENTAL TO THE RECOGNITION THAT THEY WERE COMPETENT AND SKILLED TO MANAGE AND CONTROL THEIR BODIES DURING CHILDBIRTH. CONCLUSION: IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE PRACTICE OF YOGA PROVIDED PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL BENEFITS FOR THE WOMEN OF THIS STUDY, INCLUDING STRENGTHENING OF THE PELVIC FLOOR, PAIN RELIEF, IMPROVEMENT OF BREATHING, REDUCTION OF STRESS AND ANXIETY, AND STRENGTHENING OF SELF-CONFIDENCE, SELF-ESTEEM AND AUTONOMY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE PREGNANCY AND IN CARING FOR THEMSELVES. 2020 14 2563 31 YOGA FOR CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT: A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION. OBJECTIVE: TO EXPLORE PATIENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR PAIN WHILE PARTICIPATING IN A WEEKLY YOGA PROGRAM. METHODS: A CONSECUTIVE CONVENIENCE SAMPLE WAS RECRUITED FROM A MULTIDISCIPLINARY PAIN CENTRE. SEVEN ADULT PATIENTS (SIX WOMEN), AGREED TO PARTICIPATE IN AN 8-WEEK HATHA YOGA PROGRAM, INCLUDING WEEKLY GROUP SESSIONS AND AT-HOME PRACTICE. DATA WERE GATHERED FROM PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION AND IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS. INTERVIEWS EXPLORED THE EXPERIENCE OF PRACTICING YOGA AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE PARTICIPANT'S PAIN EXPERIENCE. AN INDUCTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE INTERVIEWS EXPLORED EMERGENT THEMES FROM PARTICIPANTS' DESCRIPTIONS OF THEIR EXPERIENCE. RESULTS: ANALYSES IDENTIFIED THREE THEMES: RENEWED AWARENESS OF THE BODY; TRANSFORMED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BODY IN PAIN; AND ACCEPTANCE. DISCUSSION: PARTICIPANTS' DATA SUGGESTED THAT THEY REFRAMED WHAT IT MEANT TO LIVE WITH CHRONIC PAIN. SOME PARTICIPANTS REPORTED THAT THE SENSORY ASPECTS OF PAIN DID NOT CHANGE BUT THAT PAIN BECAME LESS BOTHERSOME. THEY WERE BETTER ABLE TO CONTROL THE DEGREE TO WHICH PAIN INTERFERED WITH THEIR DAILY LIFE. OTHER PARTICIPANTS REPORTED LESS FREQUENT OR LESS INTENSE PAIN EPISODES BECAUSE THEY COULD RECOGNIZE BODY SIGNALS AND ADJUST THEMSELVES TO ALLEVIATE PAINFUL SENSATIONS. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT PATIENTS WHO BENEFIT FROM YOGA MAY DO SO IN PART BECAUSE YOGA ENABLES CHANGES IN COGNITIONS AND BEHAVIOURS TOWARDS PAIN. 2011 15 2219 26 THE IMPACT OF AN AUTONOMY-SUPPORTIVE YOGA INTERVENTION ON SELF-DETERMINATION IN ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. THE AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE THE IMPACT OF AN AUTONOMY-SUPPORTIVE YOGA INTERVENTION ON THE SELF-DETERMINATION OF ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. RESEARCH SUPPORTS THE USE OF AUTONOMY-SUPPORTIVE INTERVENTIONS TO INCREASE POSITIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES WITH THIS POPULATION. THE PRESENT STUDY UTILIZED A QUALITATIVE APPROACH WITH EIGHT SUBJECTS PARTICIPATING IN SEMI-STRUCTURED QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS. CONTENT ANALYSIS IDENTIFIED SUPPORT FOR THREE THEMES RELATED TO THE IMPACT OF YOGA: AUTONOMY, RELATEDNESS, COMPETENCE. THE RESULTS SUGGESTED THAT THE YOGA INTERVENTION MAY SUPPORT SELF-DETERMINATION FOR ADULTS WITH IDD, AS THE PARTICIPANTS' RESPONSES DEMONSTRATED INCREASED FEELINGS OF AUTONOMY, COMPETENCE, AND RELATEDNESS. THE RESULTS ALSO INDICATED THAT AN AUTONOMY-SUPPORTIVE YOGA INTERVENTION CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES BY TARGETING THE KEY CONSTRUCTS OF AUTONOMY, RELATEDNESS, AND COMPETENCE. 2021 16 15 37 "OVEREATING IS NOT ABOUT THE FOOD": WOMEN DESCRIBE THEIR EXPERIENCE OF A YOGA TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR BINGE EATING. AS PART OF A LARGER MIXED-METHODS STUDY, DATA FROM 20 PERSONAL JOURNALS WERE ANALYZED TO EXAMINE THE EXPERIENCE OF A 12-WEEK YOGA TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR BINGE EATING AMONG A SAMPLE OF 25 WOMEN WHO WERE OBESE. QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS REVEALED A POSITIVE SHIFT EXPERIENCED BY THE WOMEN DURING THE PROGRAM, SUMMARIZED BY A GENERAL STRUCTURAL DESCRIPTION: DISCONNECTION VERSUS CONNECTION. WOMEN'S COMMENTS SUGGESTED THAT THE PROGRAM APPEARED TO ENCOURAGE A HEALTHY RECONNECTION TO FOOD, AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF PHYSICAL SELF-EMPOWERMENT, THROUGH CULTIVATING PRESENT-MOMENT AWARENESS. SPECIFICALLY, WOMEN PERCEIVED AN OVERALL REDUCTION IN THE QUANTITY OF FOOD THEY CONSUMED, DECREASED EATING SPEED, AND AN IMPROVEMENT IN FOOD CHOICES THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM. THE WOMEN ALSO REPORTED FEELING MORE CONNECTED TO AND POSITIVE ABOUT THEIR PHYSICAL WELL-BEING. THESE EVOLVING OUTCOMES WERE SUMMARIZED THROUGH TWO MAJOR THEMES: THE WAY THEIR PHYSICALITY CHANGED, AND THE WAY THEIR FOOD CONSUMPTION CHANGED OVER TIME. FINDINGS PROVIDE INSIGHTS RELEVANT TO THERAPEUTIC PROCESSES THAT MIGHT OCCUR WITHIN EATING DISORDER INTERVENTIONS THAT DRAW ON MEDITATION-BASED APPROACHES. 2009 17 394 24 BENEFITS, BARRIERS, AND CUES TO ACTION OF YOGA PRACTICE: A FOCUS GROUP APPROACH. OBJECTIVES: TO EXPLORE PERCEIVED BENEFITS, BARRIERS, AND CUES TO ACTION OF YOGA PRACTICE AMONG ADULTS. METHODS: FOCUS GROUPS WERE CONDUCTED WITH PERSONS WHO HAD NEVER PRACTICED YOGA, PRACTITIONERS OF ONE YEAR OR LESS, AND PRACTITIONERS FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR. THE HEALTH BELIEF MODEL WAS THE THEORETICAL FOUNDATION OF INQUIRY. RESULTS: ALL PARTICIPANTS ACKNOWLEDGED A VARIETY OF BENEFITS OF YOGA. BARRIERS OUTWEIGHED BENEFITS AMONG PERSONS WHO HAD NEVER PRACTICED DESPITE KNOWLEDGE OF BENEFITS. POSITIVE EXPERIENCES WITH YOGA AND YOGA INSTRUCTORS FACILITATED PRACTICE. CONCLUSIONS: NEWLY IDENTIFIED BENEFITS AND BARRIERS INDICATE THE NEED FOR QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH AND BEHAVIORAL TRIALS. 2009 18 28 47 'JOINING A GROUP WAS INSPIRING': A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF SERVICE USERS' EXPERIENCES OF YOGA ON SOCIAL PRESCRIPTION. BACKGROUND: YOGA IS BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR HOLISTIC APPROACH IN THE WEST TO MANAGE LONG-TERM HEALTH CONDITIONS. THIS STUDY PRESENTS THE EVALUATION OF A PILOT YOGA INTERVENTION, YOGA4HEALTH, THAT WAS DEVELOPED FOR THE NHS TO BE SOCIALLY PRESCRIBED TO PATIENTS AT RISK OF DEVELOPING SPECIFIC HEALTH CONDITIONS (RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, PRE-DIABETES, ANXIETY/DEPRESSION OR EXPERIENCING SOCIAL ISOLATION). THE AIM OF THIS QUALITATIVE STUDY WAS TO EXPLORE SERVICE USERS' EXPERIENCES OF YOGA4HEALTH AND THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE PROGRAMME. METHODS: QUALITATIVE DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM THREE SOURCES: 1. OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS ON QUESTIONNAIRES COMPLETED BY SERVICES USERS AT THREE DIFFERENT TIME-POINTS (BASELINE, POST INTERVENTION AND 3 MONTHS); 2. INTERVIEWS AND FOCUS GROUPS WITH A SUBSET OF PARTICIPANTS (N = 22); 3. INTERVIEWS WITH YOGA TEACHERS DELIVERING YOGA4HEALTH (N = 7). EACH DATA SOURCE WAS ANALYSED THEMATICALLY, THEN FINDINGS WERE COMBINED. RESULTS: OF PARTICIPANTS COMPLETING BASELINE QUESTIONNAIRES (N = 240), 82.5% WERE FEMALE, 50% WHITE, WITH A MEAN AGE OF 53 (RANGE 23-82) YEARS. BASELINE QUESTIONNAIRES REVEALED KEY MOTIVATIONS TO ATTEND YOGA4HEALTH WERE TO IMPROVE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH, AND BELIEVING YOGA4HEALTH WOULD BE ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH THEIR HEALTH CONDITION. POST-INTERVENTION, PARTICIPANTS REPORTED A RANGE OF BENEFITS ACROSS PSYCHOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL DOMAINS FROM YOGA4HEALTH. INCREASED CONFIDENCE IN SELF-MANAGEMENT OF HEALTH WAS ALSO REPORTED, AND A NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS DESCRIBED MAKING POSITIVE LIFESTYLE CHANGES AFTER ATTENDING THE PROGRAMME. UNANTICIPATED BENEFITS OF YOGA EMERGED FOR PARTICIPANTS, SUCH AS ENJOYMENT AND SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS, WHICH FACILITATED ONGOING ATTENDANCE AND PRACTICE. ALSO KEY TO FACILITATING PRACTICE (DURING AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION) WERE SUITABILITY OF THE CLASSES FOR THOSE WITH HEALTH CONDITIONS, PRACTISING WITH A GROUP AND QUALITIES OF THE YOGA TEACHER. HOME PRACTICE WAS SUPPORTED BY COURSE MATERIALS (MANUAL, VIDEOS), AS WELL AS THE TEACHING OF TECHNIQUES FOR EVERYDAY APPLICATION THAT OFFERED IMMEDIATE BENEFITS, SUCH AS BREATHING PRACTICES. FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONNAIRES REVEALED A KEY CHALLENGE WAS CONTINUATION OF PRACTICE ONCE THE INTERVENTION HAD FINISHED, WITH THE STRUCTURE OF A CLASS IMPORTANT IN SUPPORTING PRACTICE. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA4HEALTH WAS A HIGHLY ACCEPTABLE INTERVENTION TO SERVICES USERS, WHICH BROUGHT A RANGE OF BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL IMPROVEMENTS, SUGGESTING YOGA IS AN APPROPRIATE INTERVENTION TO OFFER ON SOCIAL PRESCRIPTION. 2022 19 4 32 "I COULD MOVE MOUNTAINS": ADULTS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES REFLECT ON THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH YOGA PRACTICE. PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DESCRIBE FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCES WITH YOGA AS SHARED BY ADULTS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES AND TO EXAMINE THEIR BELIEFS REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF YOGA PRACTICE OVER TIME. METHODS: IN THIS QUALITATIVE STUDY, 13 ADULTS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES DESCRIBED THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH YOGA AND THEIR BELIEFS REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF YOGA PRACTICE OVER TIME. SEMISTRUCTURED INTERVIEWS OCCURRED 16 TO 20 MONTHS AFTER COMPLETION OF AN 8-WEEK YOGA-BASED CLINICAL TRIAL. RESULTS: THEMES OF READINESS FOR CONTINUING YOGA, ENVIRONMENTAL SUPPORT FOR YOGA, AND INTEGRATING YOGA EMERGED THROUGH DATA ANALYSIS. CONCLUSIONS: FINDINGS INDICATE THAT YOGA IS APPEALING TO SOME INDIVIDUALS WITH DIABETES, BUT MAINTAINING YOGA PRACTICE OVER TIME IS A CHALLENGE. DIABETES EDUCATORS MAY BE ABLE TO SUPPORT MAINTENANCE BY DISCUSSING SPECIFIC STRATEGIES WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO EXPRESS INTEREST IN YOGA PRACTICE. 2010 20 1725 35 PERCEPTIONS OF YOGA THERAPY EMBEDDED IN TWO INPATIENT REHABILITATION HOSPITALS: AGENCY PERSPECTIVES. INPATIENT MEDICAL REHABILITATION HAS MAINTAINED A TYPICAL MEDICAL-MODEL FOCUS AND STRUCTURE FOR MANY YEARS. HOWEVER, AS INTEGRATIVE THERAPIES, SUCH AS YOGA THERAPY, EMERGE AS TREATMENTS WHICH CAN ENHANCE THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF ITS PARTICIPANTS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO DETERMINE IF THEY CAN BE EASILY IMPLEMENTED INTO THE TRADITIONAL REHABILITATION STRUCTURE AND MILIEU. THEREFORE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE THE PERCEPTIONS OF KEY AGENCY PERSONNEL ON THE FEASIBILITY AND UTILITY OF YOGA THERAPY IMPLEMENTED IN INPATIENT REHABILITATION. THIS STUDY REPORTS THE RESULTS OF FOCUS GROUPS AND AN INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEW WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS (ADMINISTRATORS AND REHABILITATION THERAPISTS) FROM TWO REHABILITATION HOSPITALS FOLLOWING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF YOGA THERAPY. RESULTS FOCUSED ON SEVERAL KEY THEMES: FEASIBILITY FROM THE THERAPIST AND ADMINISTRATOR PERSPECTIVES, CHALLENGES TO IMPLEMENTATION, AND UTILITY AND BENEFIT. OVERALL, THE IMPLEMENTATION AND INTEGRATION OF YOGA THERAPY WERE POSITIVE; HOWEVER, SOME PROGRAMMATIC AND POLICY AND ORGANIZATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS REMAIN. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND FUTURE RESEARCH ARE PROVIDED. 2015