* Managing Your Stress and Low Back Pain with Yoga, taught by Karen Speckman ? 6 week session (at Dragonfly Wellness Center)

Managing Your Stress and Low Back Pain with Yoga, taught by Karen Speckman – 6 week session beginning Saturday, April 2, 9:00-10:15 am

This is a fantastic opportunity to study with Karen Speckman. Karen teaches this sequence in a VHA research study, funded by the NIH, for Veterans with low back pain.  As a Veteran herself, her special interest is the use of Yoga practices to mitigate the effects of stress and pain, giving the body the opportunity to achieve a balanced state.

*VETERANS BACK TO HEALTH STUDY, FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR COMPLEMENTARY & INTEGRATIVE HEALTH, NIH

Chronic stress causes shortening and weakening of muscles which support the spine. These muscles are located in the abdomen, back, hips, and legs. A regular practice of Yoga has been found to assist in lowering stress levels by calming the nervous system and to reduce low back pain by lengthening and strengthening these muscles.

In this workshop, you will learn a specific sequence of Hatha Yoga poses that targets these key muscles. This sequence was developed by researchers at Boston Medical Center for a series of studies that examined the effectiveness of Yoga for the treatment of stress and low back pain. The efficacy of Yoga for pain management was borne out in at least nine scientific randomized controlled trials, prompting the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society to endorse Yoga as an evidenced-based treatment for chronic low back pain.*

The workshop will be conducted on Saturday mornings for 75 minutes and will run for 6 consecutive weeks. There will be an optional, second weekly class on Mondays (for a total of 12 possible classes) at a greatly reduced cost. Home practice will be fundamental to achieving maximum benefit. You will receive a home practice handout that will mirror the workshop classes and assist you in your personal practice. The workshop is structured in segments designed to progressively introduce you to specific Yoga poses to help recondition the back and aid in calming of the nervous system. Regular attendance at all sessions will be key to your success. No prior experience with Yoga is required.

Cost: 6 Classes $90

Saturday 9 am-10:15 am

Monday 5:00 pm-6:15 pm

Additional classes (up to 6) for session participants $10/class

Register now and reserve your spot for this popular workshop!