ABOUT

ABOUT YOGA OF DESIRE

helping to build sustainable relationships in the community

Dialectical Yoga Therapeutics (DYT)

Yoga of Desire is a peace-oriented path that blends practices of
Dialectics from DBT PE behavior science and Zen, reality embracing-emotional digestive influences of non-dual classical tantra, mental health evidenced-aligned practices of vital (tantrika-oriented) relating from yoga therapeutics & grounded elements of a therapist founded neo-tantra focused on meditative-sacred intimacy.

Well into her second decade of embodying these areas of studies & teachings,
Sarah (she/her(s)/box free) has uncovered that this mix of modalities skillfully invites individuals..

To realize sustainable contentment and love as increased embodied states of being.

DIALECTICS

While services at Yoga of Desire (YODa) are not clinical therapy, the psychological orientation draws heavily from DBT + DBT PE Protocol.

In DBT, dialectics have to do with opposite forces & finding where those opposites unite in order to help decrease inner & outer conflicts that keep one from intrapersonal and interpersonal ease. DBT PE dialectics further develops resilience in conflicts, anxiety and other body-sensory emotion experiences (including love), leading to profound neuro-connectivity changes in our brains for wiser-embodied relationship choices & lives.

Conflicts to synthesize tend to be linked to the following dialectics linked to relational trauma:

  • applying accurate responsibility vs. blaming self or others for events
  • clearly discerning sense of “safety” vs. misjudging by inaccurately assuming “safety” or assuming “non-safety” when it is tangible (safety will be further defined)
  • accurate perception of “limits” in self-competence vs. over or under-estimating one’s self-competence linked to a task

 

YOGA THERAPEUTICS.                             

Yoga is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘union’ or ‘yoke,’ also involves uniting opposites. Dialectics and yoga therapeutics both involve self-study, behavioral change and resilience. Our yoga therapeutics includes roots in physical therapy influence and ancient practices of India shown to be helpful. Despite roots in eastern practices, “YODa” path has been strongly integrated with evidenced western science & psychology to support sustainable bonds with self and others.

NON-DUAL INTER-CONNECTIVE THERAPEUTICS+

Classical tantra flourished from the years of 500-1200 and allows householders to practice liberating spirituality with meditations that both include and go beyond traditional yogic paths. (Wallis)

Tantric Inspired Therapeutics at YODa (and in DYT) is to study + apply sound-scholarly texts, while also engaging in culturally respectful modern creative neo (interpersonal meditative & sacred intimacy) approaches to weave together the opposing forces of “vitality” (thoughts, feelings, sensations, action urges, 5 senses, behaviors & all the is “alive” in the universe) with “awareness”– ultimately to support clarity of reality acceptance, mindful-embodied living & realized wise emotion thriving.

Dialectical bonding continues to weave these opposites in order to:

  • support an increased capacity for experiences of love, intimacy and revitalizing joy & connection;
  • support attachment bonding to one’s self and to others by increasing internal/interpersonal balance and regulating unhelpful compulsions;
  • support the re-humanization of intimacy, sexuality and gender dynamics both on an individual and relational level as part of harmony;
  • care for non-binary, omni, pans, LGBTQIIA+ communities
  • validate BIPOC folx experiences of intimacy within white-cis-patriarch 
  • and deepen the well-being of individuals, bonds and communities.
  • ‘Emotion-Focused Therapy’ (EFT)  & Sex Therapy- additional adult attachment style specializations of our founder- are also drawn from to bring increased mental health roots into this work.

This path standardizes ‘Bhakti’ (devotion) as a practice in ‘ahimsa’ (non-violence) through high personal integrity in matters of the heart, respect for the body and mind, along with deep honor for self, others & universe.

Join in and learn the arts of containing, amplifying & regulating your ‘energetics’

~(vitality of thoughts, feelings, actions) for profound increases in

intimacy contentment, balance discernment, & an overall sense of interconnectedness.

Beyond Theory. Resounding Evidence.

Whether you long to amplify compassion for yourself, others or your relationships,
Yoga of Desire offers ancient modalities that are united with and strongly evidenced by the worlds of western science.

This is a practical, yet enchanting path that supports increases in actualization of the experience of love and contentment
through the synthesis of vitality & consciousness practices, as well as scholarly education supporting YOUR INNER DISCERNMENT and WISDOM.
Stemming from the awareness that all emotions & their functions are interwoven, this path ultimately links back to love and contentment with their shared functions of moving us towards supportive connections.

In its evolutionary function, the “emotion” love supports a person thriving as a whole individual self, as well as nurturing vital bonds in home & community.

The paths of Yoga of Desire (+ DYT) help increase vitality-giving connections, while simultaneously guiding people in skillfully directing painful emotions to guide their wise-mind compasses in deepening love, connection & reverence for vitality and the mysteries of the universe.

MORE ABOUT OUR FOUNDER

Sarah Greenwood, MA, LCMHC, LPC (she/her(s)/box free) | DBT + DBT PE + Yoga Therapeutic

Specialist  | Non-dual Embodier, Classical + Sound Neo Tantrika Nature Yogini

About

Sarah (she/box free) is Director of DBT of Charleston/+Yoga Therapeutics of Charleston– her nationally-to-internationally sought out private licensed specialized C-PTSD counseling/yoga therapeutics practice- known for periodically having substantial waitlists.

Sarah is an Experienced 20+ yr. Advanced 500 hr. Yoga Therapeutics Instructor, who holds long-time certificate in Rape Survivor Advocacy and is an Experienced Intensively Trained Sacred Intimacy “Neo-Tantra” Teacher (CTT via Margo Anand & strongly influenced by texts & courses from Non-dual Tantra via scholar Christopher Wallis).

Sarah is additionally a bi-state Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor-Therapist- double specialist in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy-Prolonged Exposure Protocol (DBT-PE) for Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) treatment.  She refines her DBT PE specialization with an intrinsic focus on intimate relationship attachment recovery via (her core skills+ completion in Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT)) & Sex Therapy foundations. She holds an expertise in emotion regulation resilience science and enjoys an evidenced mindfulness approach to attuning subtle behaviors to one’s most vital sense of self.

Trained intensively by nationally revered yoga therapeutics teachers, physical therapists, & THREE WORLD-RENOWNED LEADERS in the field, including a sacred intimacy master, a zen master & a C-PTSD psychologist specialist, Sarah weaves together her teachings on the Path Out of Misery and Hell & the Path of Embodied Delight to offer you her most impassioned work, the Yoga of Desire (YODa).

-Founder's Teaching Experience Path-

 Sarah has long-term varied experiences teaching several regular weekly classes|workshops ranging from large to specialized intimate– near two decades in various styles of hatha-raja yoga, strong roots in ‘luna yoga’, extensive interpersonal meditative-“tantrik” practice and sounding with bija (seed) mantras, then her creation Dialectical Yoga Therapeutics (DYT) as she progressed into becoming a yoga therapist.

Sarah has taught in settings varying from local private physical therapy center for pelvic floor, Medical University of South Carolina’s (MUSC) Wellness Center with doctorate students of physical therapy, (a 100+ MUSC nurses workshop), a wide array of local Charleston studios-venues, the Jewish Community Center (JCC), Charleston’s homeless shelter, Asheville NC. studios-venues. Then all the way out to Esalen Institute and other venues in Northern California teaching with internationally renowned psychologists, counselors, yoga & ‘neo tantra’ teachers who are also Trainers in their fields from Bali, France, Singapore, NYC, Southern Oregon, Seattle & Midwest regions… finally re-centering back hOMe Charleston-Asheville and the Carolinas in her C-PTSD-yoga therapeutics teaching career solidly re-rooting in her long-time private practice.  

Home communities are where she/box free teaches her specialized counseling program stage 3&4 graduates an ongoing ‘Dialectical Yoga Therapeutics (DYT) program (lifestyle)’, offers her stage 1&2 counseling clients program additions of ‘Dialectical Yoga Therapeutics (DYT) sessions’ & for her communities specialized ‘tailored’ dialectical tantrik-yoga workshop-retreats and world-wide public courses on dialectic-based exposure lifestyle for adult attachment and intimacy.  All the while, she occasionally still makes community teaching appearances, and also plans for greater public visibility+access to her services tba.

-Ultimate Passion & Method-

Sarah’s greatest passion has been to sythesize tantrik-yoga therapeutics with her C-PTSD mental health expertise with a feminine approach in the lead.   She has developed these bodies of work to help recovery from interpersonal-intimacy trauma that complicates securing support and enjoying passion in adult loving bonds, which impacts the overall functioning of widespread world-wide communities (which are made up of our personal bonds).  

Her methods are substantially somatically-mental health evidenced and supported by local-to-Asheville (& local-to-Seattle top specialized psychologists) licensed physical therapy-medical-contemplative psychology experts- (some who received training for yoga studies in India and then trained Sarah at internationally known Asheville’s Yoga Center in NC).

-Vital & Artistic Contributions-

Sarah’s long history with teaching, formal studying and/or performing cultural free-form dance (middle-eastern belly dance, Bharatanatyam, African dance+), her early career years of running a personal-fitness training business ‘Body Soul Fitness’ as a certified personal trainer– including strength training, meditation, certified mat pilates, certified nia (martial-dance-healing arts) & yoga instruction, a B.A. in theater performance from College of Charleston and formal experience as ‘Lead Director’ of all aspects of community theater production(s) in Minnesota in her early 20’s- all greatly inform her teaching style today.

-Founding of Yoga of Desire (YODa)-

Sarah quietly founded ‘Yoga Therapeutics of Charleston’ as a large extension of her private specialized counseling practice as she stepped into her Director position at DBT of Charleston in 2014- she immediately started weaving together and formally developing her distinct specializations for her stage 3&4 clients- while continuing advanced licensure, certification & training in her yoga therapeutics-specialized counseling-tantra passions to deliver excellence to her communities.

While observing the needs of numerous local, national & world-wide callers, behind the scenes she worked intensively to rise to such needs -presenting in numbers far beyond what one practitioner could do- as she silently launched her original approaches ‘Dialectical Yoga Therapeutics (DYT)’ & ‘Yoga of Desire (YODa)’ in 2018, represented by her two offshoot specialized yoga therapeutics sites that are grounded in world-renowned mental health, behavioral/emotion regulation based scientific research- along with heavy influences from physical therapy + medical-yoga research from the States & India.

Her choice to introduce her unique developed spin on her private practice resources into the public arena, she hopes will better meet aspects of this widespread demand.

-YODa's Response to Communities' Needs-

After mindful listening, Sarah has settled on her vision to better rise to widespread demand and community needs with a mission of love recovery for painful personal intimacy-based bonds+, community-influenced emotion regulation & minority-related interpersonal complex trauma|inhibited grief mental health activism.  A recovery that acknowledges invalidating-discriminatory systemic environments or challenging personal relations that make our recovery hard.

Sarah’s desire for Dialectical Yoga Therapeutics (DYT) (an aspect of her creation ‘Yoga of Desire’ (YODa)) is launched to strengthen support for one another, in mutual ambition for a colorFULL world centered in connected well-being.  This community transformative lifestyle mission is brought forth through the experiential benefits of this psychological-physiological evidence-based east-west wisdom- aspects of which are shown to change the neural-pathways of our brains for mass upgrades in increasing love capacity, peace and community resiliency.

TRAINING & EDUCATION

See our founder’s training that led to a harmonized path in emotion regulation & sitting in reality compassionately…
all to grow resilience in individuals, while strengthening our societal environment.

Certified Yoga Therapeutics

Advanced 500 hr. Registered Yoga Alliance (RYA) level Yoga Therapeutics Teacher Training, Training Start Sept. 2015 – Graduation in June 2016

      • This Program Specialized in Yoga Treatment for Specific Medical & Psychological Conditions and also incorporated Intensive Bowspring + Anusara Informed Training.
      • Trainers: included Licensed Physical Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor-Contemplative Psychology Specialist, Medical Professionals (all Dual Professionals as Yoga Instructors)
      • Program Trainer Lead: Libby Hinsley, LPT
      • Training Location: Asheville Yoga Center

Yoga, Psychology & Trauma, 500 hr. RYA level teacher training, November 2014

      • Trainer: Janelle Railey, LPC, Contemplative Psychology Specialist trained at Naropa University Certified Yoga Teacher & Trainer
      • Training Location: Asheville Yoga Center

Advanced 500 hr. Post Certification Graduation; 1-on-1 Private Teacher Trainer Yoga Therapeutics Sessions, ongoing, Spring 2019 – Present

      • Expert Certified Yoga Therapeutics Trainer: Joe Taft

Post Teacher Training Certificate Graduation; 1-on1 Private Tantra Teacher Trainer Sessions, Summer 2019 – Summer 2021

      • Trainers: Lineage Holders Cassidy Geppert & Mika Smith
      • Sessions w/ Mika Smith were ongoing, Summer 2019 – Summer 2021

5-Day Yoga Immersion: Anusara+ Bowspring Informed Focus, 500 hr. RYA level teacher training, November, 2014

      • Trainer: Joe Taft, Advanced Trained Anusara-Bowspring Style Teacher Trainer  
      • ‘Pelvic Floor in Yoga’ Workshop, Guest Trainer: Deirdre Smith Gilmer
      • Training Location: Asheville Yoga Center

200 Hr. Yoga Teacher Training, Registered Yoga Alliance, Sept.-May 05′-06′.  200 hr. Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor, May 2006

      • Trainer: Trace ‘Sahajaa’ Bonner.
      • Training Location: Holy Cow Yoga Center, Charleston, SC.

Yoga Therapeutics Intensive: Bowspring + Anusara Informed Focus, 500 hr. RYA level teacher training, May 2015

      • Trainer: Joe Taft, Advanced Trained Anusara-Bowspring Style Teacher & Trainer
      • Training Location: Asheville Yoga Center

Psoas Release Workshop: Pelvis + Nervous System Therapeutics- Yoga Bowspring Informed Focus, September, 2014

      • Trainer: Joe Taft, Advanced Trained Anusara-Bowspring Style Teacher & Trainer
      • Training Location: Asheville Yoga Center

DBT PE for Complex PTSD

Advanced Training in DBT-PE for Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), March 9-11, 2022

  • Trainer: Dr. Melanie Harned, Research Scientist in the Department of Psychology at the University of Washington, and the Research Director of the Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics, the lab of Dr. Marsha Linehan.
  • Training Location: Virtual

DBT-PE Team Consultation with Melanie Harned, Ph.D, Regular Team Consultation Meetings, Spring – Fall 2022 (Currently active)

Treating Complex PTSD in DBT with High Risk BPD Clients, June 2014

  • Trainer: Dr. Melanie Harned, Research Scientist in the Department of Psychology at the University of Washington, and the Research Director of the Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics, the lab of Dr. Marsha Linehan
  • Training Location: Green Bay, WI.

Foundations of Exposure Therapies for Anxiety Disorders- Prerequisite of DBT-PE for Complex PTSD Training, April 2014

  • Trainers: Melanie S. Harned, Ph.D. and many other Ph.D experts.     
  • Training Location: Behavioral Tech Credentialing

ABCT (Association for Behavioral & Cognitive Therapies) 52nd Annual Convention with Top Doctorate level Researchers in the Field, Harvard November 15-18, 2018

  • Complex PTSD Educational Training: Treating PTSD in High-Risk and Multi-Diagnostic Clients Receiving DBT
  • Trainer: Dr. Melanie Harned

Ancillary Educational Training for Leadership & Emotion Regulation:

Yale Women’s Leadership Program Graduate, Yale University School of Management – Executive Education

      • Led by Business & Emotional Intelligence Experts in the field, Co-Conveners Rodrigo Canales and Emma Seppälä, Nov., 2021

Relationship Attachment, Minority Advocacy, Gender & Sexuality

Antiracism in DBT May 2023:  Antiracism and anti-discrimination as prosocial behaviors in clinical DBT settings

  • Trainers: Lead: Dr. Faria Kamal (Medical)  Support: Dr. Marcus Rodriguez
  • Lead: Columbia University Dept. of Psychiatry licensed Psychologist, Yale School of Medicine Intern Graduate. Support: Pitzer Assistant Professional of Psychology,
    Harvard Medical School Intern Graduate

Diversity in Sex Therapy, April 2023:  BIPOC, LBGTQIA, BDSM+

  • Trainer:  Dr. James Wadley
  • Advanced Mental Health Training Institute | American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselor and Therapists (ASSECT) approved

Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) Core Skills for Couples Therapy, Including Complex Trauma Recovery, 2021-2022:

  • Module 1: Steps 1 & 2 – Assessment & Cycle Assessment, Oct. 28-29
  • Module 2: Steps 3 & 4 – De-Escalation, Dec. 2-3
  • Module 3: Steps 5-7 – Withdrawer Re-Engagement, Jan. 27-28
  • Module 4: Steps 5-7 –  Pursuer Softening, Feb. 24-25
  • Trainer: Dr. Cindy Goodness Zane, Psy.D Hawaii Licensed Clinical Psychologist & ICEEFT Certified EFT Trainer, Supervisor & Therapist specializing in Emotionally Focused (EFT) work with couples, families and individuals.
  • Location: Honolulu, Hawaii, virtual

Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) Ongoing Individual & Group Consultation for ‘EFT’ Certification, 2022: (currently committed)

  • Trainer & Consultant: Dr. Cindy Goodness Zane, Psy.D Hawaii Licensed Clinical Psychologist & ICEEFT Certified EFT Trainer, Supervisor & Therapist specializing in Emotionally Focused (EFT) work with couples, families and individuals.
  • Location: Honolulu, Hawaii, virtual

Sex Therapy Training Completion: Topics in Diversity, LBGTQIA, BDSM & Love Addictions, Women’s & Men’s Topics, Emotions & Sexuality, Attachment Bonds, Sept. 2019

  • Trainer: Director for Center of Healthy Sex- Los Angeles, CA. & trainer for International Institute for Trauma & Addiction Professionals

Margo Anand’s (Internationally Renowned) Tantra Intensive Teacher Training & Prerequisites Graduate: Re-humanization of Intimacy, Sacred Relationship, Diversity & Sexuality, March 2017 – December 2019

  • Selected to Assist Teach Margo Anand at Esalen- Yin&Yang 6-day
  • Assist Taught Margo’s Tantra Lineage Holders at Love&Ecstasy Training 2
  • SkyDancing TAM: Teachers & Assistants Meeting (Weekend)
  • LET: Love&Ecstacy Trainings 1, 2 & 3
  • Timeless Loving: Level 1
  • Trainers: from Bali, France, Oregon, Maine included Psychotherapists, Tantra/Yoga Teacher Trainers, & Lineage Holders of Margo’s Work
  • Training Location: Cities of Northern California

People Against Rape, Certified Volunteer Advocate, On-call & In-person support to Advocate for MUSC E.R. Rape/assault case survivors, 2001-2003

ABCT (Association for Behavioral & Cognitive Therapies) 52nd Annual Convention with Top Doctorate level Researchers in the Field, Harvard November 15-18, 2018

  • Transgender, Gender & Minority Stress Research Training: -Minority Stress, Gender Affirmation, and Mental Health in Transgender Individuals: Research
  • Gun Violence-Suicide Training: Gun Violence in America begins with a Focus on Suicide
  • ‘A Loneliness Epidemic?’ Training: -Examining Causes, Correlates, Interventions for Social Disconnection in Modern x + Social Media
  • PTSD & Refugee Training: Methodological Innovations in the Investigation of Refugee Mental Health: PTSD in Vulnerable Populations, Harvard Researchers

The Relationship Between Trauma & Substance Use Disorders: Neurobiologic Underpinnings, August 2014

  • Trainer: Kathleen T. Brady, M.D., Ph.D.
  • Training Location: Charleston, SC.

Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) 4-Day Externship: Late July, 2021

  • Trainer: Dr. Cindy Goodness Zane, Psy.D Hawaii Licensed Clinical Psychologist & ICEEFT Certified EFT Trainer, Supervisor & Therapist specializing in Emotionally Focused (EFT) work with couples, families and individuals
  • Location: Hawaii, virtual

Emotion-Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) Level 1: Sept 30-Oct.1, 2021

  • Trainer:  Lorrie Brubacher, M.Ed., LMFT, RMFT, Attachment bonding (+ trauma relational recovery) for the Individual
  • R. Cassidy Seminars Certification approved by American Psychological Association, continuing education for psychologists and recognized by New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education
  • Location: Hawaii, virtual

Integrating Spirituality in Clinical Practice: Addressing the Spiritual Dimension in Suffering, Healing & Resilience. April 2014

 

  • Trainer: Froma Walsch, PhD, MSW
  • Training Location: North Charleston, SC.
  • Accreditation: SCAMFT

LBC-DBT Certification & DBT Intensive Training

DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician™, Passed/Approved by Linehan Board in Washington State, May 2019

  • Active participation in a formal weekly adherent DBT team doing “therapy for the therapist,” a crucial component for truly adherent DBT. May 2011-current
  • Active participation in adherent DBT teams alongside consultants who have been on team with Marsha Linehan, multi-state private practice directors as licensed psychologists, a Portland Institute DBT therapist expert trainer, licensed therapists who have delivered DBT in the prison system for both imprisoned men & women, licensed clinical Social Workers, & Licensed Professional Counselors all applying the full adherent DBT therapy program. 2011-current

Linehan Institute Board Advanced Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Certification Video Case Conceptualization, Passed/Approved by Linehan Board in Washington State, May 2019

Linehan Institute Board Advanced Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Certification Case Conceptualization, Passed/Approved by Linehan Board in Washington State, August 2018

Linehan Institute Board Advanced Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Certification Exam, Passed on First Attempt September 2016

One-on-One Weekly Full-Linehan Board Certification Training with Expert DBT Consultant & Supervisor- Kathryn Patrick, LCSW, clinical supervisor at Marsha Linehan’s Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics at the University of Washington training doctoral students in DBT and previously clinical supervisor & operations manager serving at Portland DBT Institute.

ISIT-DBT: 23rd Annual Meeting for the Improvement and Teaching of Dialectical Behavior Therapy addressing Eating Disorders, Influences and Complex PTSD in DBT, Ph.D DBT Experts, Behavior Tech, Atlanta GA. November 2018

ISIT-DBT: 24th Annual Meeting for the Improvement and Teaching of Dialectical Behavior Therapy addressing Teens & Families and Empirical Research Updates in DBT, Ph.D. DBT Experts, Behavior Tech, Washington D.C. November 2019

ABCT (Association for Behavioral & Cognitive Therapies) 52nd Annual Convention with Top Doctorate level Researchers in the Field, Harvard November 15-18, 2018

  • DBT: A Live Demo with an Adolescent- Harvard-McClain
  • DBT Educational Training: Where is the “C” (of CBT) in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy: ABC’s of DBT Team Adherence Training, New Jersey, Sept. 2017

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Advanced Intensive: Addressing Substance Use, Adolescents & More… Specialized Topics in DBT, September 2013

  • Trainers: Marsha Linehan, PH.D., ABPP, Suzanne Witterholt, MD, Anthony Dubose, Psy.D.
  • Training Location: St. Paul, MN

Five-Day Foundational Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Intensive Training Course + Exam & 3-month DBT Items Checklist, Passed/Approved by Marsha Linehan DBT Headquarters via Behavior Tech, August 2012

  • Trainers: Robin McCann, Ph.D. and Alexander L. Chapman, Ph.D., R.Psych.
  • Training Location: Sacramento, CA.

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Foster feelings of love and compassion that center within, yet expand beyond oneself.

 

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Locations in Asheville, NC
& Charleston, SC
843-224-7638 (text only please)