Personalized Healing: How Yoga Therapy Differs from General Yoga Instruction
Yoga Therapy vs. Yoga Classes: What’s the Difference?
Yoga is widely recognized for its ability to bring balance, strength, and peace of mind. Yet while both yoga classes and yoga therapy sessions share the same ancient roots, their intentions, structure, and outcomes differ in meaningful ways. Understanding this distinction can help you choose the right path for your own wellbeing journey.
What You Can Expect in a Yoga Class
A yoga class—whether gentle, vigorous, or specialized for a group such as prenatal students or cancer survivors—is primarily designed to teach yoga practices. The teacher’s role is to instruct and guide students through postures, breathing, and relaxation in a way that is safe, inspiring, and accessible to the group.
Students often leave class feeling energized, calmer, or more flexible. These benefits are real and powerful. But in most cases, the class setting does not allow for an in-depth look at an individual’s health history, daily routines, or long-term goals. The intention is education and experience of yoga—not necessarily therapeutic change.
What You Can Expect in a Yoga Therapy Session
Yoga therapy, by contrast, begins with a therapeutic relationship and a personalized process. A yoga therapist is trained not only in the tools of yoga—postures, breathwork, meditation, and more—but also in how to adapt these tools to support specific health conditions, symptoms, or life challenges.
A yoga therapy session typically involves:
Intake & Assessment: Understanding your history, needs, and wellbeing goals.
Personalized Practice Design: Creating practices tailored to your current abilities, interests, desires and long-term wellbeing.
Education & Empowerment: Teaching you how to integrate practices into your daily life, and supporting you with lifestyle medicine, boundary setting and time management skills.
Follow-up & Refinement: Adjusting practices as your needs evolve.
The aim of yoga therapy is not just to feel better after the session, but to create lasting change through consistent home practice and ongoing support.
Personalization in Both Private and Small-Group Settings
Yoga therapy can take place one-on-one or in small groups. In a private session, the focus is entirely on your unique needs and schedule. In a small group, the therapist still provides individualized guidance, while also fostering community with others navigating similar challenges.
This balance of individual attention and peer support helps clients not only learn practices but also apply them in real life—turning insights from the mat into habits that support their wellbeing goals day after day.
Why the Difference Matters
The difference between a yoga teacher and a yoga therapist mirrors the difference between a class and a session:
A yoga teacher primarily instructs yoga practices.
A yoga therapist primarily supports clients in navigating symptoms, fostering resilience, and creating long-term change.
While both roles are valuable, yoga therapy is distinguished by its therapeutic intent, structured assessment, and focus on empowering individuals to take charge of their own healing.
The Takeaway
If you are seeking general fitness, stress relief, or community, a yoga class is an excellent choice. If you are looking for personalized support with specific health goals or challenges, yoga therapy offers a tailored approach that integrates seamlessly into daily life.
Yoga therapy sessions—even in small groups—emphasize personalization, empowerment, and long-term transformation, helping you move from simply practicing yoga to living yoga as a foundation for lasting wellbeing.
Ready to explore your options? You can choose from:
One-on-One Yoga Therapy Sessions – Personalized support designed around your unique needs and goals.
Group Yoga Therapy Offerings – Small, focused groups for specific health conditions or wellbeing goals.
15-Minute Free Discovery Call – Connect with me directly to discuss what approach is best for you.
Suggested Readings & Citations
Kepner, J., Devi, N. J., Le Page, J., Le Page, L., Kraftsow, G., & Lee, M. (2014). The differences between yoga teacher training and yoga therapist training and the distinction between yoga teaching and yoga therapy. International Journal of Yoga Therapy, 24(1), 7–21. https://doi.org/10.17761/ijyt.24.1.j763817j752215mj
