Head and Heart

Envisioned as a resource for yoga teachers and all mental health and health professionals, Head and Heart is intended for: all health professionals who focus on mental health and/or wellbeing and want to broaden their understanding of how yoga and creative art therapy interventions can influence mental health approaches, best practices, and efficacy of treatment those who assist the therapeutic /healing processes who aspire to incorporate both yoga and creative art therapy interventions into their practice yoga therapy practitioners/teachers and creative art therapists/teachers who wish to deepen their knowledge of integrating yoga and creative art approaches into yoga, mental health and well-being Western psychological processes (compared to the Klesas, Vrittis, Kosas, Gunas, Dosas, Nadi System, Cakras, and the Yamas and Niyamas) make this book accessible even to those unfamiliar with yogic philosophy and psychology. Clearing exercises, warm-up techniques, yogic breathing for mood management, modifications and sequencing of poses, assessments (for the mind and body), digital and telehealth applications, yoga prop usage, and co-morbid, clinical cases (children, adolescents and adults) are presented throughout as a guide for the reader. Practical reflection exercises are offered in the Introductory chapter and chapters 3-6. These suggested practices summarize and reiterate the clinical material for the reader, and afford expansion toward oneself and /or one's clinical caseload. No matter what form it takes to move towards a creative opening, the reader will find that this book will aid you in moving yourself and your patients into the exploration of art, yoga, and well-being. This interoceptive research (going within) facilitates an expansion towards self and others and ensures that expansion, whether making art, practising yoga or working with disease. May this book move you and your patients toward that trajectory of sattva and well-being.