Yoga for Mental Health
About this event
What we lack most in our modern lives is the capacity to relax - deep physical and mental relaxation. The barrage of information and stimulus that our bodies are subjected to in modern life can take their toll on our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. The practice of Yoga Nidra offers an effective and gentle way to bring more kindness to our nervous systems while tapping into our bodies innate, and often under-utilized, capacity to self-heal and restore. Yoga Nidra is the scientific method of removing muscular, mental, and emotional tensions by helping us relax, and also restructure and reform our whole personality from within. With every session, we are burning the old mental impressions/psychological imprints (ie. samskaras), habits, and tendencies that no longer serve us in order to be born anew. Those who adopt this technique into their routine can soon experience profound changes in their mental health and sleeping habits.
Participants will be invited to experience a conscious deep relaxation practice (ie. Yoga Nidra). We will start with a short postural yoga practice that integrates awareness and regulation of the breath to prepare us for Yoga Nidra, which invites us to settle into stillness and to access a felt sense of ease and inner peace.
Hosted by
Lucille Villaseñor-Caron
Lucille is a Registered Social Worker Psychotherapist, Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher, and an Ayurvedic Wellness Practitioner who is interested in the overall well-being and harmonious interconnectedness of all that exists. It is her passion to be of service to others by creating a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere that supports happiness, wellbeing and healing through a holistic and cross-cultural approach that integrates practical tools, modern psychological theories and ancient wisdom.
With a background in Sociology and International Relations, Lucille's early work focused on a multidisciplinary approach to social, political, economic and environmental issues affecting all levels of society, from the local to the global level. After working in several institutions which focused primarily on the macro level of change, she realized that the essence of her being was to work at the individual level as well. When she realized the important relationship between transforming and liberating both the individual and the global level together – she decided to complete a Master’s in Social Work to provide both counselling and psychotherapeutic services while being aware of structural realities that may impact an individual’s sense of happiness and overall well being.
Since 2006, which is when she was diagnosed with MS, she has been on an ongoing healing journey for both personal and professional reasons. Lucille strongly believes that it is essential for therapists to do our own healing work if we are to support others in their journeys. Throughout her own journey, and especially when connecting with the spiritual dimension of her being, Lucille continue's to learn about the possible mind-body connections of dis-ease and illness. This increased awareness provides her with an empowering sense of hope, which helps her overcome the mental and emotional distresses often experienced when living with MS. And so, when she discovered the mind-body healing and transformational benefits of integrating a holistic approach into both her personal and professional journey, she first became a Yoga teacher, and then continued on to learn about Ayurveda — first as an Ayurvedic Counsellor and then as an Ayurvedic Practitioner. She continues to be a dedicated student of Yoga, Ayurveda, and Psychotherapy.
Throughout this journey, Lucille continues to cultivate compassion through her spiritual nature so that she can heal her Self, and contribute to the healing of our world as she works in service to others. In addition to being of service and deepening her yoga practice, she loves to walk with her family, cook, laugh and explore with curiosity external and inner worlds.