There's no doubt about it, working with teenagers in a Yoga Therapy setting can feel daunting. In fact, when we ask students on one of our trainings whether they would feel confident working with young people, around 70% say no.
That hesitation is understandable. Teenagers are often described as unpredictable, angry, withdrawn, forgetful, emotional, impulsive, or difficult to reach. Parents and carers may feel overwhelmed too. It can be a challenging stage of life for everyone involved.
But as Yoga Therapists, it’s important to pause and question some of the assumptions we make about young people and how we might work with them.
In this short video, Programme Director Montserrat G. Mukherjee explores some of the key considerations when working with teenagers in a Yoga Therapy context — from safeguarding and consent, to recognising when additional professional support may be needed.
1. Understand the Legal and Ethical Boundaries
Before working with teenagers, it’s essential to understand the regulations in your country or region. In some places, young people cannot attend Yoga Therapy sessions without parental consent.
Having good intentions is not enough. As practitioners, we need to ensure we are working safely, ethically, and within appropriate professional boundaries.
2. Don’t Dismiss Everything as “Just Being a Teenager”
Teenagers can absolutely experience genuine physical and mental health challenges. Anxiety, eating disorders, asthma, depression, addiction, or other health concerns should never be brushed aside as just typical adolescent behaviour.
Sometimes parents or carers may already be assigning labels or making assumptions about what is happening. Part of our role is recognising when further assessment or medical support may be necessary, and being prepared to refer appropriately.
Yoga Therapy can offer meaningful support — but it should never be positioned as a cure.
3. Build a Supportive Professional Community Around You
Working with teenagers can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be emotionally demanding. Having a professional network around you matters.
That may include doctors, mental health professionals, schools, parents, carers, or other specialists. Collaboration is often essential when supporting younger clients safely and effectively.
Watch the full video, where Montserrat explores these themes in more depth and shares why working with teenagers in Yoga Therapy deserves both care and curiosity.
