“I accept who I am”: an exploration of the impact of a virtual, adapted, aphasia-friendly yoga program

Background Complementary and alternative approaches to medicine, such as mind-body therapies, have received an uptick of interest over the past few decades. Recent studies have evaluated yoga as a feasible adjuvant to traditional speech therapy for people with aphasia (PWA). However, additional qualitative research is needed to better understand the nuances of the lived experiences of PWA after participating in a virtual, adapted, aphasia-friendly yoga program.Aims The aim of this study was to investigate the lived experiences of PWA following an 8-week virtual, adapted, aphasia-friendly yoga program.Methods & Procedures This study utilized a qualitative design to evaluate the experiences of 12 PWA after completing an 8-week virtual, adapted, aphasia-friendly yoga program. Participants for this study were recruited from a larger quantitative study. Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interviewing technique. The authors asked ten open-ended questions with probes and video recorded the interviews. After interviews were transcribed, the authors analyzed the data using principles of interpretative phenomenological analysis.Results A total of 10 themes were identified within the data: physical benefits, grounding, positive feelings, experiences with yoga and similar practices, adapted yoga, independence, tell others about yoga, resilience, self-compassion, and community.Conclusions This study provides an exploration of the lived experiences of PWA following an adapted, aphasia friendly yoga program. Data analysis suggests that yoga fosters several psychosocial factors (e.g. feelings of independence and community) that may enhance quality of life in PWA. Lastly, the yoga program cultivated positive experiences and coping strategies (i.e., mantras and breathwork) that may safeguard mental health in PWA. Further research should be conducted to evaluate fit, fidelity and adaptation considerations in various clinical settings.