Yoga & Psyche: Integrating the Paths of Yoga and Psychology for Healing, Transformation, and Joy

by Mariana Caplan, Don Hanlon Johnson (Foreword)

Has yoga improved your health and expanded your awareness—but emotional and relationship issues continue to challenge you? Or, have you found psychotherapy helpful . . . yet yearn for further spiritual discovery? With Yoga & Psyche, Mariana Caplan invites you to explore these two profound domains of transformation and learn how they so effectively complement each other. In this compelling guide—rich with original research, clinical findings, Dr. Caplan's own personal experiences, and many direct hands-on practices—she takes you on an in-depth exploration of this emerging terrain. Along the way, you are invited to become a participant in the evolution of this emergent field. Using the core principles and practices of trauma healing, yoga therapy, somatics and somatic therapies, depth psychology, and neuroscience—seamlessly combined with yoga postures, breathwork, meditation, and visualization—Yoga & Psyche will help you  • Apply the insights of psychology in a practical way to your own yoga practice, teaching, professional work, and personal life • Discover how to use psychological inquiry to amplify yoga—turning it into a powerfully effective "free therapy on the mat" • Delve into the many emotional layers of asana and yoga practice for trauma healing and recovery • Experience step-by-step exercises to transform your yoga practice and experience greater calm, clarity, and emotional well-being Yoga & Psyche is emerging as a go-to reference guide to the joining of these two fields, now being adopted in yoga and somatic teacher training programs and university psychology classes nationwide. If you're seeking healing, transformation, and greater moments of daily joy and fulfillment—or want to help others do so—this comprehensive guide provides the compassionate, practical, and groundbreaking guidance you need.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Spirituality

226 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2018

Reviews

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caplan looks to bridge the gap between western psychology and yoga in this text. The aim, stated repeatedly, to identify what psychology can contribute to yoga. And it is this framework I want to speak to. There is a lot of accurate statements in this book. But on a very subtle, but vital level it is more confusion than clarity. And unfortunately feeding the inaccurate understanding and discourse of yoga in the west, and ironically committing the error Caplan writes about quite well in terms of spiritual bypassing, which at its foundation is not seeing the nature of the mind that is seeing.

Yoga is a complete system, it is not another tool in the toolbox, it is the toolbox itself. And Caplan to me, like most other western scholars, practitioners etc. has failed to really appreciate the nature of the mind, the 'person', the ego, the cultural lens through which yoga has been translated (although she at times accurately points to it), or the person writing.

That there are errors, mistranslations in western yoga, does not mean yoga itself is missing something, but rather it's a 'user error'. To turn towards the user error and truly recognize this would result in a much different discourse; and ironically the path that yoga would support. The book instead, another example of the 'western mind' to find error in the 'other' and apparently have the solution. Same error is found in American Buddhism and at the core of white privilege.

So, a more honest book would be one that speaks to western methods - as a 'cultural language' - bringing clarity to what yoga is. And looks at how the western encultured mind is to understand why it cannot access all that yoga is. It is a subtle distinction but a highly important one that would show an authentic depth of inner change of the writer.

Read if you must, but perhaps see if you can identify what I am speaking to.

[Stephanie Spence · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Yoga & Psyche” by Mariana Caplan explores the integration of yoga and psychology as complementary paths for healing and transformation. While the book presents a meaningful framework, the writing can feel repetitive, making some sections less engaging. However, Section 3 stands out as particularly valuable, offering deeper insights and tools that make the book worth reading. Caplan’s approach is thoughtful, and those interested in the intersection of mind, body, and spirit will find useful takeaways despite the book’s occasional redundancy.

[Carter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mariana Caplan offers mostly theoretical arguments for the use of trauma-informed, somatically based practices for clinical and yogic settings, with a small sampling of practical applications at the end of the book. She includes a simplified summary of trauma research specifically associated with somatic and yogic practices, as well as appropriate ethical guidelines for practicing within one's scope and steps to prevent re-traumatization or psychological injury. However, the practices are rudimentary, existing in this awkward zone of not enough info for a newbie, but overly simplistic for a qualified professional. For me the lower rating on this book was more about the simplicity and style of the content. The language of Mariana's approach leaned heavily on a spiritual, new age vibe (ex: "When we learn to create a climate of inner safety, the petals of our psyche organically unfold, one by one...increasing pleasure and self-love"). The content was definitely in favor of a more spiritual approach (with an entire chapter devoted to Tantric philosophy); albeit the content was peripherally supported by empirical research. In regard to trauma-informed practices, the language throughout the book could potentially be triggering, especially if the reader or participant has a history of sexual trauma, trafficking, or cult/spiritual trauma. For instance, Mariana repeatedly overuses the word "pleasure." To be fair, she does provide alternative words ("wholeness," "goodness"), but for me most of the wording was cringe-worthy. The content was also very repetitive, with several concepts repeated in different ways, summaries, and reviews that didn't really add to the understanding or knowledge base of the book. The final chapter could have easily been a single paragraph. It was like hearing a speech and thinking the speaker has concluded, only to keep going and the audience is already checking out at that point. In the field of trauma-informed yoga and somatic practices, there are several alternative books that provide more comprehensive, neutral (less triggering), and more applicable content. Instead of this book, I would recommend reading Trauma-Sensitive Yoga in Therapy by: David Emerson and Teaching Trauma Sensitive Yoga by: Brendon Abram.

[Krissie Bentley · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a counselor and a yoga teacher, I really enjoyed this book. It gave me lots to chew on as I consider joining these two into some sort of a career. The information about the brain and nervous system was clear and only included necessary medical terms. The toolbox chapter explained techniques well. Only downside: I killed my favorite green highlighter in this book.

[Tom Camp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting and Wholesome

I deeply appreciate the compassionate and scientific integration of psychology/spirituality and somatics/neuroscience , based in the author’s extensive experience of personal exploration and as a psychotherapist and yoga teacher.

[Leanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting exploration of how the practices of yoga and psychotherapy can compliment each other to facilitate the healing process.

[أمل يعقوب Amal Yaqoob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yoga + Psychology = more than one

This book beautifully explores how yoga and psychology together can create profound healing and transformation. While psychology was only developed 135 years ago, it has given us incredible tools to understand the mind. However, yoga existed centuries ago, offering ancient wisdom about the interconnectedness of the body, mind, and soul.

When these two are combined, the potential for growth and healing becomes transformative, and I wish, just as the author wishes, it could be more widely embraced by psychologists and mental health professionals, especially since we, yoga teachers are not licensed health professionals.

I particularly appreciated how the book highlighted the role of the body in healing trauma, emphasizing that the mind and body are not separate in the recovery process. Drawing on insights from Peter Levine’s somatic therapy. The author in this book did an excellent job of explaining his exercises in a clear and practical way, making them accessible to readers. (Honestly, even explained better than Peter Levine's book waking the tiger)

However, I wish the book didn't focus on the general benefits of yoga—it didn’t feel particularly new or groundbreaking in that regard. While those insights are valuable, I would have loved more depth in exploring the integration of yoga and psychology beyond the familiar.

That said, the discussion on how yoga can be therapeutic resonated deeply with me, especially its ability to bring awareness to stored emotions and facilitate their release. This book didn’t just present yoga as a practice but as a lifestyle and a profound tool for healing and self-discovery.

It’s a good read for those new to the subject or seeking practical guidance, but it left me wanting more originality and depth.

[Lorena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with the cover of this book, so I'm glad the text did not disappoint. While there were areas where Ms. Mariana Caplan did not provide as much detail as I would have preferred, I found this a very good introduction on how to integrate yoga, neuroscience, somatics, and psychotherapy backed up by both personal stories and plenty of citations. There's a nice mix of lucid explanations and helpful practices.

I thought this book provided a particularly good description of trauma, the polyvagal theory, and how trauma is stored in the body. There's a lovely section where Ms. Caplan guides the reader on a tour of six levels of the nervous system through tree pose. Her Stages in the Yogic Journey is one of the best descriptions I have read of mindfulness meditation. I also really liked her suggestions for how to work with resistance and "saying yes to the no."

The author claims that yoga healed 90% of her severe autoimmune disorder, and I really would have loved to have learned a little more about that. Perhaps she will consider writing more about that in another book!

I definitely recommend this book for those interested in the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and yoga. I found the content easy to understand, even though the author has a PhD and writes for an educated audience. The book is intended to be helpful for both yoga teachers and students.

I requested and was provided an ARC through Net Galley that I volunteered to review. Because I have not seen the final published version, I cannot comment on the final editing and formatting, although the ARC I received was already in fairly good shape.

[Federico · Rating 2 out of 5]

A valiant attempt to integrate yoga, psychotherapy and neuroscience. It's probably most useful for the yoga teacher, but I still appreciated it as an occasional yoga student. If you are well-versed in yoga, you may be able to put the practical suggestions at the end of the book into practice.

Caplan expertly makes the case that developing the skill to perceive our emotions in our body can make us more effective in many endeavours, including the work on our own trauma. I also liked the pages where karma is reduced to something we can deal with in this world and in this life, such as intergenerational trauma we can work on now even if we aren't able to name or explain it.

[Joanne McKinnon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I became interested in yoga and meditation years ago. I also read a great deal about psychology and behaviour. Combining yoga and psychology makes a lot sense. Now I practice yoga every morning.

[Carleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I were a psychologist, this might be my favorite book. But because I’m not it’s not. That said, it has some amazing nuggets in it that I will use and that I am grateful for! It’s a well done,book.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting writing on the connection between yoga and psychology in treating physical and mental illness.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance e copy.