Yoga
Therapeutic Yoga: The Mind-Body Connection in Anxiety and Depression Management
Anxiety lives in the future. It thrives when we become overly worried about what might happen if we do (or do not do) something, or what might happen if someone else does (or does not do) something. Depression, on the other hand, lives in the past. We may reflect on what we or others have done and lament that we did not act or speak differently, or we may yearn to return to a past time we cannot relive.
While all of us must consider the future to some extent to make plans and live our lives, and while reflecting on the past can be a healthy way to take stock of one’s life, growth, and lessons learned, it is also important to find time to live in the present moment. Doing so is a core tenet of yoga.
A registered yoga teacher, Marina Gonzalez-Ang has frequently drawn upon therapeutic yoga to combat anxiety and depression for her Eastern Massachusetts clients. Yoga’s focus on mindfulness, living “in the now,” and mind-body connection is an ideal elixir for the anxious or depressed mind. Instead of worrying about next week’s work or feeling the pain of nostalgia for a time that will not return, yoga asks its practitioners to hit the “pause” button on past and future concerns so that one may be fully focused on the current moment. Many of those who try yoga, including skeptics, find that taking this step into the present tense makes future demands feel more manageable, and past concerns less worrisome.
Those in counseling sometimes find that they are “too much in their head.” By emphasizing the mind-body connection, yoga allows practitioners to give their brains a break while remaining engaged. Yoga can take many forms, from mild breath work to slow movement to more strenuous activity. Marina recognizes that yoga is not for everyone. However, for clients interested in the refreshing liberation of living in the present moment, Marina enjoys sharing this fun, helpful practice.
If you are interested in trying therapeutic yoga, please contact Marina for more information.
Marina Gonzalez-Ang, Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Marina Gonzalez-Ang is a licensed mental health counselor who specializes in helping children, adolescents, adults, and families recognize, reduce, and manage anxiety. Serving clients in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, Gonzalez-Ang began her private practice in 2023.
Prior to founding her private practice, Gonzalez-Ang successfully counseled many youth struggling with anxiety and a variety of related relationship issues, including trauma, special education needs, and school avoidance/absenteeism. Gonzalez-Ang spent years working with families in their homes to address the many complexities of relationships and family systems.
Informed by her own experiences with taming anxiety as a child, Gonzalez-Ang is recognized as an extraordinarily supportive counselor with a talent for breaking down barriers to progress with children and parents alike. Gonzalez-Ang holds an M.A. in counseling psychology from Lesley University and a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts.
Gonzalez-Ang is a leading proponent of the Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) method pioneered by Dr. Eli Lebowitz of the Yale Child Study Center; this approach focuses on empowering parents to change their own behaviors in ways that will help their child(ren) overcome anxiety. Marina is a newly trained EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Therapist. In addition to practicing the SPACE method and traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Gonzalez-Ang enjoys sharing yoga’s anxiety-reducing benefits with interested clients.
She resides with her family in Medford, Massachusetts and together with her two children, she enjoys skiing, baking, and making homemade ice cream.
Professional Credentials
- Licensed mental health counselor in Massachusetts (10081) and New Hampshire (5507)
- Specialty: children, parent, and family anxiety management
- M.A. in counseling psychology, Lesley University
- B.A., University of Massachusetts
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) Therapist.
- Trained in Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE),
Yale Child Study Center
- Trained in cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety, Beck Institute
- Trained in family therapy, Therapy Training Boston (Watertown, Mass.)
- Trained in yoga for anxiety and depression, Soulful Yoga Therapy (Salem, Mass.)
- Graduate certificate in trauma studies (counseling and psychology), Lesley University
Contact Marina Gonzalez-Ang to discuss how she can help you or your family, or learn more about counseling options.
To be contacted for a FREE Consultation, fill out an intake form HERE.
photo credits: Jenna Brown Photography www.jennabrownphoto.com
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