From Surviving to Thriving: A Yoga Therapy Approach to Nervous System Regulation

ONLINE & IN-PERSON with Claudia Bartsch, C-IAYT, PRYT

$54 | $49 Early bird, exp. 11/28/26

We appreciate advance registration.

Please register in advance: a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.

Join Claudia Bartsch, an established Yoga Therapist and Brain Longevity Specialist, for a science-informed exploration of nervous system regulation through somatic practices, yoga, breathwork, and Yoga Nidra.

Most of us try to change how we feel by changing how we think. While insight can be valuable, lasting change often requires more than understanding our thoughts. Many of our habitual stress responses and patterns are deeply embedded in the nervous system and can operate beyond the reach of conscious thought.

When we feel caught in cycles of stress, anxiety, overthinking, or emotional reactivity, simply “thinking our way out” may not be enough. A somatic approach offers another pathway to change: through the body.

In this 3-hour experiential workshop, you’ll explore how interoception—the ability to sense and understand the internal state of the body—can support nervous system regulation, emotional resilience, and a deeper sense of embodied presence.

We’ll begin with a brief introduction to the science and theory behind the mind-body connection, then move into experiential practices that help you develop greater awareness of your physical and physiological state.

In this workshop, you will:

  • Map Your Nervous System: Learn to recognize habitual stress responses and understand them as protective physiological adaptations rather than personal failures. Develop a more compassionate relationship with your own patterns.
  • Cultivate Interoception Through Yoga: Move beyond the stories of the mind and into direct sensory awareness through somatic movement, mindful yoga postures, and embodied practices.
  • Regulate Through Pranayama: Explore specific breathing techniques that can influence your physiological state and support greater calm, regulation, and resilience.
  • Integrate Through Yoga Nidra: Experience Yoga Nidra, a systematic yogic meditation practice that encourages deep relaxation, body awareness, and a sense of inner safety and restoration.

This workshop is especially beneficial for those who:

  • Want practical somatic tools for emotional regulation and nervous system resilience
  • Experience anxiety, overthinking, chronic stress, or difficulty relaxing
  • Are experiencing burnout or feeling disconnected from their body
  • Want to better understand the mind-body connection
  • Are interested in Yoga Therapy, somatic practices, and science-informed approaches to stress regulation

No previous yoga experience is necessary.
The workshop will be recorded and available to all enrolled students for two weeks.


Originally from Germany, Claudia has been studying and teaching yoga for over 25 years. With more than 2,000 hours of formal training, she brings a strong foundation in the classical traditions of yoga together with innovative, therapeutic approaches. Certified as a Yoga Therapist in 2016, she is deeply dedicated to facilitating holistic healing. In her work, she specializes in supporting individuals navigating mental, emotional, or physical challenges by adapting yoga practices to meet their unique conditions and needs. In addition, she is a Certified Stress Management Educator, empowering individuals to cultivate resilience and inner calm through mindful, evidence-informed practices. She also holds certifications as a Shiatsu and Reiki Practitioner, modalities that complement the integrative, body-centered approach she brings to her work. To further deepen her understanding of cognitive and mental health, she became a Brain Longevity Specialist through the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation in 2022. Her approach weaves together ancient wisdom and modern science to support balance, healing, and authentic well-being.

New Beginnings Writing Group

ONLINE with Susan Ford, C-IAYT, RYT-500

$1-15 sliding scale

Please register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.

Meets twice a month on 2nd & 4th Friday | Ongoing

$1-15 sliding scale (free for active teachers)

In these times of great change we will explore a path toward meeting ourselves where we are to give voice to all that matters! As we live with interruptions and chaos, we can deepen into the roots of our creativity, encouraging the river of expression to flow. Beginners and seasoned writers are welcome, as we explore various forms of writing: poetry, prose, short stories, memoir, among others. Through writing exercises using everyday life, place, family, images, poetry of others, while using pranayama, meditation and the guidance of the Sutras we will build a body of work. Participants are encouraged to go at their own pace.
Tools we will Practice:

• The Art of Paying Attention
• Acceptance
• Play
• Writing from the Heart

Together we will combine self-care with our writing and discover what a writing practice means to us and how it may take shape.


Susan Ford, C-IAYT, RYT-500, began teaching in 2011 and has been an assistant trainer for the Basic Yoga Teacher Training at Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco (IYISF) since 2012. She specializes in gentle yoga and yoga therapy working with people with disabilities, cancer, heart disease, arthritis, aging, bone health, anxiety, depression and asthma. Her focus is to help students to meet their bodies where they are by introducing and incorporating Therapeutic Yoga, Raja Yoga, Hatha Yoga, pranayama and meditation. Susan has been a writer of poetry, short stories and plays most of her adult life and has been repeatedly featured in storytelling events in Northern California. She has led writer groups, tutored many in writing, and regularly hosts poetry reading Satsangs at IYISF.

HATHA ・RAJA ・ Awakening Through Practice: Philosophy on the Mat

Celebrating 6 Branches of Integral Yoga
60 Year Anniversary Weekend Celebration • Friday, OCT 2 – Sunday, OCT 4
HATHA • physical well-being | RAJA • mental mastery | BHAKTI • devotion | JNANA • wisdom & Self-realization
KARMA • selfless service | JAPA • transformation through sacred sound


ONLINE & IN-PERSON with Swami Ramananda

$5–54 individual session | $54–540 weekend pass
Accepted memberships: Active teachers, Weekend Pass holders, and “Friends” all levels

Please register in advance: a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.

We appreciate advance registration.

Deepening our understanding of Yoga in the context of its original purpose can transform the way we practice. Beyond physical movement, Yoga offers a path toward stilling the mind and reconnecting with the deeper awareness that is our true nature. Without this understanding, our practice can easily be shaped by unconscious habits, conditioning, and the pressures of modern culture.

In this experiential class, we will weave together asana, pranayama, meditation, and Yogic philosophy to cultivate greater awareness of the body, breath, mind, and subtle energy. Through mindful movement and self-observation, we explore how practice can help us move beyond conditioned patterns and open to greater balance, clarity, and inner connection. Over time, this approach can nurture a deeper sense of peace, belonging, and authentic well-being.


Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, C-IAYT, and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition who has been practicing Yoga for over 45 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of Yoga into daily life and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.
He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and offers a variety of programs in many locations in the U.S., Europe and South America. Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many locations. He is a certified Yoga therapist and founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes yoga teachers as professionals. He co-founded The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI), which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world. His warmth, wisdom and sense of humor have endeared him to many.


All sessions are offered on a sliding scale to support accessibility for all. You may pay for individual sessions or purchase a Weekend Pass, which serves as one payment for all sessions throughout the weekend. Weekend Pass holders must still register in advance for each session they wish to attend in order to reserve their space.

As a special weekend in support of our nonprofit mission, we invite you to contribute as generously as you are able to help us continue sharing the classical teachings of Integral Yoga with all who seek them for years to come.

Enjoy a Weekend Pass; make one payment and access ALL sessions throughout the weekend!

Weekend Pass holders must still register in advance for each session that they wish to attend in order to reserve their space. When registering for individual sessions, select the Weekend Pass as your payment.


 

Light Immersion with Subtle Practices

Online & In-person | $10-30 sliding scale –Class passes & memberships are accepted.

Please register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.

We appreciate advance registration.

Join us for a special practice of subtle Yoga as we celebrate both the International Day of Yoga and the Summer Solstice. Subtle practices, like the physical practice of Yoga, establish a deep connection with the universe. They offer a unique opportunity to open the doors to higher states of consciousness, inner Light, and pranic healing.

The session will include:

⋅ Yoga Nidra: A deep relaxation practice to awaken the pranic flow within the body
⋅ Breathing exercises: Techniques to enhance vitality and energy
⋅ Guided meditation: Focusing on connecting with the Earth and uncovering our Inner Light
⋅ Light invocation: Inviting positivity and illumination
⋅ Extended Gayatri Mantra chanting: A powerful mantra to harmonize body, mind, and spirit chanted to enlighten the mind

The Summer Solstice serves as a reminder to honor our connection to the natural world and the inevitable cycles of life. It’s a time to celebrate our inner power and brightness.

Afternoon of Yoga at IYISF in celebration of International Day of Yoga & Summer Solstice.

Pacific times | online & in-person:

2:00-3:30 pm – Enlighten Up: How to Enjoy the Spiritual Path with Swamis Asokananda & Ramananda
3:45-4:45 pm – Freeing Your Yoga Practice – mixed level with Raisa Punkki
3:45-4:45 pm – Gentle Yoga class with Kayko Watanabe
5:00-6:00 pm – Light Immersion with Subtle Practices with Diana Meltsner

All levels of practice are welcome. All programs are available for individual sign up online or in-person at a sliding scale pricing.

All proceeds will help us sustain our mission:
“The Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco, founded by Sri Swami Satchidananda, is a non-profit, interfaith organization dedicated to serving the community through living and sharing the classical teachings of Yoga, making the teachings accessible, and cultivating peace and harmony among all people.”


Diana Meltsner, C-IAYT, ERYT-500, YACEP, has been teaching a variety of classes and workshops since 2001 and since 2017 offers yoga therapy sessions privately and at Integral Yoga Therapy Clinic in San Francisco. She has over 15 years of experience in leading and co-teaching Yoga and Meditation teacher trainings. She has been working in the clinical setting for Kaiser Permanente since 2005 as a yoga teacher, yoga therapist, and health educator. Diana’s focus is on the healing aspects of Yoga on the mind as well as the body by applying the physical postures, practices of breath-control, mindfulness and meditation. Diana helps her clients to find the ability to move through life with increased ease, stress resilience, and intuition. Diana Meltsner works as a programs manager at Integral Yoga Institute, an urban ashram in San Francisco. www.dianameltsner.com