Breathing the Nervous System: Yoga Practice for Chronic Stress

Course Details

Chronic stress, which is constant and persists over time, can be debilitating. Stress is a hardwired physical response that travels throughout your entire body. Chronic stress has real physical health impacts that can be just as profound as the mental experience itself.  

Chronic stress can result in overwhelm, irritability, and mood swings. We might experience low self esteem, or have trouble focusing. Physical symptoms include fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure or hypertension, difficulties breathing, hormonal imbalances, changes in sleep patterns and appetite, decreased sex drive, lowered immune system function and more. 

With practice, we can work to decrease the thought patterns that cause stress, lower heart rate and blood pressure, restore our sleep and eating patterns, reduce fatigue, enhance focus, all while lessening tension in the body caused by stress.

This workshop is for anyone who is experiencing persistent and long term stress. 

This workshop will explore:

• What is the autonomic nervous system and how does it relate to chronic stress?
• The anatomy of breathing and its interrelationship to the nervous system.
• How can we change our mind state with our breath? 
• How do you physically and/or mentally experience stress? 
• Various breathing practices to support the symptoms of stress relevant to the group.

Jade Han (she/her/they) is a registered Yoga facilitator currently in progress of completing their certification to become a Yoga Therapist. After struggling to teach in a generic public Yoga setting, Jade started a private practice at her studio in Gastown to work in depth with her clients and create personalized holistic practices.

After a mental health crisis in 2016, Jade turned to her Yoga practice for comfort & answers. Since then she has dedicated her curiosity, education, time, and career to supporting herself and others coping with mental health conditions like anxiety & depression through applying Yoga as therapy. The interconnection of embodiment through movement, stillness, breathing techniques, and meditation has transformed Jade’s relationship with mental health by building resiliency in their nervous system and therefore their body & mind.