Yoga complements cognitive behaviour therapy as an adjunct treatment for anxiety and depression: Qualitative findings from a mixed‐methods study

Objectives Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is recommended for treating anxiety and depression, demonstrating good efficacy and moderate rates of engagement. To further improve outcomes and access to evidence-based treatments, researchers have sought to enhance CBT protocols with mindfulness-based approaches, such as yoga. This study aimed to examine whether yoga is an acceptable and complementary adjunct to CBT through exploring the lived experiences of adults with anxiety and depression who engaged in an adjunct therapeutic yoga programme alongside group CBT. Design Single-group qualitative design with post-intervention and follow-up timepoints. Methods Thirty-six adults with anxiety and depression self-selected into a therapeutic yoga programme as an adjunct to group CBT. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 27 participants immediately after the eight-week programme and again three months later. Thematic analysis was used to identify common themes from the lived experiences. Results Three primary themes, with nine subthemes, were identified which reflect the experiences of the combined therapies, the complementary elements, and process of engagement over time. The adjunct yoga programme was highly acceptable to adults with anxiety and depression, enhancing engagement and perceived outcomes. Yoga was identified as providing a unique combination of elements that complemented processes of CBT, such as behavioural activation and thought disputation. Yoga practices represented mental health self-management tools that are accessible and available as relapse prevention strategies. Conclusions Therapeutic yoga warrants consideration as an adjunct treatment for anxiety and depression as it offers unique and complementary elements to CBT and can enhance engagement and perceived clinical outcomes. Practitioner points Adults with anxiety and depression experienced a therapeutic yoga programme as a suitable and appealing adjunct that enhanced engagement with psychological treatment. Yoga offers a unique combination of elements, including a values system, body-based mindfulness practices, and breathing techniques, that complement CBT processes, such as behavioural activation, awareness of maladaptive patterns, and thought disputation. A therapeutic yoga programme provides adults with anxiety and depression with an accessible and sustainable mental health self-management tool. Therapeutic yoga can be considered for integration to models of mental health service provision to enhance engagement and clinical outcomes for adults with anxiety and depression.