Maitri Group

What to Expect

Maitri Yoga Group psychotherapy combines the Existential group therapy model pioneered by Irvin Yalom and combines it with a basic Hatha Yoga class. Existential group therapy focuses participants on the present moment. In Hatha Yoga participants learn to focus on the present moment and to listen to the body. In the Maitri group, participants are guided through a series of exercises that strengthen the mind-body connection, much like a Hatha Yoga class; however, these exercises are presented to the participant using invitational language. Rather than being told what to do, participants are invited to experiment with feeling the sensations in their own body whether it be the sensation of breathing, moving, or simply standing still.

Creating a connection between the body and the mind is the beginning of creating a friendship between an individual and his or her self. This model attempts to assist participants to learn love and kindness for themselves, in essence become a friend to yourself by giving yourself loving kindness. Often those with issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma, or substance abuse have the very low self-images. Several have histories of years of self-harm and abandonment and many may feel as if they no longer matter.

Buddha says we should meditate 30 minutes per day, and if we can’t, we should meditate more. Meditation is essentially a single point of focus and that focus can be on anything, a dot on the wall, our breathing, a mantra, a sensation, a song, a prayer, anything that an individual can hold their focus on for an extended period of time. Countless studies have shown that a meditation practice has several effects both on the mind and the body, the most commonly referred to is “Mindfulness”. While very few are able to perfectly articulate what mindfulness is exactly, most seem to agree that it is a sense of present moment awareness, not getting caught up in a flood of thoughts and emotions. By clearing the our minds we can better identify things like triggers, negative self-talk, and self-defeating hypotheses. With that clarity we can then see a path for ourselves and work out healthy solutions.

Interested?

Fill out the form below to let me know who you are and when you can attend group. I will reach out to you to arrange a time when we can meet to discuss the group in more detail.

The group will run for nine weeks, the first week is an introduction for all group members and the following eight weeks will be the main group.

The group will max out at five participants with one or two alternates.

Pricing: Pay in advance for all nine sessions for $360, or pay weekly for $45/session.