Running head: YOGA FOR ANXIETY

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The Effects of Yoga for Youth with Anxiety

A Research Paper and Experiential Project

Presented to The Faculty of Adler Graduate School

___________________________

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of

the Degree of Master of Arts in

Adlerian Counseling and Psychotherapy

____________________________

By:

Kaye Standke

August 2013

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Abstract

Youth in the United States have undergone varying degrees of stress, but the stress is becoming a

bigger issue, which is demonstrated by the high incidence of anxiety disorders that are found in

young people. Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychological disorder in the United

States. (Albano, et al., 2003). The ways in which to treat anxiety are varied. Yoga, as a mind-

body connection practice is proving to have a positive impact on one’s health and well-being.

This review will explore the youth in the United States, how anxiety reveals itself within a

person, the discussion of what is yoga, and who is participating in yoga, and finally this review

will determine whether or not yoga would be a useful tool for youth who struggle with anxiety.

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Outline

Abstract 2

Outline 3

Introduction 4

Research Question 5

The State of Youth 5

Yoga 7

Youth and Yoga 8

The Incorporation of Yoga for Youth with Anxiety Related Disorders 12

Experiential Project Overview 14

Summary 16

Discussion and Conclusion 16

Future Direction 17

References 18

Appendix A 22

Appendix B 29

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The Effects of Yoga for Youth with Anxiety

Currently, anxiety disorders among youth are the most prevalent psychological disorder.

(Albano et al., 2003). The increase of youth who have an emotional impairment has risen to

between three and five percent of the population in the United States (Robold, 2002). Youth are

embodied by stress within their schools, homes, and communities, and this has a dramatic impact

on their daily lives. A young person whom has an anxiety disorder are rated by peers as more

shy and more withdrawn, than a student who does not have an anxiety disorder (Coplan et al.,

2007). The result of anxious youth is that these students have a smaller social network and fewer

peer relationships. Strauss, Frame, and Forehand (1987) reported teacher data collection, which

revealed students with anxiety exhibit greater psychosocial difficulties and problems with

adjustment. These factors play a role in the student’s academic functioning. A study

investigating the effects of anxiety in the school domain was conducted by Ialongo, et al.,

(1994), revealed that children in the top quartertile of anxiety in the fall of first grade were found

to be nearly eight times more likely to be in the lowest quartertile of reading achievement and

nearly two and a half times more likely to be in the lowest quartertile in math by the spring of

their first grade year.

Youth who have anxiety demonstrate a dysregulation of emotion, and poor ability to cope

with their emotions, which results in poor self-esteem (Suveg et al., 2008). Youth are struggling

with how to manage their stress and anxiety. More research has been done on the effects of yoga

and other mindfulness techniques for all people, which is demonstrating the positive impact that

yoga has on people who practice yoga. As stated by Palgi (2007), the goal of yoga is for youth

to learn techniques to self regulate, gain awareness and control over emotional, cognitive, and

behavioral processes. Youth are in need of tools to assist in managing their anxiety, so they can

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manage their emotions, perform better in school, maintain healthy relationships, and increase

overall self esteem. Families and educators are in need of tools to assist youth in managing their

anxiety.

The nature of the exact cause of anxiety continues to be explored. The amount of research

that has been conducted on the impact that yoga has on youth is limited. There has been a

significant amount of research conducted on adults with anxiety disorder, which contributes to

the findings for the impact of yoga and overall wellness. This study is limited to youth within

the United States. There have been various studies conducted in different environments within

the United States, which detail the benefits of yoga and mindfulness techniques, but the data is

limited to only the participants who have completed the entire study. This paper will limit the

findings to students with anxiety and not the whole spectrum of mental health disorders.

It is hypothesized that yoga will have a positive effect on all children and youth with

anxiety. It would be beneficial for youth who have anxiety to participate in yoga. The initial

hypothesis is that a significant number of youth have a form of anxiety, and that they are in need

of coping strategies.

Research Question

As we come to understand the prevalence of anxiety in youth and the effects that it has on their

overall being, would Yoga, as a mind-body integrative practice, decrease symptoms of anxiety

for this group of people?

The State of Youth

Youth in the United States experience significant amounts of stress, from a variety of

sources including: living in poverty, academic failure, and interpersonal violence (Sibinga et al.,

2011). According to Zito (2003), there is a significant increase of youth who are being

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prescribed psychotropic drugs. This has resulted in youth being ignorant about alternative ways

to handle their emotions, fears, and longings. Some of the symptoms that a person experiences

when they have an anxiety disorder include: restlessness, difficulty concentrating, irritability,

muscle tension, and sleep disturbance.

“Adolescence is a transition period of life, marked by physical, social, as well as

psychological changes (Cameron, 2004; Dahl, 2004). With these change naturally occurring,

some youth thrive and navigate through the changes successfully, while others struggle and have

difficulty managing these changes, this can result in significant amounts of stress and anxiety

symptoms. The cost of anxiety care was 42. 3 billion dollars in 1990 and the cost has risen over

the past 30 years due to the increased diagnosis of anxiety disorders across the population

(Greenberg et al., 1999).

When youth have a lack of perceived control they are more likely to have anxiety

problems. Youth are also limited in their ability to control and express their emotions. Students

across the United States and beyond are experiencing a high amount of stress. As stated

previously some of the factors that are causing stress are due to: academic difficulties, large

amounts of homework, family trauma, social phobias, separation struggles, and financial

hardships. According to research conducted by Mychailyszyn et al., (2010), teachers across the

United States have noted that students who do not have an anxiety disorder do much better

academically, are significantly happier, and work much harder in school. This information

emphasizes that youth who have an anxiety disorder are going to have a more difficult time

functioning within the school environment.

This information demonstrates that the incidence of anxiety is high and that the

interpretation regarding the cause of anxiety is broad in nature. Students need tools and

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strategies to manage the anxiety and stress in their lives. This paper is intended to identify if

providing yoga to youth will decrease student’s level of anxiety.

Yoga

The definition of Yoga is to “yoke”, which means to unite or to harness (Galantino et al.,

2004). Yoga dates back to 5,000 years ago. Yoga is an ancient discipline, which brings about

balance and health to the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of the individual.

The intention is to create mind, body, and sprit connection. There are many varieties of

yoga practiced in our culture today. The yoga that will be discussed in this paper will

incorporate postures, also known as asanas, breathwork, also known as pranyanama, and

meditation as defined by finding stillness and quiet within oneself. The number of adults

believed to have been practicing yoga on a weekly basis in 2002 was 10.4 million. Studies

indicate that number has increased over the course of ten years (Barnes et al., 2004) with an

estimation of 15 million people whom practice yoga as of 2011. This trend demonstrates that

yoga presents increased health benefits that make people want to practice yoga.

The research has proven that yoga has many health benefits for individuals who practice.

Yoga and meditation techniques have shown to improve mood, enhance performance on a

variety of cognitive, psychomotor, and physical tasks, and increase resiliency to chronic and

acute stress (Harinath et. al., 2004; Kirkwood et al., 2005, Malathi et al., 1998; Michalsen et al.

2005, Manjunath & Telles, 2004; Ray et. al., 2001). According to Emerson, Sharma, Chaudry,

& Turner’s research conducted in 2003, yoga can reduce autonomic sympathetic activation,

muscle tension, and blood pressure, decrease physical symptoms and emotional distress, improve

hormonal, and neuroendocrine activity, which equates to improvement in overall quality of life.

These authors go on to research that yoga positively affects self-regulation and decreases hyper

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arousal. Further research has revealed that yoga improves symptoms of anxiety (Brown &

Gerbarg, 2005).

In conclusion, yoga when used as a posture, breath control, and meditation practice has

significant health and well-being benefits. Benefits include, the reduction of fatigue and boosted

ability to handle stress, breath control and management of performance anxiety, increase in self-

confidence, decrease in generalized anxiety, improvement of mood, self-esteem, concentration,

strength, flexibility, and motor skills (Harinath et al, 2004).

It is clear that the main benefits of yoga are applicable to the further development of this

article. As more information has been demonstrated on the disruption that anxiety has on youth

in the United States, it deems appropriate to investigate whether or not yoga would be positive

mind-body exercise for these individuals.

Yoga and Youth

As of 2007, yoga has become more commonly used in the schools as a way for students

to manage their stress and improve students well being and behavior, (White, 2009). The styles

of yoga programs that are being implemented in schools are addressing stress and anxiety by

increasing students’ awareness through mind and body techniques. Yoga emphasizes the

individuality of each person and stresses the importance of being a non-competitive mind-body

exercise. Yoga is appropriate for all children, even those who lack coordination or who have

physical limitations because of the various yoga styles that are available. Anecdotal reports

reviewed by experts in the youth and yoga field, including Flisek (2001) describe yoga to be

calming to children and in reducing obesity, discipline problems, anger and panic attacks, and to

improve in academic performance. Yoga for youth puts less emphasis on perfecting any of the

physical postures, and instead provides students tools to practice being compassionate and non-

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judging towards themselves and others. The breath and body connection allows a young person

to become more aware of oneself.

Yoga Studies

The studies that have been conducted with youth and yoga are limited, but there has been

a significant amount of research conducted for adults and the benefits that yoga offers because

yoga improves symptoms of anxiety and enhances relaxation (Brown & Gerbarg, (2005); Gupta,

Khera, Vempati, Sharma & Bijlani, (2002).

A yoga study with youth participants by (Manjunath & Telles, 2001), reported that the

ten to thirteen year old girls who practiced 75 minutes of daily yoga, which consisted of

breathing, internal cleansing, meditation, devotional songs, and relaxation over the course of one

month allowed the girls to decrease the time required to execute a mental test. The study

indicated that yoga increased blood flow to the frontal lobe of the brain, which resulted in the

rapid realization and correction of errors.

Another yoga study took place with students from an alternative high school in New

York. Many of these students had issues with mental health. The yoga experience, as it was

termed, was a program that provided students with the tools to access their inner resources in

order to deal with the disturbances in the outer environment (Bonilla-Bowman, 2010). The

classes began with pranayama, or deep yoga breathing; this provided the students the ability to

understand that when they breathed slower the blood chemistry changed in their body which

assisted in helping them feel more calm. These students typically reacted in a flight or fight

response breath. The students then discussed ways in which they could incorporate this breath

especially when feeling anxious or challenged. The class would continue with the posture

component of the class; the conclusion would be svasana, or the final relaxation of the class.

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The result of the yoga experience for this population was students’ responses of feeling more

calm from the breathing exercises. They also demonstrated increased confidence from the yoga

postures that they excelled at. The most positive and gratifying successes of the yoga experience

was the way in which all students relaxed deeply for up to ten minutes during the svasana, or

final relaxation of class (Bonilla-Bowman, 2010). After a yoga session, the students would

continue with their day in a more peaceful and happy state. In addition, the students were more

kind and accepting of one another, and they were more inwardly focused on their own well

being.

A pilot study in Bronx, New York in March 2006 was conducted amongst fourth and fifth

grade students who either participated in a 12 week/ one hour a week yoga program, or for those

fourth and fifth grade students who did not practice yoga at all. The 2006 pilot study was

conducted to gather information to determine if yoga increased or altered a student’s well being.

Both groups of students took a pre-intervention Emotional Well-being Assessment titled Harter’s

Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC). The yoga class that the yoga participants took part

in consisted of the following elements: physical postures, breathing exercises, meditation, and

relaxation. The yoga group took a post-intervention survey called Effects of Yoga on Well-being

Survey. The results from the pre-intervention and post-intervention assessments are as follows:

The yoga group responded that 50%-80% of the participants improved in flexibility, balance,

attention, liking oneself, liking the way one’s body feels, behavior in class, strength, ability to

calm oneself, and sleep (Berger et al., 2009).

A summary of two pilot yoga studies that were conducted in 2010 in Oakland, California

with a group of students in a Juvenile Hall indicated that a “yoga based program can produce

positive transformation in vulnerable youth,” (Ramadoss & Bose, 2010.) The long-term

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beneficial outcomes of such a program if widely implemented could produce greater success for

the education of students, public health, economic growth, and community development. The

first pilot yoga study was offered at Niroga Institute for incarcerated youth. The youth received

daily 60 minute Transformative Life Skills (TLS) consisting of yoga poses, breathing techniques,

and meditation, and the program was evaluated on the effectiveness of TLS on the program’s

participants perceived stress and self-control. The second pilot study was conducted at El

Cerrito High School in a condensed 15-minute TLS protocol offered by Niroga staff. This pilot

study evaluated the effects of an 18-week TLS program on perceived stress and self-control, in

comparison to a no-intervention control condition. Both studies used data collection from a

weekly 4-point questionnaire, which assessed a possible shift in perceived shift. The data

collection was challenging due to the participants leaving the facility and at times unwilling to

complete the questionnaire. The results indicated that both pilot yoga studies had a significant

decrease in the amount of perceived stress the participants reported. There was also a significant

increase in the participant’s self-control. The anecdotal results from the Niroga staff reported

participants were able to resolve conflict in more adaptive ways, and they improved self-

awareness (Ramadoss & Bose, 2010). Both of the studies indicated that a yoga-based program

could produce positive transformation in vulnerable youth.

A final study was called the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction or MBSR. This study

was conducted with 33 youth. “The three components of MBSR include: (1) materials related to

mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and the mind-body connection, (2) experiential practice of

various mindfulness meditations, mindful yoga, and the “body scan” during group meetings and

at home, and (3) group discussion focused on the application of mindfulness strategies to

problems and situations that the youth encounter,” (Baer, 2003; Kabat-Zinn 1982), (1990). All

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33 youth that were the initial subjects participated in at least one session. The data gathered from

the MBSR program included all participants that had something positive to say about MBSR and

all participants continued to practice some form of MBSR after the program was completed. The

majority of the participants indicated that MBSR helped them feel more calm, relaxed, and less

stressed; the majority of the participants also indicated that they felt “less down” and “more

happy” as a result of the MBSR program. Some additional conclusions were improvements in

interpersonal relationships, reductions in general discomfort and hostility, improved healthy

eating patterns, increased physical activity, and improved sleep patterns.

As demonstrated by the research and the variety of studies that have been conducted in

regards to people doing yoga, the results indicate that yoga provides a vast array of health

benefits. Yoga has been shown to be effective in relieving symptoms of anxiety (Grossman et

al., 2005); & Smith, Hancock, Blake-Mortimer, & Eckert, 2007). As stated by Palgi (2007), who

teaches educators how to implement yoga in their classrooms, so they are able to “promote self-

awareness and self-control, enhance physical fitness, support academic learning and

concentration, and to target at risk behaviors and lifestyles”. These yoga benefits have resulted

in a dramatic increase of yoga and mediation programs in schools and communities. These

findings, assist in the discussion to bring yoga to youth especially those dealing with anxiety

issues.

The Incorporation of Yoga for Youth with Anxiety Related Disorders

As more information surfaces in regards to youth and the anxiety disorders and the stress

that they are dealing with, it appears that is a genuine concern for the youth living in the United

States. As educators, families, therapists, and other involved citizens, it seems that these youth

need help.

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“The association between relaxation and physiological arousal reduction, underpins the

rationale for incorporating relaxation as a component in interventions for young persons with

emotional and behavioral difficulties,” (Wolpe, 1958). The author continues to state that

relaxation is a way to decrease negative emotions and behaviors.

The discussion of yoga as a vehicle to reduce anxiety symptoms has been discussed

within this literature review. It is also important to note that an additional component of yoga’s

teaching addresses the concept of mindfulness. An Adolescent Mindfulness Scale was created in

2011, (Brown, Loverich, West, and Biegel, 2011). Within this scale these four researchers

attempted to determine if providing mindfulness practices to two different groups of adolescence

would make a positive impact or not. The scale consisted of attending to experiences in the

present moment, body scan meditation, sitting meditation, yoga practice, and walking

meditation. The study was conducted with two separate populations of high school students.

One of the groups of students was a group of neuro- typical students from public high schools

across the United States. The second group of students was from a Child and Adolescent

Psychiatry Department, who were being treated for a mental health issue. The results (Brown et.

al, 2011) indicated that both groups were positively impacted; both groups had an increase in

self-esteem, and they both had a decline in perceived stress. The group of students from the

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry department also reported decreased symptoms of anxiety, and

general psychological symptoms. The study on mindfulness as it was related to mediation, yoga,

and bringing awareness to the present moment had a significant impact on typical youth, in

addition to the youth who are undergoing mental health treatment.

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Physical Benefits

It is also important to address the physical benefits that yoga brings to a person who

practices it. According to medical professionals, (Streeter et al., 2010), whom conducted a 12-

week yoga intervention study to determine if yoga had any effects on mood and physical health.

The subjects who participated in the yoga study were volunteers between the ages of 18-45, and

they did not have a current Axis I diagnosis according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of

Mental Health Disorders IV. The results of the study indicated that the yoga -controlled group

had improvements in mood and a decrease in anxiety symptoms. There was a positive

correlation between acute increases in thalamic amino butyric acid or better know as GABA

levels as well as improvements in mood and anxiety from the yoga subjects who completed the

study. Gaba is an amino acid, which functions as the most prevalent neurotransmitter in the

central nervous system. The 2010 study also determined that the yoga-controlled group’s cortisol

levels decreased which lessens stress and anxiety in the body. According to this information, the

body’s natural response to yoga is seen to be positive in nature.

Experiential Project Overview

For the Project portion of the research paper, I had the opportunity to bring Yoga into a

metro Charter School as a supplement to a test-taking unit. This experiential project was an

extremely gratifying experience because I could incorporate my counseling skills blending yoga

and relaxation into student’s school days. This experiential project began with the assistance of a

mentor counselor connection with the charter school. The mentor counselor knew my yoga

background, and he asked me to join forces to create a comprehensive test-taking unit for the

school. My mentor counselor and I met with the Charter School principal to get school

background information, and to determine what our goals would be. We then went into a few

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classrooms to acquaint ourselves with the students and staff. My mentor teacher and I met to

determine our plan for implementing the test taking strategy. There has been research conducted

on various ways to prepare students for test taking, and we both determined that the more

prepared students are the better the outcome. We then created a YouTube video of me teaching a

ten-minute yoga sequence followed by a brief relaxation. This video was made available to the

entire Charter School staff to implement in their classrooms.

After greater discussion amongst my mentor counselor, the school principal, and myself

the days came when we brought our test-taking unit into the classrooms. We visited every class

in the school, so that each student had equal access to the information. The day consisted of the

following components: introductions, and background information on test taking, a test taking

questionnaire and an essay for the students to complete, interactive discussion on the importance

of being prepared and finding strategies for test taking, and yoga and relaxation that can be done

prior and during test taking. This comprehensive unit allowed for students to feel engaged and

connected with us and with their peers.

The questionnaires and the essays assisted in determining what students feel more

anxious regarding test taking, and these students were identified and the information was shared

with their teachers. This identified group of students became a small group, which I met with

two additional times to guide them in yoga and relaxation strategies.

The yoga portion of the unit was especially fun to be a part of because this was an

activity that was very different from a typical school day. The majority of the students remained

focused and calm, and they appeared to be enjoying themselves. They reported to their teachers

that they enjoyed the yoga. Upon the conclusion of the test- taking unit, we shared a collection

of other test preparation strategies with the school principal, so that he could utilize and share

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with his teaching staff. The end result was positive in the fact that the Charter School’s MCA

math scores increased significantly from last school year.

Summary

Throughout this literature review there has been a revelation on symptoms that a person

with anxiety bears, and there has been benefits presented on what the practice of yoga offers.

Some of the significant factors that a person with anxiety deals with include: feeling of sadness

and worry, low self-esteem and low self-worth, poor self regulation, limited emotional

regulation, decreased academic functioning, inability to concentrate, and feelings of restlessness,

and poor sleep patterns. There are direct correlations between a person who practices yoga

which has been defined as: breathing exercises, physical postures, meditation, and relaxation, to

positive benefits some of which include: improved mood, decreased stress activity, increased

concentration and focus, enhanced breath control, improved sleep, improved self control, self

efficacy, increased GABA levels, and decreased cortisol levels.

After reviewing the numerous yoga intervention studies as they relate to both adults and

young people, they demonstrate the impact that yoga has on a person’s overall well being.

Discussion and Conclusions

This literature review determined that yoga has many health benefits on a physical,

emotional, mental, and spiritual level. This review reveals that yoga as it relates to youth is a

new and growing field. As more research is being conducted relating these two factors, it would

be valuable to share the information with people who would benefit from it such as educators,

parents and families with children, therapists, counselors, clergy, sports coaches, and involved

community members. Yoga as it relates to youth, specifically the impact that it may or may not

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have on those youth with anxiety related disorders, should be a topic that more time, data

collection, and research development should be placed.

Future Directions

Yoga consisting of physical postures, breathing components, and meditation and

mindfulness exercises has significant benefits on one’s health and well being. Yoga has proven

to decrease anxiety symptoms in adults and youth alike, and it promotes relaxation as it allows

the individual to reduce stress.

Yoga could be a useful component for educators to use with youth in schools, for medical

personnel to use with youth who are ill, and for families who have youth, to incorporate in their

homes. Based on studies and findings within this article and continued research, yoga as a non-

competitive practice has proven to increase self-esteem and promote self-awareness, which are

integral components in managing anxiety and enhancing mood.

A future direction for the use of yoga might involve bringing yoga to multiple

environments, and within multiple age groups to gather further data.

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emotion-related predictors of anxious and depressive symptoms in youth.

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Appendix A

Lesson Plan for Test Taking Strategies

Background: Identify a school that is looking for ways to increase test scores and decrease test

anxiety and related stressors

1. Educators who are leading the test taking strategy unit will meet with the school principal

or testing coordinator to receive background information on the school. The team will

develop a timeline and a plan for implementation of the test taking strategy unit.

2. The educator and any additional staff will meet to review school background as well as

develop a test taking unit specific to the school’s needs.

3. The Educator trained in Yoga will create a short (8-10 minute) video guiding participants

through a variety of breathing exercises and yoga poses. The video will conclude with a

short relaxation.

4. The educator will visit the school and they will implement the test taking strategy unit to

the entire school.

Anticipatory set: Counselor or teacher will begin the session with a quick introduction of the

lesson and the plan or agenda for the day. The educator(s) can share personal testing stories,

which will assist in guiding the topic and overall feel of the day. The testing stories will conclude

positively, which will instill a sense of optimism around test taking.

1. Students will take a short questionnaire while the educator reads the questions aloud and

assists in pacing the class. The questionnaire will address how students’ feel about testing. The

questionnaires would be gathered and the most anxious students would be identified.

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2. Students will then be given a short essay question regarding taking tests. The students will be

given ample amount of time to write their feelings. The information would be gathered and

shared with classroom teachers and school administrator(s). The most anxious students

regarding taking tests will be identified.

3. The educator will explain the testing research that has been conducted, which has students’

write about their stressors or worries prior to taking tests. The research states that when a person

is able to get the stressors out of their head and onto paper, it can help clear the stressor from the

body.

4. Experiential/Hands on Activity: Yoga and Relaxation

Students remained seated in their desks, but will be asked to slide their chairs away from their

tables and to sit up tall. The yoga-trained educator will guide students through a series of yoga

breathing exercises and yoga postures

1. Visualization

Think of a time when you felt really successful or that you achieved or accomplished

something.

Where were you?

Was anyone there with you?

How do you feel when you think of this time in your life?

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2. Breathing exercises

Breathing ball: students will use a hoberman sphere which is a ball that opens and closes

which provides a visual of the lungs filling up and releasing air from the body. The pace

of the inhalations and exhalations will be slow and steady.

Volcano breath: The students will begin with their palms touching in front of their heart.

If they feel comfortable they can close their eyes and picture something that feels

stressful or upsetting to them. The students will then inhale and stretch their arms up

overhead. They will then open their arms wide and release them down by sides on there

exhale. This will simulate a volcano exploding and the student releasing the stressor or

upsetting thought or feeling.

Wood chopper breath: This breath will simulate a student chopping wood. The students

will stand up. The students will interlace their fingers and they will stretch their arms

overhead. The students will then swing their interlaced hands down towards the ground

and say, “HUH!” to simulate chopping wood. The students are able to get loud and let

out energy and emotion in this breathing exercise.

3. Yoga Poses

Mountain Pose: students will start standing, and they will feel how they are strong and

tall similar to a mountain. Students can practice shifting their weight from side to side,

and they will feel how they are balanced in the center.

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Lifting and lowering hands to overhead to get full body stretch. Students will also place

their hands on their chair or desk and place and walk their feet away from the desk so

their backs can lengthen out and get a stretch.

Lunges/Warriors: Students will step one foot back behind them and they will bend into

their front legs. Students can stretch arms overhead to activate their legs. Students can

then open their bodies up to the side and reach hands to the front and back of the room

for the warrior pose. In this posture, students can visualize themselves doing something

strong and they will recognize all the things they are good at. Repeat on other side

coming back to center in between sides.

Tree Pose: students will come back to their mountain pose; they will then begin to focus

their eyes on one unmoving object. When students feel ready they will place one foot on

top of their standing leg and they will work to maintain balance. This pose instills a

sense of focus and determination. Repeat on other side.

Eagle Pose: Students will start in mountain pose. They will take their right arm

underneath their left arm and cross their hands at their shoulders. If students want to

challenge their balance, they will bend both of their knees and they will cross right leg

over their left leg and balance on one foot. The right and left hemispheres of the brain

are activated in this pose and the student has to remain focused. Students will release out

of their Eagle pose, and return back to Mountain Pose.

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Students will take three breaths guided by the breathing ball.

Final Relaxation at desk: Students will be guided to return to their seats, and quietly begin

to relax their bodies. Students can stack their fists on top of one another and then place

their forehead on their fists. This assists in calming the mind and body. Students should

stay in relaxation pose two to five minutes depending on time.

When students are ready to come out of final relaxation, the yoga educator should

maintain a quiet voice and keep the tone in the room calm.

4. Visualizations---calm energy in body and mind

Students will again thing about a time when you felt successful or that you accomplished

something

Testing Preparation

The Charter School Principal reviewed the questionnaires and essays, and the results were shared

with educators who did the testing taking strategy unit. The students who demonstrated the

greatest amount of anxiety regarding taking tests were identified. This group of students wrote

honest essays regarding their feelings regarding taking tests. The results are unknown whether

are not these identified students have anxiety over other issues, but we felt it was important to

address this targeted group of students.

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The yoga trained educator returned to the Charter Middle School on two separate occasions to

work with the small group of targeted students. During her time, she used yoga and relaxation

strategies to assist students in gaining awareness of what it feels like in their bodies and minds

when they are in a relaxed state. She taught them breathing exercises, and postures they could

do at their desks prior to and during a test.

The entire student body and staff all viewed a video co-created by the two educators that led

participants through a guided breath and yoga flow to incorporate into test preparation. The staff

will continue to have access to the video as a resource for further test preparation as well as

providing relaxation tools to implement in the classroom on a continual basis. The YouTube

video that was created is attached here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98vd9HAKid0

After the school principal reviewed the questionnaires and test essays, he identified a group of

ten students whose answers revealed they were very anxious about test taking. The yoga trained

educator returned to work with this targeted group of students for two additional sessions.

During the time she was there, she led the group in a variety of yoga postures and breathing

exercises. The attached YouTube video documents one of the sessions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD-o31TLKyI

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Results

The testing results for the Charter School were positive as a result of the test-taking unit.

Students overall test scores in the Math MCA Statewide Test went from 63.8% proficiency to

70% proficiency. The school principal was very happy about these results.

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Appendix B

Action Plan for implementation of yoga and relaxation in schools

Yoga Calm is a research-based curriculum that delivers yoga, which is identified as mindfulness

practices, physical poses, and nervous-system regulation with social emotional skill development

and emotional support and guidance (Gillen, 2011). Yoga Calm is broken into four different

levels of teaching, so that school staff can be trained in ways to implement yoga into the school

system. There are simple, non-invasive ways to bring a sense of relaxation into the classroom

within the design of the room. When students enter into a calm, free from distraction classroom,

the students feel welcome and calm. It is important that students feel connected to the classroom

or school community, by allowing them to personalize or decorate their space. Every classroom

in a school could have a dedicated area in the room where a breathing ball, a chime, a rock, a

picture of nature, or a plant reside to create a sense of calm and steadiness. The start of a school

day could consist of breathing together and doing some warm up stretches to activate the brain

and body.

After lunch, the class could be guided in a couple of seated twists and backbends, so they are

ready to focus for the remainder of the day.

At the conclusion of the day, the class could be guided into a forward fold, or a stretch on their

table or desk. A peaceful way to wrap up the school day would be for students to state a positive

thing that happened in their day. Students could take turns leading the class with the breathing

ball. Each student could rest their head on their desk for the last two minutes of the day to

relieve any stress that the student or staff might have developed over the course of the day.

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As an assessment tool, teachers and staff could give students stress management surveys to

determine if implementing yoga and relaxation strategies in the classroom is benefitting them.

School personnel would need to get parent/guardian permission prior to the implementation of

yoga and relaxation to the classroom. It would be beneficial to conduct parent surveys as well to

determine if students are using the yoga and relaxation strategies they have learned during other

times throughout their day.

It would be ideal if all staff could attend a four- hour in-service on yoga calm or another type of

relaxation curriculum to use in their classroom. At the training the facilitator would give the

background and the research behind mind and body connections and the importance of activating

the whole body for learning. Staff could break into small groups and determine how they can

implement yoga and relaxation into their days without having it feel like it is a burden or an

additional item that has to be completed. For the first year of implementation it would be helpful

to have every other monthly one -hour workshops for the staff to discuss how it is going, and

determine changes that need to be made.

It would also be important that staff members are provided opportunities to receive yoga and

relaxation from a trained yoga instructor. This could be on a weekly to monthly basis depending

on the need and interest of the staff. The overall environment of the school could take on a

warm, calm, and accepting place where everyone felt a sense of belonging.