Laurel, Md. — Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) announced today that ten of its faculty members are contributors to a new textbook, Yoga Therapy Foundations, Tools, and Practice: A Comprehensive Textbook. This is the first academic textbook on yoga therapy that aligns with the educational competencies of the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT).
This textbook provides essential support to universities and schools that offer yoga therapy training programs, enabling them to develop robust curricula and prepare yoga therapists to integrate into healthcare settings safely and effectively. It includes a large and international list of contributors from diverse lineages and backgrounds.
Yoga therapy is an emerging field that is distinctly different from teaching yoga classes. Yoga therapists work one-on-one and in group settings with clients in a therapeutic relationship. They help individuals address their unique health concerns and achieve relief from physical and emotional pain through the practice of yoga. They focus on clients’ goals and needs while employing therapeutic practices tailored to mitigate symptoms, restore wellness, improve function, and avoid re-injury. Yoga therapists measure the impact of therapy over time and adjust therapeutic practices based on clients’ progress. They collaborate with other health care and medical practitioners to provide integrated care, and work in private practice, conventional health care and medical settings, hospitals, and hospital systems, as well as health and wellness centers.
“With the development of yoga therapy as a recognized integrative health modality, developing industry standards becomes increasingly important. To that end, this book can be adopted by yoga therapy programs, large or small, to meet the curricular needs of their programs and work together to create a recognizable profession built on common tools. This still allows room for each program, and each yoga therapist’s, unique approach to whole-person care,” said Diane Finlayson, Department Chair of Yoga Therapy.
MUIH began offering graduate programs in yoga therapy in 2013. MUIH offers the only Master of Science in Yoga Therapy and the only graduate certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices in the U.S. The master’s degree is offered in a hybrid format and the graduate certificate is offered online. MUIH also offers master’s and doctoral degrees and graduate certificates in a wide range of other integrative health disciplines.
About Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH)
Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) is a leading academic institution focused on the study and practice of integrative health and wellness and one of the few universities in the U.S. dedicated solely to such practices. Deeply rooted in a holistic philosophy, its model for integrative health and wellness is grounded in whole-person, relationship-centered, evidence-informed care.
Since 1974, MUIH has been a values-driven community educating practitioners and professionals to become future health and wellness leaders through transformative programs grounded in traditional wisdom and contemporary science. MUIH has more than 20 progressive graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines, offered on-campus and online.
In the on-campus Natural Care Center and community outreach settings, MUIH provides compassionate and affordable healthcare from student interns and professional practitioners, which delivers more than 20,000 clinical treatments and consultations each year.
For more information visit www.muih.edu.