My name is Brooke West and I am a Yoga and meditation instructor. I work as a Yoga therapist. My interest is in teaching Yoga therapy as adjunctive treatment for bipolar disorder and the research of that.
Recently, your TED talk came across my screen and I was impressed by your tone and compassion, potentially changing the stigmatizing term “mental illness” to a more objective “brain disorder.”
This weekend, you appeared on my computer screen again as I watched a Charlie Rose episode that aired in July on the Brain Initiative.
I thank you for your work, your calm demeanor and for your time.
I am moved to write to you because of the dearth of research in this field.
In my experience, for this population, medication works best in conjunction with lifestyle, breath and movement modifications. My experience is both personal and professional.
Yoga, meditation and any repetitive movement with breath (including Tai Chi, Qi Gong, rosary prayers and exercise) show changes in neurological activity. This can, consequently, affect one’s behavior, interpersonal relationships, one’s community and society as a whole. I have seen it in my work, in which I include Yoga postures and other techniques from the breadth of the Yoga philosophy.
I will continue my teaching and counseling.
With regard to academic researchers interested in this sort of work, or in collaboration, including individuals or boards furthering their humanitarian missions of easing the effects brain disorders through any means that works, or any other suggestions from your end of the spectrum, I would most appreciate you keeping me – and this approach – in mind.
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Aug 27
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Dear Ms West, |
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Tom Insel