Exploring consumer and carer experiences of a therapeutic group yoga program for eating disorder recovery: a qualitative pilot study.
5 affiliations
- 1Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia. [email protected].
- 2Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
- 3Barwon Health Eating Disorder Service, Geelong, Australia.
- 4School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia.
- 5Faculty of Health, School of Occupational Therapy, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
Abstract
Background
Eating disorders remain complex and costly conditions, and while evidence-based treatments address behavioural and weight-related symptoms, they often neglect embodied aspects of recovery. This study examined consumer and carer experiences of an 8-week Yoga for Eating Disorder Recovery intervention (YEDRi) offered within a regional eating disorder service.Methods
A constructivist realist qualitative design was used to recruit twelve consumer-carer pairs (mean age = 17 years); ten completed the program and undertook post-program semi-structured interviews. Template Analysis guided iterative coding, stakeholder templates, and team consensus.Results
Four themes characterised participant experiences. Getting to the Mat showed mixed motivations and early hesitations. On the Mat revealed physical, psychological, and relational benefits. Off the Mat demonstrated how yoga practices supported daily regulation and strengthened family connection. Beyond the Mat identified safety-enhancing features and practical recommendations for future programs.Conclusions
Therapeutic yoga was experienced as a safe and valuable adjunct to treatment, offering benefits in emotional regulation, embodied awareness, and family connection. Carer-inclusive yoga programs show promise within eating disorder care and merit further investigation across settings and stages of recovery.Trial registration
The trial was registered through the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) (trial ID: ACTRN12625000274471).
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BibTeX
@article{obrien2026exploring,
title = {{Exploring consumer and carer experiences of a therapeutic group yoga program for eating disorder recovery: a qualitative pilot study.}},
author = {Jennifer O'Brien and Subhadra Evans and Elizabeth Hoon and Sonia Birch and Catherine Mazza and Shane McIver and Genevieve Pepin and Jill Harris and Melissa O'Shea},
journal = {Journal of eating disorders},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s40337-026-01729-0},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968189},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Exploring consumer and carer experiences of a therapeutic group yoga program for eating disorder recovery: a qualitative pilot study.
AU - Jennifer O'Brien
AU - Subhadra Evans
AU - Elizabeth Hoon
AU - Sonia Birch
AU - Catherine Mazza
AU - Shane McIver
AU - Genevieve Pepin
AU - Jill Harris
AU - Melissa O'Shea
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/31
JO - Journal of eating disorders
DO - 10.1186/s40337-026-01729-0
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968189
AB - Background Eating disorders remain complex and costly conditions, and while evidence-based treatments address behavioural and weight-related symptoms, they often neglect embodied aspects of recovery. This study examined consumer and carer experiences of an 8-week Yoga for Eating Disorder Recovery intervention (YEDRi) offered within a regional eating disorder service.Methods A constructivist realist qualitative design was used to recruit twelve consumer-carer pairs (mean age = 17 years); ten completed the program and undertook post-program semi-structured interviews. Template Analysis guided iterative coding, stakeholder templates, and team consensus.Results Four themes characterised participant experiences. Getting to the Mat showed mixed motivations and early hesitations. On the Mat revealed physical, psychological, and relational benefits. Off the Mat demonstrated how yoga practices supported daily regulation and strengthened family connection. Beyond the Mat identified safety-enhancing features and practical recommendations for future programs.Conclusions Therapeutic yoga was experienced as a safe and valuable adjunct to treatment, offering benefits in emotional regulation, embodied awareness, and family connection. Carer-inclusive yoga programs show promise within eating disorder care and merit further investigation across settings and stages of recovery.Trial registration The trial was registered through the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) (trial ID: ACTRN12625000274471).
SN - 2050-2974
ER -