12 Step Yoga

Gatehouse Academy’s Activities Director and Yoga Teacher Margaret Konopacki talks about yoga and meditation at Gatehouse and why it is so unique. "It is not new information that yoga and meditation helps in the healing of mental illness. Though many psychotherapists may not call it 'yoga,' many are using yogic techniques to help clients focus better, self-soothe and have the ability to get greater access to observing their own feelings and states. The practice of yoga creates first and foremost better “self-awareness.” Adapting this body awareness, breathing and movement techniques familiar to yoga teachers and practitioners is presently being re-discovered by mental health pioneers like psychiatrist Alexander Lowen who developed a system of psychotherapy called bioenergetics. Others like Peter Levine founded a treatment known as Somatic experiencing; all from an ancient practice perfected so long ago. Whatever you want to call it – the credit lies with an “awareness breakthrough” in India 5000 years ago! It is interesting how we always think we are onto something new and unique but really we are often just re-packaging old information, adding a few fancy words and calling it a breakthrough. Enough said about that – the good news is that yoga and meditation works. More and more professionals are integrating “mindfulness” through meditation and yoga techniques, breath work (pranayama) and movement (asana practice) into treatment.

In my work with the residents of Gatehouse Academy I have had the incredible experience of teaching yoga and meditation for over 6 years and adapting my practice to better reflect what I have observed. The residents of Gatehouse Academy are also my teachers. What has developed is a unique form of yoga practice which I like to call 12-step yoga. The practice works in synch with the 12-steps of AA. This practice is based on observing what works in a setting when most of the participants are agitated or upset or ADD or depressed, or spoilt or are just not present. What I have observed is that with certain yoga poses, students begin to surrender, calm down and get more centered than when doing other things. I have observed that certain breath work can slowly put even the most agitated ADD participant into a quiet and self reflecting awareness. I have watched the Tourette Syndrome resident learn to stop incessant talk by slowing down the thinking and looking inside. I have watched the beginnings of a miracle of 11th step work (through prayer and meditation finding contact with a higher realm or higher power) within the students of the yoga practice. I have watched certain yoga positions open up the emotions to the point of a breakthrough through tears and then calm. I have watched certain breathing patterns calm anxiety and lift a depressed participant. I have watched change happen through the use of sound and imagery we employ during the yoga practise. I have read about evidence based research on the use of meditation for mood management and the relief from depression… I could go on and on.

But… the biggest lessons are in the “practice” and not in the words. And the ongoing mantra that I teach here at the yoga studio for Gatehouse residents is that healing is “99 percent practice and 1 percent theory!” Sometimes “doing the practice” means sitting with no movement in silence for a half hour and watching and witnessing the moment. Witness… and feel what is coming up for you. I believe that learning to connect with pain and suffering (through witnessing or meditation) creates the bridge to work towards self-love and healing. I find that the biggest gift we can give the student is to create a safe, clean, sacred environment where they can explore who they are, what they are, why they are and where they are going. You have to be “present” to see what your issues are. This does not happen overnight.

It is also not new information that yoga helps with trauma. Most of our residents suffered from some traumatic experience during their drug and alcohol use. To quote Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk, medical director of the Trauma Center in the Faculty of Boston University, -- “I will not treat a trauma survivor unless he or she is also practicing yoga. People need to learn to regulate their physical states in order to get their minds to work.” I have to agree with this amazing doctor. His emphasis on the necessity of involving the body in treatment and in particular, his on-going advocacy of and research into the effects of yoga, has caught the ear of psychotherapists around the world, especially those who deal with clients recovering from trauma. We here at Gatehouse follow the teaching and principals of the 12- step program for recovery and the practice of “yoga and meditation” just adds to the “physical framework” to put the practice in play. I have observed that child pose is the greatest position for step one…. Going back to the fetal pose to reconnect with the beginnings of life. We did not control our birth and the circumstances of that…. Surrender and witness. The work began on the inside not on the outside. I have heard the expression – when the student is ready the teacher appears. For me it is the reverse – when the teacher is ready the student appears. This is my life today. I have the privilege to work with youth and their families in distress. We mirror life and learning -- to each other. I believe that yoga is compassion in action.