Yoga Therapy for the Mind

8-Week Online Course

The Yoga Therapy for the Mind (YTFTM) 8-Week Course is an evidence-based course for the treatment of anxiety and mild depression created by Heather Mason (The Minded Institute). Rooted in neuroscience, medicine, yoga and mindfulness, it is designed to equip us with practical skills to provide relief in the short term and to foster deep transformation in the long term.

Throughout this course, we will work with the body to influence the mind and invite new ways of experiencing our whole self. We begin by developing regulatory tools, drawing on the breath and the ground, before moving into awareness of the body and the mind.

Working online from the comfort of your home is a brilliant way to access yoga therapy, and Zael does everything she can to create a safe and nurturing space to learn together. We settle at the start of each session with herbal tea, an overview of the week’s theme and a short discussion, before moving into the practice.

This course is for you if you’re experiencing:

  • anxiety, depression and/or low mood

  • stress, burnout, or emotional overwhelm

  • difficulties with self-regulation or sleep

  • social isolation alongside mental health challenges

  • Eight Tuesdays

  • From 29th September to 17th Nov 2026

  • 7 – 9pm BST (Online)

  • £200

Register your interest 
What to Expect

  • Groups are kept small (max 10 people) to support your unique needs, foster connection and create a community of others with similiar experiences.

  • Each week builds on the previous and are designed to hold a safe space to practise regulation and mindfulness practices shown to support anxiety and depression. My goal is for you feel confident bringing these tools into your everyday life.

  • The class is longer than a usual class because it encompasses different strands of yoga, psychoeducation and ends with a group discussion.

  • The manual covers an overview of each week, reflections of the themes and how to apply these teachings in our daily lives. Reflective questions are included to support new ways of viewing the self and practise mindfulness. Additional reading is also included to further your self-study.

  • In the manual, there is a weekly home practice, a list of the postures and their benefits, and downloadable links to practices.

Class Structure

  • Each class I will explain why we are doing what we are doing to motivate your practice. There is a real magic in moving and breathing then resting - for our minds and bodies… and it’s backed by neuroscience and medical research.

  • Eight themes are chosen and repeated to aid self-reflection, self-awareness and regulation. Yoga’s ancient wisdom can help pave the way for self-efficacy and transformation.

  • The physical postures you will learn influence us on a physical, energetic and mental level. Over time, tuning into an array of bodily sensations, we can learn to listen to the body’s wisdom and feel a sense of peace - even just for a glimmer of a moment.

  • 'When the breath is steady, the mind is steady, the yogi becomes steady' - Hatha Yoga Pradipka

    Working with the breath has such powerful effects on our health and wellbeing. Each week you will learn a new breath practice and begin sensing into the shifts that come from focusing on your breath.

  • The activity varies each week and helps solidify the theme. Examples of the activity include chanting and meditative practices.

  • Towards the end of the session, everyone has an opportunity to briefly share their experience of the practice - hopefully helping us feel part of a community.

  • “Zael is an empathetic, kind, gentle teacher. She shares knowledge, focuses on her clients’ needs and is wholly committed to supporting us! I found the breath work fantastic, the asanas very supportive and the literature sent over really helpful.”

    - Yoga Therapy Course Participant

  • “The gentleness of Zael! Such care taken with us all. The routine I have put into my day and the weekly class has been amazingly supportive.”

    - Yoga Therapy Course Participant

  • "I took Zael’s 8 Week Yoga Therapy Course during a period in which I was experiencing emotional challenge and heightened anxiety. Zael’s Yoga practice was of huge benefit to me both emotionally and physically. Each session offered a space to explore my body and state calmly and comfortably, giving me practical tools and techniques to better understand how I was responding to life’s ups and downs and how to unlock new and steady ways of seeing and being. I cannot recommend this course enough. Zael is a special teacher who can really provide a warm and generous space to support you and your body when you most need it."

    Yoga Therapy Course Participant

  • "I have previously found breath practice difficult to be comfortable with. Zael was amazing at understanding this and reintroducing breath work in a way that worked for me and has since allowed me to draw on this in everyday moments to feel more present and at peace. Thank you Zael!"

    Yoga Therapy Course Participant

  • "Zael is an extraordinary teacher with a natural gift of guiding yogis of all levels and abilities. I really appreciated her ability to listen to how I was doing at the start and end of each session, what landed and what was harder to grasp in the practice and how she could reshape practices to fit me. Thank you so much for building an inclusive group and allowing me to fit into this course and journey."

    Yoga Therapy Course Participant

  • "This course was a joyful and supportive experience. Thank you so much."

    Yoga Therapy Course Participant

  • "Being online is actually helpful as I often struggle to get to classes in the evenings."

    Yoga Therapy Course Participant

Your Questions, Answered

Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or get in touch. When you’re ready, register your interest.

Register

  • Getting started is simple. Register here and I’ll contact you to find a good time to talk. Together, we can see if this is the course for you, talk you through the next steps and answer any questions along the way.

  • My previous roles working with young people, coaching teachers and now training as a yoga therapist have made it so important for me to hold a space where people feel safe and seen. I care about yoga being a way of connecting with our true self. This means that in my classes I use invitational language, offer options and modifications, and create a space to slow down and tune inwards – always trauma-informed and rooted in ahimsa (non-harm).

  • You can reach me anytime via the contact page or email. I aim to respond quickly – usually within one business day.

  • If you need to pay in instalments, we can absolutely work something out.

  • We use the Zoom platform. You will need to download it (for free) in advance of the session. I will send you a link and more information the day before the session. We will use the same link each week.

  • If you can’t make it, let me know in advance and I will record the session for you to watch when you can (ideally before the next session).

  • Bring yourself and a quiet space. A blanket and two bed pillows are brilliant. Any other cushions or props to help you feel comfortable sitting. If you need to practise from a chair let me know and I’ll tailor the practice to you. You don’t need a mat, but a carpet is better than the floor.