Rebecca has over 19 years experience as a Hatha Yoga Instructor. She taught in a primary inpatient treatment setting in WA State and created a basic relaxing Hatha Yoga
(Ananda) class called "Gentle Hatha Yoga for Relapse Prevention." She also taught a class she created called " Meditation and the 11th Step." Her experience ranged from working with students who were still detoxing to students who were in the first few weeks of abstinence from alcohol and other drug addiction.
What she observed, and her students reported, was less anxiety about being sober, more acceptance about looking at their addiction and finally being able to relax and sleep better. Students also reported that they walked out of class feeling more at peace and more centered.
Rebecca is a Certified Ananda Yoga® Teacher and holds an ERYT 200 with Yoga Alliance. She is currently teaching Raja Yoga in AZ.
Anyone can enjoy this powerful practice, which returns hatha yoga to
its original purpose: a tool for spiritual growth. What is the practice
like? Why is it unique?
'Arizona Yoga Community' AYC Your experience is vast, with training and certification in addictions,interventions, life coaching, and yoga! Do you see that thesedifferent areas often overlap?
Rebecca I do. For example, if I am working with a family wanting to do an addictionintervention I would rely on all these areas. One of my firsttasks is to explore the dynamics of the family determining whether there is enough interest and enough emotional stability to set up the addiction intervention and then take it through to completion. I teach family members certain yogic calming breathe techniques and postures that would relieve stress thus allowing access to feelings and 'safe'communication.I switch back and forth from being an addiction counselor (teaching about the dynamics of addiction) to a life coach (asking powerful questions that elicit deep reflection).
Now, if I am working with recovering clients who report back pain or sciatica, I put onmy addiction counselor 'hat' to explain the bio-chemistry of low dopamine and endorphin levels in the addict brain. I talk about how this can sabotage recovery. I might then switch to yoga instructor. and explain how meditation can increase these levels in the brain. I might also demonstrate a simple back asana depending on the seriousness of their back condition. I am trying to teach them alternatives to pain relief, rather than having to take opioids again and getting back into substance misuse.
