Project Status: Completed

Last Updated: 14 September 2022

About this Project:

The New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association was formed by Dr. Stella Liu and a group of people in recovery (PIR) of mental illness in 1959.

They strive to promote mental wellness for people in recovery of mental illness and their families and the general public with the ultimate goal of equal opportunities, social inclusion, acceptance and full participation for all in the community.

Promoting “Recovery” and “Body & Mind Wellness” has always been the core values of their services. Using a wide variety of community psychiatric rehabilitation services, they endeavour to help people in recovery of mental illness lead independent lives, make their employment choices in alignment with their own interests and abilities, obtain employment in the open labour market, participate in social and leisure activities in the community and, ultimately, attain a desirable quality of living to live out a life characterized by holistic good health and body-mind equilibrium. For more details about The New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, please visit: https://www.nlpra.org.hk/en/about/vmv

Andiappan Yoga Community is invited as a Yoga partner by New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association to promote Yoga as one of the rehabilitation methods for people in recovery from mental illness and introduce Yoga as a therapeutic and overall physical exercise.

How does medical rehabilitation yoga benefit this group?

The Yoga practices include some basic movements, breathing, relaxation, and meditation. All these elements contribute to improving physical and mental health and performance, stress and emotional responsiveness, regulation and awareness, cognitive behavior, and elements of deeper spiritual connection such as life purpose and meaning.

Some key findings from several studies* which have used neuroimaging techniques to measure brain activity and changes in brain structure and chemical activity by practicing yoga regularly:

1. Improved levels of concentration, attention, and focus;
2. Enhanced memory and adaptive behaviors for problem-solving;
3. Lower levels in indicators of stress, anxiety, and mood disorders; and,
4. Indicators of enhanced self-regulation of stress and anxiety.

(*The Meditative Mind: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis of MRI Studies. Boccia M, Piccardi L, Guariglia P. Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:419808)

For students: How to sign up?

This is class is only open to beneficiaries of patients at New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association.

For AYC volunteers: Interested in volunteering for this project?

Learn more about how to Get Involved as an AYC Volunteer and apply for this project.

網上瑜伽治療課 – 新生精神康復會

新生精神康復會由劉曼華醫生與一群精神病康復者於1959年創辦。新生精神康復會致力倡導與促進精神病康復者、其家屬及公眾的精神健康與身心康泰，最終目標是為他們爭取平等機會，獲得公眾接納，達致融入和全面參與社會。

他們致力透過不同形式的社區精神康復服務，讓康復者能獨立生活，並按照個人的興趣及能力參與不同的工作，在公開市場就業，在社區參與正常的社交及閒餘活動，提昇個人的生活質素，達致最佳整全健康狀況的生活模式。

有關新生精神康復會的更多資訊請瀏覽:

Andiappan Yoga Community 被邀請為 新生精神康復會 的院友及康復者提供瑜伽練習課堂。透過練習瑜伽，幫助精神病康復者面對身心上的康復挑戰，及透過持續性的練習，強化身體機能, 為身心帶來健康, 為他們的復康路上提供更多支援。

課堂會練習簡單的瑜伽動作，介紹不同呼吸法令精神及身體放鬆，練習如何透過運動令身體機能變得強壯，精神壓力得以放鬆，提升集中力及正面處理情緒問題。

由幾項研究項目* 發現，練習瑜伽對大腦活動，以及大腦結構和化學活動能產生以下變化:

1. 提高注意力和專注度；
2. 增強強記憶力和解決問題的適應性行為；
3. 壓力、焦慮和情緒障礙指標水平較低；和，
4. 壓力和焦慮的自我調節能力增強。