Yoga in Integrative Care: Optimizing Safety and Effectiveness

Dr. Steffany Moonaz is a yoga therapist and researcher in Baltimore, MD and serves as Chair of Integrative Health Research at the Maryland University of Integrative Health. She became curious about importance of mind-body activities at a young age, and has always had a passion and a curiosity about the healing power of mindful movement. She completed undergraduate work in biology and dance at Oberlin College, earned a MFA from University of Maryland as well as a CMA from the Laban Institute and spent eight years at Johns Hopkins University, helping to develop and evaluate a yoga program for

individuals with the chronic diseases of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, which became the basis for her PhD in public health. Along with ongoing research collaborations at the National Institutes of Health and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Dr. Moonaz is working to bring yoga to people with arthritis in communities around the country, as well as educating yoga teachers and yoga therapists about the unique needs of this population. She currently leads Yoga for Arthritis teacher training programs nationwide and serves as a mentor for several emerging researchers who are working to study the effects of yoga for various health conditions. Dr. Moonaz proudly serves on the Executive Committee of the Academic Collaborative for Integrative Health and advocates for evidence-informed practice and policy across integrative health fields.