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Yoga Medicine ® Therapeutic Specialist

Yoga with Joy - Joy Zazzera

Serving Women 50+ with Online Yoga Therapeutics & Meditation — Based in Lackawanna County, PA, including Carbondale, Mayfield, Archbald, Scranton and Clarks Summit — and worldwide

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Yoga Therapeutics & Meditation for Beginners

Joy Zazzera'a Blog

Welcome to your trusted space for science-informed insight and body-wise support.
If you’ve ever searched for yoga or meditation help online—and ended up more overwhelmed than empowered—you’re not alone.
This blog is here to remove the guesswork out of what's possible.

Here, you’ll find clear, compassionate guidance rooted in yoga therapeutics, meditation made simple, massage therapeutics, and my lived experience. Whether you’re navigating joint replacements, reduced mobility, chronic stress, or just starting out with yoga and meditation, this space is meant to remove confusion and offer real solutions—for your body, nervous system, and stage of life.

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Practicing Reclined Hand to Big Toe position to stretch the hamstrings and calf assisted with a yoga strap for more control through the experience.

Practicing Reclined Hand to Big Toe position to stretch the hamstrings and calf assisted with a yoga strap for more control through the experience.

How to Practice Yoga Safely: For Older Beginners & Adults with Movement Limitations 

Safe yoga for older beginners isn’t about avoiding all discomfort—it’s about learning to recognize your limits, respond to your body’s signals, and build capacity gently. One of the most common concerns among beginners—especially older adults—is poor balance or feeling “unsteady.” This is often a result of disuse, outdated movement habits, or unresolved tension. The good news is that balance can improve with practice—especially when we focus on the foundational systems that

Apr 203 min read

Joy Zazzera is Northeastern Pennsylvania’s only Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist—one of just three in the state and 104 in the U.S.

Joy Zazzera is Northeastern Pennsylvania’s only Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist—one of just three in the state and 104 in the U.S.

Yoga Therapeutics for Musculoskeletal Conditions

If you're seeking relief from pain, stiffness, injury recovery, or stress-related tension, it's important to work with a yoga teacher who understands how to safely and effectively support your body’s needs. Not all yoga instructors are trained in therapeutic practices, and not all certifications are created equal. Two of the most recognized credentials in the field are Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) and Yoga Medicine® Therapeutic Specialist.

Jan 305 min read

Physical Therapist performs a movement evaluation of a female patient presenting with shoulder pain and restricted range of motion.

Physical Therapist performs a movement evaluation of a female patient presenting with shoulder pain and restricted range of motion.

Yoga for Shoulder Pain and Injuries After 50: How Therapeutic Yoga Supports Healing and Mobility

If we’re fortunate enough to live a long life, some level of joint degeneration is inevitable. But degeneration doesn't have to mean pain. In fact, shoulder pain in aging bodies is often less about the severity of the “damage” and more about movement quality, muscular imbalance, and how well the shoulder is supported by the surrounding structures. This is where yoga therapeutics—especially when personalized—can offer a profoundly healing approach.

Jun 30, 20244 min read

Working from a supine position (lying on the back face up) offers a therapeutic benefit to individuals dealing with the most common conditions of the spine. Their restorative nature can: help pain relief by promoting relaxation, improve awareness, flexibility, mobility, and neuromuscular control, and strengthening supportive muscles.

Working from a supine position (lying on the back face up) offers a therapeutic benefit to individuals dealing with the most common conditions of the spine. Their restorative nature can: help pain relief by promoting relaxation, improve awareness, flexibility, mobility, and neuromuscular control, and strengthening supportive muscles.

Gentle Yoga for Low Back Pain Relief

Low back pain affects up to 80% of people at some point in their lives. And yet, no two experiences of pain are exactly the same. One person may feel stiffness or deep achiness; another may deal with nerve pain, instability, or postural strain. What’s important to understand is this: even when imaging shows degeneration, bulging discs, or misalignment, pain is not always directly tied to structure. And even when there are no structural issues at all, pain can still be very r

Apr 28, 20245 min read

Scoliosis is a condition marked by a lateral curvature of the spine, often accompanied by subtle or significant rotational shifts which also affect the rib cage and scapula.

Scoliosis is a condition marked by a lateral curvature of the spine, often accompanied by subtle or significant rotational shifts which also affect the rib cage and scapula.

Yoga for Scoliosis: Supporting the Curved Spine with Therapeutic Practices to Improve Posture, Mobility, and Pain

From a yoga therapeutics perspective, scoliosis isn’t just about the bones. It’s about how the entire body adapts to the curve, especially the soft tissues that surround, support, and respond to spinal changes. Muscles, fascia, breath mechanics, and balance all play a role in how scoliosis is experienced and how it’s best supported.

Mar 24, 20245 min read

Person doing self-massage on shin muscles with two therapy balls.

Person doing self-massage on shin muscles with two therapy balls.

Understanding Fascia Tightness: What It Means & How to Support It

You may have heard that your fascia is “tight,” “wound up,” or “needs to be released.” These phrases are common in wellness spaces—but are they accurate? What does it actually mean when we feel stiff, restricted, or like we need to “stretch something out”? This blog explores what’s really going on beneath the surface—and how therapeutic movement, stretching, and self-massage can help.

Feb 18, 20244 min read

Gentle, intentional motor control engagement and coordination of the body moving slowly through space in kneeling exercise "Bird Dog" offer a slow build in stability and control of the core, spine and hips.

Gentle, intentional motor control engagement and coordination of the body moving slowly through space in kneeling exercise "Bird Dog" offer a slow build in stability and control of the core, spine and hips.

Yoga Therapeutics for Pain Relief: Building Resilience & Reconnection

Pain often distorts our sense of where we are in space. Many people with persistent pain lose proprioception—meaning, they’re not quite sure how they’re moving. This can lead to imbalances, instability, and more discomfort. A skilled yoga therapeutics approach brings awareness back online. By slowing things down, removing extra stressors (like balance or complex transitions), and noticing asymmetries with compassion—not criticism—you begin to re-establish a healthy relations

Jan 7, 20243 min read

Yoga's discomfort zone and what it means to step into it.

Yoga's discomfort zone and what it means to step into it.

Yoga's discomfort zone and what it means to step into it.

If your reaction to trying yoga elicits a mindset that you don’t have an able-body for yoga, or you can't balance, consider reading on.

Dec 14, 20225 min read

Hormones, Fascia, and Yoga: What Ovulation and Menopause Mean for Your Practice

Hormones, Fascia, and Yoga: What Ovulation and Menopause Mean for Your Practice

Hormones, Fascia, and Yoga: What Ovulation and Menopause Mean for Your Practice

Fascial changes in response to hormones is a topic that fascinates me and is now gaining attention in scientific research, especially...

Dec 10, 20225 min read

In yoga therapeutics, increasing circulation in the feet improves stability and balance in standing poses. One technique is to incorporate yoga props like a block with a myofascial therapy ball to produce sinking pressure and shearing stimulation.

In yoga therapeutics, increasing circulation in the feet improves stability and balance in standing poses. One technique is to incorporate yoga props like a block with a myofascial therapy ball to produce sinking pressure and shearing stimulation.

How Stretching and Myofascial Release Improve Fascia Health, Mobility, and Internal Wellness

The human body is a complex tension-integral system where push and pull have a win-win relationship. More simply, the body is bones connected by soft tissue within a net of continuous tension creating stability without direct contact. When the tension network shifts, it affects the entire system and has impacts on efficiency of movement, and propensity to injury.

Dec 7, 20226 min read

Yoga Sharpens Brain Health: Memory, Focus & Neuroplasticity

Yoga Sharpens Brain Health: Memory, Focus & Neuroplasticity

Yoga Sharpens Brain Health: Memory, Focus & Neuroplasticity

As we age, our brain actually atrophies in function. But did you know that practicing yoga as a regular part of your lifestyle can ...

Oct 16, 20226 min read

Re-learning how to relax.

Re-learning how to relax.

Re-learning how to relax.

Increasingly things that feel easy and may not require a lot of brain power are often being confused with relaxation. Our learned...

Jul 31, 20222 min read

Motivation for Movement Snacks

Motivation for Movement Snacks

Motivation for Movement Snacks

Hungry to move easier but don’t have much time or motivation to adopt a traditional workout regime? Or maybe you’re not sure how to work...

Jan 21, 20223 min read

Manifesto for Yoga Misfits

Manifesto for Yoga Misfits

Manifesto for Yoga Misfits

Every year you consider trying yoga. And every year you label yourself a misfit and jest at the overwhelming messages about yoga and what...

Dec 20, 20218 min read

What begins here, spreads.

What begins here, spreads.

What begins here, spreads.

What begins in a yoga practice can spread to other areas of life. Each and every yoga class I design is intended to leave you with...

Nov 15, 20213 min read

Right Now is Everything

Right Now is Everything

Right Now is Everything

Our routines have the potential to ground us or the more unsettled feeling of being pulled in different directions simultaneously. A...

Nov 11, 20213 min read

Ultimate Self-Care: The stillness and sensory experience of Restorative Yoga + Meditation

Ultimate Self-Care: The stillness and sensory experience of Restorative Yoga + Meditation

Ultimate Self-Care: The stillness and sensory experience of Restorative Yoga + Meditation

In the age of movement, nothing is more critical than stillness. Because we already to some degree understand that overdoing leads to...

Sep 6, 20214 min read

CAPTURING PRESENCE: In the space of quiet contemplation, insight & clarity are revealed.

CAPTURING PRESENCE: In the space of quiet contemplation, insight & clarity are revealed.

CAPTURING PRESENCE: In the space of quiet contemplation, insight & clarity are revealed.

When I first set out to open my own yoga business, I knew ahead of time details that I didn’t want to over-look.

Aug 26, 20214 min read

"What Kind of Yoga Do You Teach?"

"What Kind of Yoga Do You Teach?"

"What Kind of Yoga Do You Teach?"

I was recently asked by a new client after having taking a few classes with me to describe the style of yoga I teach. While my yoga is...

Aug 18, 20218 min read

Osteoarthritis and the Athlete Mindset After 40

Osteoarthritis and the Athlete Mindset After 40

Osteoarthritis and the Athlete Mindset After 40

Yoga teaches you to walk the line of discomfort while trying to maintain focus. Through yoga it is possible to quiet the mind, freeing it...

Aug 13, 20213 min read

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