Joann Lutz

JOANN LUTZ, MSW, LICSW, C-IAYT, E-RYT, psychotherapist and yoga therapist/teacher, is a pioneer in the application of neuroscience research to the use of yoga for mental health care. Her book, "Trauma Healing in the Yoga Zone," was published in 2021 by Handspring Publishers. She developed, and continues to teach, the "Nervous System-Informed, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga" model of care (NITYA). She has been studying and practicing yoga for more than 50 years, and has been a Licensed Psychotherapist for more than 25. Her website is: www.joannlutz.com

Editorial Reviews of "Trauma Healing in the Yoga Zone":

Stephen Porges: In Trauma Healing in the Yoga Zone Joann Lutz transforms yoga practices into a neurobiological based therapeutic strategy that facilitates and optimizes health through enhanced autonomic regulation. This model, which she labels as Nervous System-Informed Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (NITYA), is the product of an insightful consilience of ancient traditions with contemporary neuroscience. Embracing the model will lead to deeper understanding of the wisdom embedded in yoga and the powerful neurophysiological impact it may have on rehabilitating mental and physical health.

Stephen W. Porges, PhD Distinguished University Scientist Kinsey Institute Indiana University, Bloomington Professor, Department of Psychiatry University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Shirley Telles: In Trauma Healing in the Yoga Zone, Joann Lutz combines ancient wisdom from yoga with a scientifically informed therapeutic approach for safe and effective trauma resolution. Compulsory reading for anyone interested in healing trauma through neuroscience blended with compassion!

Shirley Telles MBBS PhD, Director, Patanjali Research Foundation, Haridwar, India

Sat Bir Singh Khalsa: This book comprehensively describes the theory and application of yoga as a mind-body intervention for trauma. It is a welcome contribution to the growing field of trauma-sensitive yoga that will be of significant use to both patients and therapists.

Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School Editor in Chief, International Journal of Yoga Therapy Editor, The Principles and Practice of Yoga in Health Care Boston, MA

Dean Ornish: "An innovative approach to healing trauma."

Dean Ornish, M.D. author, "UnDo It!" Founder & President, Preventive Medicine Research Institute, Clinical Professor of Medicine, UCSF

Amy Weintraub: These days, when I teach, I hear a common question from yoga therapy students: What's the evidence for this? Trauma in the Yoga Zone, is the perfect place to send them for answers, and to look them up myself! Joann Lutz does a remarkable job of linking specific practices to their effects on the autonomic nervous system. Each recommended practice is backed up by scientific evidence or, if the data is not yet available, current scientific theory. The research behind why and how yoga can help trauma survivors heal is invaluable for yoga therapists and mental health practitioners. I will be referencing this rich compendium of research and practice for years to come!

Amy Weintraub, MFA, C-IAYT, YACEP, Author of Yoga Skills for Therapists, Yoga for Depression, and the card deck, Yoga for Your Mood.

Marlysa Sullivan: Joann Lutz offers an in-depth exploration of accessible methods to address the complexity of trauma through comprehensive understandings of the nervous system and yoga philosophy and practices. Her writing supports the reader in reflecting upon the many nuances of applying these theories and practices for trauma sensitivity. This book is a valuable resource to anyone wanting to learn more about how yoga can safely and effectively benefit people who have experienced trauma.

Marlysa Sullivan DPT, C-IAYT Author, "Understanding Yoga Therapy: Applied Philosophy and Science for Wellbeing"

Jonathan Rosenthal: "Joann has wondrously woven together multiple disparate models of how yoga affects the post-traumatic nervous system, to enhance our understanding and utilization of these practices. This work will be a cherished contribution to the growing body of work on these ever evolving theories."

Jonathan Rosenthal, MD, Resident Physician, Neurology, NYU School of Medicine