Yoga and Psychology

Concentration

Matured trees line a walking path and bend overhead providing shade on a sunny day

Concentration Description

The Yoga and Psychology concentration is intended for master's and doctoral students in the Psychology Program who wish to have more expertise on the relationship between Yoga and Psychology in the context of their professional goals. The concentration emphasizes coursework aligned with professional practice in contexts such as yoga therapy, yoga teaching, psychotherapy practice, somatic education, and somatic research.

With the globalization of Yoga practice throughout the world, Yoga teacher training programs are far more accessible. More recently, the profession of Yoga Therapy has emerged, groundbreaking in successfully legitimizing Yoga as a methodology for working with physical illness and chronic health conditions.

Those who practice Yoga, whether longtime practitioners or those new to it, know of its powerful effects on the mind and well-being. Yoga’s earliest roots as spiritual teachings even prior to it becoming associated with physical “exercise” focused on ideas that could largely be viewed today as psychological in their examination of causes of human suffering and principles of well-being, and what it is that constitutes a meaningful life. As such, Yoga’s alignment with modern psychology is readily evident. Its place as an enhancing or even central methodology in psychotherapy represents an exciting development in the profession.

Practices, methods, ideas, and topics engaged within this concentration’s courses include historical foundations of the application of Yoga to psychology; yogic principles and practices in psychotherapeutic practice; issues related to spiritual practice and psychology; conducting qualitative research on Yoga and psychology; legal, ethical, and scope of practice issues entailed in yogic-centered psychotherapy; and the neuroscientific foundations of Yoga practice.

"When healing trauma, it is crucial to give attention to both body and mind; you can’t have one without the other...There are many ways to work with the body, integrating important aspects of muscular, behavioral, and sensory input, without intruding on bodily integrity."

BABETTE ROTHSCHILD

Sample Courses

Introduction to Yoga and Psychology

Historical Foundations in the Use of Yoga for Psychological Healing

Integrating Yogic Principles and Practices into Psychotherapy Treatment, I: General Applications

Integrating Yogic Principles and Practices into Psychotherapy Treatment, II: Specific Applications

Law and Ethics in the Practice of Yogic-Centered Psychotherapy

Qualitative Research Applications for Yoga and Psychology

Yoga-Centric Approaches to Trauma

Yoga Practice and Models of Consciousness Development

Yoga-Based Approaches to Addiction

Developmental Pathways of Yoga and Psychotherapy

Cultivating the Senses

Movement Practices and Cognitive Development

The Poetic Body

"Through embodiment, we gain a unique way to touch into our darkest primitive instincts and to experience them as they play into the daylight dance of consciousness…in a way that imparts vitality, flow, color, hue, and creativity to our lives."

— Peter Levine

two young men study outside on sunny day

Academic Structure

Meridian’s academic structure gives students the flexibility to navigate the University’s curricular architecture in ways that match their passions, professional goals, and other life commitments.

The structure is designed to serve a diverse student body, who live around the globe, have varied cultural and clinical visions for their careers, and are at different stages in their professional journey.

Students enroll in a degree program, can elect a concentration, and register for one or multiple courses each quarter. In addition to core courses for the specific degree program and anchor courses that represent the Transformative Learning intent of Meridian’s curriculum, students select elective courses that align with their Meridian concentration, background, and career path.

Learn More

Learning Formats

Meridian's graduate degree programs are offered in two formats, Hybrid and Online. Each quarter, students take one or multiple seven-week online courses. This schedule provides students with time between quarters to rest, engage, and prepare.

The University's multiple format options are designed to enable students to pursue their graduate education at a flexible pace, combining asynchronous coursework via the University's custom social learning platform, live course video calls with faculty, synchronous student community engagement, and optional onsite or online Transformative Learning Labs in-person.

Students can optionally select Transformative Learning Lab dates, locations, and formats based on their learning style, personal interests, and professional aspirations, if they choose to, based on availability of offerings.

Online Format

In Meridian's online learning format, students can complete 100% of their coursework degree requirements online, via Meridian’s unique online learning platform and faculty-led learning model. Meridian’s online format is designed to be highly engaging and deeply human. Students build connections with faculty and fellow graduate students while taking advantage of the flexibility built-in to the University’s online courses model.

Online Transformative Learning Labs are also optionally available (often multiple times a year), sometimes as a 3+ hour live class, and sometimes over multiple days.

Hybrid Format

Meridian’s hybrid learning format combines online courses with optional onsite Transformative Learning Labs which are one-week or less. By combining Meridian’s innovative online education methodologies with rich video calls and deep onsite connections, the hybrid format enables students to contribute locally and perceive globally.

When offered, Onsite Labs take place at Meridian’s San Francisco Bay Area Center and other University Centers, based on student interest and availability.

Introducing Unique Impact Scholarships

Available to Meridian University students worldwide, Meridian University's Impact Scholarships represent the University's commitment to supporting graduates to take transformative action in the fields of Business, Education, Leadership, and Psychology.