Ahimsa in Therapy

Ahimsa, or non-harming, has been described as the ethical foundation of yoga therapy: “The deepest expression of ahimsa is to completely accept our students exactly as they are, as whole humans in the context of their lives, as they are without judgement. It is our ethical duty as Yoga therapists to convey to our students that there is nothing wrong with them” (Simpson, 2008). 

Lately, I’ve been pondering the attitude of ahimsa in my work as a therapist in chronic pain rehabilitation and the subtle ways that I may unintentionally cause harm. Recently, when working with a client experiencing high levels of pain and distress, I found myself with the intention of offering comfort or making things better by giving advice or strategies. Within this context, my attention shifted from connecting or welcoming the experience that was here, to a place where I could try to fix or help him to feel better or different in that moment. While he went along with the strategy, and felt better after the session, I left thinking to myself, was that what he really needed? 

As a therapist in a helping profession, we are taught, and often have a deep desire to help others by offering ways to ease distress and create conditions of comfort. We can also feel that we have some knowledge, or information about a health condition or a treatment strategy that we need to share or that we need to do something to help another, rather than simply being with what is presenting. 

Offering a strategy, tool or technique to attempt to shift ones experience can unintentionally cause harm. This may not be what one needs, or is asking for in this moment. Rather, they may need someone to be with them, to connect and stay present with their experience, just as it is. Not judging it as right or wrong, needing it to be changed, or deciding for them what could be done to ‘fix’ it. 

Personally, when I receive support from others in situations of distress or discomfort, an attitude of ahimsa is what’s most helpful. I recall a recent experience when my kids were fighting at a playcenter and I was in tears. A few moms noticed and came over, immediately offering advice, books to read, podcasts to listen to and techniques to help my children get along better. My self talk immediately shifted to: “I’m a bad mother” and I felt judged for not doing those things right. Somehow, this was my fault. If only I had tried that strategy maybe my children wouldn’t be kicking, fighting and shouting. 

I recall vividly the feeling that washed over me when a woman I had not met before silently walked me to my car, helped my kids into their car seats and just wrapped her arms around me, looked me in the eyes and said “you’re doing a great job”. The feeling shifted from one of being judged, to being accepted, just as I am.

This is a big reason why I’m shifting away from prescriptive-type approaches in therapy. It’s a journey of unlearning a lot of what I’ve been trained to do in rehabilitation. Rather than immediately offering a strategy or trying to shift an experience, the ahimsa in therapy is the practice of meeting people as they are. As whole beings, with nothing to change. It’s an art of pausing and reflecting on what might be most useful in this moment for another. And this in itself is an important act of healing.    

Hager-Sisson S. Ahimsa: The ethical foundation of Yoga therapy. International Journal of Yoga Therapy. 2008; 18: 9-10.