Yoga and Meditation
With the decrease of stigma surrounding mental health and addiction treatment, new methods of addressing and managing these health issues are beginning to emerge. For many treatment programs, the use of holistic healing practices such as yoga and meditation are becoming commonplace in their approach to the recovery process.
At South Coast Behavioral Health, we believe in treating not just the mind and body but the spirit as well. By implementing holistic treatments like yoga and meditation for mental health and substance abuse, we give our clients the opportunity to overcome their health concerns while actively building healthy, long-term life habits.
What Is Yoga?
Yoga is an ancient mind and body practice that originated in India and involves a variety of physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation or relaxation. Yoga is often associated with physical fitness, but it is also a holistic practice that aims to promote overall well-being.
Yoga can be seen as a union of the mind, body, and spirit, as well as a path to self-awareness and liberation that can help people to live more balanced and fulfilling lives. There are many different styles of yoga, each with its own focus and intensity. Some styles are more physically demanding, while others are more gentle and meditative.
Yoga can be practiced by people of all ages and fitness levels. It is a safe and effective way to improve physical fitness, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. Yoga has also been shown to have a number of other health benefits, including:
- Improved flexibility and range of motion
- Increased strength and endurance
- Reduced pain and inflammation
- Improved balance and coordination
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Improved sleep quality
- Reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety
- Increased self-awareness and mindfulness
What Is Meditation?
Meditation is a practice that involves focusing or clearing your mind using a combination of mental and physical techniques. It has been practiced for thousands of years in many different cultures and religions.
There are many different types of meditation in practice today, all of which share the common goal of training the mind to be more focused and aware. Some common types of meditation include:
- Mindfulness meditation: This type of meditation involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment. You might focus on your breathing, your body sensations, or your thoughts and feelings.
- Focused attention meditation: This type of meditation involves focusing your attention on a single object or thought. For example, you might focus on a candle flame, a mantra, or your breath.
- Transcendental meditation: This type of meditation involves repeating a mantra silently to yourself to help you move beyond your normal state of consciousness or “transcend.”
- Guided meditation: This type of meditation involves listening to a guided meditation recording or following instructions from a teacher to reach a place of peace and relaxation.
No matter what type is being practiced, meditation has been shown to have a number of benefits for both physical and mental health. Some of the potential benefits of meditation include:
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Increased focus and concentration
- Improved mood and emotional regulation
- Increased self-awareness and empathy
- Improved cardiovascular and cognitive health
How Can Yoga and Meditation Help With Recovery?
When used to aid in recovery from physical, mental, or behavioral health issues, yoga and meditation can have many benefits. Some of the ways these practices can help aid you in recovery include:
- Reduced stress and anxiety: Mental health and substance use disorders are often accompanied by high levels of stress and anxiety. Yoga and meditation can help to reduce these negative emotions by teaching you how to focus on the present moment and let go of negative thoughts and worries.
- Improved mood and self-esteem: Yoga and meditation can also help to improve mood and self-esteem. This is because they can help you to feel more connected to your mind and body and develop a sense of inner peace and self-acceptance.
- Increased self-awareness:Yoga and meditation can help you become more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. This can be helpful in recovery, as it can help you to identify and manage triggers or cravings.
- Increased resilience: Yoga and meditation can help you build resilience, which is the ability to cope with stress and adversity. This can be helpful while you are in recovery and for your day-to-day life as you face normal life challenges and difficulties.
- Reduced cravings: Some studies have shown that yoga and meditation can help to reduce cravings for alcohol and drugs, as they can help people develop a stronger sense of self-control and become more mindful of their thoughts and feelings.
Get A Confidential Assessment From A Recovery Specialist
What To Expect During Yoga and Meditation
If you have never participated in a yoga or meditation session before, it can help to know what to expect ahead of time. A typical yoga session at our treatment facilities will follow a similar structure, regardless of the style of yoga being practiced, and will entail the following:
- Warm-ups: This may include gentle stretching, sun salutations, or other movements to help prepare your body for the poses that will follow.
- Poses: Your instructor will lead the class through a series of poses, which may include standing poses, seated poses, backbends, forward bends, twists, and inversions.
- Breathing: Our yoga instructors often emphasize the importance of breath control, and they may incorporate breathing exercises into the class.
- Relaxation: The class will end with a period of relaxation, such as savasana (corpse pose), to help your body return to a normal state.
When participating in our meditation sessions, what you experience during this time can vary greatly from person to person and from session to session. However, there are some common experiences that many people report while meditating, including:
- Calmness and relaxation: Meditation can help to reduce stress, anxiety, and tension. As you focus on your breath or another object of meditation, your body and mind begin to relax.
- Increased awareness: Meditation can help you to become more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. This increased awareness can lead to a better understanding of yourself and your experiences.
- Sense of peace and well-being: Many people report feeling a sense of peace and well-being after meditating. This feeling can be accompanied by a sense of joy, gratitude, or love.
No matter which of these activities you are participating in, there is no need to worry if you are a beginner. Our instructors are here to guide you every step of the way and make sure you are adjusting to your yoga and meditation time with the proper support and care you deserve throughout your recovery.
Yoga and Meditation at South Coast Behavioral Health
At South Coast Behavioral Health, mindfulness treatments such as yoga therapy and meditation therapy are an integral part of our recovery approach. Our holistic services emphasize treating each of our clients as a whole and taking into account not only their physical and mental health but their spiritual health as well.
These services allow our clients to gain valuable insights into their thoughts, feelings, and actions, helping them to identify the underlying causes of their behavioral health issues. These practices also help them build trust, a sense of community, and healing through artistic expression.
Overall, we believe that holistic healing is just as essential during recovery from mental health and substance abuse as evidence-based treatments are in empowering our clients on their recovery journeys and achieving happier, healthier lives.
Yoga and Meditation in Orange County, CA
If you are ready to start your recovery in an environment that is capable of nurturing your mind, body, and soul, you need not look any further than South Coast Behavioral Health. Our facilities are equipped to make sure you are receiving the whole-health approach to treatment you deserve.
We offer a wide variety of treatment options in addition to yoga and meditation, from residential treatment and partial hospitalization programs to outpatient and sober living care. No matter what your care needs may be, we are happy to work with you to build an individualized and effective treatment plan.
You can call us or fill out our secure online contact form now to learn more about our program and how we can help you get started on the road to long-term recovery today!
We provide yoga and meditation for men within our medical detox and residential treatment centers in Irvine, CA.
We offer yoga and meditation for women at our medical detox and residential treatment centers in Huntington Beach, CA.
We provide yoga and meditation for men within our residential inpatient facility in Costa Mesa, CA.
We provide yoga and meditation during our PHP and IOP programs in Newport Beach, CA.
