Frequently Asked Questions

How do I sign up for a course?

The Mindful Yoga for Chronic Pain course is offered in small group format (10 participants or less) several times per year. Please sign up via the registration form on the site.

Know Thyself Meditation™ is also offered several times per year. Please register here.

I also offer both programs on an individual (1:1) basis. To learn more about the programs and find out which format is best for you, please book a free 30 minute consultation.

Do I need prior yoga or meditation experience to take these courses?

No. Both programs are designed to be accessible to those with no prior experience with yoga/meditation. All you need to participate is breath and attention.

Is the Mindful Yoga program physically demanding?

Each live, Zoom-based class is 2 hours, with time spent in meditation, discussion, and a movement practice of approximately 30 minutes. A short break is offered around the 1 hour mark.

The movement practice is intentionally gentle and specifically designed for people living with chronic pain. There are options for both an “up and down” practice (standing and on the mat) and a seated/chair-based practice. Mindful Yoga can be practiced by people with reduced mobility and who use a wheelchair.

In both the individual (1:1) and group format, the movement practice is tailored to the participant(s).

I thrive on extreme physical challenges and am worried that the Mindful Yoga practice won’t be demanding enough.

If you are an adrenaline junkie, the Mindful Yoga movement practice will be much slower than your usual activities. Given our fast paced/high stress culture, it can be beneficial for everyone to pay attention to what appears in the inner landscape when we slow things down. In fact, many participants are surprised by how much they discover! You can also apply the awareness and insights that emerge during the Mindful Yoga movement practice to your high intensity activities. Mindful Yoga can increase your dexterity (and enjoyment!) at both ends of the output spectrum!

How much time do the courses require each week?

The Mindful Yoga classes are 2 hours of live instruction weekly. The Know Thyself Meditation™ classes are 1.5 hours. In between classes, both programs ask you to spend approximately 15-30 minutes per day working with practices on your own. Support is offered to address the common challenges of finding time to practice - something you won’t get with a mindfulness app! Weekly pointers are also offered for integrating the practices informally into day to day life. In the Mindful Yoga for Chronic Pain research studies, a “dose response” was noted in symptom improvement, meaning that consistency is important and more practice yielded greater benefit. After establishing a routine, most participants find that they look forward to their daily practice.