Yoga and Movement as Education When Pain Persists

Neil is a physical therapist, yoga therapist, author, researcher, Clinical Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia, faculty in three IAYT-accredited yoga therapy programs, board member for the International Association of Yoga Therapists and pain care advocate. He conducts research into the effects of yoga on veterans with chronic pain and people with osteoarthritis. Neil is the recipient of awards honouring his work in pain care, patient education and physiotherapy by Queen’s University, the Canadian Pain Society and both provincial and national physiotherapy associations, including the Canadian 2021 Medal of Distinction.

Neil is a consultant to Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services, and to Lifemark’s 300+ clinics in Canada. Neil is a past board member for Pain BC, Canada’s premier non-profit transforming the way pain is understood and treated. He co-authored – Yoga and Science in Pain Care 2019, authored the patient education ebook, Understand Pain Live Well Again in 2008, and is lead contributor to many free patient resources offer by Pain BC.

For more information and course offerings, see www.paincareaware.com

Her passion for yoga inspired her to share yoga with a few friends in the basement of one of whom eventually lost her battle with cancer. She soon realized her love of yoga could only be surpassed by the desire to share it with others & the joy of seeing them benefit from yoga on many levels.

In 2002 just after delivering a stillborn boy Helene embarked on a 200hr YTT Certification Course. During 2003 she continued the training at same time began teaching yoga at the St. Lazare Community Center. Helene continues to teach regular yoga classes with a therapeutic approach, offers Private Yoga Therapy Sessions & mentors a 200hr Yoga Teacher Training. Winter of 2018 she will introduce an Advanced Yoga Teacher Training focusing on Therapeutics.

Helene is also co-founder of this international conference bringing health care professionals & yoga therapist together with the mission of integrating yoga into the Canadian health care system.

MISTY is an organization by Helene Couvrette that provides high quality continuing education for healthcare professionals, yoga therapists, and educators who have a shared passion in the mission of yoga therapy and science.