One of the most powerful things we can experience as therapists is community.
We spend so much of our time holding space for other people. We listen, support, guide, teach, and sit with clients through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. But who is holding space for us?
This is one of the reasons I recently attended the Holistic Therapist Conference, created by LeNaya Crawford at the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina. I was also honored to present Grief Yoga: An Embodied Approach to Healing at the conference, sharing how yoga-informed practices can support people navigating grief and loss. Being both a presenter and participant made the experience especially meaningful—I had the opportunity to share what I love while also learning from and connecting with other therapists
And honestly? It was phenomenal.
The Power of Coming Together
LeNaya created an experience that was about so much more than sitting in a room listening to speakers talk .There were so many different ways to learn and experience the material—sound bowls, yoga, meditation, Yoga Nidra, Polyvagal, Breath work, Human Design, and a wide variety of topics shared by incredibly talented presenters.
There was something really special about learning alongside other therapists who are also curious about expanding the way they work.
It reminded me that community can be a form of professional nourishment. Sometimes we don’t need another book, another podcast, or another course.
Sometimes we need to be around other people who understand what it’s like to do this work.
We need opportunities to be inspired, to ask questions, to share ideas, to laugh, to learn, and to remember that we aren’t doing this alone. I highly recommend the Holistic Therapist Conference, and LeNaya is planning another one next year, so stay tuned! (link is above)
But Then I Had a Conversation About Something Else…
This morning, I met a colleague for breakfast, and we started talking about something I hear from therapists all the time:
There are SO many trainings out there.
Which one do you take?
There are trainings on trauma, somatics, EMDR, Brainspotting, parts work, attachment, mindfulness, yoga, breathwork, nervous system regulation, polyvagal theory, and so much more.
And continuing education is important. But I’ve also seen therapists become completely overwhelmed by it. They get excited about a training, sign up, learn a ton of information—and then before they have time to integrate it, they’re off to the next training.
I’ve seen therapists take yoga training after yoga training, and when I ask them, “How is it going with bringing yoga into your sessions?”
They tell me:
“I haven’t really started yet.”
Often, it isn’t because they don’t want to. It’s because they don’t feel ready.
They worry they don’t know enough.
They experience imposter syndrome. They think they need one more certification, one more training, one more piece of knowledge before they can actually begin. One more to may be the answer to feeling “enough.”
And that brings me to a question my colleague and I discussed this morning:
What is enough?
How do you know when you’ve trained enough? At what point does learning become preparation—and when does it become avoidance of actually using what you’ve learned?
Redefining What Yoga Can Look Like in the Therapy Room
When we talk about bringing yoga into therapy, I think it’s important to redefine what we mean by “yoga.”
It doesn’t have to be a 30-minute yoga sequence.It doesn’t have to look like a yoga class.It doesn’t have to involve getting clients onto a yoga mat. And it doesn’t have to be complicated.
One practice can be enough.
One breath practice can be enough.
One moment of noticing the body can be enough.
One grounding movement can be enough.
One opportunity to help a client connect with their internal experience can be enough.
Yoga in the therapy room can be incredibly simple—and still meaningful. And here’s something else I want you to remember:
You already know more than you think you do.
As therapists, we have developed so many skills that are transferable to integrating yoga-based practices into our work.
- We know how to establish safety.
- We know how to attune to our clients.
- We know how to offer choice.
- We know how to notice when something isn’t working.
- We know how to sit with discomfort.
- We know how to meet people where they are.
- We know how to build therapeutic relationships.
Those skills matter. Training matters, too. Absolutely.
We need education, ethical guidance, consultation, and opportunities to develop competence. But competence doesn’t necessarily mean knowing everything.
And you don’t have to become an expert in every aspect of yoga before you can thoughtfully integrate a simple, appropriate practice into therapy.
Sometimes the next step isn’t another training. Sometimes the next step is integration.
Take what you’ve already learned and give yourself permission to practice it.
Stepping Outside the Traditional Therapy Box
Stepping outside the traditional therapy box takes courage. When we begin incorporating movement, mindfulness, yoga, breath work, or other holistic practices, it can feel vulnerable. It can feel awkward and uncomfortable at first.
We may wonder:
“Am I really qualified to do this?”
“What if I do it wrong?”
“What will other therapists think?”
“Do I need another certification?”
Those questions are worth exploring. But don’t let them keep you permanently in the learning phase. Because there is something incredibly rewarding about taking what you’ve learned and watching it become part of your actual work with clients.
Remember that you don’t need to know everything. (No one really does.) You don’t need to have every answer. Yoga is a lifelong learning journey, but we don’t have to learn it all at once. We can slow down. Take one step at a time. Pace ourselves.
Embody it in ourselves first, then share it with our clients.
One practice. One moment. One step at a time. You are enough. You can continue learning while also beginning.
So here’s my question for you:
What is one yoga practice you could bring into your therapy room this week?
- Maybe it’s a grounding movement.
- Maybe it’s a simple breath practice.
- Maybe it’s helping a client notice what they’re experiencing in their body.
- Maybe it’s an intentional pause.
Choose one thing.
Try it. Notice what happens. Then give yourself time to integrate the experience before signing up for the next training. Because sometimes growth isn’t about adding more.
Sometimes growth is about slowing down, trusting yourself, and allowing what you already know to become embodied in your work.
And if you need a reminder today:
Your clients don’t need you to know everything. They need you to be present, curious, ethical, grounded, and willing to keep learning. And sometimes, that’s where the real transformation begins.
