Yoga: How to Prepare Before, During and After an Assignment to Ease or Prevent Physical Stress and Pain
Workshop Description:
In this workshop, Jen will guide you through a sequence of postures that focus on the needs of interpreters such as the neck, shoulders, arms, wrists and back. In the first part, you will learn postures to do before you arrive at your job. The second part will focus on what you can do while on a job. The work you do is really challenging and moving the body in specific ways increases circulation and respiration and removes mental stress so you can return from a break with a clear mind and full of energy. The last part will focus on what you can do after work to completely distress and address those areas that need attention.
What interpreters do is highly complicated physically and mentally. We are all very apt at doing whatever is necessary and working under stress if need be in order to do our jobs professionally. Our bodies and minds our our tools. In every other vocation where a tool is required, it is maintained regularly. What do you do to maintain your tool? In the more recent past, our jobs have required a lot more time sitting often in front of a screen. A recent research study shows that sitting for long periods of time can have negative effects on our health http://edition.cnn.com/2017/09/11/health/sitting-increases-risk-of-death-study/index.html
I will show you how yoga has helped me and others. This workshop will contain visual material that will be made available to you so you can start using what you learn the following day and the days after. Due to the format of this online session, I will ask you to send in any physical concerns so I can address them directly. If you have a practice of yoga and have questions or concerns, please send them to me before so I can directly address your issue: kaganj@gmail.com.
Educational Objectives:
At the completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Explain why it is important to have a take care of your body physically when interpreting
- Demonstrate at least 3 yoga poses that will benefit them personally
- Describe at least 3 ways you can prepare before, during and after an assignment to ease or prevent physical stress and pain.
Presenter Bio:
Jen Kagan is a RID certified terp, Certified Iyengar Instructor and a certified member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. She owes her interpreter childhood to the Bay Area and then transferred to grow up fast and furiously in New York City. In 2011, she made a move to San Miguel de Allende, the heart of Mexico. She lives, teaches and mentors teachers as well as workshops and retreats all over Mexico. www.jenkagan.net. She taught yoga to her colleagues while working as a video relay interpreter. This workshop is an extension of that work and comes from a deep desire to help her fellow terps physically and mentally with the application of yoga. She hopes some of you who practice will gain deeper insight and those who never thought yoga was for them will find this an accessible portal for better health.