Reflections from a PYTI Teaching Assistant, Amisha Klawonn, PT, PYT-C

 

Why TA with PYTI?

I became a Teaching Assistant (TA) with Professional Yoga Therapy for Module 8, Yoga as Medicine I, for two reasons. I desired the opportunity to work with and have the guidance of Ginger Garner. I also desired the chance to review the concepts and postures from the Module 8 (M8) onsite module. The ability to review each posture individually was invaluable. The review reinforced the concepts and allowed the opportunity to go further in depth for each posture.

As a TA, I gained the opportunity to evaluate my own personal practice. I specifically gained awareness of my anteverted hips. Therefore, I needed to change my postures to allow my hips to move into their specific neutral position; this is different than the “normal” way of teaching the pose outside of Professional Yoga Therapy (PYT). My hips feel so much better and my symptoms have decreased drastically!

 

An Intense Learning Experience

Functioning in the role of teaching assistant, specifically in teaching the methodology, was a profound learning experience for me. I had the opportunity to teach a 20 minute meditation and moon salutation along with alternate nostril breath and against the grain breath. I had a general understanding of the breaths and the moon salutation. However, in order to teach something, one requires a completely different level of understanding. This gave me the chance to dive deeply into the material. I truly enjoyed this opportunity and was appreciative of the feedback from Ginger.

Working directly with the cohort was also incredibly rewarding. What a valuable experience to be able to answer questions and assist students into specific postures. This greatly reinforced my knowledge of the postures. I loved seeing a student’s reactions when they felt content with their pose. I specifically remember in my first M8, when Shelly Prosko corrected my tree pose. At the time, I was not satisfied with my pose, and it literally brought me to tears.

At that point, a shift occurred. Since then I’ve allowed a lot more just flow instead of trying to control everything, both on the mat and in life. I observed this same transformation with this cohort and am excited to see how it will impact their lives.

Acting as the subject on Day 2 was also a valuable learning opportunity. I learned more specifically about my own body and was also able to incorporate six specific exercises into my home program to improve my own health.

Another responsibility of being a TA was assisting with the case study. Observing the specific groups and the questions that they each had to answer deepened my understanding of the Pentagon of Wellness and how it applies to each patient. The best experience was actually when I didn’t know the answer and asked Ginger; it helped me to remember the material more thoroughly and to be able to apply it better.

 

PYTI, A Game Changer

I am an educator at heart. I love watching others learn things for which I am passionate. Upon taking M8 in 2015, I knew I found a program that resonated with me- the way the methodology is taught, the depth and breadth of the curriculum, and the holistic approach to patient care. Having the opportunity to go through the material again and having completed all of the onsite modules has reinforced what I already knew. This is the program I have been waiting for my entire professional career. I am so thankful for the PYTI curriculum and to be part of this community. I am so grateful to Ginger for bringing this methodology to healthcare professionals and for bringing it to Mesa, AZ! Medical Therapeutic Yoga (MTY) has profoundly impacted my career path. I look forward to teaching MTY in my community and integrating it into patient care and education.

Professionally, I plan to continue to develop my own skills through personal practice and by teaching others individually and in groups. I would also like to TA in additional cohorts. Reviewing the material adds so much to my knowledge base, confidence, and overall understanding of the material. I truly enjoy the opportunity to meet and connect with like-minded individuals and learn how each one is elevating healthcare.