Psychologist incorporates yoga into psychotherapy sessions

When you think of a psychologist’s office, what do you envision? A couch? Book-lined walls? A box of tissues?

How about a yoga mat?

If it’s the office of UNT Health Science Center’s Mandy Jordan, PhD, that’s exactly what you’ll find.

Dr. Jordan’s psychotherapy sessions incorporate yoga and the mind-body connection.

“Research indicates that trauma, depression, anxiety have an impact on the brain and the body,” she said. “Therefore, in my opinion, the benefit of traditional talk therapy is limited if the body is not included.”

Her therapy is completely individualized and based on her patients’ problems, beliefs and receptivity. For example, some of her patients have a physical injury, body ache or a chronic health condition.

She teaches patients different stretches or yoga postures that may strengthen, elongate or ease tension in the affected area.

“While my patients do physical exercises that target the area of tension or pain, we talk about the issues related to that area of the body,” explained Dr. Jordan, Assistant Professor of  Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. “Interestingly, as that area is physically addressed, I find patients develop better insights and emotional release about their particular problem.  In addition, regardless of the problem, I almost always teach the diaphragmatic breathing, grounding techniques, and tools to help the patient stay in the present moment – all important factors in yoga.”

Research supports her belief. In a study published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, patients with histories of trauma who practiced trauma-sensitive yoga as part of their therapy showed significantly more improvement in symptoms than those who just participated in group-therapy sessions.

For more information or to make an appointment with Dr. Jordan, contact 817-702-3100.

Recent News

Tarri Wyre
  • On Campus
|Sep 26, 2023

SaferCare Texas empowers Community Health Workers to complete HSC Mental Wellness microcredential

Tarri Wyre saw the growing need to expand her mental health education. The community health worker and ambulatory care manager for Memorial Hermann Health in Houston turned to the Mental Wellness microcredential, offered by The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth’s SaferC...
Dr. Teresa Wagner
  • On Campus
|Sep 25, 2023

Two HSC programs to host maternal health conference centered on fourth trimester

In the U.S., more than 20% of maternal deaths during pregnancy and the first year after childbirth are because of drug use, suicide or homicide, according to a study funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. In the absence of access to mental...
Jessica Rangel
  • Our People
|Sep 25, 2023

This is Whole Health: Jessica Rangel

“Many years ago, I did a home visit on an older adult whom I had cared for numerous times in the emergency department. What I knew was that she suffered from a complicated medical situation and was not receiving optimal care with periodic emergency department visits. She always came by ambulance, ...
Ashenafi 768x768
  • Our People
|Sep 20, 2023

Dr. Ashenafi Cherkos awarded prestigious AIM-AHEAD Fellowship in Leadership

Dr. Ashenafi Cherkos, assistant professor at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, has been awarded the prestigious AIM-AHEAD Fellowship in Leadership for the Fall 2023 cohort. Cherkos serves in the School of Public Health’s Department of Population and Community Healt...