My Interview with Yoga Journal

THE TAKE AWAY: Never give an interview without written permission that you will be able to proof the work before it is released. 





​

​So much of me doesn't want to be writing this, however, there is a bigger part of me that cannot stand by and be quite. I've seen this happen to many people I know and love and It has happened to me on numerous occasions. What is it you ask? Being in the media and your words being taken out of context or paraphrased. Here is what happened. Early this year I was asked to speak to Yoga Journal about the work I do as a medical yoga therapist in cancer recovery care rehab. I was really excited and printed up the information you see at the bottom of this page and sent it to the journalist then prepared for my interview. The interview lasted for about an hour and went on with questions and answers for days. At the end of the interview I was asked why did I think yoga wasn't covered by insurance. I stumbled, I tried to give an answer but then I realized very quickly how uncomfortable this made me because this is not my scope of practice. I don't deal with insurance. I requested not to be on record speaking about insurance and gave them the information to speak to someone who knows more about this than me. I left it there. 
When I was cruising the internet I came across an article by YJ called "Why isn't Yoga Therapy Covered by Insurance?", and guess who one of the experts was? You guessed it, me! Ugh.  So I was nervous about the magazine being released and sure enough 99% of my interview was not there. What was there was bits and pieces of my words for another article I didn't know I was being interviewed for.

 My choices were to leave this be and just go on. Or to use it as a way to catapult myself and say "Oh look at me I'm in YJ!" or I could tell the truth even though my fear is I will seem ungrateful. You see someone who believed in me recommended me for this. Someone who knows I do the work. I'm so grateful for this person and the others who have lifted me and supported me and I don't want be disrespectful of that. That being said I have to be honest with you all the readers. When you see this article please know that what is printed with my name on it is not in context, it's speculative at best, and though I do believe the Ornish Reversal program will be the first to get cancer approved and that is my hope, but also an opinion. 
The article is not bad, it's not completely wrong it's simply not the interview I gave.                
* I do want to say I had a great experience with
"Yoga Therapy Today" magazine earlier in 2019. They had me do multiple proofs and were so professional and kind to me. I'm forever grateful to them and to my mentors and students who have lifted me. 

Here is the information I sent Yoga Journal and the conversation I had was based on this. All of the blue links are to the research I sited. 
Medical Yoga Therapy in Caring for those with Cancer
by Courtney Robinson
One of the main purposes of yoga therapy in management of disease is to help the nervous system regulate back into balance or homeostasis where the body can begin to assist in it’s own healing process. In the program that I teach at Saline Heart Wellness Center, a cardiac intensive rehab (that is also moving into non invasive cancer care), participants learn to manage their nervous system with breathing exercises, relaxation exercises, postures (stretching), meditation, and visualization. In addition to yoga therapy the participant are also given modified exercise programs, nutrition information and group support as well as other educational programming that fit the needs of the patient. 
Yoga therapy has been shown to reduce glucose levels, reduce depression and anxiety, modulate immune function, decrease inflammation, and reduce the need for pain medications. Yoga asana can reduce lymphatic congestion, assisting with lymphedema, reducing the heaviness of limbs and increasing range or motion. In caring for those with cancer or who are in remission this can lead to better life quality, reduction in chronic pain, better digestion, increased psychological health during treatment and beyond. Through the study of epigenetics (the blueprint of our genes and how they express themselves) we now know that lifestyle and stress management play a huge role in the health and wellbeing of an individual during treatment and over the course of their life. 
In our wellness clinic we have several wellness programs including traditional cardiac rehab, intensive cardiac rehab through the Ornish Reversal Program (where I also teach) & nutrition counseling. 
Through the Ornish program we have seen improvements in overall health, including depression, anxiety, reduction in pain, increase in mobility and reduction in inflammation. Many of the participants in the Ornish program have other existing illnesses, often including cancer, and find improvements in all areas of their life. Moving into the care of cancer seemed a logical next step for us. Often unfortunately treatment for cancer can impact heart health. Dr. Ornish has shown in his research that there are improvements in many areas of health including cancer when people go through the reversal program, unfortunately at this time most insurance companies will only cover 
the program for specific cardiovascular conditions. We hope to reduce the impact on the heart during treatment and if these patients need heart health we will also be able to offer them the services they need. 
Personally as a yoga therapist I have worked one on one in the private sector for nearly two decades with people who have or have had cancer. I have seen the same improvements over the years. They often remark to me how much better they feel. Some of the things I’ve seen and have been told are the ability to do simple daily task that were once painful or difficult, reduction in the need for supplemental oxygen, less pain, increased energy, a better sense of hope and wellbeing & the ability to use stress reduction techniques during treatment. 
It is a great joy to go to work everyday and see people have improvement in the quality of their life and overall well being. 
Courtney Butler Robinson, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, RYCT, RYPT, is also trained in Yoga of 12 Step Recovery (Y12SR) and in Prime of Life Yoga (POLY-500). Courtney is the author of “The Mud & The Lotus: A Guide and Workbook for Students of Yoga”. As a yoga therapist, Courtney works as the Stress Management Specialist for the Dr. Dean Ornish Reversal Clinic and as a Medical Yoga Therapist in Cancer Rehabilitation at Saline Wellness Heart Center, under the supervision of Dr. Allan B. Hatch, MD. Courtney currently sits on the lead group for “Yoga and Cancer Standards” assisting in setting standards for future trainings for yoga in cancer rehabilitation. She has owned Balance Yoga and Wellness, a Registered Yoga School since 2008, leads workshops and presents at conferences on the topic of yoga in healthcare. She has recently been featured on “The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast” episode #89”, in “Yoga Therapy Today Magazine” and in various other online and print media.

---