"Bringing Trauma-sensitive Yoga into Psychotherapy & other Healing Relationships."

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NEW!: TRAINING ADDED IN FLORENCE, ITALY, JUNE 26-July 1: Early registration deadline: February 28. Also Los Angeles, San Francisco, Grass Valley, Ca.

RECENT RESEARCH RESULTS FROM NIH Study:

Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., reports that Yoga is More Effective for Treatment-Resistant Individuals with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder than Cognitive Approach.

This study, recently completed by the Trauma Center, explored the progress of a group of women taking yoga classes for 10 weeks compared with a cognitively-based control group program, Women's Health Education (WHE), in the treatment of treatment-unresponsive women with PTSD.

Recent research results, not yet published, indicate that the yoga group had a 33% decrease in symptoms of PTSD compared to the control group's 17% decrease. Also, 52% of the yoga group did not qualify anymore for the PTSD diagnosis compared to 21% of the control group.

Yoga advocates now have the evidence they need to request more funding for the creation of additional yoga-based progams for trauma survivors.

Be ready for this initiative by learning classic yoga interventions which can be brought right into the individual or Group psychotherapy session!

YOGA, TRAUMA AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

Imagine that, as you are reading this, something frightens you. You feel your muscles tightening, your heart rate rising. If your nervous system is well-regulated, when the threat is over, the symptoms abate.

However, for individuals experiencing chronic stress, and/or a history of personal trauma, the nervous system remains on high alert for a long time, maybe permanently, causing many symptoms which potentially damage the body and compromise the enjoyment of life.

This workshop presents a new approach to psychotherapy and counseling which works directly with the nervous system. This shift in focus has the potential to revolutionize the way that psychotherapy, and medicine, are practiced.

Yoga is playing a significant role in this shift. It offers subtle interventions to regulate the nervous system which can easily be incorporated into individual or group sessions. These interventions are valuable for anyone who works with the psychological dimension of healing.

This claim is based on the results of recent research like that from the three-year, NIH-funded study with women who have treatment-resistant complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, quoted above.

Training/Retreat/Vacation in Florence, Italy:

Florence, Italy Training Program, 12 CEUs. (Retreat/yoga vacation options are also available; bring family members! $150 US) Tuesday, June 26- Sunday, July 1, 2012: Early Registration Deadline: Feb. 28, 2012. Rooms are being held at the hotel for this program until the end of the day, Feb. 28. Please email the hotel for these special rooms: info@villalastella.it.

Add yoga philosophy and techniques, combined with the latest neuroscience findings, to your therapeutic toolbox to calm and balance the nervous system and heal major emotional disorders. For practitioner self-care as well as client healing, individual sessions and groups! The workshop will be conducted in English; every effort will be made to translate the scripts into participants' languages.

The training will take place at the Hotel Villa La Stella (www.villalastella.it), located on a hill 4 miles from Florence Center. There is an optional yoga class from 7-8 a.m. and group meditation from 9:30-10 p.m. The course meets each day from 9:30-11:30 a.m., leaving the rest of the day free for relaxing and sightseeing. Group excursions will be available and group dinnners are an option.

The Villa, built at the end of the XIII century, has been completely rebuilt and is surrounded by a private park of centuries-old plants.Single and double bedrooms with private bathrooms have been reserved at the very low price of 50 Euros/night single, 40 Euros double, including breakfast.

It is said that Dante Alighieri, owner of the bordering Villa, used to walk in the garden of Villa La Stella to find inspiration for his verses in the shade of a myrtle tree still in the park today, well preserved and an object of particular interest. The building was a strategic place for the observation of Florence and it still offers a wonderful view from top of the tower.

Villa La Stella today is owned by the Missionaries of Mary Immaculate. 3% of the fee paid will finance and support projects and developments in third world countries.

Space is limited so register early to guarantee your place. See the "Registration & Payment" page for accommodations & rates.

Additional 2012 programs are scheduled for:

Los Angeles, Ca. (March 2-4, 2012); San Francisco, Ca. (March 10 & 11, 2012); and Grass Valley, Ca. (Residential Program, March 28-April 3, 2012, 3 or 5-day options). See p. 3 of this website for more information.

These trainings are for caregivers, healthcare professionals, mental health professionals, yoga instructors and students and the general public.

What You Will Learn:

By the end of the training, you will be able to identify imbalances in clients (and your own) nervous system (commonly known as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder) and offer specific interventions, which clients(and yourself) can use in and between individual or group sessions, to bring them (and yourself) back into balance. You can then create a self-care plan to make these gains permanent.

This training includes:

An in-depth introduction to classic, trauma-sensitive Yoga, including chair yoga postures, breathing practices, deep relaxation (yoga nidra) and meditation.
Practical, hands-on applications of these techniques, including scripts and practice sessions, for professional Psychotherapists, Medical Professionals, Caregivers, Yoga Instructors and interested individuals. (Specific interventions will be given for different emotional conditions & settings).
Integration of the latest research on nervous system regulation from the fields of Somatic Psychology, Yoga and Ayurveda.
Case examples, demonstrations, simulated practice sessions (in the longer trainings).

TESTIMONIALS: "In this course I was awakened to the real meaning of yoga, which previously I thought of as just an exercise. I am also grateful for learning the chair yoga and the different scripts on how to incorporate breathing and meditation techniques in a clinical setting. I feel that while I am not a psychologist, these practices will be very useful in public health settings among people with a variety of diseases." Marion McNabb, M.A., Public Health; Ph.D. Candidate, International Health, Boston University.

"This course was life changing, both personally and professionally." Melissa Bickford, LMFT, Connecticut.Continuing Education Credits:

Most programs offer CEUs to Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, Psychologists, Substance Abuse Counselors Licensed Mental Health Counselors and Nurses; $20 fee for all CEUs.

CERTIFICATION PROGRAM: A Certification will be awarded to individuals who complete the foundational training program, receive 6 individual supervision sessions, and document their work with clients. Email Joann for more information.

Registration & Payment:

See p. 4 of this website.

For more information about these courses, email joannlutz@yahoo.com or call 413-586-6384.

This was a great way to start the day. Focus on wellness is so helpful for social workers b/c that is the thing that goes first.

Fantastic!

Perhaps offer an experiential workshops as an alternative to CEUs.
Yoga is an up and coming intervention for many CHS. I would love to incorporate it in my practice.
Very informative and made clear connection as to its effective use in traditional therapeutic setting as a non-traditional compliment
Good experiential workshop – offer (in addition) as a self-care opportunity for attendees!
Good balance between theory and research and practice exercises

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joannlutz@yahoo.com