What happens to human connection when speech, memory, and cognitive faculties begin to fade?
In this episode of This is Yoga Therapy, host Michele Lawrence sits down with colleague Denyse LeFever, MBA, C-IAYT, a certified yoga therapist specializing in healthy aging, cancer support, and cognitive longevity.
Denyse recently authored the chapter "Connecting With Those Who Forget" in the newly released The Caregiver’s Advocate (Volume 3). In her writing and in this conversation, Denyse shares a raw, intimate look at navigating caregiving from two distinct vantage points: first as a daughter witnessing her brilliant father’s decline from Alzheimer’s, and years later as a wife sitting bedside in the ICU as her husband emerged from an extended bypass coma with acute post-operative delirium ("pumphead syndrome").
Together, Michele and Denyse explore how the philosophical frameworks of yoga therapy—specifically the Panchamaya Kosha model—allow us to recognize that the true self (Anandamaya Kosha) remains whole even when the thinking mind (Manomaya/Vijnanamaya) is impaired. Denyse breaks down the neuroscience behind evidenced-based practices like Kirtan Kriya, and restorative tools like Yoga Nidra that offer support for caregivers navigating chronic stress and burnout.
What We Discuss in This Episode:
Navigating the Unthinkable in the ICU: Denyse recounts the moment her husband, Pierce, opened his eyes after a three-week medically induced coma following open-heart surgery, and what it meant to face the cognitive fallout of post-perfusion syndrome ("pumphead").
“He’s Still There!” — The Koshas & Cognitive Decline: Why friends questioned her visits to her non-verbal father with Alzheimer’s, and how yoga philosophy teaches us to connect beneath language and intellect through non-verbal presence, tactile contact, and music.
The Clinical Science of Kirtan Kriya (Sa Ta Na Ma): Denyse’s work with the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation (ARPF), explaining how the 12-minute combination of tongue-to-palate reflex points, fingertip mudras, and sound vibration enhances cerebral blood flow and telomerase activity.
Meeting Clients Where They Are: Simple modifications to traditional practices for clients with religious hesitation or cognitive fatigue.
Caregiver Stress & Burnout: Addressing the hidden reality of caregiver PTSD, the physical cost of putting one's life on hold, and how Yoga Nidra offers true physiological reset when sleep feels impossible.
The 60-Second Reset: A simple, accessible pranayama tool ("Blow Out the Candles") that any caregiver can use during acute moments of stress or sundowning.
Resources & Links Mentioned:
Denyse’s Website & Classes:Lavender Om Wellness(Explore Denyse’s guided Kirtan Kriya, restorative practices, and Yoga Nidra recordings)
Book:The Caregiver’s Advocate (Volume 3) — featuring Denyse’s chapter: "Connecting With Those Who Forget: Yoga for Stress Relief and Better Brain Health"
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