Yoga for Mental Health: Epigenetics, Neuroplasticity and a Practice for Community Support

How can certain yoga related modalities get “under the skin” to positively impact our mental health? Yoga for mental health can be a powerful tool but when teaching or practicing this as a therapeutic practice it’s important to understand the role of epigenetics and neuroplasticity in reframing our experience to paint new neural connections. Valerie Knopik PH.D and Professor at Purdue University speaks on the subject of epigenetics as it relates to our DNA expression and how we can use neuroplasticity and emotional regulation to take control of our mental health.

After the lecture at 7:00, Valerie welcomes you into a short yoga technique based on the idea of community support. For this yoga practice, you’ll need a partner or a wall. This technique for mental health can be access by a yoga student of any level, including beginners, and is an exercise you can integrate into your yoga class if you are a teacher interested in utilizing community support and mental health techniques in a yoga setting.

Find the original video on Yoga Medicine’s Youtube channel.