Beyond physical practice: Validation and feasibility of a yoga-based counselling program (YBCP) for common mental...

Existing studies highlight the potential of yoga practice techniques in reducing stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and somatic pain; however, a structured and validated Yoga-Based Counselling Program (YBCP) grounded in yoga philosophy remains unexplored for common mental disorders. This study aimed to develop a YBCP for CMD, validate it with yoga and mental health experts, and test its feasibility. We conducted a three-phase, sequential mixed-methods feasibility study (Development, Validation, Feasibility Testing) following an established feasibility framework. Development involved interviews with CMD patients (n = 18), literature reviews, traditional yogic texts, and yoga expert interviews. Validation used the Delphi method with experts (n = 17), thematic analysis, and the Content Validation Ratio (CVR). Feasibility testing assessed 30 patients (depression, anxiety, and somatoform pain disorder, n = 10 each) aged 18-45 years undergoing tailored yoga practices, yogic counselling (the principal component), and lifestyle modifications, with symptom, functioning, quality of life, and personality measures at baseline and post-intervention. All retained items met the CVR thresholds across Relevance (0.53), Essentiality (0.62), Clarity (0.36), and Clinical Applicability (0.31). Among 24 completers of six sessions, depression and anxiety scores fell significantly across all domains (p < 0.001), with improvements in symptom subscales and functioning (p < 0.001). Clarity and equanimity (Sattva) rose significantly (p < 0.001), with decreases in passion (Rajas) and inertia (Tamas). This preliminary work demonstrates that yogic philosophy can be integrated into psychotherapy approaches for CMD, offering a culturally relevant, novel approach to personalized mental health care. Controlled trials are warranted to establish efficacy and scalability. This work is part of an ongoing series exploring psychotherapeutic insights from eastern traditions.