A ‘MUST READ’ FOR ALL YOGA TEACHERS
MENTAL HEALTH AWARE YOGA: A GUIDE FOR YOGA TEACHERS
Yoga is not solely a physical practice – it’s also a profound tool for nurturing your mental health.
With a staggering 79.4% of yoga students reporting practicing yoga for mental health reasons, teachers must be equipped to support them in an appropriate way. This book serves as a roadmap for empowering yoga teachers to help their students to navigate the intricate landscapes of varying mental health issues, from depression to anxiety and trauma.
Once you are done with this book, you will be confident to lead a practice that is safe, nourishing, and transformative. You will learn how to avoid common pitfalls such as overstepping boundaries, body shaming, non-consensual touch, misinformation, and discover the best yoga practices to teach (and what to avoid) for mental health.
This is the perfect read for all yoga teachers as well as teachers in training.
I have known Lauren for many years now, a very committed student and teacher of yoga, deeply passionate about bringing the healing wisdom of yoga to more and more people.
I love the way she presents complex ideas in such a simple and relatable manner!
The book is an easy read with everything you want to know on the subject, well referenced and presented in a lucid manner. I especially found the pointers to look for in a classroom relating to different conditions and the compassionate reflection guide interesting and useful.
I highly recommend this book for all serious yoga teachers who want to make yoga accessible and most beneficial for themselves and their students.
Saraswathi Vasudevan | Yoga Vahini
Lauren Tober’s Mental Health Aware Yoga is a vibrant exploration into the healing power of yoga through a somatic lens.
It’s a compelling invitation to deepen our understanding of the body-mind connection and a truly powerful tool for mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.
Dr. Scott Lyons | Founder of The Embody Lab
Mental Health Aware Yoga offers teachers the knowledge and confidence to identify psycho-emotional states and guidelines for meeting the students “where they are” with appropriate practices that lead toward balance, self-regulation and, in yogic terms, a sattvic state.
You will find practice gems to meet and manage mood, and equally important, you’ll understand what practices and language to avoid.
If you teach yoga, this book belongs on your bookshelf!
Amy Weintraub | Author of Yoga for Depression and Yoga Skills for Therapists
Mental Health Aware Yoga is a groundbreaking book that every yoga teacher needs to read, whether they are just starting out on their teaching journey or have been teaching for decades.
With so many people turning to yoga for mental health reasons these days, it is essential that yoga teachers have solid mental health knowledge. This easy-to-digest book will help you to compassionately and confidently support your students, and will change the way you teach yoga.
Mental Health Aware Yoga is destined to become a classic and a staple in all yoga teacher training courses!
Stephen Cope | Author of Yoga and the Quest for the True Self
One of the most surprising things about yoga is that it’s primarily concerned with working with the mind. Yet most yoga teachers have very little training around mental health and how yoga might impact us both emotionally and mentally.
In Mental Health Aware Yoga, Dr. Lauren Tober offers an integration of Eastern wisdom and Western psychology, and shares a practical approach to support our mental health and the mental health of our students.
This is essential reading for yoga teachers and yoga therapists since almost half of our students will experience a diagnosed mental health condition in their lifetime.
Jivana Heyman | Director of Accessible Yoga
Mental Health Aware Yoga by Lauren Tober is a beacon of light, masterfully guiding yoga practitioners and teachers through the intertwined paths of mental wellness and yoga with warmth and wisdom.
Lauren’s deep expertise shines in her practical approach to the six pillars of Mental Health Aware Yoga, rooted in decades of clinical and personal experience. This book is an invitation to a community of growth, and a testament to the power of yoga as a tool for healing.
Join Lauren’s transformative dialogue and become part of a movement towards holistic health and compassionate teaching.
Richard Miller, PhD | Founder and Director of the iRest Center
READ A FREE CHAPTER
Download the first chapter of Mental Health Aware Yoga: A Guide for Yoga Teachers by Dr Lauren Tober today!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr Lauren Tober is a clinical psychologist and yoga teacher of over two decades, and the founder of Mental Health Aware Yoga and the Yoga Psychology Institute.
With nearly 80% of yoga students reporting that they practice yoga for mental health reasons, she believes that it is vital that yoga teachers understand mental health and know how to support their students experiencing mental health challenges.
She’s excited to be publishing Mental Health Aware Yoga: A Guide for Yoga Teachers, with Singing Dragon in July 2024, to support all yoga teachers to support their students mental health, whether they’re teaching in yoga studios, gyms, offices, schools or mental health settings.
