Sarah had tried yoga before. She signed up for a class at her local studio, hoping it would help with her anxiety. But from the moment she stepped into the room, she felt overwhelmed. The fast-paced flow made her feel out of sync. The instructor’s cues didn’t quite make sense to her body. She wasn’t sure if she was “doing it right,” and when the teacher adjusted her posture, she froze. No one else seemed to struggle. After class, Sarah left feeling more disconnected than when she walked in.
This is the reality for many mental health clients who attempt to join traditional yoga classes. The intention is good, but the structure isn’t designed for them. Group yoga classes are built around generalization. One instructor, one sequence, many bodies. But mental health work isn’t about generalization. It’s about the individual.
This is why private yoga is a better fit for therapy settings.
Group Yoga Classes vs. Individualized Support
Traditional 200-hr yoga teacher trainings prepare instructors for leading groups, often in a fitness or wellness setting. These classes emphasize flow, energy, and alignment for the average student in the room. They are not built to accommodate the nuanced, often unpredictable needs of someone managing PTSD, depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions.
Private yoga shifts the focus from what is being taught to who is being taught. It isn’t about guiding a class through a one-size-fits-all sequence. It’s about adapting the practice in real time, based on how the client’s nervous system is responding.
Take James, for example. A veteran with PTSD, he tried a group class at the recommendation of his therapist. But the closed-door space, the unpredictability of the movements, and the instructor’s hands-on adjustments left him feeling trapped and hypervigilant. James was asked for his consent first, but he didn’t feel comfortable saying no in front of the group.
In a private session, however, James was able to set his own pace. He worked with an instructor trained in client-centered care and trauma-informed thinking, not just trauma-sensitive yoga for groups. They helped him find postures and breathwork that supported his nervous system rather than triggering it.
In his private session, James was told there would be no hands-on contact to worry about, ever. Over time, private yoga became a safe space where he could reconnect with his body on his own terms. He even learned to practice his favorite techniques at home on his own.
Why Mental Health Clients Need One-on-One Yoga
1. Safety First: Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Requires Personalization
In group classes, the instructor cannot know everyone’s history. Someone with PTSD might be triggered by hands-on adjustments. Someone with panic disorder might struggle with certain breath techniques. Someone with depression might need an entirely different approach to movement than someone with anxiety. Private yoga allows for real choice, control, and customization—key elements in trauma-sensitive care.
2. The Nervous System Dictates the Practice
Mental health clients often have dysregulated nervous systems. Some are stuck in hyperarousal (fight-or-flight). Others are frozen in shutdown (hypoarousal). A sequence that calms one person might overstimulate another. In a private session, the practitioner observes in real time, adjusting breath, movement, and pacing based on how the client responds.
3. The Power of Relationship
Private yoga isn’t just about movement—it’s about trust. Clients who struggle with emotional regulation, self-awareness, or interoception (the ability to sense internal states) need a supportive, attuned presence. The therapeutic relationship between instructor and client is what makes private yoga such a powerful tool for healing.
4. Slow Progress, Lasting Change
In a group setting, there’s often an unspoken pressure to keep up. Private yoga removes that barrier. Clients can work on one small skill at a time, whether it’s learning how to ground themselves through breath or building awareness of tension patterns in their body. These small, incremental changes create lasting shifts in self-regulation and resilience.
What Private Yoga for Mental Health Clients Looks Like
Emma came to private yoga after years of struggling with panic attacks. She avoided public places, including yoga studios, because she feared losing control. In her first session, she told her instructor, “I don’t think I can do this.”
Instead of guiding her into a downward dog or a structured breath technique, her instructor asked, “What feels safe for you right now?”
Emma started with simple seated movements, just noticing the weight of her body on the mat. No forced breathing. No rigid postures. Over time, she learned to sense her own nervous system cues. Eventually, she chose to explore standing postures. She even discovered that certain breathing techniques could help her interrupt a panic spiral before it escalated. What once felt impossible became a practice she could take into her daily life.
This is what private yoga makes possible.
Why This Matters for Yoga Teachers and Mental Health Professionals
If you’re a yoga teacher who wants to work one-on-one with mental health clients, or a therapist looking to integrate movement into your practice, learning how to teach yoga privately is essential.
Mental health clients need more than yoga for yoga’s sake. They need adaptable, evidence-based approaches that prioritize safety, agency, and nervous system regulation. That’s exactly what we teach in ClinicAlly Trained.
If you’re ready to shift from teaching group fitness to truly individualized, therapeutic yoga, this training is for you. Learn more here.