Within Every Body: Teaching and Adapting Mindful Yoga
Speaker: Kate Mitcheom,CNM, MSN, RYT, EMP; Lucia McBee, LCSW, MPH, CYI; Patricia Bloom, MD, RYT
Format: Audio

Mindfulness begins in the body. In MBSR classes, mindful yoga non-verbally demonstrates the mind-body connection and often reconnects participants to their body's wisdom. This institute will benefit MBSR teachers who wish to increase their skill and comfort level in teaching and practicing yoga. Participants will learn, through personal and experiential practice, the basic principles of yoga, including alignment, balance and the six positions of the spine. Through observation, personal practice, discussion and small group experience, participants will expand and deepen their confidence and ability to teach all students, engaging those with differing abilities. In addition, working with environmental challenges, such as lack of comfortable space or props, noise and temperature will be addressed. Key factors of safety and kindness will be woven in throughout all discussion and practice.

This institute will be taught by 3 MBSR teachers who are also yoga teachers with experience in teaching diverse groups including populations with a history of trauma and abuse and those with physical and cognitive impairments in schools, clinics and hospitals and other environments. Skills taught will include breathwork, adaptations for chair bound students and those with complicated medical and/or emotional histories. Yoga sequence timing, languaging, adjustments, transitions and risks will all be addressed. We will also discuss the difference between pain and discomfort and how to work with a group that has a variety of experience levels and limitations. Participants are encouraged to bring questions about their populations and skill set, to wear loose comfortable clothing, and bring a mat (optional). From experienced yoga teachers to those with no yoga practice, all will benefit from this hands on institute!