This is Sam. She heard from a friend that yoga therapy can be helpful for her ailment and your name had come up in the conversation. After some thinking, she had emailed you asking for help.
What do you do next?
What steps do you take to build a therapeutic relationship?
Do you have all the logistics in place to make it happen?
Make sure to respond promptly and empathetically
Send an intake form to get a better idea of what the student is dealing with
It helps to have a scheduling system that lists your availability to avoid the back-and-forth
The student needs to get a clear picture of what / when /how they are expected to pay
Take time to carefully review the student's intake form and formulate additional questions to ask them
Establish a connection with the student. Spend more time listening than talking.
Talk about student’s challenges, observe their body language and demeanor.
Take the student through a simple practice, observing their body and breath. Notice areas of restriction.
Zero in on one thing that was particularly revelatory for the student. Emphasize it and, if relevant, link it to their current issue.
Give a summary of the most important things that came up and suggest an assignment to do at home.
Make notes on what took place during the session, record student's subjective report, take time to reflect and analyze.
Use one of the Yogic models (Panchamaya, Panchavayu, Ayurvedic, Chakras) to gain deeper understanding of the student's situation.
Decide on the direction for your work with your student; record it in their own words.
Check in with the student in a couple of days. Send them a yoga practice, a follow-up form, or an informational handout to help them take ownership of their practice.
