I do

Apparently, something comes over me

"Danielle, you love to customize Yoga for people."

I really do. I didn't realize it was so obvious. The intuitive observation skills of a 13 year old Yoga Therapy student revealed to me otherwise. He is right, it's a calling, a dharma lived through my heart. Enrolled in a functional group class intended for a presentation far from musculoskeletal, my hanam (goal) is on what the adolescents are there for, recovery. But his physician told me he had a neck pain, and I altered every single sequence throughout to soothe and loosen the neck area. Gave adaptations, variations, watched and verified. He felt seen. He felt the care inherent in the Yoga transmission process. My job was effectively done.

Group Yoga classes are not known to be customized for the individual. Our Yoga Therapy groups are (and to a degree, our general groups). All progress rests on ongoing assessment, the individual, their goals, and our connection. Even within our groups for Osteoporosis, Metabolism, Addiction, Mental/Emotional Health, Eating Disorders and Cardiac Wellness, we see you as a whole human experiencing those particularities. So if you come to the Cardiac Wellness class with a backache, you will be guided accordingly. The Mental Health group with weight loss goals, there are ways to adapt. Our Yoga Therapy groups are a step up into a more intentional practice that address why you are really here, and more.

I align with the work of Yoga Therapy as an intervention to support the addition of sukham and sthiram and the removal of duhkham. If I know you have heyam, symptoms, we’ll always add do-s and don’t-s. I can't not not adapt Yoga for the individual. Due to my training, it’s an the spectrum of obvious to witness someone diverging from sthiram and sukham, and my job to support an inward journey to ease, safety, stability and awareness via Yoga interventions.

A progressive momentum-building toward a goal, including feedback, education and refinement is the protocol - it’s a living, breathing process.