THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON THE

PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIFE

OF THE PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Vincent Valente
Antonio Marotta

ABSTRACT: This study explored the impact of a regular practice of

yoga in the personal and professional lives of psychotherapists. Six
licensed psychotherapists were interviewed about their perceptions
regarding the influence of their yoga training on their personal and
professional lives. These effects were then categorized into common
patterns that emerged as four themes addressing professional growth
and the self care of the therapist. These themes are: internal/self
awareness, balance, acceptance of self and others, and yoga as a way of
life.
KEY WORDS: professional development, self-care, yoga, psychotherapists.

Within the field of psychology, it is well recognized that the psychotherapists personal development is intrinsically important for
achieving professional success. The expansion of self-awareness has
been identified as an essential component for the professional development of psychotherapists (Baker, 2002). Although this perspective is
widely recognized, relatively little has been written about specific
methodologies for psychotherapists to develop self-awareness and to
care for self more effectively.

Vincent Valente, MS, 5050 Santa Monica Ave. #13, San Diego, CA 92107
(valentevincent@hotmail.com) is a Marriage and Family Therapy intern at Childrens
Outpatient Psychiatry, 11770 Bernardo Plaza Ct., San Diego, CA 92128, USA. Antonio
Marotta, PhD, is a faculty member in the Department of Counseling and School Psychology at San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA 92182, USA.
Reprint and correspondence should be addressed, Vincent Valente.
Contemporary Family Therapy 27(1), March 2005
2005 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.
DOI: 10.1007/s10591-004-1971-4

65

66
CONTEMPORARY FAMILY THERAPY

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Many clinical training models focus not only on developing the
technical skills of the therapist, but also on emphasizing the internal
balance and the personal integration of the clinician (Aponte &
Winter, 2000). Proponents assert that by fostering personal integration, therapists will be able to engage their clients with a greater
range of options, insight, and creativity. When therapists are able to
address and resolve their own personal issues, their selective psychological blinders can diminish, enabling them to be more effective
with a variety of clients.

Self-exploration and Self-awareness

Hardy and Laszloffy (2002) emphasize that engaging in selfexploration and developing self-awareness are lifelong processes for
therapists. Therapist self-awareness has been linked to therapeutic
efficacy and positive therapy outcome (Mahoney, 1995; Strupp, 1996).
Results from a study surveying well functioning therapists conducted
by Coster and Schwebel (1997) suggest that self-awareness is a prelude to regulating a therapists way of life and modifying his or her
behavior as needed.
To achieve self-awareness, therapists must practice tuning in to
and confronting their own needs, desires, and limitations. Baker
(2002) states, Self-awareness involves benign self-observation of our
own physical and psychological experience to the degree possible
without distortion or avoidance (p. 14).

Self-awareness and Service to Clients

The perception here is that unless therapists continuously strive
to understand their own underlying motives and desires, they are in
danger of unintentionally neglecting or exploiting their clients to fulfill their own needs for intimacy, esteem, or dominance.
Therapists play an intimate role in their clients lives. Because the
power differential inherent in the therapist-client relationship is
drastically skewed, clients can be exploited to meet their therapists
needs. Grosch and Olsen (1994) recommend that therapists conduct a
deep exploration of their own motives to discover whether they are
helping clients out of a genuine concern for others or out of their own
need to boost their sense of self and to be appreciated by others.
Furthermore, from her research involving work with mandated

67
VINCENT VALENTE AND ANTONIO MAROTTA

clients, Baker (1999) has emphasized the importance of therapists

developing their self-awareness to prevent slipping into veiled racist
and discriminatory attitudes with minority clients (p. 55). The more
dedicated therapists are to deepening their self-awareness and
understanding of their own biases, beliefs, and experiences, the less
likely they are to hinder or limit their clients growth because of their
own limitations and emotional reactivity.
The ability to be cognizant of ones internal functioning is critical
not only to address countertransference issues with clients, but it also
plays an integral role in the self-regulation of the therapists own life.
Baker (2002) emphasizes that therapists sense of wellbeing and
esteem is highly influenced by their ability to master self-regulation
and impulse-control skills.

Therapist Burnout
Due to the nature of their work, therapists may be particularly at
risk for burnout. Skovholt (2001) distinguishes the type of burnout
typically experienced by helping professionals as caring burnout.
According to this theory, the therapists level of empathic attachment
to the client is of central importance for the clients progress in therapy. Caring burnout is the result of a decreased ability to professionally attach with a client because of the cumulative depletion caused by
the inevitable separation generated over many previous cycles of
attachment and detachment between therapist and client.
Regulating the effects of stimulation, energy, and stress in order
to achieve a balanced life can be a challenge for therapists. Skovholt
(2001) asserts that therapists are prone to high levels of stress and
over-arousal not only because of the necessity to focus on the needs of
others but also because of the lack of influence they commonly experience when dealing with the organizational politics and policies
within the work place.
It is not uncommon for therapists to engross themselves so deeply
in the care of others that they neglect to take care of their own mental
wellbeing. Grosch and Olsen (1994) contend that therapists may
consciously or unconsciously develop a belief system that relies on
relieving the distress of others to raise ones own self-esteem and sense
of vitality. These rescue fantasies can become an addiction and may
function to allow therapists to avoid confronting their own needs and
personal wounds.
For therapists to reach an optimum level of self-regulation, they
must work to prevent their energy from being consumed by a single

68
CONTEMPORARY FAMILY THERAPY

aspect of their life. A highly demanding and frantic schedule initiated

upon entering graduate school and continued throughout professional
training can perpetuate a lifestyle that is imbalanced and consuming.
High levels of stimulation inevitably cause frequent adrenaline
surges within the body, which may eventually lead to dependency
(Hart, 1991). To avoid a sudden decline in adrenaline levels, therapists
may work to stay busy by scheduling office hours to a maximum and
occupying non-work hours with constant activity (Grosch & Olson,
1994). This type of hurry sickness does not allow the mind to rest
and keeps the body in a constant state of arousal. Hart (1991) contends
that this adrenaline dependency can be damaging both mentally and
physically. When all aspects of ones life become physically and emotionally exhausting, the risk of hypertension and other stress-related
disorders increases drastically. The chronic stress a lifestyle of
over-arousal creates can lead to muscular or gastrointestinal problems, disrupted sleep, unbalanced eating habits, decreased immunity
to illness, anxiety, attention deficits, relational difficulties, and performance impairment (Baker, 2002).
With a deepened sense of self-awareness, therapists can identify
their optimal level of stimulation and learn how to regulate their lives
to maintain balance. Balance includes the ability to distinguish
between healthy and unhealthy gratification and to build a lifestyle
that is nurturing rather than depleting. Noting that therapists have
been shown to struggle with substance abuse problems
(Freudenberger, 1986) and body image issues (Rabinor, 1995), it is
important for therapists to work on establishing a lifestyle of healthy
consumption.
Whether it takes the form of short breaks or extended time off, it
is important for therapists to structure their schedules to allow time
for relaxation and holidays away from work. Fowler (2000) conveys,
from his own experience, the importance of incorporating more small
down times into ones life to avoid the risk of stress related health
problems. Ziegler and Kanas (1986) highlight the importance of
healthcare professionals taking an active role in developing relaxation
habits early on in their careers.
Leading a life that is both frantic and imbalanced can eventually
impair a therapists physical and psychological wellbeing. This
impairment, often labeled burnout, is characterized as a loss of
concern and positive feelings for ones clients resulting in a reduced
quality of service (Edelwich & Brodsky, 1980).
Therapists who experience burnout typically lose their idealism,
energy, and purpose. Maslach and Jackson (1981) identify three

69
VINCENT VALENTE AND ANTONIO MAROTTA

aspects of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and

feelings of low personal accomplishment. Ackerly, Burnell, Holder,
and Kurdek (1998) in their study of 562 licensed practicing psychologists found that therapists who felt they were overly involved with
their clients experienced feelings of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. The authors concluded that therapists who either felt
that they were working harder for change than their client was or felt
personally responsible for their clients progress were paying the price
in terms of personal depletion (p. 630). Friedman (1985) asserts that
to prevent burnout among family therapists, it is helpful for practitioners to take a non-expert stance. By allowing the family to maintain
accountability for the problem, the responsibility for change is
removed from the therapist and placed back on the family.

Spirituality, Meditation, and Yoga

Spirituality
Given the fine line between therapists personal and professional
selves, it is important for therapists to be open to explore and develop
all aspects of their selves. The spiritual self of the therapist has gained
value and recognition because of the important role that spirituality
plays in clients lives (Becvar, 2003). Aponte (2003) states that therapists ability to be sensitive to their clients spirituality is highly
dependent upon their awareness of the role that spirituality plays in
their own lives. Spirituality provides a safe harbor for emotional
intimacy in the therapeutic relationship without compromising personal boundaries. The spiritual self also nourishes vitality in therapists lives and can help counter emotional fatigue and burnout.
Empirical evidence has been shown to support the relationship
between spirituality and psychological and physical wellbeing (Miller,
1999). Benson (1975), in his research of mind-body practices, indicates
that spiritual experience serves as a calming agent that can counteract the rapid heart rate and adrenaline rush associated with stress.
Mind-body practices can help foster a sense of emotional, mental, and
physical awareness, creating harmony in ones life (Baker, 2002).

Meditation
Meditation, which can be practiced in many forms, aids in the
deepening of ones spiritual self by relaxing the body and mind, thus
allowing self-awareness to blossom. Research on meditation (Shapiro
& Walsh, 1984) has found that a consistent routine of meditation helps
individuals become less defensive, more impartial and even-tempered,

70
CONTEMPORARY FAMILY THERAPY

more alert with enhanced perceptual acuity, and more compassionate

and loving. Wittine (1995) asserts that through meditation, selfknowledge and spiritual perspective will gradually influence a therapists worldview and eventually inform his or her work in therapy.
Being attuned to the spiritual self allows a therapist to be more open
and accepting, which is likely to have a corresponding effect upon the
state of consciousness of the client. Greater acceptance allows therapists to be more present in their clients suffering and in their own
suffering. When therapists are closed to certain subjects, it is unlikely
that their clients will bring up these topics. Therapists who are committed to developing self-knowledge and a spiritual self are those who
can assist their clients in attaining the same.

Yoga
The development of the spiritual self through meditation does not
require one to follow any specific religious doctrine, and the practice
can be compatible with any existing religious orientation or spiritual
belief. There is a plethora of various methods and styles of meditation
ranging from seated meditations to meditations with movement, such
as yoga, Qi Gong, and Tai Chi. The movement involved in yoga not
only prepares the mind and body for sitting meditation, but is itself a
meditation. Beyond being a meditation, yoga is a system of physical
and mental practices aimed at intellectual and spiritual growth.
Yoga is one of the six orthodox systems of Indian philosophy and
has been used for millennia to study, explain, and experience the
complexities of the mind and human existence (Feuerstein, 1998).
Patanjali, an ancient yoga sage, defines yoga as a technique used to
still the mental fluctuations of the mind to reach the central reality of
the true self (Iyengar, 1966). Patanjalis Yoga Sutras, dated around
200 C.E., outlines a skillful way of conducting life that fosters moderation and harmony (Becker, 2000). These guidelines, which include
ethical and moral standards of living in addition to postural and
breathing exercises, are used to foster spiritual growth and evolve
ones consciousness.
Though the physical practice is only a fraction of the whole of
yoga, research has demonstrated that the practice of these physical
aspects alone can have positive effects on physical health (Garfinkel,
Singhal, Katz, Allan, Resheter, & Schumacher, 1998). Other
research has shown that the practice of yoga postures and breath
control can lead to positive psychological benefits (Berger & Owen,
1992; Schell, Allolio, & Schonecke, 1994; Wood, 1993). Still other
research has demonstrated that yoga has also been useful in

71
VINCENT VALENTE AND ANTONIO MAROTTA

treating abnormal psychopathology (Shannahoff-Khalsa & Beckett,

1996).
The professional literature indicates that yogic practices can also
aid in the development of self-awareness and personal growth for
members of the normal population. Psychotherapists can potentially
benefit from practicing techniques designed to foster self-awareness
and personal growth in order to enhance their professional abilities
and to attain proficiency in their field.
In the professional literature, meditation has been recognized as a
legitimate means for cultivating self-awareness and has been recommended to therapists for developing their personal, spiritual, and
professional lives (Wittine, 1995). Yoga is an ancient form of meditation used to bring awareness and balance to ones life and to develop
human physiological, psychological, and spiritual potentials.
The purpose of this study was to explore ways that this ancient
discipline can positively influence the personal and professional lives
of psychotherapists. We explored the benefits of yoga for the self-care
and professional development issues of psychotherapists, as perceived
by some experienced therapists.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The intent of this study was to explore the impact of a regular
practice of yoga in the personal and professional lives of psychotherapists and to uncover any specific benefits that may be particularly
important in addressing the special needs of psychotherapists. Hence,
the questions were: What are the perceptions of psychotherapists who
engage in a regular practice of yoga regarding the impact yoga has
made in their personal and professional lives? Can the effects of yoga
facilitate professional growth in ones career in psychotherapy? Can
the effects of yoga assist in addressing the unique self-care needs of
psychotherapists?

POPULATION
Participants were selected on the basis of the number of years
practicing psychotherapy and frequency with which they practiced
yoga. They consisted of six practicing psychotherapists who routinely
included yoga in their daily lives. Of the psychotherapists, three were
marriage and family therapists, two were licensed clinical social

72
CONTEMPORARY FAMILY THERAPY

workers, and one was a psychiatrist. Their ages ranged from 35 to

58 years. Five of the therapists were female and one was male; all
were Caucasian. The participants had a range of 834 years of
experience working in the field. These participants, who on average
practiced yoga 27 days each week, had been doing so from 3.5 to
30 years.

METHODOLOGY
Data were collected through an audio-taped interview with each
participant, conducted by the first author. Semi-structured, openended interviews were conducted at the participants homes and offices. The interviews consisted of both direct and indirect questions and
averaged 4560 minutes. Participants were first asked about the
general impact that yoga had made in their lives. Then specific
questions were posed in an attempt to identify and clarify the significant effects.

RESULTS
Four major themes have been identified from content analysis of
the interviews as salient features common in the lives of these psychotherapists: internal/self awareness, balance, acceptance of self and
others, and yoga as a way of life.

Internal/Self-awareness
Yoga, according to the reports of the respondents, enhanced the
therapists ability to bring into awareness not only what their bodies
were feeling and communicating but also their thoughts, emotions,
and patterns of cognition. While practicing yoga, one is encouraged to
focus on what is happening inside the body. These psychotherapists
indicated that continuously paying attention to the bodys internal
sensations and functioning was a valuable exercise, because it helped
them become more aware of the effects of those internal processes on
their thoughts and behavior. This benefit has extended into their
everyday lives, both providing internal awareness even when they
were not physically performing yoga postures and bringing awareness
of self-care needs.

73
VINCENT VALENTE AND ANTONIO MAROTTA

These therapists said that practicing yoga has fostered a type of

focus that has allowed them better control over their thoughts and
abilities to direct their minds. This practice helped them avoid getting
caught up in the mental fluctuations of the mind and allowed them to
let go of random and ruminating thoughts in order to be more present and focused. They explained that the mental discipline involved
in yoga has helped them develop effective coping strategies for
addressing challenging moments in their lives:
[Yoga] gives you a very different perspective on the rest of
your life. Dealing with [a difficult yoga posture], breathing
through it, watching how to keep the mind calm and staying
within, hanging in there and getting to a different place
where the mind actually lets go, then youre okay. It just gives
you knowledge that when youre in a situation, whether its
with a friend or a partner or work or whatever, it feels
really difficult, it feels deeply painful or disturbing in some
way, you know that there is a part of you that senses or knows
that this too can be matched. Its not the end of the world. You
wont die or fall apart.
These psychotherapists also indicated that yoga has helped them
to be more aware of their emotions and to gain greater control of their
emotional reactivity. The ability to monitor emotional reactivity while
working with their clients was considered a necessary characteristic of
effective therapy and a key element when dealing with their own
family of origin issues.
The respondents outlined the importance for therapists to gain
awareness of their own personal difficulties and how these issues
affect the therapy that they conduct. They expressed that as human
beings we all have blind spots, issues or aspects of our lives with
which we are uncomfortable. These therapists explained that their
yoga regimen has helped them become more aware of their blind spots,
has helped prevent these issues from negatively influencing their
work in therapy, and has assisted them in developing an awareness of
self, enabling them to recognize their motivation for choosing the
therapy field.

Balance
Balance refers to therapists ability to regulate the stimulation
and demands of their environment to achieve harmony in their lives
and prevent burnout. On the physiological level, the therapists we

74
CONTEMPORARY FAMILY THERAPY

interviewed felt that their yoga practice helped to calm their central
nervous system, reduce anxiety, reduce mental stress and fatigue,
helped them to relax, and gave them overall feelings of being more
centered and grounded. At some level, they felt clients are aware of
and affected by their therapists level of centeredness, which can be a
powerful influence in the therapy they receive. These therapists
explained that by helping to bring more balance into their lives, yoga
has been a powerful aid in helping them to be more effective and
competent therapists.
These therapists also said that yoga has assisted them in regulating many aspects of their outside environment and has given them
the initiative to slow down their lives and take time to reflect. They
reported being more selective of the time and energy that is spent
engaging in activities and with others. It was important for them to
make more room for quietness in their lives and not to get pulled into
the drama of external stimulation in the environment.
Balance of ones emotional states was also reported to be a positive
effect of yoga. These therapists reported that yoga had a significant
influence in carrying them through difficult emotional periods in their
lives. Whether by helping to manage depressive episodes, family of
origin issues, or the inevitable emotional fluctuations in life, they
pointed to the emotional stability that yoga fosters as a critical factor
in their healthy functioning. It was noted that simply visualizing ones
self in certain yoga postures during challenging moments while
working with clients can help to facilitate the emotional stability
necessary to be effective with these clients.
The ability to achieve balance in the various aspects of their lives,
aided by their yoga regimen, was reported by these professional as a
major component in the prevention of burnout. Common signs of
burnout include irritability and depersonalization towards ones clients. The burnout mentality, as one therapist described it, is often
characterized by ambivalence and results when therapists lose the
sense of each clients uniqueness. They highlighted that psychotherapists can slip into a pattern of taking on their clients burdens. This
often unrecognized pattern can be dangerous in that it frequently
leads to emotional depletion and eventually to burnout. These therapists observed that practicing yoga helped to cultivate compassion and
empathic engagement with their clients while simultaneously fostering a sense of detachment from their clients burdens. These therapists
illustrated that practicing yoga has helped to increase the longevity of
their careers, by helping them to recognize signs of burnout.

75
VINCENT VALENTE AND ANTONIO MAROTTA

Balance, as seen by these professionals, is a concept that is never

fully actualized; on the contrary, it is a continuous process of
regulating the inevitable fluctuation of ones life. Practicing yoga has
been a key component in the regulation of the stimulation and demands related to their personal and professional lives.

Acceptance of Self and Others

Acceptance of self and others refers to therapists ability to accept
their own limitations and emotions and those of their clients without
judgment and attachment to outcome. For these psychotherapists,
yoga has not only provided the movement necessary to avoid stagnation and to break through impasses in their lives but it has also
enabled them to accept where they are in the process. The selfacceptance gained has allowed them to be less demanding of themselves and avoid being defeated by self-imposed expectations.
These professionals acknowledged that the emphasis society places on external appearance often fosters a degree of self-criticism.
They conveyed that yoga has promoted an acceptance of their own
bodies and the ability to be less self-critical. In addition, yoga has
helped them to cultivate a sense of emotional self-acceptance, which
was judged to be a necessity for achieving professional growth.
accepting your emotions without judging them allows you
to look at them without shame if you cant accept your
emotions then you cant get help with them or with your
supervisor.
These professionals indicated that practicing yoga has fostered a
mindset that has allowed them to be more accepting of their clients.
Accepting where their clients were in the therapy process allowed
these therapists to be more present and empathetic toward those they
served. In a sense, yoga has helped them avoid becoming attached to
the outcome of therapy and instead to be deeply involved and mentally
available during the process.
peoples feelings of moving towards feeling better is more of
an organic process, so that sort of ties into the things I have
learned from yoga It allows me as a therapist to kind of be
big and light enough to say wherever this person is, its okay.
Its their life Its that persons individual journey, and Im
not responsible for it. It doesnt mean, of course, that Im
not caring or not concerned, but at the same time, Im not
attached to them being in a different place.

76
CONTEMPORARY FAMILY THERAPY

The mindset achieved by practicing yoga not only facilitated

acceptance in their lives but also helped these therapists develop
patience. Many of the effects from practicing yoga take several years of
consistent practice to develop. The ability to persevere through the
rigors of a yoga regimen, moving toward gradual change, was highlighted by these therapists as a key factor in helping them develop
patience in their personal lives and in the ability to provide effective
therapy. In summary, for these therapists, yoga has significantly
influenced their ability to gain acceptance in the multiple aspects of
their lives and has facilitated patience, tolerance, and compassion for
themselves and for others.

Yoga as a Way of Life

These psychotherapists continually indicated that as their yoga
regimen has deepened, the separation between yoga and other aspects
of their lives can no longer be clearly distinguished. The effects of yoga
are difficult to compartmentalize, because through a regular routine,
ones outlook on life becomes modified. Yoga becomes something that
is not simply performed in a studio or at home a selected number of
hours each week, but rather the way one approaches life. The two
psychotherapists who have been practicing yoga for the longest period
of time had the most difficulty in isolating the effects of yoga to
describe specifically how their yoga practice has created changes in
their lives. One said:
there really isnt much of a separation anymore between
yoga and my life I dont know how else to describe it except
its just permeated my life, my thinking, and my practice as a
therapist as well, in many ways that I sometimes have a hard
time specifically pointing out or delineating.
These professionals emphasized that not only is there no separation between their yoga practice, their personal selves, their professional selves, and their spiritual selves but also that each aspect
informs the others. Though yoga, as practiced by these therapists, is
not a religious practice, they report that it has significantly influenced
their perceptions of spirituality.
I think what yoga did for me was over time it helped me to
be a little more grounded within myself, and I think that my
spirituality has changed, and yoga was kind of a guide for

77
VINCENT VALENTE AND ANTONIO MAROTTA

that. It helped open me up, a little more tolerant for lots of

different ideas and lots of different things for myself and for
other people. I think a lot of freedom started happening for
me with that personally.
They suggested that the impact that their yoga regimen had made
on their spirituality directly influenced their ability to provide effective therapy and increased their ability to be in the here and now
and to be truly present with their clients. This practice helped them to
develop an inner strength, mental and emotional stamina, calmness,
and peacefulness.
These therapists emphasized the necessity for all psychotherapists to make a pledge of commitment to continuously engage in their
own self-work to be genuine as mental health workers. They highlighted that fostering growth within themselves was a necessary part
of their work, because it is unrealistic to ask their clients to achieve
the balance in life that they are unable to achieve themselves. Practicing yoga was a method as well as a way of life for these psychotherapists to sustain the necessary growth to achieve competency in
their careers and in other aspects of their lives.

IMPLICATIONS
There are important implications from this study in the areas of
burnout prevention and the development of the self of the therapist.
The intent of the study was to obtain data regarding how psychotherapists were affected by the effects of their yoga practice, and
though significant effects were reported by these therapists, generalizing the results is difficult, given the small sample size. Larger,
representative sampling and a more diverse population, regarding
ethnicity, gender, and geographic location, could provide additional
data to expand on these findings. Further studies could be aimed at
distinguishing between the personal development obtained through
the training and practice in psychotherapy and the development
gained from engaging in a regular practice of yoga. The results of this
study may be used to develop further research that targets specific
applications of the effects of yoga that may benefit the psychotherapy
community.
The results of this study do, however, provide additional considerations in addressing the self-care and professional development
issues of psychotherapists. When addressing burnout prevention, it is

78
CONTEMPORARY FAMILY THERAPY

important to consider the most common factors that lead to the condition, such as high levels of stress and frantic schedules. Once a high
stimulation lifestyle has been developed, it may be quite difficult to
function at any other pace (Grosch & Olsen, 1994). At its present
speed, modern society fosters high stimulation consumption. A regular
practice of yoga can be beneficial to help relieve high stress levels and
anxiety related to the hurry sickness type of lifestyle. More importantly, a yoga practice seems to affect peoples lives at a deeper level
and does not only treat these surface symptoms but can also create
significant alterations in ones entire lifestyle. The transformation
that yoga may induce seems to target the second-order change necessary to combat the persistent influx of the societal demands and
expectations that may lead therapists to a path of burnout.
Aspects of burnout that have been shown to be common among
psychotherapists consist of symptoms of emotional exhaustion and
depersonalization (Ackerly et al., 1998). Because emotional exhaustion may result from difficulties in the attachment-detachment cycle
between therapist and client, (Skovholt, 2001) yoga may be particularly useful. Yoga seems to foster an ability to empathetically attach to
another person and yet remain unattached, which may be helpful for
those likely to experience the emotional exhaustion type of burnout.
Yoga also seems to foster an acceptance and appreciation for the
uniqueness of others which may help to prevent depersonalization.
Family of origin work with its emphasis on differentiation has
been suggested as a means of burnout prevention and professional
development (Grosch & Olsen, 1994). Yoga seems to foster the ability
to be in emotional contact with others yet still autonomous in ones
own emotional functioning, which is the heart of differentiation. In
this respect, yoga seems to be an ideal practice to supplement family of
origin work for therapists seeking personal and professional development.
Research findings indicate that a key aspect of developing the self
of the therapist consists of developing self-awareness (Aponte &
Winter, 2000; Baker, 2002; Coster & Mahoney, 1995; Schwebel, 1997;
Strupp, 1996). This is particularly true when one is looking to develop
cultural awareness and competency (Baker, 1999; Hardy & Laszloffy,
2002). Though this perspective is widely recognized, little has been
written about specific methodologies recommended for psychotherapists to develop self-awareness. Engaging in their own psychotherapy
is currently a requirement of many graduate programs. Though
personal psychotherapy is likely to provide much self-awareness and
self-understanding for their professional growth, the financial and

79
VINCENT VALENTE AND ANTONIO MAROTTA

emotional investments required by personal psychotherapy may limit

the utilization of this resource for many psychotherapists (Mahoney,
1997).
A regimen of yoga can be used as a low-cost method of supplementing the development of the self of the therapist. A consistent
routine can provide psychotherapists with a means to develop greater
internal awareness and a more objective way to analyze their own
thoughts, emotions, and patterns of cognition. The practice of yoga can
potentially aid psychotherapists in confronting their own needs,
tending to wounded aspects of the self, limiting emotional reactivity,
developing cultural sensitivity, enhancing spiritual development, and
many other aspects related to the development of the self of the
therapist.
The field of psychotherapy represents a distinct population of
professionals who have unique concerns regarding self-care issues and
professional development. It is important for the integrity of the profession and the population that these professionals serve for each
member to engage in a regimen of self-study and personal development. A regular practice of yoga may provide therapists with a discipline capable of fostering a greater sense of self-awareness and
helping to develop a lifestyle that is conducive to their own personal
growth and the goals of their profession.

REFERENCES
Ackerly, G. D., Burnell, J., Holder, D. C., & Kurdek, L. A. (1998). Burnout among
licensed psychologists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 19, 624634.
Aponte, H. (2003). The soul of the marriage and family therapist. Family Therapy
Magazine, 2(5), 1519.
Aponte, H., & Winter, J. E. (2000). The person and practice of the therapist: Treatment
and training. In M. Baldwin (Ed.), The use of self in therapy (pp. 127165). New
York: Haworth Press.
Baker, E. K. (2002). Taking care of ourselves: A therapists guide to personal and professional wellbeing. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
Baker, K. A. (1999). The importance of cultural sensitivity and therapist self-awareness
when working with mandatory clients. Family Process, 38, 5567.
Becker, I. (2000). Uses of yoga in psychiatry and medicine. In P. R. Muskin (Ed.),
Complementary and alternative medicine and psychiatry (pp. 107145). Washington
DC: American Psychiatric Press.
Becvar, D. S (2003). Utilizing spiritual resources as an adjunct to family therapy. Family
Therapy Magazine, 2(5), 1519.
Benson, H. (1975). The relaxation response. New York: Morrow.
Berger, B. G., & Owen, D. R. (1992). Mood alteration with yoga and swimming: Aerobic
exercise may not be necessary, Perceptual and Motor Skills. 75, 13311343.
Coster, J. S. & Schwebel, M. (1997). Well-functioning in professional psychologist.
Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 28, 513.

80
CONTEMPORARY FAMILY THERAPY

Edelwich, J., & Brodsky, A. (1980). Burn-out: stages of disillusionment in the helping
professions. New York: Human Sciences Press.
Feuerstein, G. (1998). The yoga tradition: Its history, literature, philosophy, and practice. Prescott, AZ: Hohm Press.
Fowler, R. D. (2000). A lesson in taking our own advice. Monitor on Psychology, 3(2), 9.
Freudenberger, H. J. (1986). Chemical abuse among psychologists: symptoms, causes
and treatment issues. In R. R. Kilburg, P. E. Nathan, & R. W. Thoreson (Eds.),
Professionals in distress: Issues, syndromes, and solutions in psychology (pp.
135152). Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
Friedman, R. (1985). Making family therapy easier for the therapist: Burnout prevention. Family Process, 24, 549553.
Garfinkel, M. S., Singhal, A., Katz, W. A., Allan, D. A., Resheter, R., & Schumacher, H. R.
(1998). Yoga-based intervention for carpal tunnel syndrome: A randomized trial.
Journal of the American Medical Association, 280, 16011603.
Grosch, W. N., & Olsen, D. C. (1994). When helping starts to hurt: A new look at burnout
among psychotherapists. New York: Norton.
Hardy, K. V., & Laszloffy, T. A. (2002). Couple therapy using multicultural perspective.
In A.S. Gurman & N. S. Jacobson (Eds.), Clinical handbook of couple therapy (pp.
569593). New York: Guilford Press.
Hart, A. (1991). Adrenaline and stress. Waco, TX: Word Publishing.
Iyengar, B. K. S. (1966). Light on yoga. New York: Schocken Books.
Mahoney, M. J. (1995, July). The personal life of the psychotherapist. Paper presented at
the meeting of the IV European congress of Psychology, Athens, Greece.
Mahoney, M. J. (1997). Psychotherapists personal problems and self-care patterns.
Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 28(1), 1416.
Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981). Maslach burnout inventory. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Miller, W. R. (Ed.). (1999). Integrating spirituality into treatment: Resources for practitioners. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Rabinor, J. R. (1995). Overcoming body shame: my client, myself. In M. D. Sussman
(Ed.), A perilous calling: The hazards of psychotherapy practice (pp. 8999), New
York: John Wiley & Sons.
Schell, F. J., Allolio, B., & Schonecke, W. (1994). Physiological and psychological effects
of hatha-yoga exercise in healthy women. International Journal of Psychosomatics,
41, 4652.
Shannahoff-Khalsa, D. S., & Beckett, L. (1996). Clinical case report: efficacy of yogic
techniques in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorders. International Journal of Neuroscience, 85, 117.
Shapiro, D., & Walsh, R. (Eds.). (1984). Meditation: Classic and contemporary perspectives. New York: Aldine.
Skovholt, T. M. (2001). The resilient practitioner: Burnout prevention and self-care
strategies for counselors, therapists, teachers, and health professionals. Boston:
Allyn & Bacon.
Strupp, H. H. (1996). The tripartite model and the consumer reports study. American
Psychologist, 51, 10171024.
Wittine, B. (1995). The spiritual self: Its relevance in the development and daily life of
the psychotherapist. In M. B. Sussman (Ed.). A perilous calling: The hazards of
psychotherapy practice (pp. 288301). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Wood, C. J. (1993). Mood change and perception of vitality: A comparison of the effects of
relaxation, visualization, and yoga. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 86,
254258.
Ziegler, J. L., & Kanas, N. (1986). Coping with stress during internship. In C. D. Scott &
J. Hawk (Eds.). Heal thyself: The health of health care professionals (pp. 174184).
New York: Brunner/Mazel.