When Britt first walked into her first Yoga Therapy session, she already had a love for Yoga. A 44-year-old school teacher, mother of two, and acreage-dweller who loved horse riding, Britt wasn’t new to moving her body, but she was ready to learn how to listen to it more deeply.
In her mid-20s, Britt suffered a horse-riding accident that left her with ongoing hip and lower back pain. Over the years, the issue worsened. By her early 30s, her back would regularly “go out,” leaving her in pain and unable to stand straight. The only relief she found came from lying on her stomach with a heat pack – a short-term fix at best.
Prior to Yoga Therapy, she had been receiving osteopathic care, which brought some improvement, but Britt felt intuitively that more could be done. When she began Yoga Teacher Training, she was introduced to the deeper layers of yoga and its therapeutic potential, which led her to book a Yoga Therapy session that same year.
Listening to the Body, One Step at a Time
In that first session, Britt’s alignment and patterns of physical compensation were examined. The weak point in the back was her lumbar spine which is a very common issue for many people. This appeared to be a likely contributing factor to her lordosis (exaggerated curve in the lower back), along with a muscular bulge on her right side and pain presenting on the left. This whole-body approach, observing posture from the feet up, is a key aspect of Yoga Therapy. We aim to look beyond symptoms and understand why the imbalance is showing up.
Britt’s yoga therapy plan focused on building core strength gently to support the lower back and improving spinal alignment and posture through safe, functional movement. We introduced calming breathwork with long exhales and chanting the mantra AUM to support the nervous system and reduce pain perception. The goal was to gradually strengthen the pain points in Britt’s body and offer tools she could use herself anytime, anywhere.
Small Steps, Big Shifts
What made Britt’s healing journey powerful wasn’t just the practice, it was her commitment. She showed up to her morning and evening Yoga Therapy routines with consistency. Short practices that were steady, with mindful movements and the focus on the breath to bring prana (life force energy) into the areas that had felt stagnant or tense for years.
As her body grew stronger, her Yoga practice was gently progressed. Postures that once felt out of reach (like supported inversions) were now becoming available to her. Britt noticed in her Yoga Teacher Training that she could now do Asanas (postures) that had been challenging before due to her back pain.
An Unexpected Shift
Then came something unexpected: Britt began to lose weight not through strenuous exercise or dieting, but as a side effect of her practice reducing stress and restoring hormonal balance in her body.
From a Yoga Therapy perspective, this makes sense. Stress increases cortisol, a hormone linked to stubborn fat storage, particularly in the abdominal region. Yoga Therapy practices, especially those focused on Apana Vayu (the downward-moving energy in the body), use strong exhalations, sound, and grounding postures to help regulate the nervous system and metabolic processes.
By reducing stress and increasing pranic flow, the body begins to burn energy more efficiently and store less fat. But more than the physical change, Britt was finally feeling empowered in her own body again.
From Student to Therapist
Britt’s journey didn’t end with personal healing. After graduating from her Yoga Teacher Training, she went on to study Yoga Therapy. With her lived experience, personal dedication, and hard-won wisdom, she is now preparing to step into the role of a Yoga Therapist herself.
Her journey is a testament to what’s possible when we listen to our bodies, approach healing with compassion and patience, and trust in the power of small, consistent steps.
Interested in Yoga Therapy?
If Britt’s story resonates with you, and you’re curious how Yoga Therapy could support your unique body and journey, learn more about our one-on-one consultations here.
