Robert Swedberg

Robert Swedberg
Foundations Program Graduate
Advanced Program Student
C-IAYT Candidate
Yoga Therapist, Retired Professor
Location: Orlando, FL
Website: www.yogaforperformers.com

Daily, I see a greater and greater need for yoga therapy being revealed. It can’t solve all our problems, but I am now understanding how I might contribute to a greater good.

I have enjoyed living with the koshas, coming to realize that to improve a condition, attention needs to be paid not only on the physical level, but also in collaboration with breath work and practices for mindfulness and meditation, leading to a greater sense of blissful fulfillment. As I started, I know that I was most focused on the physical aspects of yoga, but now I am excited to be broadening my view to encompass a more comprehensive approach to helping individuals. I’ve seen a greater emphasis on moving and breathing together, and an easing away from intensity.
I love the sense of community that I feel in our group retreats and in the weekly Q&A sessions. And I truly believe that there is no more sensitive and available guru/leader than Brandt Passalacqua.

I have had opportunities to offer yoga classes to various populations over the past 20 years and have adjusted general pedagogy to meet particular needs, so in a way, I have been thinking therapeutically for a while. But now I am able to be more useful by learning how to aid individuals with an expanding list of conditions where yoga therapy (YT) can be most beneficial. I researched several YT training programs, and Breathing Deeply best met my needs with a combination of flexible online scheduling of offerings, fair tuition cost, and renowned faculty.

It does take time to accomplish the goals set out by this program. But that time is mostly your own, so there is great flexibility. There is a lot of depth of material that was new to me, but I was led sensitively into a great understanding of what is needed to be effective as a yoga therapist.

My Foundations Program case studies were both successful. I worked with an Artist who told me that he was not a good actor. We worked to release fears, stress, and physical tensions that were entanglements, which have been greatly reduced. Also, a case study for weight control where my client lost weight (15 pounds over a 4-month period) using our approach, helping him with addictive behavior.

My focus as a yoga therapist is working with performing artists on stress management, releasing of tensions, and various physical issues relating to stiffness and inability to present optimally. (But also weight management and issues related to postural alignments and individual physical issues.)

To any student considering joining our school, I would say, “Be prepared to be challenged, and know that as you are, you will be greatly rewarded”.