From Disconnection to Integration: My Journey into Therapeutic Yoga
By Valentina Anania
Growing up, yoga felt like a distant world—something reserved for wealthy, radical chic circles. Coming from a humble, lower-middle-class family, I never imagined I would one day be writing about my own path into this practice. And yet, here I am.
As a teenager, I was athletic, flexible, and fiercely independent. In my early adulthood, I began traveling for work and leisure, driven by a desire to explore new cultures, languages, and traditions. What struck me most was how deeply embedded yoga was in so many places around the world. That curiosity led me to step into my first studio. Though it was a sweaty power vinyasa class, I still remember the reverberation of that experience: the stillness in balancing poses, during which all I had was my breath, my mind and my body to support me, and the unfamiliar quiet of savasana. For someone as hyperactive as I was, those few minutes of “nothing” were strangely profound.
But life shifted. A few years later, I found myself navigating mental health challenges, physical illness, injuries, and a deep mismanagement of my own wellbeing. I lived in a kind of darkness for years—disconnected from sensation, emotion, and memory. It took time, patience, and courage to return to the mat.
Back to commercial yoga classes, I began to feel subtle shifts—not just in my body, but in my mind. Slowly, I started to reconnect with myself. I began to reclaim my identity. And with that came a deeper question: What was missing from the yoga I was practicing?
As someone living with a severely injured body —and as a mother to a disabled child—I saw the potential of yoga to serve diverse populations. But I also saw its limitations. I encountered inaccessible spaces and practices, where having a different body meant being excluded. I watched teachers struggle to modify a headstand for someone more fragile. And I knew there had to be a better way.
That search led me to YogaX.
From the moment I discovered YogaX, I felt I had found the right place. And I was right. Through my 300-hour training, I grew in ways I never expected—professionally, personally, and spiritually. It became a journey of healing myself before I could hold space for others.
Armed with clinical insight and trauma-informed tools, I began working with the populations I had long wanted to serve. I learned to tailor practices to meet people where they are—whether in pain, in recovery, or simply seeking connection. I found joy in being creative, while still offering a safe environment for exploration.
What I have learned most deeply is this: the power of merging ancient yoga wisdom with modern science. This integration allows us to support others in ways that are meaningful, accessible, and truly transformative.
Today, I teach with intention. I advocate for inclusive practices. I collaborate with clinicians and communities. And I continue to heal—because healing is never a destination, but a path we walk together.
YogaX gave me the tools to walk that path. And now, I offer those tools to others.
I would like to particularly thank Dr. Christiane Brems and Mr. Geno Carvalho for their trust and the amazing support in allowing me to be there today.
With gratitude,
Valentina
Valentina Anania, RYT500, is a therapeutic yoga teacher, architect, industrial designer, project manager, and sustainability innovator. A graduate of YogaX at Stanford Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, she brings a multidisciplinary lens to integrative care. Valentina currently teaches therapeutic yoga across clinical, community, and educational settings, with a focus on making holistic practices accessible to underserved populations. She is also enrolled in YogaX’s postgraduate yoga therapy program, deepening her clinical expertise. Her work bridges wellness, environmental systems, and public engagement—always guided by a commitment to creativity, inclusion, and scalable impact.