Yoga Therapy for the Mind
8 Week Course
with Veena Ugargol – Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist & Yoga Therapist
The Yoga Therapy for the Mind eight-week course is designed for individuals looking to improve their well-being or those dealing with chronic stress, mild to moderate depression, and anxiety disorders. . Whilst Yoga Therapy can be helpful in the management of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe depression and severe mental health difficulties, this course is not appropriate for such difficulties and instead private sessions are recommended so as to be able to tailor an approach on a more individual basis.
In order to be sure that the course will be suitable and is aligned to what you’d like to work on, Veena will send, via email, a client form to complete prior to attending the 8-week course.
Bookings will close 2 weeks before the course starts for the forms to be reviewed.
*Please note MoreYoga Tokens do not apply to courses & all sales are final – we do not offer refunds on courses once purchased due to limited number of spaces on offer*
COURSE DATES
FEB: 21st, 28th
MAR: 14th, 21st, 28th
APR: 11th, 18th, 25th
DAY & TIME
Saturdays
1:30pm – 3:30pm
Please arrive 15 mins early
PRICE
£275*
Only 14 Places Available
Who is this course for?
This Yoga Therapy for the Mind 8 week course is for those of us who would like to weave into daily life a practise that enables us toBetter manage stress, anxiety and/or depression
• Enhance concentration and focus
• Expand psychological tolerance of uncomfortable feelings
• Improve wellbeing
• Develop resilience
You will come away from the course with a deeper understanding of the physiological and psychological dimensions of stress, anxiety and depression, and a toolkit to help you manage wellbeing better in both the short and long term.
While Yoga Therapy can support the management of symptoms related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe depression, and other serious mental health challenges, this group course is not suitable for such conditions. In these cases, private sessions are recommended, allowing for a more personalised and carefully tailored approach.
What will you learn?
The course covers different themes each week, enabling students to become more aware of any unhelpful mental patterns, perceptions and habits, and develop tools to manage them better. Each 2 hour class broadly follows the same structure with each week building cumulatively on the learning from previous weeks. Students are given homework at the end of each class to practice daily along with reading material to support your learning.
The yoga course also includes:
1) A comprehensive manual
2) Access to online audio Yoga therapy and Mindfulness practises to support daily practice
Course Overview
What Is Yoga Therapy for the Mind?
Yoga Therapy for the Mind is an 8-week course developed as a complementary therapy to support those experiencing depression, anxiety, and stress related issues. The course draws on ancient yoga principles and mindfulness meditation techniques that are the foundation of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) one of the fastest growing newer therapies for depression in the UK. Students meet once a week for two hours, exploring the body-mind connection through asanas, pranayama, and restorative properties of mindfulness with psychotherapeutic holding.
Mind-Body Approach to Healing
More recent scientific research continues to affirm that depressed mood, anxiety, and stress are best treated with a method that addresses both the physiological and psychological dimensions. Yoga naturally works with these various elements. Students are taught practises to regulate mood, rebalance the nervous system, and engage less with unhelpful thought patterns, learning how to use the mind to heal the body and the body to heal the mind – building resilience for both short- and long-term wellbeing.
Progressive 8 Week Structure
This 8 week course is organised in such a way to allow students to deeply understand how yoga and mindfulness can work for them in both the short and long term to create and maintain positive mental health. The asana sequence is specifically designed to rebalance the nervous system and to teach students how to regulate their mood and emotions. Throughout the course students are invited to explore mental patterns, perceptions, and habits that keep them stuck in unfulfilling experiences of life. During the course they’ll learn how to use their mind to heal their body and their body to heal their mind. This is a powerful and holistic strategy for healing depression and anxiety and managing stress.
From Breath to Body to Mind
In the first two weeks of the course students are taught how to regulate and understand mood through breath. Next, they learn how to understand emotional health through the body, and finally through the mind. Each session of the course offers cumulative skills which help students to both become aware of and make helpful changes in their mind body system. In a variety of asanas students learn how to coexist equally with both comfortable and uncomfortable physical sensations. By learning how to be with various sensations in the body they develop greater tolerance to be with various thoughts in a gentle way with less resistance.
Finding Joy In The Present
Additionally, the yoga practices instruct students on how to create joy and contentment in the present moment. At the close of each session there is an optional discussion period for students to talk about their experiences during class and how to use what they learn when facing the challenges of daily living.
Cumulative Themes & Weekly Integration
Students are given homework and reading material to help integrate yoga and mindfulness practice into their daily life. At the close of each session there is an optional discussion space for students to talk about their experiences during class and how to use what they learn when facing the challenges of daily living. Additionally, there is opportunity before and after sessions for brief private discussion with the therapist. All levels of yoga and meditation are welcome. Research by Veena Ugargol found participants showed significant improvement in anxiety and mild depression compared to a control group.
Session Structure
(timings are approximate)
Introduction
10 minutes
Each session begins with a short introduction to the week’s core theme setting the tone and intention for the practice ahead.
Asana Practice
60-70 minutes
A mindful movement sequence designed to regulate the nervous system, release tension, and support emotional balance
Pranayama
10 minutes
Breathing techniques introduced to support self-regulation, inner calm, and clarity. Explore techniques to deppen connection to breath and body.
Group Activity
10-15 minutes
The group activity serves to highlight the teaching related to the week. Activities come from either the mindfulness or yoga tradition.
Group Discussion
15-20 minutes
Students can ask questions related to yoga and mindfulness, share insights, listen to others or choose to be silent.
Explanation
End Of Session
The session closes with guidance on how to apply the week’s practices at home.
About Veena
I’m a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist, EMDR Therapist and Yoga Therapist for Mental Health with over 10 years’ experience of treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety disorders within the NHS and privately. I combine the insights of yoga therapy, mindfulness, psychotherapy and neuroscience in the management of symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression and trauma.
I continue to lecture and supervise psychotherapists and yoga therapists in training with the Minded Institute. With academic experience in psychology and neuroscience, including formal study at the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, I continue to remain current with both fields. My academic interest in stress and its effects on health, combined with my experience and knowledge of psychotherapy and yoga therapy, equips me with a versatile approach to address a diverse range of group and individual needs.
COURSE FEEDBACK
“It was great for many reasons: it resets your nervous system after a long week; it builds your awareness of your mind and body, it helped me to understand my anxiety and how I can deal with it better; You begin to realise you’re not alone. PS The 2 hours seems long but it goes very quickly; PS x2 Veena is lovely, caring and empathetic. She will make anyone feel comfortable.”
“Enjoyed the course a lot. Provided good foundational understanding of practices that support managing anxiety and depression. Would recommend to anyone looking for alternative methods to manage mental health.”
“Really useful class for anyone struggling with anxiety / depression. Lots of great techniques driven by evidence to help make daily life better, calmer and more positive. Veena was an awesome instructor!”
“The course allowed me to learn techniques that made me feel more grounded and at peace in my day to day life. I loved the kind and flexible approach of the course which made me feel welcomed to use the practises as I wished and found useful. I would not change a thing! Thank you so much Veena.”
“It was great for many reasons: it resets your nervous system after a long week; it builds your awareness of your mind and body, it helped me to understand my anxiety and how I can deal with it better; You begin to realise you’re not alone. The 2 hours seems long but it goes very quickly; Veena is lovely, caring and empathetic. She will make anyone feel comfortable.”
“Beautifully taught, empowering course. Loved your emails with extra resources too. I would highly recommend the 8 week course. A heartfelt thank you Veena.”