LifeForce Yoga Practitioner Update – Issue 16

By Amy Weintraub Posted in LFYP News

Contents

Message from Amy

Dear LFYPs,

I hope this message finds you in good spirits. This is a busy time here since the new book from W.W. Norton will be out in April. Yoga Skills for Therapists is garnering wonderful advanced praise thanks to many of you who contributed. Here are the LFYPs who appear in the book:

Joy Bennett, LFYP-2, ERYT-500, IYT-500, Felicity Boyer, MBA, RYT, LFYP-2, Deborah Lubetkin, PsyD, LFYP-2, Ann Friedenheim, MA, RYT, LFYP-2, Joe Walter, MSW, CMFT, RYT, LFYP-2, Laura Orth, LICSW, LFYP-2, Francoise Adan, MD, LFYP, Susan Tebb, PhD, LSW, RYT, LFYP-2, Dory Martin, LCSW, LFYP, Sue Dilsworth, PhD, RYT-500, LFYP-2, Kathryn Shafer, PhD, RYT-500, LFYP-2, Laurie Schaeffer, HN-BC RN, E-RYT 500, LFYP, Mickie Diamond, LCSW, RYT, LFYP, Nancy Nicholson, LCSW, RYT, LFYP, Alexandra Kedrock, LCSW, RYT, LFYP, Patricia Rogers, LFYP and Cindy Naughton, LMFT, LFYP. Rose Kress took most of the pictures and assembled the Glossary. Thank you all for your contributions!

Here’s the Press Release about the book:

You can preorder the book at: http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail.aspx?ID=24012, enter code OAW1958 to receive a 20% discount.

If you are teaching or presenting and would like copies of the book available for your attendees, please call the publisher, W.W. Norton, to order wholesale copies: 1-800 233-4830. If you need them sooner than April 7th, contact Kevin Olsen, the marketing and publicity director at kolsen@wwnorton.com.

We had a wonderful January training in Tucson, and, thanks to new LFYP Bucky Faraquar, the group has banded together to support each others’ daily practice.  Please see Ashley Lynn Caputo’s interview with Bucky below. Thanks to faculty and staff: Maria Kali Ma, Sue Dilsworth, Caren Strait and, of course, Rose Kress!

I’ve just returned from Kripalu and the Asheville Yoga Center, where I was tremendously supported by LifeForce Yoga precious beings Joy Bennett, Wendy Chabot and Susan Schrott at Kripalu and Donna Eash and Tricia MacDonald in Asheville.

While in Asheville, I also taught in the Inner Peace Yoga Therapy Training and enjoyed reconnecting with three LFYPs who were taking the training in Asheville: Mary Pullin, Dawn Hamilton and Dena Saedi. This year Inner Peace will hold its training at Mount Madonna in Watsonville, CA, and in 2013 it will be in Tucson at the Desert Renewal Center.

http://innerpeaceyogatherapy.com/

The 2012 training is offering $100 off until the end of February.

Your work in the world continues to inspire me. May LifeForce Yoga continue to inspire you!

A warm namasté,

Amy

Message from Rose

As a gentle reminder, when promoting your LifeForce Yoga work, teaching classes, editing, etc, please remember to include the word yoga. It gets easily dropped.Please note that it is “LifeForce Yoga(R)” – LifeForce is one word with the ‘F’ capitalized and Yoga is also capitalized. You only need to use the registered trademark symbol, ®, at the beginning of any document. If you have questions, please let me know.

You may have noticed that the website had been changed and updated — hooray! It has been a lot of work, but we have a wonderful new webmaster. As always, check your listing and let us know if anything has changed. We are still in the process of working with the LFYP pages, please be patient with us.

Please Note — the password and URL have changed for the LFYP portion of the site!

http://yogafordepression.com/lfyp/ (please note that there is no “www” in this link)

  • Login: Shiva
  • Password: K=6[)svA4&QK

This is where you can download the most recent version of the Level 1 Manual, mentoring forms, new Power Points that include research and trauma, and Sue Dilsworth’s new Power Point on yoga and psychotherapy that she developed for the level 1 training.

Here’s a direct link to the new manual:

LifeForce Yoga Level 1 Practitioner Training Manual

New LFYPs

Congratulations to the graduates of the LFYP Level 1 Training that took place in Tucson, AZ, January 8 – 15, 2012:

  • Colleen McHorney from Prescott, AZ
  • Mary Magers from Prescott, AZ
  • Nikki Aiello from Phoenix, AZ
  • Sierra Ohrel from Tucson, AZ
  • Wendy White from Tucson, AZ
  • Risa Ross from Valencia, CA
  • Mickey Reed from North Haven, CT
  • Paulette Thomas from Atlanta, GA
  • Sara Rolley from Carlisle, MA
  • Kathy Fogle from Harwich, MA
  • Lisa Moore from Baltimore, MD
  • Laurie Thorner from Colombia, MD
  • Donna Bialozor from Frederick, MD
  • Lisa Ham from Allendale, MI
  • Judy Kuiper from Grand Rapids, MI
  • Mary Jane Gazda from Harrison Twp, MI
  • Cathy Caldwell-Bowman from Muskegon, MI
  • Laura Morledge from Billings, MT
  • Nichole Finger from Connelius, NC
  • Lynn Ciccone from New Lebanon, NY
  • Harvey Vinsky from Toronto, ON
  • Sandra Gordon from Camp Hill, PA
  • Rebecca Stern from Philadelphia, PA
  • Mary Noone from Valley Forge, PA
  • Tzivia Stein Barrett from Dallas, TX
  • Judi Eskovitz from Vienna, VA
  • Rachel Delbos from Williamsburg, VA
  • Renee Couture from Burlington, VT
  • Ana Sierra from Tacoma, WA
  • Bucky Farquhar from Seattle, WA

Interview with Bucky Farquhar

by Ashley Lynn Caputo, LFYP-2

Bucky Farquhar, a January, 2012 LFYP level one graduate was inspired to invite her fellow graduates to become involved in a 40 day LifeForce practice challenge, done at home and shared on-line. She is quite an inspiring practitioner.

What contributed to you coming up with this idea?

I wanted to deepen my practice after graduation. I knew I was going to do a 40 day challenge which meant for me: being on my mat at 6am each day. I intuitively knew it would change how I viewed my life. And I was curious as to what that would be, which was terrific because I had recently moved from Philadelphia to Seattle. I then realized others in the January Level I Training & retreat might be interested in doing this too, so I asked if anyone wanted to join me.

I said I would start email conversations, facilitating the group process and if there was interest I would host a 1 time per week call too. A number of people said yes. I’m pleased my idea of a 40 day challenge was met with such enthusiasm. We’ve created a community on Facebook where we could learn from each other as well as offer support. Many are loving it,

How many people were in your training, and how many joined you in the challenge?

We were a group of 32 yoginis and one yogi. 14 of us are involved in the on-line forum discussing the challenge, sharing our successes with clients and having fun. Some people were willing to sign up for Facebook private group and participate in the group. I was pleased that some were willing to leave their comfort zone to do this.

You had mentioned some excellent parameters for one to consider setting for oneself including: “What is an acceptable minimum daily practice for me?” and “how many days of doing less than I planned is okay with me?” or ”Is one pose or breathing technique enough for one day?” These are savvy questions! What have you found people have shared the most?

The forum is a confidential, closed discussion one. But I can say that, in general, people have written about their enjoyment of doing their practices every morning. They have written about successes with clients and colleagues. And some have talked about their own challenges. I found when I asked these questions of myself that I notice I am clearer as to what is an okay practice for that particular morning. I don’t necessarily have answers or a specific structure that guide me. I am humbly more clear what will disappoint and discourage me. And I am delighted that others are sharing the ride.

What brought you to the LifeForce Yoga practitioner training from Seattle, WA?

I am a “young” yoga teacher, I plus years; a twenty year yoga student and a co-active life coach for 10 years, and family therapist for 17 years before that. I feel like I can combine a number of my skills by adding Amy’s premise to my experience. I was inspired by a weekend Amy taught here in Seattle at 8 Limbs last fall to go to Tucson for the Retreat.

And I wanted to enjoy LifeForce yoga in my life in a more committed way. Now, with the group doing the challenge, there is a lot of enthusiasm, friendship, and support from all over the country. And the learning has a collegial quality to it. And I am looking at new teaching opportunities with LifeForce Yoga incorporated here in the Seattle area also.

Register for LifeForce Yoga Practitioner Training
for Depression & Anxiety – Level 2

Registration for the Level 2 Training, May 7 – 14, 2012, Tucson, AZ is ongoing.

Each day begins with a deep LifeForce Yoga Practice led by Amy or Rose. We will have two daytime sessions, where each practitioner will share her or his use of LifeForce Yoga strategies in their work. You will dive more deeply into the techniques from Level 1 with a new manual that includes scripts for practices and processes. Your own personal practice will deepen. Each practitioner will walk away with a greater sense of connection, to Self, as well as to the sangha of LifeForce Yoga Practitioners. We hope that you will join us in May!

Level 2 continues training in the Yogic strategies for balancing mood, with more practice teaching. The emphasis here is working one-on-one and leading workshops. Level 2 will focus on developing skill levels in assessing, teaching and working with students and clients in groups and individually to facilitate and empower them to manage their moods with yogic principles, practices, and strategies.

In this course, you will actively lead, with script in hand, what you may only have experienced in Level 1. Ancient yogic practices will be considered in the light of current research in the field of yoga and mental health. There will be many opportunities to practice, in small groups and one-on-one, the many yogic strategies covered in both the Level 1 and 2 Trainings.

General Daily Schedule and Registration

*we begin at 7pm on the 12th and end at noon on the 18th*

Once you have registered, you can download the required mentoring forms from the LFYP website at http://yogafordepression.com/lfyp/ (please note that there is no “www” in this link).

  • Login: Shiva
  • Password: K=6[)svA4&QK

Please note, we ask that you complete two mentoring sessions prior to the training. If this is not possible, please contact Rose at rose@amyweintraub.com.

About the Author

Amy Weintraub

Amy Weintraub E-RYT 500, MFA, YACEP, C-IAYT, founded the LifeForce Yoga® Healing Institute, which trains yoga and health professionals internationally, and is the author of Yoga for Depression and Yoga Skills for Therapists. The LifeForce Yoga protocol is used by health care providers worldwide. She is involved in ongoing research on the effects of yoga on mood.

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What People Say

“I utilize the LFY techniques in both a class room setting and one-on-one environment. The skills have infused my teachings with compassion, mindfulness, and awareness.” — Kat Larsen, CYT, LFYP
“Giving my clients a strategy and permission to quiet their minds and rebalance the sympathetic nervous system has been very beneficial to them and in our work together.” — Sue Dilsworth, PhD, RYT 200, LFYP, Allendale, MI
“I have found the pranayama (breathing practices) especially easy to introduce in a clinical setting. Some people have benefited quickly in unexpected and transformative ways.” — Liz Brenner, LICSW, LFYP, Watertown, MA
“This workshop helped me rededicate my energies and begin to work through some of the blocks I’ve felt creatively.” — Steve Mark, college professor, New Haven, CT
“Words do not do justice to all that I learned. This workshop changed my life!” — Jen Nolan, Teacher, Cortland, NY
“I have gained an incredible opening and clearing of old obstructions. I hope to return to my life and fill this opening with things I love to do and that give me joy!” — Lisa Shine, administrative assistant, Ballston Lake, NY
“I integrate strategies like mantra tones and pranayama, but above all I invite myself and those I teach to cultivate svadhyaya, to practice self-observation without judgment.” — Barbara Sherman, RYT 200, LFYP, Tucson, AZ
“This workshop has changed so much — my self-image and my life. My own heart’s desire is 100% clear. I gained tools to help myself and others to live life fully.” — Marcia Siegel, Yoga teacher, therapist, Carlsbad, CA.
I absolutely love this stuff! I have been using it with my clients and I am just finding it to be so incredibly helpful. There seriously something for everything. Although I am not as skilled as I hope to be someday, even at my level of training I’m finding that I am beginning to figure out what to do. It just blows my mind! - Christine Brudnicki, MS, LPC
“I learned lots of ways to reduce the anxiety and depression of my patients and myself.” – Aviva Sinvany-Nubel, PhD, APN, CNSC, RN, psychotherapist, Bridgewater, N.J.
“A client who returned said, "When I came before, you helped me understand and get where I wanted to go. Now you show me yoga practices I use to help myself understand and get where I want to go.” — Sherry Rubin, LCSW, BCD, LFYP, Downingtown, PA
“I came hoping to learn to move past some of the obstacles blocking my creativity. Over the course of this weekend, I feel I’ve gained a certain measure of faith in myself and in my ability to change. I also had some realizations that I believe will be very helpful to me. I feel encouraged. Both the content and presentation of this program were so well-thought out that I can’t think of any way to improve it.” — Andrea Gollin, writer & editor, Miami, FL
“I began a fantasy during the meditation exercise... almost as if I’d been there. It’s now an on-going work of fiction.” — Serian Strauss, Tanzania
“I feel profoundly transformed, both physically and emotionally. The connection between mind, body and spirit was clearly evident to me, but revealed to me through this workshop as an integrally vital link to overall health.” — Nadine Richardson, program manager at rehab agency, Monroe, CT
“I have been reminded that I am not on this path alone, that others are sharing the journey that sometimes seems so difficult. I have also been reminded of the importance of daily practice and I will do that. The whole program has been an incredible experience for me. Thank you!” — Lorraine Plauth, retired teacher, Voorheesville, NY
“I gained tools for working with my own depression and with my clients’ depressions.” — Robert Sgona, LCSW, RYT, psychotherapist, Yoga teacher, Camden, ME.
“My life is already changed! I will use the tools I learned in my own practice and in my work. I feel safe and seen.” — Susan Andrea Weiner, MA, teacher/expressive arts facilitator, El Cerrito, CA.
“I gained perspective of who I am in the world and this will change my life significantly.” — Mary Ford, artist, Southport, CT
“My patients can now have the same effects as many medications without having to actually take medication!” — Deborah Lubetkin, PSY.D, LFYP, West Caldwell, NJ
“This program changed my life in a significant way. It helped me connect with the spirit which is something you can’t get from psychotherapy and medication.” – G. W., artist, Pittsburgh, PA
“My personal practice will change, as well as my yoga classes. I have a better understanding of yoga!” — Andrea Gattuso, RYT, Yoga Teacher, Hackettstown, N.J.
“I have gained a softer heart, more receptive mind, and tools to enrich both personal and professional aspects of my life.” – Regina Trailweaver, LICSW, clinical social worker, Hancock, VT.
“I have found the LFYP training to be incredibly useful in giving people specific tools to use in maintaining physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual balance, and further opening their intuitive abilities.” — Nancy Windheart, RYT-200, LFYP, Reiki Master, Animal communication teacher, Prescott, AZ
“Yoga Skills for Therapists is the ideal resource for those who want to bring yoga practices into psychotherapy or healthcare. Weintraub, a leader in the field of yoga therapy, offers evidence-based, easy-to-introduce strategies for managing anxiety, improving mood, and relieving suffering. Helpful clinical insights and case examples emphasize safety, trust, and skillful adaptation to the individual, making it easy to apply the wisdom of yoga effectively in the therapeutic context.” — Kelly McGonigal, PhD, author, Yoga for Pain Relief, Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Yoga Therapy
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