HLL04 BioMedical Yoga Therapy – Pain Relief (March 23-24, 2024)

This captivating weekend provides you with a combination of evidence-based knowledge and traditional Buddhist and Yogic practice. You will learn processes of Biomedical Yoga Therapy, Mindfulness Cognitive Behavioural Therapy mCBT, as well as specific processes for pain rehabilitation that focus on the healing capacity of the mind and body.

In the beautiful surrounds of the Upper-Brookfield Sanctuary, experience first hand what it means to be at one in body and mind in order to rejuvenate.

This 2 day workshop is a professional development program for those wishing to incorporate yoga therapy tools and mindfulness into pain management programs and for interested members of the public.

Chronic pain is a growing concern in Australian society; more and more people are suffering regularly with moderate to intense pain. If you have ever experienced any type of body aches and pains, whether that be from physical fatigue, mental exhaustion, or perhaps you simply feel that your body is not performing in the capacity you would like it too: this is the weekend workshop for you!

Learn how to work with pain and discomfort in your own body and the science of pain rehabilitation to assist others.  This weekend will combine evidence-based knowledge with traditional wisdom in combination with Biomedical Yoga Therapy, Meditations, as well as specific processes for Mindfulness CBT pain rehabilitation.

BIYOME’s Higher Level Learning can be undertaken as Continuing Professional Development (CPD) with Yoga Australia and may obtain Continuing Education (CE) recognition with Yoga Alliance. The course contact hours, non-contact hours (CPD’s and CE’s), allocated across the two registering yoga bodies do however differ. Please contact us for more information. 

Should you wish to complete a full  yoga certification (150 hours – 650 hours) please see details available here.

What You will Learn

Biomedical Yoga Therapy for head, neck, shoulders

Time & Date: Saturday 23 March, 9:30am – 1:00pm
Hosted By: Celia Roberts BSc Senior Yoga Teacher and Yoga Therapist

In this informative morning of experiential learning, Celia focuses on head, neck, and shoulder pain, and the afternoon session shall focus more specifically on the neuroplasticity of pain. Both morning and afternoon sessions will offer an immersive experience of body-mind medicine and yoga therapy, based on the latest research in pain science combined with the ancient practice and philosophy of yoga.

It has been discovered that when we understand the true nature of pain we are able to focus on re-training our brains neurochemically in a manner that reduces the negative pain feedback loop and has a significant impact as opposed to just tissue repair and pain killers (Lorimer Moseley). We shall be exploring the connection between chronic pain, anxiety, PTSD, trauma and depression, looking deeply into the neuroscience of pain and the Embodied Brain.the yoga poses; this in combination with the breathing and relaxation techniques for upper body pain and misalignment, will allow us to learn that the key will not necessarily be tissue repair, rather brain training and understanding the biopsychosocial nature of pain.

Liberation of body and mind comes with deep presence and the ability to attune to your bodily sensations. Learn how to manage emotional and physical pain through yoga therapy and meditation.

If you experience any amount of pain, whether it is mild to chronic, yoga therapy and meditation are therapies that can offer you relief where modern medications may not. In healing pain, the research clearly points to one very good fact: “Movement is king”.

We will be exploring:

• A personal bodily focus based in Ayurvedic emotional body work
• The neuroscientific basis for why yoga and meditation is an effective treatment
• Yoga therapy practices that have been proven to provide pain management and to cultivate holistic well-being
• Techniques of internal and external rotations, mobilisation for shoulder joints, triggers of relaxation, as well as resistance work
• Body alignment and protection for reduced head, neck, jaw, temples, eye and shoulder pain
• Why movement is king in treating pain
• Understanding the biopsychosocial nature of pain and brain training for pain relief

Neuroplasticity of Pain & Meditations for Pain Relief

Time & Date: Saturday 23 March, 1:45pm – 4:45pm
Hosted By: Melissa Day and/or Celia Roberts BSc Senior Yoga Teacher and Yoga Therapist

At BIYOME we believe in treating pain as a mechanism of the brain, not just the body; treated first by understanding pain and secondly, by using positive competitive neuroplasticity, mindfulness and CBT.

We shall endeavor to discover the true nature of pain, asking questions such as:

• Is pain a symptom of emotional disturbance or fear?
• Is pain even real or a construct of mind?
• What exactly are pain pathways, and do they exist?
• What is the placebo effect?

Utilising these questions to see the true nature of our beliefs and the relevance of cultural context assists many in understanding that if one is raised in a culture where pain is surrounded by shame, there is the potential for pain to take on manifestations beyond its true purpose. And, when we come together to learn and to speak about pain, we begin to experience the fundamental healing effect that lies in the benefits of pain externalisation: making sense of suffering emotionally and intellectually with words, images, art and sound begets breaking the negative cycle of chronic pain. Together we can learn to ‘suffer better’ by learning about the way we feel pain which can and may be affected by social conditions and our perceptions.

So let us come together to meditate and truly understand pain, using the most up to date science and research to understand its phenomenal and fascinating existence in brain, mind and body. Rest assured, there is no such thing a pain receptor or even a pain pathway.

We will be exploring:

• Neuroscientific research into pain in the brain (Dr Sylvia Gustin)
• How the brain understands and interprets pain
• Exploring the “phantoms in our brain” and cortical mapping as first described by neuroscientist, Dr Ramachandran.
• Why physical and mental pain cannot be separated and treated as separate symptomatology
• How and why meditation works as a therapeutic practice including research into Mindfulness CBT for pain management (Dr Melissa Day)
• Biomedical based meditations for brain training and understanding pain (Dr Lorimer Moseley)

BioMedical Yoga Therapy for Back and Spinal Health

Time & Date: Sunday 24 March, 9:30am – 1:00pm
Hosted By: Celia Roberts BSc Senior Yoga Teacher and Yoga Therapist

Join Celia once again for a morning focused on the healing capacity of the mind and body through understanding the core principles of Yoga Therapy; “breath and spine”.

Complementary therapies for back pain have an abundance of evidence-based literature asserting their effectiveness. Indeed, a recent Victorian article in The Age urged to prescribe yoga and mindfulness to fight back pain, such antidotes are being encouraged more and more world-wide as research uncovers more and more of what tradition has taught for centuries. As such, there is growing awareness of the body-mind connection as it relates to the inflammatory response – this is a vital link when considering treatment for issues such as lower back pain, which is the most common complaint in complementary medicine.

We will be exploring:

• Traditional yoga therapy wisdom behind the body-mind-pain connection and how this relates to holistic well-being.
• Yoga Therapy for Back pain and Spinal Heath from a Physiotherapy perspective
• Processes of poses that assist in back pain management
• The advantages of practice, as well as their psychological benefits
• Pain as it relates to body alignment
• Protective practices for reduced back pain and spinal health
• Breathing practice to assist with pain management
• Tools and techniques for the release of tension from Myofascial Connective Tissue
• Affecting the subtleties of the human constitution to facilitate optimal results in the practice of classical yoga and yoga therapy for the individual.
• Moving with the nature of the spine in relation to intelligently placed steps (sequencing a practice)

Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Pain relief

Time & Date: Sunday 24 March, 1:45pm – 4:45pm
Hosted By: Melissa Day Associate Professor, UQ

You will be taken through research work and protocols for pain management using mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

We will be exploring:

• Chronic pain – Assessment and management of chronic pain
• Pain – Understanding the mechanisms of pain and its relief
• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy – Efficacy and mechanisms for chronic pain management
• Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy – Efficacy and mechanisms for chronic pain management

Course Video Preview

https://www.facebook.com/100063500893569/videos/1143858566029355/?__so__=permalink

About the teachers

Celia Roberts BSc Senior Yoga Teacher and Yoga Therapist

Celia Roberts BSc is the Founder Director of BIYOME Celia has a deep dedication and embodied understanding of the practices of yoga, meditation, Ayurveda combined with Western Medicine. Celia imparts this experiential understanding to others with deep joy and generosity of heart. Celia is fascinated by the deeper dimensions of yoga and wishes to bring this light in the modern  practice of yoga.

Melissa Day

Associate Professor, UQ

Dr. Day completed her MA(Clin) and PhD at the University of Alabama, followed by her Clinical Psychology residency at the University of Washington. Dr. Day then undertook a post-doctoral research fellowship in pain psychology, also at the University of Washington. She is now a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Health Psychologist in Australia, and works as a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology at The University of Queensland. Dr. Day’s program of research has focused on implementing randomised controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy and mechanisms of cognitive-behavioural and mindfulness-based interventions for chronic pain conditions. She recently (2017) published a sole authored book with Wiley titled, “Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Chronic Pain: A Clinical Manual and Guide”.