Ann Swanson
Event & Workshop:
SPEAKING Options
Ann Swanson is a certified yoga therapist and author of SCIENCE OF YOGA. She holds her Master of Science in Yoga Therapy and is a mind-body science educator.
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Speaking Topics:
Keynotes & Inspirational Talks
These topics are perfect for educating and motivating both large and small groups. Audiences may include non-profit or civic associations, larger corporate events, festivals, conferences, and traditionally last anywhere from 15-60 minutes. They can also easily expand into half day events to meet the needs of your group.
Your Brain on Mindfulness
Did you know that your ability to focus is a greater indicator of your success than your IQ? Discover how mindfulness affects the inner workings of your brain and your state of being. Learn about the latest research and experience practical evidence-informed practices that you can integrate anywhere and anytime to manage stress and improve your focus and mindfulness day-to-day.
Cultivating Compassion: A High Yield Investment
We tend to focus on self-care and self-improvement; however, research suggests that a focus on others could be the key to happiness and a good life. Experience compassion meditation or loving-kindness (metta) through practical practices directly from the research. In this very personal talk learn to transform regret and jealousy into compassion.
Get Sick Less
Did you know that movement and meditation has been shown through blood biomarkers to reduce inflammation? Less inflammation means less sick days, and less likelihood of developing chronic diseases keeping you healthy and active. This talk will provide simple techniques you can do throughout the day to boost your immunity in as little as 10 minutes a day!
Save Your Spine
Did you know 80% of people will have back pain at some point? Studies show that yoga and mindfulness can help. Learn how to prevent and alleviate back pain through simple moves you can do anytime, anywhere (even at your desk!). *Bonus: Ann will share her magic trick using the power of your mind to change your physiology in one sitting.
Relieve Pain Now
We all experience physical pain throughout our lives from mild stiffness to intense and persistent pain. Research shows that yoga is effective to relieve chronic pain from common issues like low back pain and arthritis. Explore the basics of the research and yoga practices to help relieve pain now. Experience it for yourself in a uniquely modified yoga practice and meditation journey for chronic pain relief.
How Yoga Therapy Transforms
Yoga therapy is an emerging field using the tools of yoga in order to promote health and wellness. But, what is the difference between yoga and yoga therapy? How can yoga therapy help you? How can it transform healthcare? In this talk, learn how yoga therapy differs from your average yoga class and how and why this complementary and integrative health practice is showing up in hospitals, schools, and corporate environments across the world.
Accessible Yoga for Everybody
As an Accessible Yoga Ambassador and yoga therapist, Ann believes in making yoga safe, simple, and practical for everybody. All of our bodies are unique and it’s a gift to be able to listen and tune in! Discover simple pose modifications using props, chairs, and creativity with things around your home or office.
Yoga for Arthritis
1 in 5 adults is diagnosed with arthritis and that number increases with age. A clinical trial at Johns Hopkins University found that yoga reduces arthritis swelling and pain significantly. Learn about these findings as well as creative ways to adapt poses and movements therapeutically using what you have with a new perspective. Stop being held back by chronic pain, chronic disease, and arthritis and give your joints some love!
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Workshop & Class Topics:
(SCIENCE OF YOGA & more)
These topics are appropriate for teacher trainings, special events, festivals, conferences and retreats. They are designed to run anywhere from 2-20 hours and may be executed in one day or over several days. Most workshops can be mindfully adapted to meet the needs of your group.
SCIENCE OF YOGA Series
The following SCIENCE OF YOGA workshops are designed for anyone to attend and you do not need to have prior yoga experience to participate. *They can easily be selected as part of one of the courses for a teacher training.
SCIENCE OF YOGA: 101
Explore how yoga affects every system of your body. Ann Swanson demystifies key yoga research in a simple and straightforward way. As outlined in her book, SCIENCE OF YOGA, Ann will cover the overarching themes in the scientific evidence to support the profound benefits of yoga and meditation. Learn the key highlights and feel them in your own body in this experiential and informative workshop.
Length: 2-4 hours
Format: Lecture, discussion, short, meditative movement practices that can be done in a chair
SCIENCE OF YOGA: Research
Explore and evaluate the most vital and cutting-edge research supporting yoga as it relates to the most common diseases. Understand the bottom line of how yoga affects all the systems of the body, including busting some common myths! Experience the science of yoga with intelligently sequenced asana practices to begin and end the workshop.
Length: 2-8 hours
Format: Lecture, discussion, experiential learning, yoga asana and meditation
SCIENCE OF YOGA: Anatomy & Physiology
Ann Swanson presents the anatomy and physiology of yoga from her beautifully illustrated book SCIENCE OF YOGA. She focuses on the key anatomy you actually need to know for a safe and effective practice in a super engaging format.
This course can also be divided into two segments:
Understanding Anatomy: From Cell to System
Understanding Physiology: System Functions
SCIENCE OF YOGA: Mindfulness
Perhaps the most profound evidence supporting yoga practice is on meditation, including the increasingly popular mindfulness practice. But, what is mindfulness? Learn the research behind mindfulness, including a relaxing mindfulness-based yoga nidra (sometimes called “yoga nap”) to conclude the workshop. This workshop is quite experiential with meditations and mindful movement built in throughout the session.
Length: 1-3 hours
Format: Short lecture, gentle movement and meditation
SCIENCE OF YOGA: Yoga Nidra
Take a "Yogic Nap” through the practice of Yoga Nidra. Nidra means sleep in Sanskrit; however, it may go beyond what you experience during your typical night of 6-8 hours. This process involves acknowledging and honoring experiences and emotions, rather than pushing them down. We’ll do some gentle movement to unwind followed by a 40-minute yoga nidra to experience deep relaxation and healing. Leave with a clear mind, feeling rested and rejuvenated.
Length: 1-3 hours
Format: Short discussion, gentle movement, extended yoga nidra meditation
SCIENCE OF YOGA: The Sacred Psoas
Understand and experience your “soul” muscle: the psoas. The psoas connects your lower and upper body and is key for walking, sitting, posture, and even fear. Yes, you read that right! The psoas is a fear reflex muscle that stores emotions. The issues are in your tissues. Discover how to stretch, strengthen, and release your psoas in a full hip stabilizing and mobilizing practice.
Length: 2-6 hours
Format: Lecture, discussion, experiential practice, meditation
SCIENCE OF YOGA: Loving-kindness (metta) Meditation
We tend to focus on self-care and self-improvement; however, research suggests that a focus on others could be key to happiness and a good life. Discover the science behind compassion meditation, like loving-kindness (metta). Personally experience this through practical practices directly from the research. The workshop ends with a long deep relaxation to cultivate self-compassion.
Length: 1-3 hours
Format: gentle movement, extended meditation
SCIENCE OF YOGA: Yoga for Chronic Pain
Pain can be a debilitating condition affecting one’s overall life, job, and relationships. Explore the basics of the research and practices to relieve pain. Experience it for yourself in a uniquely modified yoga practice and meditation for chronic pain relief.
Length: 1-6 hours
Format: discussion, movement, meditation
SCIENCE OF YOGA: Vagus, Baby: Hack your Nervous System
Much of what ancient yogis intuited modern science now confirms to be true. Learn Ann’s modern day ninja tricks to hack your nervous system when you need it most by accessing your vagus nerve. Your vagus nerve is the direct connection between your breath, heart, and gut. Practice a heart rate boosting flow, strategic breathwork, followed by a deep relaxation.
Length: 1-6 hours
Format: lecture, discussion, movement
Other Workshops
These workshops are designed for retreats, special events, festivals, or as residency open to the public while Ann is visiting your studio or business. You do not need to have prior yoga experience to attend. These topics are often adapted to be covered in a 1-4 hour presentation. *They can also be selected as a course for teacher training.
Yoga for Arthritis 101
Did you know that 1 in 5 U.S. adults are diagnosed with arthritis, and even more are dealing with chronic joint pain? In this intro workshop, Ann offerings insight in to the key research findings and vital practices for relieving pain. Learn Ann’s top 10 ninja tips for adapting poses for joint limitations, including sun salutations adapted for the floor, chair, and wall. These research based tips are derived from a seven year clinical trial at Johns Hopkins University on yoga for adults with arthritis. Learn the key findings of that research and experience the benefits for yourself in an adapted asana practice. Includes:
Relevant research on the safety of yoga
Viital cautions, contraindications, and considerations for safe yoga practice
Experiential sample yoga practices modified for a variety of health concerns
This workshop may be split up into 2 courses:
Yoga for Arthritis I (usually approximately 3 hours)
Yoga for Arthritis II (usually approximately 3 hours)
Accessible Yoga: Adapting Asana
Learn how to make yoga safe, simple, and practical for everybody. Ann Swanson explains clearly how to adapt yoga poses with props, chairs, compassion, and creativity! As an Accessible Yoga Ambassador, Ann believes that if you can breath, you can do yoga. Learn foundational yoga poses in a fun and adaptive way to meet the needs of your body.
Yoga Therapy Transforms
Yoga is a multi-billion dollar industry that is pervading modern culture, popping up all over our news feeds from fashion to food. More and more people are turning to yoga therapeutically to help relieve pain and improve health and wellness. So, what is yoga therapy? How can yoga therapy help you? Learn how yoga therapy differs from your average drop-in yoga class and how and why this integrative health practice can transform your life!
Accessible Yoga & Yoga Therapy
Is yoga currently accessible, safe, and inclusive to everybody? What is the difference between yoga and yoga therapy? Ann proposes that all yoga classes should be accessible, but not all yoga classes are yoga therapy. In this Q+A style talk, she will tackle these questions. Explore the importance of the shift toward accessibility in mainstream yoga and the strides yoga therapy is making in transforming healthcare. The class will start and end with a short chair yoga practice.
Movement Classes
These yoga, meditation, and tai chi/qi gong classes are designed for retreats, special events, festivals, or as residency open to the public while Ann is visiting your studio or business. You do not need to have prior yoga experience to attend. These topics are often adapted to be covered in a 1-4 hour presentation
Yoga for Longevity
Are you ready to get the most out of your yoga practice but are plagued by chronic pain and injuries? Years of bad yoga habits, bad posture, and misinformation might actually be hurting versus healing your body. You could be damaging your joints and even causing arthritis without proper alignment and technique! Learn how to practice sustainably for a lifetime for the longevity of your body.
Yoga for Back Care
A gentle, therapeutic practice for everybody (beginners to advanced). Just because it is gentle that doesn’t mean it’s easy. You might just break a sweat. Plus, your back will definitely thank you.
Qi Gong
Curious about the ancient Chinese form of energy work and martial arts? Learn the basics of qi gong and its sister martial arts practice, tai chi from Ann who learned first-hand in China years ago. Get a little bit of science and a lot of meditative movement. Practice and learn a short, gentle routine that you can use daily for improved balance and vitality.
Tai Chi for Arthritis
Join Ann to experience the ancient healing art of tai chi. Learn to flow with energy and increase vitality in all systems of the body while using only one thing, your body.
Heart Flow
A more challenging practice for intermediate experience level. Get your heart rate up, flow with beautiful heart-opening music, and hack your cardiovascular and nervous systems with Ann’s science-based yoga tricks.
Yoga Nerd Chat
Join Ann as she discusses her latest cook, SCIENCE OF YOGA, where she leads a fun and interactive chat on yoga, science, and spirituality. All #yoganerds, #sciencenerds and #spiritualnerds are welcome!
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Long Workshop Intensives
The following workshops are designed for 2-5 day intensives. These courses can be offered as Continuing Education (CE) credits and can be adjusted for the length of teacher training.
SCIENCE OF YOGA
8-20 hr CEU with Yoga Alliance
For passionate yoga practitioners with previous yoga experience and/or yoga teachers
Explore how yoga affects every system of your body with the author of SCIENCE OF YOGA. Ann Swanson will demystify the research that supports key health benefits of yoga in a simple straightforward way. Research is mounting to show that yoga prevents and eases the major lifestyle disease that affects the modern world--like heart disease, chronic pain, cancer, diabetes, respiratory illness, arthritis, depression, and anxiety. Learn the highlights and feel them in your own body in this experiential time of study. Ann will focus on the key anatomy you actually need to know for a safe and effective practice in a super engaging format.
Dive into yoga’s effects on the 11 anatomical systems, plus the subtle yogic anatomy
Explore and embody key muscles in action in yoga poses
Understand the common cautions and considerations for optimal safety and effectiveness of practice
Experience and apply the basics to modifying yoga poses to be accessible for everybody
SCIENCE OF YOGA: Teaching Lab
This 3 hour section of the workshop is for yoga teachers to apply the material learned and typically held at the end of the training weekend as a live practice teaching lab. It is an experiential and Q&A session where teachers can learn to integrate the tools including asana, pranayama, and meditation and learn additional key adjustments and variations.
Note: Any of the above can count toward completing Yoga Alliance CE credit for Anatomy & Physiology. All of the above can be combined to complete the Anatomy and Physiology portion of a Yoga Alliance teacher training.
Sample schedule for Anatomy Credit: (total: 20 hours)
Friday 7-9 SCIENCE OF YOGA: 101 (open to public as separate training and to all that join the weekend program)
Saturday 9-5 RESEARCH
Sunday 9-5 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY
Yoga teachers who want CEU, would stay 5:30-7:30pm for a practice teaching lab
Yoga for Arthritis Teacher Training
34 hr CEU with Yoga Alliance
34 hr APD with International Association of Yoga Therapists
For yoga teachers only.
Note: This course is usually 15-30 participants. There is a 1 time $300 fee to run the training and a digital manual fee that is $40/ participant
Yoga for Arthritis is an evidence-based program based on over a decade of research at Johns Hopkins University that showed that yoga is safe and effective for arthritis. This training program trains yoga teachers to safely and effectively impart rigorously researched yoga practices, with individually-tailored modifications, to those with arthritis and related conditions.
As a result of taking this Yoga for Arthritis teacher training program, participants will be able to:
Become familiar with the most common arthritic conditions, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, psoriatic arthritis, etc.
Understand joint anatomy and pathophysiology as related to arthritis in depth
Offer modifications for joint limitations and chronic pain
Teach Yoga for Arthritis classes in their communities
Work individually with arthritic clients of all ability levels
Yoga teachers who successfully complete this course will receive a certificate of completion, a manual for implementing Yoga for Arthritis, as completed in the research, in their local communities, and access to an online community devoted to Yoga for Arthritis intensive graduates. Learn more at www.arthritis.yoga