IN-PERSON COURSES
ONLINE COURSES“Low back pain? Neck and shoulder issues? Come try some yoga therapy!”
I’m standing in a white marble hallway on the second floor of the Rayburn building attempting to entice passersby to stop in and sample a treatment. Just behind me are tables covered in boxes of Arnica gel and acupuncture brochures. I’m waiting for congressional staff, who I’ve been told may or may not show up for their appointments, in the “integrative therapy room.”
The event on Capitol Hill last Wednesday was organized by the Integrative Health Policy Consortium (IHPC), a group of practitioners and policy wonks dedicated to bringing integrative therapies into health care. The consortium organized this day of treatments and presentations to bring attention to the potential for integrative therapies to address the chronic pain/opioid epidemic and make headway towards integration into the health care system. One of the things the IHPC is committed to is promoting collaboration between all therapies so there’s a friendly, supportive feeling in the room.
“We are looking to put together examples of models of care to present to Congress,” the event organizer, Kallie Guimond, IHPC Director of Government Affairs, had told me on the phone a few weeks earlier. “The new Congress is highly interested in integrative therapies.”
According to Guimond, these models, in addition to acupuncture, massage and homeopathy, may include mindfulness, meditation, and yoga – but yoga and yoga therapy are problematic because they are still not licensed, which means they’re not reimbursable by insurance.
“If we can reimburse yoga by offering it through licensed providers,” she said, “then it becomes one of the most important tools in the toolbox.”
But last Wednesday the chiropractors, massage therapists and acupuncturists where seeing lots of clients. My schedule was a little anemic. Upon seeing my empty “office” in the corner of the therapy room, Guimond told me to talk it up out in the hall and try to get people to drop in. “You can do it,” she tells me, “I’ve heard you speak about yoga, you know what you’re talking about.”
Right. Got it. (Is there a pranayama for sales pitch embarrassment?)
“Sorry,” a guy says as he passes, “Hydraulic Fracturing.” He continues to sashay by, “Wrong issue.” Next a group of people wearing National Education Association lanyards bustle by completely preoccupied. Then three women wearing hijabs and “Turkey is a human rights violator” t-shirts. It’s basically a parade of diverse, hurried, really busy looking people.
Suddenly, a fast-moving short woman with a bouncy ponytail stops in front of the table, “Love what you’re doing. Love that you’re here. It’s great! I’m a member.”
“Of what?” I responded cluelessly. (like a member of Costco?)
She introduces herself as Madeline Dean representing Pennsylvania’s fourth district. But I cannot retrieve the words that have mindlessly sprung from my oral cavity. My face is burning.
She smiles and kindly ignores the blunder. I explain a bit about the caucus and the work with chronic paid and the opioid epidemic and ask her to join. She tells me she’ll look into it, thanks me for being there, and heads off.
Later a staff member from Katie Hill’s (California) office shows up for her scheduled yoga therapy session. She tells me that she loves yoga and is really interested in learning more about yoga therapy and believes that it should be part of the healthcare system. They’re from California (and Katie Hill is only 31!). It’s nice to have a few minutes with someone who gets it.
Then I’m back out in the marble hall hawking again.
People walk by with responses like, “I can’t do any yoga, look at how I’m dressed!” But mostly they ignore me. I’m having a fun conversation with Doctor Doug, the MD representative of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture sitting behind the table sharing brochures. In between my sessions we talk about shamanism, sound therapy, and the yamas and niyamas. I ask him again if he’s a doctor because. . . that’s just not typical MD conversation. He is. So he gets a hip emoji 😎.
Still not many takers, so I switch my sales pitch to: “Would you like to try some gentle stretches and breathing for low back or neck pain?”
Now more people are stopping and asking questions.
“I could use that,” says a young guy as he rubs the back of his neck. His colleague nods in agreement. I show them to my “office.”
They tell me how about their 12-hour days on the hill and that they, and everyone they work with, have trouble sleeping. I lead them through some basic chair postures and show them how to put their legs up the wall for a few minutes before bed. They leave with a stick figure handout, and offer gratitude and enthusiasm for what we’re doing.
Then there’s a lull in foot traffic because apparently all the bustling crowds have settled into committee meetings. So, I find my way downstairs to check out what’s going on in the Integrative Health and Wellness Caucus, a non-partisan group co-chaired by California Democrat Judy Chu and Indiana Republican Jackie Walorski. Before I quietly sneak into the session, someone sitting at a table in front of the room hands me a small bottle of CBD oil. ?
Leonard Wisneski, MD, the IHPC Chair of the board of directors is speaking. I’m inspired to see that some of his slides, which describe the work of the VA and the Department of Defense, are filled with many of the same facts and figures that I present in my Yoga for Chronic Pain workshops and my presentations about yoga therapy at health care conferences. He talks about the biopsychosocial spiritual etiology of chronic pain, the excessive costs, the poor outcomes of western treatments, and the need for scalable, innovative solutions.
At this point I need to sit on my hands so I won’t stand up and shout, “Yoga is a low-cost, low-risk, patient-centered, population health piece of the puzzle!”
I am happy to hear him cite the American College of Physicians recommendations for chronic pain control that include yoga:
Recommendation 2: For patients with chronic low back pain, clinicians and patients should initially select nonpharmacologic treatment with exercise, multidisciplinary rehabilitation, acupuncture, mindfulness-based stress reduction (moderate-quality evidence), tai chi, yoga, motor control exercise, progressive relaxation, electromyography biofeedback, low-level laser therapy, operant therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or spinal manipulation (low-quality evidence). (Grade: strong recommendation)
Dr. Wisneski and another presenter mention yoga a few times, lumping it into the above list. Oh well, I think to myself, at least it’s on the table, even if people don’t yet really understand the unique benefits.
I trek back up to the therapy room. Two young women from the House Committee on Labor and Education arrive for a neck and shoulder yoga therapy session. They are grateful for the simple stretches and seem to like my idea to consider using them as mini breaks during their long days on the hill.
I give them a stick figure handout. “I can do this at my desk,” one of them tells me. That’s the idea. Yoga can be a part of daily life, not just a thing you do at a studio after work. They kindly agreed to this selfie!
Suddenly it’s 2:30 and two logistics guys tell us they need to set up for the next presentation. The chiropractors, acupuncturists, massage therapist and I start to scramble to put away the screens and pack up the tables. Then we thank each other, exchange business cards, and say goodbye.
Did I overwhelmingly convince anyone that yoga and yoga therapy need to be included in the health care system?
Maybe, a little.
Baby steps.
What makes me optimistic is that yoga has become part of the conversation and there’s some growing awareness. That, in and of itself, was worth spending half a day in a bustling, noisy hallway.
I have been training yoga professionals for the past 16 years in the adaptable healing practices of Subtle Yoga. And because I train, I’m committed to finding places for my teachers to work. I think the natural fit and the greatest opportunities exist in the broad, diverse field of health care.
Last Wednesday might have been a baby step. But small well-placed steps can gain momentum quickly.
A challenging slog with only a little response Kristine! I received the same when I advertised my first workshop of’ Resilience yoga and Self-care’. its happening next week so we’ll see how many turn up!
Good luck Pamela! And just remember, if only one person benefits, you have put so a positive vibration out there into the universe that may reach farther than you’ll ever know.
Oh my goodness Kaoverii!!!! This is time well, WELL spent. I’m so excited you’re moving in this way. It’s so important to so many people. I’m also so grateful you are my teacher. ??
Thanks Alison – and you have taught me so much too! ❤️❤️❤️
Om? Kristine, Congratulations on your amazing work. You have already spread the ripples and cultivated more than a few seeds with your presence on Capitol Hill.
One breath at a time, your passionate efforts will resound with all of the healing professionals in union, for we all have the needs and desires to be healthy and whole without the pain of chronic stress.
Keep up the great work.
Namaste, Lisa Tovar, CTRS,
Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, Yoga Instructor, specializing in therapeutics & gerontology, Educator, Citizen, “helping to enhance the quality of life for individuals with special needs; physical, emotional, mental, social, sensory…”
Thanks for the encouragement Lisa – we’re all in this!
I too agree that yoga/subtle yoga should be integrated into our healthcare. I am not a licensed yoga teacher. But I’m interested in what you have to offer.
Thank you,
Wayna
Thanks so much for your kind, supportive words Wayna!
A baby step but what a brave one, Kristine! That sounds quite a trial by fire but you did it, with skill and integrity. And planted a small but mighty seed in the few fertile cracks you found. I’m visualising sunny yellow dandelions splitting blank grey concrete pavements (sidewalks) now! Thank you!! ❤️?
I love that image Susanna! thanks for sharing!
Baby steps in the right direction, well done! You inspire us all to do the same so eventually we will cover the ground baby steps from around the world & meet up.
Baby steps are important too, right Diane! Thanks for your encouragement! Yes, we will all meet up!
I love this story and the progress being made. How wonderful to be up on the hill hawking for yoga. I am a yoga teacher with a passion for teaching yoga and your fascia, self myofascial release. It’s taken time to build up a room full of yogis that appreciate the benefits, but they’re showing up now, week after week, more and more. Powerful practices are restorative and we are all craving a space where we can truly renew. Thank you for sharing your work and passion. I work at a studio here in Massachusetts where we are building the business of “Wellness On Site” bringing yoga to the office/room, exhibition centers, hospitals, etc. wherever we can. I appreciate your sharing your experiences. I’m one of those that found you via Facebook and signed up to your online presentations. THANKS!
Please check out/like my FB page: Real Ease and/or IG space: realeaseshift
I love myofascia yoga work, it’s so important really cutting edge. Feel free to share about your work on one of the share posts on the Subtle Yoga Community FB group Laura. Thanks for the wonderful work you are doing in the world!
Wow – what a wonderful sounding experience – and to meet all those people – I am sure you made a dent – like you say – baby steps – hurrah for yours
would it be possible to share the handout you used?
Keep up the good work – Happy thoughts and moves, Nancy
Hi Nancy, I will definitely share that handout soon, please keep an eye out for an upcoming email!
Thank you so much for that important and beautifully executed dent! Your intentions are what counts and From what you say I’m positive you made that wonderful impression to get more wheels turning! Thank you so much for taking the time, great effort and personal expense of going out on a limb and sharing your knowledge with Capitol Hill. ??
Thanks Sheila!
It is so great that yoga and yoga therapy is slowly gaining recognition. I found in my recent lengthy time in Europe, having a small yoga studio and place for therapy, that doctors are in fact interested and recommending yoga to their clients. But yoga therapy is still obscure to people. Leading, die-hard educators such as you, Kristine, can truly lead the way so that us, little guys can follow and take our own tiny steps towards recognition. Keep smiling, as you always do, and hold onto the passion! I am definitely a fan of what you do:)
Kaoverii thank you for caring in this way that emanates from all who have learned from you….just your presence there leaves it’s “mark”. I know you know that. We want to see tangible flesh and blood signs!! I know I do, but have learned first hand through a difficult year, that the subltler (that’s why you named it!) beginnings have a way of working themselves between the cracks. The moving on…”as if”….sets the stage. Love you dearly for your wisdom , wit and devotion! A good combo.
I have been doing yoga for about 20 years and just this year decided to take YTT. What I found so inspiring about this is the fact that I know you have the experience to be there, and yet when things did not go as you expected you did not give up. And you still spoke to those who would listen, As you say baby steps. I was wondering what it would take to get Yoga teachers Licensed? I think with the boom in yoga what I am seeing is just anyone giving classes. If we want to be taken seriously, we need to take ourselves seriously. Does that seem like a reality? I am glad I found you and soon as I finish mid April I will take your class.
Hey Linda, some really good points. IAYT has been working diligently to get licensure for yoga therapy. Yoga itself is such wildcard – such a crazy wildcard that I don’t think it will ever be licensed and Yoga Alliance is working hard to keep it that way. There’s so much nonsense and risky stuff out there and it’s definitely a caveat emptor environment out there. So glad to have you here!
Koaverii, There’s no substitute for first hand experience. Thousands of people care and have an experience similar to yours in D.C. Seven years ago, I went to walk the halls of Congress, and maintain a table for the American Therapeutic Recreation Association. We were focused on the health and wellness of fellow citizens. I did it again for the Brain Injury Association, motivated by my mild traumatic brain injury. I am directly impacted by these issues. My Washington DC secret, stay at the Hostel, low cost and walkable. I came away feeling very very small, issues of health and wellness are important to everyone, I am convinced this is true, yet our culture has so many ingrained obstacles, it’s difficult to reach the hearts of our fellow ❤️ humans. You absolutely did the right thing, what you carry forward from that experience will benefit everyone you encounter from this point forward. It’s like subtle yoga, you don’t have to be in front of a class, people near you can feel the loving presence of your intention in the atmosphere.
Aww thanks so much joe! And thank you for the good work you are doing!!