Frequently Asked Questions

Who are we?
We are a multidisciplinary group of practitioners oriented toward the goal of supporting clients as they journey from illness to healing or simply discover themselves in a deeper way. Our common goal is to provide a safe, comfortable space for this journey.

Why come here?
A growing body of research shows that healing is more complex and multifaceted than once thought. Research on yoga, meditation, energy work, acupuncture, and ayurvedic medicine is increasingly being funded by the National Institutes of Health as our understanding of these systems’ efficacy grows and the limitations of traditional Western thought about healing become more clear. At VTCIT, we aim to stay at the forefront of that research by providing access to both the latest techniques and the teachers who use these complementary healing modalities.

Who should come?
We welcome anyone who is struggling with mental or physical states of dis-ease and would like an opportunity to either experience a team approach or access a single provider who has a systemic view of healing. At VTCIT, our goal is to be inclusive.

What is systemic psychotherapy?
No individual and no one part of our consciousness stands alone. We are all a part of multiple systems both externally and internally. With a systemic approach, the psychotherapist is seeing the client’s presenting issues as part of a larger, interconnected web that can be accessed at many points in order to effect change. At VTCIT, we apply this systemic approach by providing individual, couples/marital, family, and group therapy and by using an internal-family-systems framework.

What programs do you offer?
We offer individual, couples/marital, family, and group therapy. We also offer ayurvedic services, psychiatry, general women’s health care, massage, cranialsacral work, and an extensive yoga program specifically directed at employing yoga for healing.

Why do you talk so much about yoga?
Yoga is an ancient system of healing for both body and mind that is at the cutting edge of current research. Yoga has shown outstanding results in the treatment of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain, and more. At VTCIT, we deeply believe in the healing opportunities that yoga provides, but, if yoga is not for you, we have many other ways of working with you.

What if I don’t like yoga or am not interested? Can I still come?
Of course. Yoga is only one of the many complementary services that we offer. You can come to the center to access any of our other services or service providers and never step foot in our yoga studio.

Why does it matter to me that your service providers are yogically trained?
When most Westerners hear the word yoga, they think of only one thing: the asanas or postures. But postures are only one part of that complete system. Yoga also includes breath work, the cultivation of compassion and an open heart, meditation, honesty and truthfulness in life, and much more. When we say that we work from a yogic framework, that includes all of these elements, with or without the postures.

Can you explain contemplative practices?
In addition to yoga, we also draw on traditional systems of contemplative thought. These systems are manifest in the three foundational elements of the center: Metta, the practice of loving-kindness or compassion; Dana, the practice of generosity; and Sangha, the practice of community. All three of these practices are woven through the fabric of every service we offer and are part of the intention that we carry in each interaction. Additionally, contemplative practices find their way into the center through the meditation that we offer.

What if I have never done meditation?
Perfect! We love to work with individuals who have never meditated. We have specific groups for newbies, and these clients are easily accommodated in any of our other programs that include a meditation component. All of our instructors know how to work with beginners and help them feel safe and comfortable.

How do you get paid?
We accept most insurance plans for clinical services. Our yoga and meditation groups have set, out-of-pocket fees, and each group includes one work-study or reduced-fee slot.

Are We a Yoga Studio?
Yes and no. At VTCIT we use yoga therapeutically and diagnostically in the same tradition that yoga has been used for centuries in India. This translates into customized yoga programming for each individual or group. Yoga practitioners at the center choose from a variety of postures, breath work, and meditations to plan and implement each yoga program according to the symptoms showing up for the individual or group. Utilizing the latest research on yoga as well as emerging texts on the subject, VTCIT aims to take the power of healing that yoga offers and make it accessible to any individual.
Group classes are small and function as closed group series so that participants are offered the intimacy, safety and consistency that comes from a therapeutic group. Because we are using yoga as therapeutic tool, all classes are accessible and open to all levels of client experience. In other words, you will not need to twist your self into a pretzel at our studio to participate.

Can I come to a yoga class any time?
Because we are not a yoga studio but instead are using yoga for therapeutic purposes, we do not offer drop-in classes. Our yoga and meditation programs consist of small, closed groups for a series of 6, 8, or 12 weeks.

How is this yoga different from the yoga at my local studio?
Many elements are the same: There are postures, breath work, meditation, and rest components. However, our yoga classes are small, closed groups that offer some time for processing before and after the postures that gives clients an opportunity to take their yoga practice one level deeper. Additionally, all of our programs are thoughtfully tailored to address the energetic holding patterns found in the diagnosis of clients in each yoga group. For example, our yoga-for-depression series differs from the series for chronic pain.