Yoga Psychotherapy: the Integration of Western Psychological Theory and Ancient Yogic Wisdom

This article offers a comprehensive perspective on how Western psychological theory and practice, specifically developments in somatic psychology, can be integrated with the scientific insights of Yoga in order to produce a more thorough model that seeks to reduce the symptoms of psychological trauma and promote overall well-being. Toward this goal, the article offers a literature review that includes trauma studies, neuroscience, mindfulness, and yoga. By integrating these disciplines, we discover new possibilities for healing psychological trauma in the body through yogic techniques, including physical postures, meditation, and breathing exercises. The article also introduces an overview of the Yoga & Psyche Method, a process that allows practitioners to easily experience and teach this integration to clients and offers five key insights and possibilities that result from this integration. This synthesis of Eastern philosophy and modern scientific research offers a possibility for further developments in psychological theory, research, and effective therapeutic treatments.