Is This Thing On??

To me as a yoga therapist, the most important part of my work is how I ask questions.  Everyone has been to a medical or wellness provider-allopathic, holistic, whatever-that either doesn’t pay attention to your answers after a question has been posed or just doesn’t bother to ask you anything in the first place. 

Everyone hates that!  

• Feeling like you are not being seen and heard
• Feeling like just another number instead of a human-being
• Feeling like you are just $$ in the bank for the practitioner and they have no real interest in your well-being

What does this all lead to?  You not going back to that practitioner. You not following through with the recommendations, guidance, needed medical attention, etc.  All of which is not in your best interest.

…Because why bother!  They don’t care. They didn’t hear a word I said. They just wanted my money. They are in cahoots with big pharma. ETC. ETC.  We have all had this conversation in our minds.

My goal as a yoga therapist is for my clients never to feel this way.  I want them to feel heard.  Truly listening and hearing someone=Empathy!  
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Specifically in Yoga Therapy, we use the Panchamaya Kosha Model.  The Panchamaya Kosha Model suggests that the human system is interconnected and functions optimally when there is a state of balance between the Koshas (layers). The five Koshas (layers) are physical, energy/breath, mental/emotional, wisdom/intuition and bliss layers. 

By applying this model, a yoga therapist can provide support for a client’s physical, emotional and mental well-being. I intentionally frame the conversation with my clients around the Koshas so that they feel heard, seen and partnered with.

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Some Examples of my Questions:
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Annamaya (Physical)
1. On your intake, you mention tightness in your shoulders.  Can you describe what you are feeling?
2. On a pain scale of 1-10, how are your knees feeling today? 
3. Compared to the average day, is your pain better or worse (scale of 1-10) today?
4. Does the range of motion in your shoulder impact your daily activities? How? What are those limitations?
5. As a yogi, are there any asana(s) that cause you pain? What are those poses and where is the pain?
6. How does your arthritis affect your knees? Stiffness, range of motion limited, etc.?
7. Do you notice certain things trigger tightness in your shoulders and neck? Stress, overexertion, etc.?
8. Does your pain or discomfort prevent you from certain life activities? What kind? Do you use work arounds, just don’t do the activity, have someone else do it for you, etc.?
9. When you are standing in tree pose, do you notice anything about the posture? How does your standing leg feel? Your shoulders? Etc.?
10. When you are in plank pose, do you feel the muscle in your back activating? Where?

Pranayama (Energy/Breath)
1. Where do you feel the breath? In your chest, ribs, abdomen, all?
2. How restful is your sleep?  Do you wake throughout the night or sleep the entire time?
3. Do you feel rested when you wake up? All the time, sometimes, never. Does it affect the rest of the day?
4. Do you ever experience the afternoon slump? How often? What do you do to remedy it (such as coffee, etc.)?
5. How would you rate your stress levels (scale of 1-10)?
6. What causes you stress?  What are your triggers? How does the stress make you feel (anxious, lethargic, etc.)?
7.  Do you have any go-to activities for helping with stress? What are they?  How often do you do them?
8. On the average, how would you describe your energy level? How does that compare to today’s energy level?
9. When you stated you had difficulty starting certain activities, can you describe to me what that means to you? 
10. How would you describe the quality of your breathing?

Manomaya (Mental/Emotional)
1. You mentioned poor concentration, how would you describe it? When does it occur?
2. When do you feel anxious?  What are some of the things that create anxiety for you?
3.  What does “overwhelm” feel like to you? Does it have a color, texture, etc.?
4.  Where in your body do you experience anxiety?
5.  In your intake you mention poor memory, how has that manifested in your daily activities?
6. When you have difficulty making decisions, how does that impact you?
7. How does stress manifest in your body or breath? Do you notice it in certain parts of the body?
8.  What do you do to relive stress and anxiety? How often?
9. How do you show yourself self-compassion?  What do you do to nurture emotional health? 
10. How would you describe the quality of your support network?  How satisfied are you with the quality of your relationships? 

Vijnanamaya (Wisdom/Intuition)
1. How would you describe your true nature?
2. How could you reframe stress to lessen its impact?
3. How could you transform anxiety so that it works for you?
4. How content are you?  How could you cultivate contentment?
5. What are some tools you use to ground and center yourself?
6. How does reframing stress into something helpful look to you?
7. What brings you discontentment? Why?
8. If you stripped all the layers, what does your true nature “look” like?
9. How does contentment feel in your body? Texture, Sounds, Smells, Visuals, etc.
10. What tools could you utilize to bring the sense of contentment into your daily life? 

 Anandamaya (Bliss)
1. What brings you joy? How?
2. Do you cultivate joy internally? How?
3. How do you cultivate overall well-being?
4. What inspires awe for you? Why?
5. What is an inner resource (memory, visualization, etc.) that connects you to your true nature? How does it appear to you?
6. What is your sankalpa (your intention or vow to yourself)? How can you manifest it in daily life?
7. Do you have a connection to something greater than yourself?  How does that manifest in your life?
8. How do you relate to the word “hope”?  What feelings does it create? 
9. What does “connection” mean for you?
10. What gives you meaning?

What questions would you ask?
How would you feel if a practitioner framed the interaction in this manner?