“Anybody who wants to can practice yoga. Anybody can breathe; therefore anybody can practice yoga. But no one can practice every kind of yoga. It has to be the right yoga for the person. The student and teacher meet and decide on a program that is acceptable and suitable to the person” (T.K.V. Desikachar)

It is well known that the frenetic pace of life today can lead to disconnection and stress, which in turn contribute to ill health and disease. Although we continue to place tremendous value on being ‘busy’ and ‘productive’, we are increasingly searching for ways to carve out time in our daily lives for peace and healing.

People have experienced the therapeutic benefits of yoga for centuries. Now, modern science is confirming what ancient wisdom has long taught us: yoga and other mind-body techniques can have a positive impact on our physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual health.

Jessica’s goal is to improve health and wellbeing through the teaching of simple and accessible mind-body techniques in a safe, supportive and non-judgmental environment. She recognizes that each person comes to yoga therapy from a different place and with a particular set of circumstances. For instance, a 60 year-old experiencing chronic pain and insomnia will require a therapeutic approach that is distinct from that of a 25 year-old with depression. Using an array of yoga therapy tools, Jessica works to empower her students to begin to integrate these healing practices into their daily lives.

Jessica is especially passionate about sharing these healing practices with people experiencing anxiety, stress, and trauma. Recent research findings indicate that yoga can modulate the body’s stress response system, increase heart rate variability (a measurement of how well the body responds to stress), and decrease post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Mindfulness-based practices have been found to reduce stress, minimize anxiety, and prevent relapse of depression.*

Jessica is committed to bringing the healing practices of yoga and other mind-body techniques to people from all walks of life and has experience working with both groups and individuals in the health care, correctional, and community settings. Through her yoga therapy practice, Jessica confronts the stigma surrounding mental illness and raises awareness of the pervasiveness of mental health issues in our communities. Moreover, she works to support individuals by providing simple and empowering tools for managing anxiety, stress, and trauma.

*There are many possible paths to healing and transformation. As such, Jessica Cowan-Dewar Yoga Therapy encourages people to explore mind-body techniques as a complement to, and not a replacement for, other treatment modalities one may be engaged in. Speak to your healthcare and support team about how yoga therapy might fit into your treatment plan.

Yoga has its roots in Indian thought, but its content is universal because it is about the means by which we can make the changes we desire in our lives”  – T.K.V. Desikachar, The Heart of Yoga