TS05: Know and Tell: Applying Narrative Competence and Non-Violent Communication in Yoga Therapy

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TS05: Know and Tell: Applying Narrative Competence and Non-Violent Communication in Yoga Therapy

Speaker bio: Niya Bajaj, C-IAYT

Trust is the foundation of any therapeutic relationship. Without it, students and therapists may hold back, limiting the therapy’s effectiveness. The root of a trusting relationship is clear, effective, compassionate two-way information flow, grounded in the practices of narrative competence and nonviolent communications. This session will guide yoga professionals to understand these principles as practical applications of the extensions of yamas and niyamas.

For example, the deep active listening at the root of narrative competence is the practice of satya in discerning the true nature of what a care-seeker is sharing when they approach a yoga therapist. Another example is the truly yogic relational focus of nonviolent communication, which appears as a commitment to putting connection first: When conflict arises between care-seeker and therapist, the first step is to seek empathic connection and psychological contact, including finding trust in the shared human experience, to engender creative solutions that meet everyone’s needs.

Yoga therapy programs have room to grow in preparing trainees to practice narrative competence and nonviolent communication when applying yoga therapy in the context of a culture rooted in systemic oppression. This session draws on resources including the work of Rita Charon, MD, in narrative medicine, and Marshall Rosenberg, PhD, in nonviolent communication, and Oren Jay Sofer’s addition of mindfulness practice to nonviolent communication. Through self-reflection, small-group discussion, and dyadic learning, we will explore how we can apply these practices in individual and group therapeutic settings in ways rooted in equity, clarity, and collective liberation.

Learning Objectives

1. Evaluate personal application of yoga philosophy concepts to increase capacity and capability for effective therapeutic communication.
2. Apply principles of narrative competence nonviolent communication in individual and group therapeutic settings with respect for equity and collective liberation.

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