1 1577 135 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 2 1715 39 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 3 1151 35 ENHANCING ACCESSIBILITY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DURING PREGNANCY: A PILOT STUDY ON WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES WITH INTEGRATING YOGA INTO GROUP PRENATAL CARE. INTRODUCTION: HEALTH GUIDELINES SUGGEST THAT PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN DAILY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, YET RARELY DO THEY MEET THESE GUIDELINES. MEANS TO ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR PREGNANT WOMEN ARE REQUIRED, AND YOGA HAS BEEN SUGGESTED AS A POSSIBLE METHOD TO ENHANCE WOMEN'S SENSE OF CONFIDENCE AND COMPETENCE WITH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. IN THIS PILOT STUDY, OUR PRIMARY AIM IS TO EVALUATE PREGNANT WOMEN'S PERCEPTIONS ABOUT THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE OF AN INTERVENTION WHICH INTEGRATES A LOW-INTENSITY FORM OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, YOGA, INTO PRENATAL CARE; OUR SECONDARY AIM IS TO EVALUATE CHANGES IN PARTICIPANTS' SELF-EFFICACY FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND TIME SPENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OVER TIME. METHODS: HELD IN AN OUTPATIENT OBSTETRICS DEPARTMENT OF AN URBAN HOSPITAL SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES, THIS PILOT STUDY ENROLLED 16 PREGNANT WOMEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERVENTION THROUGHOUT THEIR PREGNANCY. WE EXPLORED PARTICIPANTS' LIVED EXPERIENCE OF THE INTERVENTION USING QUALITATIVE METHODS (PHENOMENOLOGY). MEANS, VARIANCES, AND COVARIANCES WERE CALCULATED FOR THE 2 MEASURES (SELF-EFFICACY AND TIME SPENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY) OVER THE INTERVENTION PERIOD. RESULTS: QUALITATIVE FINDINGS FROM FOCUS GROUPS SUGGEST THAT IT IS ACCEPTABLE FOR PRENATAL YOGA TO BE INTEGRATED INTO GROUP PRENATAL CARE CLASSES AND WOMEN REPORTED INCREASED CONFIDENCE WITH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DURING PREGNANCY. PARTICIPANTS DID NOT CONSIDER THE INTERVENTION TO FIT WITHIN THE TRADITIONAL DEFINITION OF EXERCISE. WOMEN REPORTED INCREASED AMOUNTS OF TIME SPENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FROM BASELINE TO THE END OF PREGNANCY, BUT THERE WERE NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN SELF-EFFICACY OVER TIME. DISCUSSION: THE INTEGRATION OF GENTLE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INTO THE GROUP PRENATAL CARE MODEL WARRANTS FURTHER ATTENTION FOR POTENTIAL BENEFITS WITH REGARD TO MATERNAL PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLNESS. 2019 4 1588 40 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 5 380 40 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 6 2219 24 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 7 2659 42 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 8 1218 31 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 9 2926 29 [YOGA AND THE PROMOTION OF HEALTH]. THE SCOPE OF THIS PAPER IS TO ANALYZE THE SELF-DECLARED SYMPTOMS AND STATE OF WELL-BEING OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE "YOGA AND PROMOTION OF HEALTH" PROGRAM, WHICH CONSISTED OF HATHA YOGA LESSONS. IT INCLUDES BODY EXERCISES AND BREATHING TECHNIQUES, AS WELL AS ETHICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL CONTENT, ADMINISTERED TO TWO GROUPS OF LECTURERS, WORKERS AND STUDENTS OF A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN THE STATE OF SAO PAULO FROM AUGUST TO DECEMBER 2011 AND MARCH TO JUNE 2012. THE PARTICIPANTS FILLED OUT THE ADAPTED VERSION OF THE MEASURE YOURSELF MEDICAL OUTCOME PROFILE FORM AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE PROGRAM. OF THE 20 PARTICIPANTS IN GROUP 1, EIGHT FILLED OUT THE FORM AND HALF OF THEM REPORTED THE IMPROVEMENT OF SELF-DECLARED SYMPTOMS; AS REGARDS THE STATE OF WELL BEING, THREE OF THEM FELT THEY HAD IMPROVED. IN GROUP 2, WHICH ALSO HAD 20 PARTICIPANTS, NINE COMPLETED THE PROGRAM AND ALL OF THEM REPORTED IMPROVEMENTS OF SELF-DECLARED SYMPTOMS AND WELL-BEING. IN CONCLUSION, YOGA IS A MIND-BODY PRACTICE WHICH EXERTS AN IMPORTANT THERAPEUTIC EFFECT ON MOST PRACTITIONERS AND ALSO PROMOTES HEALTH FOR THE MAJORITY OF THEM, EXPANDING THEIR CAPACITY OF SELF PERCEPTION AND SELF CARE. HOWEVER, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IT DOESN'T ACHIEVE THE SAME POSITIVE EFFECT FOR ALL PRACTITIONERS AS SOME YOGA TRADITIONS ADVOCATE. 2014 10 2903 27 [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 11 157 55 A QUALITATIVE STUDY ON THE PRACTICE OF YOGA FOR WOMEN WITH PAIN-ASSOCIATED ENDOMETRIOSIS. OBJECTIVES: TO UNDERSTAND THE MEANING WOMEN WITH PAIN-ASSOCIATED ENDOMETRIOSIS ATTRIBUTE TO YOGA PRACTICE REGARDING THEIR PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL STATE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRACTICE; PAIN MANAGEMENT BY INTEGRATING BODY AND MIND; SECONDARY BENEFITS OF THE PRACTICE OF YOGA, SUCH AS SELF-KNOWLEDGE, SELF-CARE, AND AUTONOMY; AND THE ROLE OF THE YOGA GROUP AS PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT. DESIGN: QUALITATIVE STUDY CONDUCTED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL. SETTING: PUBLIC UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL BETWEEN AUGUST 2013 AND DECEMBER 2014. PARTICIPANTS: FIFTEEN WOMEN WITH PAIN-ASSOCIATED ENDOMETRIOSIS WHO PRACTICED YOGA FOR 8 WEEKS. INTERVENTION: AFTER COMPLETING THE TWICE-A-WEEK PROGRAM, ALL WOMEN PARTICIPATED IN A SINGLE, SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW. INTERVIEWS WERE RECORDED AND TRANSCRIBED VERBATIM, AND THEMATIC ANALYSES WERE PERFORMED. OUTCOME MEASURES: THE MAIN THEMES OF ANALYSIS WERE WOMEN'S EXPECTATIONS REGARDING THE PRACTICE OF YOGA, PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL STATE OF WOMEN AT THE BEGINNING OF YOGA PRACTICE, CONTROL AND PAIN MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF BODY AND MIND, SECONDARY BENEFITS, ACQUISITION OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE AND AUTONOMY, AND THE ROLE OF YOGA GROUP AS PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT. RESULTS: ALL PARTICIPANTS REPORTED THAT YOGA WAS BENEFICIAL TO CONTROL PELVIC PAIN. THEY RELATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE INTEGRATION OF BODY AND PSYCHE DURING YOGA PRACTICE AND THAT THIS HELPED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PAIN. WOMEN SAID THEY HAD IDENTIFIED A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PAIN MANAGEMENT AND BREATHING TECHNIQUES (PRANAYAMA) LEARNED IN YOGA AND THAT BREATHING INCREASED THEIR ABILITY TO BE INTROSPECTIVE, WHICH RELIEVED PAIN. THE PARTICIPANTS HAVE DEVELOPED GREATER SELF-KNOWLEDGE, AUTONOMY, AND SELF-CARE AND HAVE REDUCED THE USE OF PAIN AND PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATIONS. THEY CREATED TIES AMONG THEMSELVES, SUGGESTING THAT THE YOGA GROUP ALLOWED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT. CONCLUSIONS: BODILY AND PSYCHOSOCIAL MECHANISMS TO CONTROL PAIN WERE IDENTIFIED IN WOMEN WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS. TO REACH SUCH CONTROL, IT IS CRUCIAL THAT MIND AND BODY INTEGRATIVE TECHNIQUES ARE LEARNED. 2016 12 2800 28 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 13 1206 43 EXPERIENCES OF PREGNANT WOMEN PARTICIPATING IN ANTENATAL YOGA: A QUALITATIVE STUDY. CONTEXT: PREGNANCY YOGA IS A MODIFIED VERSION OF YOGA FOR PREGNANT WOMEN, AND IT AIMS TO REDUCE PREGNANCY-RELATED SYMPTOMS, SUCH AS INSOMNIA, LOW BACK PAIN, TIREDNESS, CONSTIPATION, LEG CRAMPS, AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH. OBJECTIVE: THE STUDY AIMED TO IDENTIFY THE EXPERIENCES AND EXPECTATIONS OF PREGNANT WOMEN RELATED TO THE PRACTICE OF YOGA. METHOD: THE RESEARCH TEAM CONDUCTED A QUALITATIVE STUDY. SETTING: THE STUDY TOOK PLACE AT THE ANTENATAL CLINIC OF A PUBLIC HOSPITAL IN THE CENTRAL ANATOLIA REGION OF TURKEY. PARTICIPANTS: THE PARTICIPANTS WERE 24 PREGNANT WOMEN AT THE CLINIC. INTERVENTION: THE STUDY INCLUDED AN INTERVENTION GROUP THAT PERFORMED YOGA AND RECEIVED ROUTINE ANTENATAL CARE; HOWEVER, NO CONTROL GROUPS WERE USED. EACH YOGA INTERVENTION WAS HELD FOR APPROXIMATELY 40-45 MINUTES, WITH YOGA ASANA PERIODS LASTING 30 MINUTES. THE PREGNANT WOMEN WERE EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN YOGA PRACTICE TWICE A WEEK ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR 8 WEEKS. OUTCOME MEASURES: DATA WERE COLLECTED THROUGH SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS. THE INTERVIEWS WERE RECORDED AND TRANSCRIBED VERBATIM AND THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED. RESULTS: FOUR MAJOR THEMES EMERGED: (1) PERCEPTIONS ABOUT PREGNANCY, (2) MANAGEMENT OF PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS, (3) PRENATAL ATTACHMENT, AND (4) BIRTH PERCEPTIONS. ACCORDING TO PARTICIPANTS, THE BENEFITS OF YOGA PRACTICE WERE MANAGEMENT OF PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS, INCREASED PRENATAL ATTACHMENT, A POSITIVE PERCEPTION OF THE BIRTH, NATURAL-BIRTH BELIEFS, AND MANAGEMENT OF FEAR AND PAIN DURING BIRTH. CONCLUSIONS: THE PARTICIPANTS REPORTED BARRIERS TO PERFORMING YOGA; HOWEVER, THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY WOULD TRY PREGNANCY YOGA IF THEY WERE ENCOURAGED BY HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS. ALSO, THE PARTICIPANTS STATED THAT PREGNANCY YOGA PRACTICE SHOULD BE MADE A PART OF ANTENATAL EDUCATION TO FACILITATE PARTICIPATION. 2021 14 2563 41 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 2249 37 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 16 22 35 "YOGA WAS MY SAVING GRACE": THE EXPERIENCE OF WOMEN WHO PRACTICE PRENATAL YOGA. BACKGROUND: APPROXIMATELY 20% OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES PRACTICE PRENATAL YOGA, BUT THERE IS A PAUCITY OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF THESE WOMEN. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY EXAMINES WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY-BASED PRENATAL YOGA. METHOD: A QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTIVE EXPLORATORY DESIGN USED FOCUS GROUPS WITH A CONVENIENCE SAMPLE OF PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM WOMEN (N = 14) WHO ENGAGED IN PRENATAL YOGA WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 6 MONTHS. CONTENT ANALYSIS WAS EMPLOYED TO IDENTIFY KEY THEMES AND SUBTHEMES. RESULTS: THREE THEMES AROSE: (A) STRESS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS COMMONLY INSTIGATE WOMEN'S INTEREST IN PRENATAL YOGA, (B) PRENATAL YOGA IS PERCEIVED TO BE PSYCHOLOGICALLY AND PHYSICALLY BENEFICIAL, AND (C) PRENATAL YOGA IS PERCEIVED AS MORE BENEFICIAL THAN OTHER GROUP CLASSES. CONCLUSIONS: PREGNANT WOMEN WITH STRESS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS MAY BE DRAWN TO PRENATAL YOGA FOR THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL BENEFITS. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND RESEARCHERS FOCUS ON THESE NEEDS, PARTICULARLY WHEN DESIGNING PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES WITH THIS POPULATION. 2015 17 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 18 27 37 'IT DEFINITELY MADE A DIFFERENCE': A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY OF YOGA FOR PREGNANCY AND WOMEN'S SELF-EFFICACY FOR LABOUR. OBJECTIVE: TO EXPLORE WOMEN'S EXPERIENCE OF ATTENDING YOGA FOR PREGNANCY CLASSES IN ORDER TO GENERATE A THEORY ABOUT WHICH ASPECTS, IF ANY, ARE EFFECTIVE IN ENHANCING SELF-EFFICACY FOR LABOUR AND BIRTH. DESIGN: A LONGITUDINAL GROUNDED THEORY STUDY. METHODS: SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WERE UNDERTAKEN WITH WOMEN BEFORE THEY STARTED YOGA FOR PREGNANCY CLASSES, AFTER THEY HAD ATTENDED AT LEAST SIX CLASSES, AND FINALLY, POSTNATALLY. INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS WERE ANALYSED USING CONSTRUCTIVE GROUNDED THEORY AND A SELF-EFFICACY FRAMEWORK. SETTING: THREE YOGA FOR PREGNANCY TEACHERS' CLASSES IN ENGLAND. PARTICIPANTS: TWENTY TWO WOMEN ATTENDING YOGA FOR PREGNANCY CLASSES. FINDINGS: ANALYSIS OF INTERVIEWS WITH WOMEN AT THREE TIME POINTS LED TO A PROPOSITIONAL THEORY THAT YOGA FOR PREGNANCY ENHANCES WOMEN'S SELF-EFFICACY FOR LABOUR BY BUILDING THEIR CONFIDENCE AND COMPETENCE THROUGH A COMBINATION OF TECHNIQUES. THESE INCLUDE REPEATED PRACTICE OF A VARIETY OF PAIN MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, USE OF AFFIRMING LANGUAGE AND THE TELLING OF POSITIVE LABOUR STORIES, UNDERPINNED BY YOGA PRACTICE TO LOWER SOMATIC RESPONSE TO STRESS. 2019 19 2259 27 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 20 1 31 "A FEELING OF CONNECTEDNESS": PERSPECTIVES ON A GENTLE YOGA INTERVENTION FOR WOMEN WITH MAJOR DEPRESSION. MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (MDD) IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON AND DEBILITATING HEALTH CONDITIONS IN WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES AND WORLDWIDE. MANY WOMEN WITH MDD SEEK OUT COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES FOR THEIR DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, EITHER AS AN ADJUNCT OR ALTERNATIVE TO THE USUAL CARE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY IS TO UNDERSTAND THE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR THEIR DEPRESSION. THE FINDINGS FROM THIS INTERPRETIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY ARE DERIVED FROM INTERVIEWS WITH AND DAILY LOGS BY 12 WOMEN WITH MDD WHO TOOK PART IN AN 8-WEEK GENTLE YOGA INTERVENTION AS PART OF A LARGER PARENT RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED TRIAL. RESULTS SHOW THAT THE WOMEN'S EXPERIENCE OF DEPRESSION INVOLVED STRESS, RUMINATIONS, AND ISOLATION. IN ADDITION, THEIR EXPERIENCES OF YOGA WERE THAT IT SERVED AS A SELF-CARE TECHNIQUE FOR THE STRESS AND RUMINATIVE ASPECTS OF DEPRESSION AND THAT IT SERVED AS A RELATIONAL TECHNIQUE, FACILITATING CONNECTEDNESS AND SHARED EXPERIENCES IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. FUTURE LONG-TERM RESEARCH IS WARRANTED TO EVALUATE THESE CONCEPTS AS POTENTIAL MECHANISMS FOR THE EFFECTS OF YOGA FOR DEPRESSION. 2013