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California Mental Health is a premier residential mental health facility serving clients across California. Calm your body with gentle movement so your mind can follow.
Yoga therapy uses gentle movement, breathwork, and rest to ease the physical toll of anxiety, depression, and stress. Every session is trauma-informed and requires no prior experience or flexibility.
Supervision and support 24 hours a day
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Program Director/Operations Manager
Executive Director
Program Director/Operations Manager
Executive Director
Healthcare Supervisor LVN
Yoga therapy in California refers to a therapeutic approach that uses slow, guided movement, periods of rest, and breathing techniques to support emotional well-being and mental health. It is not the same as a fitness class – the purpose of this intervention is not to improve the person’s flexibility or accomplish specific physical performance goals. Instead, yoga emphasizes body awareness and elimination of stress and discomfort.
Yoga therapy is a part of our Holistic Approach – it complements clinical treatment rather than replaces it. Within our What We Treat programs, it provides patients with opportunities to practice emotional regulation alongside individual and group counseling. Personalized treatment options mapped out for every client will determine how this mind-body therapy is included in your overall care plan.
We offer yoga therapy sessions in-house at our San Martin residence – adults can benefit from residential mental health care in a supportive setting. California Mental Health will incorporate the practice into the inpatient care without the necessity to arrange appointments at an outside studio – the frequency of sessions and movement modifications will be guided by your clinical needs.
Contact us for 24/7 confidential support to start your journey toward recovery today.
If things feel like too much
If painful memories or distress ever feel overwhelming, or you have thoughts of harming yourself, help is available at any hour. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or call 911 in an emergency.
Yoga therapy can offer several advantages for adults who seek practical ways to manage stress, improve body awareness, and strengthen their emotional regulation during recovery:
steady breathing and gentle movement will help you settle restless energy when anxiety takes a toll on your physical well-being.
use the opportunity to engage your body when depression makes you feel disconnected, burned out, or unmotivated.
regular yoga sessions will show you how to come up with a customized routine to use before bedtime and overcome your insomnia.
become more aware of what is happening to you as you pay attention to your breathing patterns and physical sensations you used to ignore.
therapeutic yoga is going to reinforce grounding techniques which are quite similar to those practiced in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) sessions.
if you have a designated time for movement, you know there is a predictable pause in your routine you can look forward to.
Therapeutic yoga suits people whose distress shows up physically through agitation, fatigue, tension, and difficulty settling into their bodies. It often helps individuals who find stillness difficult to sustain or uncomfortable. Unlike Sound Bath Therapy that asks little beyond receiving sound and resting, yoga therapy means active participation through movement and breath. Equine Therapy is another mindfulness-based approach we offer – this is an outdoor, experiential modality that brings body awareness into an interactive setting with a horse.
Yoga based on the principles of Trauma-Informed Care will give you choices throughout the session whether you wish to try, change, or skip a certain movement. Our instructors never use hands-on adjustment without asking for consent first, and you can take a break whenever needed. Attending a trauma-informed yoga session in a home-like, pet-friendly facility can also reduce self-consciousness many people experience when doing yoga. Supportive accommodations, familiar surroundings, and individualized pacing will make participation feel more comfortable and less performative.
Therapeutic yoga complements clinical care within the residential program – it offers adults with depression, insomnia, or PTSD guided opportunities to recharge and reflect during recovery.
No prior yoga experience or flexibility is required. Clients who step down from hospital care can participate at a pace determined by the clinical team and relax in a 24/7 stabilization environment.
| How Stress Can Show Up | What It Might Feel Like | How Yoga Therapy Helps |
| Body | Stiff muscles, headaches, restlessness, inability to fully relax | Gentle movement and breathing exercises will help you release some built-up tension |
| Mind | Constant worry, overthinking, feeling emotionally overwhelmed | Focus your attention on something physical and take a break from repetitive thoughts |
| Sleep | Waking up during the night, struggling to fall asleep, daytime fatigue | Calmly transition toward bedtime and become more comfortable with stillness |
| Daily life | Avoiding responsibilities, withdrawing from other people, feeling impatient and irritated | Before you need to return to daily demands, you can take some time to move and pause to reset |
During yoga therapy at California Mental Health, you can expect:
Every session begins with a brief check-in – the instructor will ask you how you are feeling and whether there is any tension or fatigue that requires attention.
The instructor will guide you through grounding and breathing practices to ensure you settle into the session.
You will move through accessible, gentle poses at a pace suited to the session – a yoga therapist will make sure you are comfortable while also helping you notice patterns of avoidance, ease, or tension.
The session will slow down into periods of stillness and restorative positions – you will calm down without pressure to challenge or analyze every sensation.
The frequency of yoga for mental health depends on the personalized plan built by our clinical team – we believe in the effectiveness of the Individualized Treatment approach. Explore the things that come up during yoga in Individual Therapy.
Yoga can become a familiar way for you to practice emotional regulation, reconnect with your body, and notice internal signals you need to remain emotionally stable – we will determine how this modality fits your ongoing care.
Mind-body therapy in California uses a range of movement, breathing, and grounding techniques – the practices selected for a session depend on the facilitator’s guidance and each participant’s needs, and you may also benefit from practices listed on our Therapy Options hub.
We will introduce you to controlled breathing techniques such as lengthened exhalations, paced breathing,
There are simple standing, seated, and supported postures our patients enjoy – they will encourage your mobility.
Supported poses that involve cushions and other props will give you opportunities for rest and reduce your physical effort –
This Holistic Approach connects physical awareness with emotional and mental experiences – an instructor
Sensory awareness, deliberate movement, steady breathing, and attention to the present environment will create a greater
Trauma-Informed Care means that we offer our clients predictable transitions, adaptable positioning, and freedom of choice
Yoga therapy is an in-person practice we offer at our center which is why it is available through Residential Treatment rather than virtual care. After returning home, you may continue group therapy and individual counseling through remote therapy – both options belong to our What We Treat programs, and you may learn more about Levels of Care we offer at our clinic.
If you cannot handle everyday life independently, residential care will provide you with clinical support day and night. Yoga therapy takes place on-site – it can be a part of your individualized treatment strategy.
When you step down from residential care, you may still attend individual and group therapy through secure video sessions. Yoga therapy is offered in person only – it is not included in the virtual program.
Get in touch with California Mental Health by calling (408) 457-1453 or visiting our Contact Us page to arrange a free, confidential assessment with our specialists.
Yoga for anxiety and depression is one of several in-house holistic practices available at our facility – we will incorporate it alongside other therapeutic approaches to support your wellness.
If you are interested in holistic mental health treatment in California, our San Martin-based center is here to help – yoga therapy is included in residential care offered by California Mental Health. You may explore our clinic ahead of your first visit via our Tour Our Facility page and learn which areas we serve on Locations Served.
Visit whichever of our two San Martin locations is closer for you:
Verify Insurance to check your coverage or call us at (408) 457-1453 for more information.
You can undergo yoga therapy in California after a confidential assessment – let one of our licensed clinicians learn more about your history and goals to build a plan around them. Therapeutic yoga can be incorporated into your care plan once you settle into the residence. Same-day admissions are scheduled for qualifying clients – learn more about our Admissions Process.
Get in touch with California Mental Health today – call (408) 457-1453 or visit our Contact Us page whenever you are ready.
It takes four steps to get started:
Reach out. A no-pressure conversation with our specialists will give you an opportunity to ask your questions – we offer 24/7 confidential support.
Review coverage. We will check your insurance benefits – you may Verify Insurance now to understand what your plan might cover.
Sit down for an assessment. A clinician will review your mental health history, ask you about your concerns, and create a customized treatment strategy.
Start moving. Yoga sessions can be a key element of your residential schedule according to an individualized treatment plan.
A regular yoga class is built around fitness goals like flexibility or performance, while yoga therapy uses slow, guided movement, rest, and breathing to support emotional regulation and body awareness. At California Mental Health it is one of the mind-body practices within our holistic approach, sitting alongside the clinical therapy options that anchor your treatment plan.
No – no prior yoga experience or flexibility is needed, and postures are modified to match your energy level and needs. Pacing is set by our clinical team as part of your individualized treatment plan, so you participate at a level that feels manageable from the first session.
Gentle movement and steady breathing help settle the restless energy and physical tension that accompany anxiety, while engaging the body can lift the low energy and disconnection that come with depression. The grounding skills practiced on the mat closely mirror those taught in dialectical behavior therapy, giving you a second setting to rehearse them.
Yes – every session follows our trauma-informed care principles: you choose whether to try, modify, or skip any movement, instructors never use hands-on adjustments without asking first, and you can take a break at any time. Predictable transitions and adaptable positioning make the practice accessible for clients working through PTSD.
Yoga therapy is an in-person practice available only through residential treatment at our San Martin residence. Clients who step down to the virtual intensive outpatient program continue individual and group counseling by secure video, and our levels of care overview shows how the two settings fit together.
Yoga therapy is integrated into residential care rather than billed as a separate service, and California Mental Health accepts most insurance plans. We verify your benefits and explain what your coverage may include before care begins – you can check your plan online in a few minutes or contact our team with questions.
Discover whether yoga therapy would complement your recovery plan. Call (408) 457-1453 or refer to our Contact Us page to arrange a free, confidential assessment.
