68: Approaches for Anxiety: Community Conversations with Caroline Wybar

Anxiety tends to go under-recognized and under-treated, and yet is one of the most common mental health challenges faced today. It is also a key reason many students are drawn to yoga practice.

Today host Rachel speaks with Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist Caroline Wybar about how those factors inspired the capstone project of her 1000 Hour Teacher Training qualification: a pilot study on individual therapeutic yoga approaches for anxiety.

Caroline shares the details of her pilot study, offers her tips for building trusting relationships with one-on-one students, and highlights the takeaways that most surprised her. Listen in to hear how the yoga approaches she found the most useful were as unique and individual as the students themselves.

“You can either look at the disease or you can look at the individual and there’s a very big difference.” – Caroline Wybar

YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN TO THE PODCAST ON APPLE PODCASTS. AND BE SURE TO LEAVE US A RATING AND REVIEW!

“The practice that might prove to be the most helpful is often provoking or threatening.” – Caroline Wybar

Show Notes:

• What piqued Caroline’s interest in therapeutic yoga for anxiety [2:47]
• Key findings from recent research on anxiety [3:52]
• Therapeutic benefits of mindfulness interventions can be long-lasting [6:28]
• Potential use of stimulating pranayama (Bhastrika) on anxiety [8:17]
• Three hypotheses that informed Caroline’s pilot study on yoga for anxiety [10:37]
• The structure of Caroline’s pilot study: student diversity was key [15:14]
• The wide range of yoga practices Caroline utilized for anxiety [19:12]
• Building trusting relationships with students [21:50]
• Key project takeaways and case study highlights [28:22]
• Implications of improved motion function on anxiety, especially in older students [33:08]
• Differing experiences of anxiety in different life stages [37:07]
• Surprising takeaways from the study, including the value of mastering challenges [39:42]
• The unexpected potency of Yoga Nidra (after the right precursors) [45:10]
• Final takeaways [51:07]

Links Mentioned:

• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Yoga Medicine Podcast Episode 28: Yoga Tools for Anxiety with Aisha Fakhro
• Research links mentioned:
  • Kabat-Zinn, J., et. al. (1992). Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/21545608_Effectiveness_of_a_Meditation-based_Stress_Reduction_Program_in_the_Treatment_of_Anxiety_Disorders
  • Novaes, M. M., et. al. (2020). Effects of yoga respiratory practice (Bhastrika pranayama) on anxiety, affect, and brain functional connectivity and activity: a randomized controlled trial. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00467
• Connect with Caroline Wybar:

Facebook | Instagram | Caroline Wybar Yoga | Yoga Medicine® Online Guest Teacher

“This process of cognitive reforming that takes place through the mindfulness practice had a really lasting effect.” – Caroline Wybar