Instructor: Gayl Staver
Community: Individual therapy with 14 year old girl with Depression and Anxiety, Therapy office, 60 minutes
Plan Creation Date: July 3, 2013
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Grounding
Props/Music resources required/Used: Hoberman Sphere, Chimes, lavender spray.
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly breathing and Hoberman Sphere – We sat in front of each other and followed each other’s belly breathing with the sphere. I demonstrating using the “Ahhhh exhale” through the nose and we practiced that kind of exhaling. I explained that this way of breathing helps one feel strong and grounded.
- Discussion – about grounding and what that means. We talked about physical, mental and emotional grounding and what that may look like and feel like.
Activate
- Volcano Breath – to activate and ground the body and mind in preparation for activity. We did the volcano focusing on feeling the ground through our feet and the energy coming from the ground during the part where the arms go in the air.
- Alignment – We reviewed the alignment principals in preparation for the MAT 20.
- Mat 20 – I lead her through the Mat 20 with concentration on feeling the ground and the energy coming up from the ground through her out her finger tips in the expanded poses.
- Tree – We practiced the tree (her favorite pose) with grounding her tree and feeling free in her arms or branches.
- Tree Challenge – We challenged each other to hold the tree even with distraction. We talked about how in life we have to be strong and grounded even when we are distracted.
Calm
- Mindful Moments cards – We read through some of the grounded-themed cards in the deck and discussed the statements on the cards.
- Child’s pose – I lead her in the child pose to help her integrate all that we have done and to calm and soothe herself. I used the Chimes during the pose to help her feel relaxed and expanded.
- Progressive relaxation – During the progressive relaxation I started at the top of the head and progressed to the toes with guidance to tighten then relax and let go of her muscles.