Yoga Therapy for Nervous System Regulation, Stress Recovery, and Creative Expression
Yoga Therapy
Yoga therapy uses breath, movement, rest practices, and reflective inquiry to support sleep optimization, stress regulation, personal restoration, and greater awareness of life patterns and values
1:1 Yoga Therapy Sessions
Personalized sessions support stress regulation, personal restoration, navigating life transitions, and deeper self-understanding.
• Online: Available from anywhere
•In-Person: Available within 50 miles of the Minneapolis–St. Paul area
Yoga therapy is offered as a four-session package to allow time to personalize practices, integrate new skills, and develop a practice that supports your well-being beyond our sessions
Ready to Get Started?
What Yoga Therapy Supports
Unlike a general yoga class, yoga therapy is a personalized therapeutic process tailored to your unique needs, health concerns, nervous system patterns, and life circumstances.
Yoga therapists complete extensive training to support people navigating specific health concerns and life challenges.
People come to this work for many reasons, including:
- Sleep disruption and restoration
- Overwhelm, low mood, or chronic stress
- Grief, loss, and life transitions
- Burnout and nervous system fatigue
- Hypertension (high blood pressure) support
- Emotional grounding and steadiness
- Reconnecting with the body and physical sensations
- Clarifying personal direction or values
- Igniting creativity [1, 2, 3]
Practices may include:
- Guided self-reflection
- Somatic meditation
- Targeted breath practices
- Gentle, mindful movement
- Practical tools for daily life.
Sessions are personalized and may incorporate practices such as sound, Healing Touch, or other complementary approaches when appropriate and aligned with your goals.
The focus is meaningful, sustainable change, not just techniques for coping.
Yoga therapy is not about fixing yourself. It’s about cultivating practices that help you feel more grounded, supported, creative, and connected to yourself and your life.
What Research Suggests
A growing body of research suggests yoga therapy may support physical, emotional, and overall well-being for a variety of health concerns. Studies have found improvements in areas such as chronic stress, temporary anxiety states, sleep quality, physical tension, quality of life, and overall wellness, particularly when yoga therapy is individualized and integrated into a broader plan of care.
Yoga therapy is increasingly being offered in healthcare settings as a complementary approach alongside medical and mental health care. While outcomes vary from person to person, many people report feeling more grounded, resilient, and better equipped with practical skills to support their well-being beyond individual sessions.
Take the Next Step
Have questions?
Complete the form below or email me directly at sarah@softsmilesomatics.com.
This isn’t a commitment, just a space to ask questions and explore what might be supportive. I typically respond within 48 hours.
Prefer to connect first?
Email Sarah at sarah@softsmilesomatics.com →
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is yoga therapy?
Yoga therapy is different from a general yoga class. While yoga teachers are trained to support overall wellness, yoga therapists complete additional therapeutic and applied training to support individuals navigating specific health concerns and life challenges.
Yoga therapists are trained to tailor practices such as movement, breathing techniques, meditation, relaxation, and other therapeutic approaches rooted in yoga for people experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, chronic illness, autoimmune conditions, sleep difficulties, grief, trauma, and other physical or emotional health challenges.
Traditional yoga classes are often designed for generally healthy groups. Yoga therapy takes a more personalized approach that considers the whole person, including physical health, nervous system patterns, emotional wellbeing, lifestyle, and individual needs.
This deeper level of training includes extensive study, supervised practicum experience, and an understanding of how yoga practices can be adapted for different populations and conditions.
At Soft Smile Somatics, yoga therapy integrates foundational yoga principles, evidence-based research, nervous system awareness, and compassionate, trauma-informed care. Practices are thoughtfully adapted to each individual’s needs and lived experience.
What happens in a yoga therapy session?
Each session begins with a brief check-in to understand your needs and intentions for the day. From there, we may work with breath, gentle movement, restorative postures, or guided rest practices such as Yoga Nidra. Reflection—whether through quiet time, discussion, or journaling—may also be part of the process. Sessions are collaborative, paced with care, and always adapted to your unique needs
Do I need previous experience with yoga?
No experience is required. Yoga Therapy is designed to meet you exactly where you are. All practices—whether breath, movement, or rest—are adapted to your comfort level and capacity. Sessions are guided step by step, with choice and pacing built in, so you can feel supported whether you are brand new to yoga or already have experience.
How is yoga therapy different from a regular yoga class?
A regular yoga class typically follows a set sequence and is designed for a group. Yoga Therapy is more individualized and focuses on your specific needs, whether in a one-on-one or small group setting. Sessions may include breath, movement, guided rest, or reflection, with each practice adapted to your comfort level and goals. The emphasis is on support and personal well-being, not performance or achievement.
How is yoga therapy different than traditional talk therapy?
Counseling and talk therapy focus on verbal processing, reflection, and exploring thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Yoga Therapy is a body-based approach that uses movement, breath, rest, and awareness practices to support well-being.
Someone might choose Yoga Therapy when they want to work more directly with the body and nervous system, or when stress, grief, or burnout feel “stuck” in the body in ways that words alone don’t resolve. Yoga Therapy can also complement counseling, offering physical and somatic tools that support the insights gained in therapy.
How is Yoga Therapy different from physical therapy?
Yoga Therapy can help reduce pain, improve mobility, and support overall function through breath, gentle movement, and awareness practices. However, it is not physical therapy. Physical therapy is a licensed medical treatment focused on diagnosing and rehabilitating specific injuries or conditions. Yoga Therapy does not diagnose or treat medical issues. Instead, it offers supportive, adaptive practices that may complement physical therapy or other forms of care.
Someone might choose Yoga Therapy when they want a more holistic, whole-person approach that addresses not only the body but also stress, mood, sleep, and overall well-being. Yoga Therapy may also be supportive once physical therapy has ended, helping you maintain progress, prevent relapse, and reconnect with your body in daily life.
Are sessions online or in person?
Most Yoga Therapy sessions are offered online via secure video. This allows you to join from anywhere. For clients in the Minneapolis-St. Paul are, in-person sessions are available by arrangement.