Want to feel better? Apply some ancient wisdom
by Ariana Coe · July 08, 2009

You may have heard the buzz about Thai Yoga Therapy, but what is it? Is it exercise? Is it massage? Technically it’s neither.

Thai Yoga Therapy is performed fully clothed in loose comfortable garments, such as those you would wear to exercise or practice any form of yoga. However, during a session you aren’t exercising or exerting. You simply lay back, breathe and relax. The therapist takes your body through many co-facilitated yoga postures, gentle rocking, deep stretching and rhythmic compressions. In some ways it is similar to massage. You still get the relaxation that happens during a massage such as the loosening of muscles, releasing kinks and discomforts. Now combine that with the thousands of years of collected wisdom and experience of the Thai people and surrounding areas and you’ll start to get a hint that there’s something more here than just a nice rub. In addition to warming up the muscles, Thai Yoga puts motion back into the areas that we no longer move on our own due to injury or years of collected tension and stress that we all experience. It decompresses the skeleton from many angles, and puts space back into joints causing them to move freely and allowing the life to circulate through these areas again.

The term massage has only been in existence for about 100 years, and it didn’t exist in the Thai language until the 1980’s when the influence of Westerners dramatically increased. What they had before that was called “the ancient Thai way of healing with the hands.” It had more to do with healing the whole being than simply making body aches go away. Thai Yoga Therapy creates a singular healing experience, bringing fundamental elements and energy into harmony. It emphasizes wholeness of mind, body, and spirit in both the client and the therapist. Clients will attest that it also happens to be wonderful for rehabilitation, pain relief, and stress reduction.

I have been a massage therapist for over 10 years. In that time I have practiced multiple styles of massage from Swedish to Shiatsu, deep tissue to light pressure, hot stone to Lymphatic Drainage, and many more. Throughout these modalities two things remained constant:

1) When clients came in we worked on the same issues or tension patterns each and every session without marked or permanent improvements. This can be frustrating for both the client and the therapist. (By the way, I had the same results when receiving these treatments from other therapists as well.)

2) All of these modalities (especially those performed on a table) caused noticeable occupational disabilities to the therapist. Despite the fact that I’d had special training to avoid theses problems and have even had professionals observe and consult with me to make sure my body mechanics were correct, these issues arose.

This is not a situation unique to myself, as colleagues regularly report the same problems. The national average “lifespan” for the occupation of massage therapy is only 5 years. It seems ironic that this service is good for clients, yet so hard on the therapist.

These two constants are part of why I am so excited about Thai Yoga Therapy. Immediately after I began using these techniques on my clients, they (and I) noticed dramatic improvements in ongoing issues. I rarely find myself working on “the usual spots” with clients. They actually get better! Now there is something different to focus on each time and they seem to bounce back quicker when minor injuries happen.

The second problem has also been solved. Thai Yoga Therapy does not induce the occupational maladies I and so many others experienced previously, and has actually improved my physical condition. I no longer have to gear myself up to do a physically draining session, as this work doesn’t drain the therapist. Instead the therapist uses their whole body to perform the techniques rather than a handful of repetitive and damaging motions. The technique has been perfected over a couple thousand years such that the therapist is simultaneously moving through yoga postures while moving the client. It has made me stronger and more limber. After all, it is Yoga. How could I not benefit? And I’m excited to show you how it can benefit you too!

Experience the nurturing, calming, and enlivening effects of this wonderful therapy.

Call Arianna Coe to schedule an appointment 319-530-2092. Now with locations in West Liberty and Coralville.



Arianna Coe has appointments available at her West Liberty location, the West Liberty Chiropractic Center