All you need to know about herbs, nutrients, and yoga for enhancing mental health. Many physicians and therapists agree that herbs and mind-body practices enhance health, but many more are reluctant to integrate them into their clinical work because of a lack of training or, given how long it takes to master the use of hundreds of different herbs, a lack of time. But the trend is clear: clients and consumers alike want control over their health care choices, making the time ripe for a practical resource that guides both the clinician and the consumer on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). This book answers that call. Three noted experts in integrative medicine, Drs. Brown, Gerbarg, and Muskin, demystify the complexities of alternative mental health care, giving readers a comprehensive yet accessible guidebook to the best treatment options out there. From mood, memory, and anxiety disorders to ADD, sexual enhancement issues, psychotic disorders, and substance abuse, every chapter covers a major diagnostic category. The authors then present a range of complementary and alternative treatments-including the use of herbs, nutrients, vitamins, nootropics, hormones, and mind-body practices- that they have found to be beneficial for various conditions within each category. For example, B complex vitamins and folate have been shown to help with depression; omega-3 fatty acids can offer relief for bipolar sufferers; coherent and resonant breathing techniques-used by Buddhist monks-induce healthy alpha rhythms in the brain to relieve anxiety; the elderly can boost their memory by taking the ancient medicinal herb Rhodiola rosea; and those with chronic fatigue syndrome can find comfort in acupuncture and yoga. Focusing on evidence-based approaches, the research, the authors' clinical experience, and the potential risks and benefits of each treatment are carefully examined. Brown, Gerbarg, and Muskin have distilled an otherwise daunting field of treatment down to its basics: their overriding approach is to present the CAM methods that are most practical in a clinical setting, easy to administer, and low in side effects. With helpful summary tables at the end of each chapter, clinical pearls, and case vignettes interspersed throughout, this is a must-have resource for all clinicians and consumers who want the best that alternative medicine has to offer.

Yoga is a comprehensive mind-body practice that is particularly effective for self-regulation, mood management, fostering resilience, and promotion of wellbeing. Inherently, yoga is a system for improving mental health and alleviating suffering at the deepest levels. Consequently, yoga's potential as a key component of integrative and complementary mental health is now being recognized internationally. This book serves as a reference, but also as a bridge between yoga therapy and healthcare, helping to add to the process of growing integration. It provides a professional resource for mental health professionals interested in the potential for yoga interventions that facilitate the therapeutic process, and who want to learn ways in which yoga can catalyze and deepen this process across a broad spectrum of mental health approaches. Similarly for yoga professionals with a focus on mental health and wellbeing who want to expand their understanding of how yoga relates to mental health approaches and their knowledge of best practices. The format is designed for consistency and ease of reading. Chapter 1 introduces the reader to the yogic viewpoint of mental health and wellbeing, and the psychological and neurological rationale for yoga's usage in mental health conditions. Each subsequent chapter is organized into a clinical overview of mental health conditions, followed by sections on current research and the rationale for incorporating yoga into the treatment of the condition, recommended yoga practices, and future directions.

“A brilliant illumination of how the ancient wisdom of the yogic tradition can penetrate the often-intractable challenges of depression.”—Phil Catalfo, Yoga Journal Take the natural path to mental wellness. More than twenty-five million Americans are treated with antidepressants each year, at a cost in excess of $50 billion. But the side effects of popular prescription drugs may seem nearly as depressing as the symptoms they’re meant to treat. Veteran yoga instructor Amy Weintraub offers a better solution—one that taps the scientifically proven link between yoga and emotional well-being as well as the beauty of ancient approaches to inner peace. Addressing a range of diagnoses, including dysthymia, anxiety-based depression, and bipolar disorder, Yoga for Depression reveals why specific postures, breathing practices, and meditation techniques can ease suffering and release life’s traumas and losses. Weintraub also reflects on her own experience with severe depression, from which she recovered through immersing herself in a daily yoga routine. Yoga for Depression is the first yoga book devoted exclusively to the treatment of these debilitating conditions. Amy Weintraub will help readers see their suffering and themselves in a vibrant new light.

This highly illustrated guide teaches yoga therapists and mental health professionals how to integrate Yin Yoga into practice and treatment plans as part of a holistic approach to healing and treating a variety of mental health challenges and brain injuries. Yin yoga is an accessible form of yoga consisting of mainly floor based low force stretching, perfect for all patients regardless of physical limitations. The use of Yin yoga when combined with breath work and meditation can decrease anxiety, improve overall mood, and create a sense of well-being. With explanations on the principles of practice, such as asanas, meditation, breathwork and how to integrate different psychological methods to decrease emotional suffering and increase self-care along with examples of how to apply these principles for a range of mental health conditions; this guide is essential reading for all practitioners interested in an integrated approach to healing.

Help teens access the therapeutic power of yoga and mindfulness in their daily lives with this guide. Explaining the science of yoga and how this ties in with adolescent physical and neurological development, the book also gives concrete ways to use yogic techniques to overcome issues such as anxiety, bullying, relationship issues, depression and sleep deprivation. The applied yoga in this book includes not only asana, pranayama, meditation and yoga nidra exercises, but also throws the net wider to include visualisations, philosophy and modes of thinking. Including the latest research and evidence on yoga therapy, it shows how yoga's positive influence extends beyond specific issues. The methods in this book will instil a long-lasting sense of optimism and self-regulation among young people both on and off the mat.

Machine generated contents note: ch. 1 Why Yoga Now? -- ch. 2 Basic Yoga Principles & Preparations -- ch. 3 Clearing The Space: The Yoga Of Breath (Pranayama) -- ch. 4 Cooling The Breath, Calming The Mind: Breathing Practices For Anxiety -- ch. 5 Mood-Elevating Breath Practices -- ch. 6 The Yoga Of Sound (Mantra) -- ch. 7 Mudras For Managing Mood -- ch. 8 The Yoga Of Imagery (Bhavana) & Affirmation (Sankalpa) -- ch. 9 Relax: Yoga Nidra & Irest -- ch. 10 Welcoming It All: Yogic Self-Inquiry (Svadhyaya) -- ch. 11 On The Mat & More: Referrals, Resources, & Training.

Mental and Emotional Healing Through Yoga combines key research on the intersection of yoga and mental health with a client-centered, step-by-step framework that can be applied to a range of complex mental and emotional disorders. The book guides readers through the initial intake of the first client session and the development of subsequent sessions, providing case examples from the author’s practice to show how yoga’s mind-body connection facilitates recuperation and healing. While well-grounded in research and case studies, the book is also highly readable, making it accessible to professionals such as psychotherapists and yoga therapists, as well as individuals and families struggling with mental health issues.