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Rise Above T1D Yoga Therapy ProgramTransforming Diabetes into the Source for Self-MasteryRise Above T1D is a 6-week interactive yoga therapy program for people with type 1 diabetes and LADA. It combines yoga asana, pranayama, meditation, and yoga nidra, with Ayurveda, yoga philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience into a stream-lined and innovative program to transform, empower and heal.
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Meet Your Guide
C-IAYT, E-RYT 500
Author of Yoga Therapy for Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetic since 1998
Author of Yoga Therapy for Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetic since 1998
Hi, my name is Evan Soroka. I am the founder of the Rise Above T1D program and your trusted guide on this intimate and transformative journey.
Like you, I am a person with type 1 diabetes. I was diagnosed in 1998 at the age of thirteen on a backpacking trip through the Elk Mountains of my hometown Aspen, Colorado.
The diagnosis was not so much a shock as navigating the changes I felt in my body. The biggest struggles I faced were not the needles and insulin. It was the intense energy shifts, emotional waves, anxiety, and self-consciousness that plagued me.
Diabetes forces us to grow up fast, develop emotional maturity and self-control beyond our years. I struggled to walk the tightrope, do the balancing act we're all doing, every single moment, without the inner tools that yoga provides.
I was lucky to stumble into yoga a few years after my diagnosis. Lost and disconnected from my body, the practices helped me develop awareness and strength. I was able to witness rising tides of emotions and channel my energy into positive outlets.
There's a saying my teacher has that, "The larger the stain, the stronger the detergent needed to remove it." Yoga was like that stain remover for me. When I first started practice, I needed something powerful to pull me out of the despair and remind me of my wholeness. Initially, the physical postures and breathing exercises did that for me. As I advanced, and there was less of a mess to clean up, I found transformative value in the subtle practices of meditation, chanting, and yoga nidra.
Like you, I am a person with type 1 diabetes. I was diagnosed in 1998 at the age of thirteen on a backpacking trip through the Elk Mountains of my hometown Aspen, Colorado.
The diagnosis was not so much a shock as navigating the changes I felt in my body. The biggest struggles I faced were not the needles and insulin. It was the intense energy shifts, emotional waves, anxiety, and self-consciousness that plagued me.
Diabetes forces us to grow up fast, develop emotional maturity and self-control beyond our years. I struggled to walk the tightrope, do the balancing act we're all doing, every single moment, without the inner tools that yoga provides.
I was lucky to stumble into yoga a few years after my diagnosis. Lost and disconnected from my body, the practices helped me develop awareness and strength. I was able to witness rising tides of emotions and channel my energy into positive outlets.
There's a saying my teacher has that, "The larger the stain, the stronger the detergent needed to remove it." Yoga was like that stain remover for me. When I first started practice, I needed something powerful to pull me out of the despair and remind me of my wholeness. Initially, the physical postures and breathing exercises did that for me. As I advanced, and there was less of a mess to clean up, I found transformative value in the subtle practices of meditation, chanting, and yoga nidra.
I have dedicated my entire adult life to mastering these tools and showing others how they can too. Since my first yoga class in 2001, I've received the highest credentials in yoga education, becoming a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT) and writing my first opus, Yoga Therapy for Diabetes, during Covid lockdown last year.
This is the third round of the Rise Above T1D program, the first inaugurated in 2019. Every session grows and evolves with new research, experiences, and a budding, supportive and diverse yoga community of people like you and me living with type 1 diabetes.
I believe that diabetes care and education should be individualized. The way we treat diagnosis in the western world is to treat the disease and not the person. As individuals living with diabetes, we're never taught to observe how diabetes manifests uniquely within us at every changing moment. We're fooled to believe that somehow it will be static and we'll fit magically between the lines of 80-180 mg/dL. But we find, just like all of life, that diabetes is dynamic. It is always changing just like the seasons. We need to feel empowered to manage diabetes throughout every change, knowing that we have the tools and resources to handle it and grow.
This is the third round of the Rise Above T1D program, the first inaugurated in 2019. Every session grows and evolves with new research, experiences, and a budding, supportive and diverse yoga community of people like you and me living with type 1 diabetes.
I believe that diabetes care and education should be individualized. The way we treat diagnosis in the western world is to treat the disease and not the person. As individuals living with diabetes, we're never taught to observe how diabetes manifests uniquely within us at every changing moment. We're fooled to believe that somehow it will be static and we'll fit magically between the lines of 80-180 mg/dL. But we find, just like all of life, that diabetes is dynamic. It is always changing just like the seasons. We need to feel empowered to manage diabetes throughout every change, knowing that we have the tools and resources to handle it and grow.
The purpose of the Rise Above T1D program is to educate and inspire you to take charge of your diabetes health, happiness, and personal potential. I genuinely believe that adversity, such as diabetes, can be the launchpad to live a healthier, happier, and more fulfilling existence.
Yoga Therapy has helped me:
Although all yoga is potentially beneficial for diabetes, not all yoga addresses the unique needs and challenges of diabetes. The Rise Above program is the only yoga therapy program to comprehensively address the person living with type 1 diabetes. This program will teach you how to manage in-the-moment highs and lows, understand your physiological responses and alter them, transforming your attitudes and perceptions while equipping you with resilience and longevity.
The goal is not to focus on the numbers, diet, or fitness plan, but instead to improve health by creating a lifestyle conducive to healing. When you learn how to play gently, there is a fun dynamism to diabetes care and life.
You have a choice.
You don't have to let diabetes win.
You can break free of the chaotic cycle.
I am here today to show YOU how to do it for yourself.
No one can do this work except for you!
This missing link in mastering diabetes is already alive within you. You just have to AWAKEN it. You don't need anything other than yourself, an open mind, and dedication; the work will transform you if you let it.
Are you ready?
I would love to guide you there.
Best,
Yoga Therapy has helped me:
- Consistently lower my HbA1c to 6.0% without lows.
- Be clear and precise in my diabetes management.
- Recover faster from blood sugar swings and increase energy.
- Create mental clarity and emotional stability.
- Reduce anxiety and burnout.
- Overcome my fear of lows.
- Overcome my fear of food.
- Overcome diabetes perfectionism.
- Transcend body and self-image issues.
- Be aware of negative behavioral patterns and make lasting adjustments.
- Develop self-discipline, willpower, and self-awareness.
- Improve my attitude and beliefs about diabetes.
- Cultivate self-compassion, forgive and learn from mistakes.
Although all yoga is potentially beneficial for diabetes, not all yoga addresses the unique needs and challenges of diabetes. The Rise Above program is the only yoga therapy program to comprehensively address the person living with type 1 diabetes. This program will teach you how to manage in-the-moment highs and lows, understand your physiological responses and alter them, transforming your attitudes and perceptions while equipping you with resilience and longevity.
The goal is not to focus on the numbers, diet, or fitness plan, but instead to improve health by creating a lifestyle conducive to healing. When you learn how to play gently, there is a fun dynamism to diabetes care and life.
You have a choice.
You don't have to let diabetes win.
You can break free of the chaotic cycle.
I am here today to show YOU how to do it for yourself.
No one can do this work except for you!
This missing link in mastering diabetes is already alive within you. You just have to AWAKEN it. You don't need anything other than yourself, an open mind, and dedication; the work will transform you if you let it.
Are you ready?
I would love to guide you there.
Best,
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Does This Sound Like You?
- You understand that diabetes is a constantly changing force. What worked yesterday might not work today - and you want to grow and evolve.
- Despite your best efforts to live a healthy life, you feel like you need some extra help.
- You recognize that insulin, diet and exercise alone are not enough.
- It's hard to separate yourself from your disease – the highs and lows define you.
- You understand the value of self-care and want to understand how to practice for diabetes.
- You're easily tired, drained and have a hard time sleeping.
- You want to have more energy for the things that matter most –life, family, work, adventure, recreational activities –but diabetes gets in the way.
- You struggle to communicate what you need to others - often you feel frustrated - because they just don't get it.
- You have tried yoga or other holistic modalities but they do not have a lasting effect.
- You’ve been searching for the answers outside of yourself –and you are ready to find the answers within.
If you answered yes to ANY of these, then Rise Above T1D may be right for you!
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Learn How To:
*Practice yoga therapy for immediate and long-term diabetes needs
*Identify and address different types of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia
*Re-train and extend your breath capacity
*Improve vagal tone, heart rate variability, oxygen absorption
*Increase your natural ability to self-regulate, revitalize and recover from imbalances
*Optimize your energy, improve sleep and digestion
*Reduce diabetes overwhelm, stress and exhaustion
*Learn holistic practices for anxiety and depression
*Release and transform negative emotions, freeing mind from unnecessary fear and worry
*Execute diabetes management adjustments with clarity and precision
*Cultivate a sattvic - balanced lifestyle - with Ayurvedic principles
*Improve your relationship with yourself, others, forgive your mistakes and move on!
*Find more spaciousness and play with your diabetes care
*Create inner peace - at any time - anywhere - for your whole lifetime.
*Identify and address different types of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia
*Re-train and extend your breath capacity
*Improve vagal tone, heart rate variability, oxygen absorption
*Increase your natural ability to self-regulate, revitalize and recover from imbalances
*Optimize your energy, improve sleep and digestion
*Reduce diabetes overwhelm, stress and exhaustion
*Learn holistic practices for anxiety and depression
*Release and transform negative emotions, freeing mind from unnecessary fear and worry
*Execute diabetes management adjustments with clarity and precision
*Cultivate a sattvic - balanced lifestyle - with Ayurvedic principles
*Improve your relationship with yourself, others, forgive your mistakes and move on!
*Find more spaciousness and play with your diabetes care
*Create inner peace - at any time - anywhere - for your whole lifetime.
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DAILY SCHEDULE
Over the course of 6 weeks you will learn the foundation of yoga therapy for type 1 diabetes.
Each week is specifically designed to help you maximize your understanding and absorption of the material.
Each week is specifically designed to help you maximize your understanding and absorption of the material.
How it Works:
Bite-Size LearningEvery Monday Evan will upload the content for the week's lectures in small, bite sized videos so you can learn throughout the week at your own pace. The goal is for you to absorb and integrate the material before Saturday's live experiential yoga practice. |
Live Weekly Practice on ZoomYoga therapy is gentle, focused on the major pain points people with T1D face starting with physical challenges, then moving into the mind, emotions and behavioral therapy. Each live practice focuses on the week's learning and helps you integrate it within your body and mind. |
Learn at Your Own PaceRise Above is structured to learn at your own pace within a spacious structure to help you move through the program with ease. Small form videos, office hours and lives practices allow you to lean in as much, or as little as you want. You can revisit any practice for three months after the course closes. |
Community & AccountabilityThis is a personal journey but you do not have to do it alone. Evidence shows that people learn self-empowerment through community connections. Rise Above T1D celebrates community and diversity, providing a unique opportunity to connect with other individuals like you. All live practices are dedicated to the whole group, offering a safe space to share, connect and learn together. |
Goal and Intention SettingTheory and practice only go so far without self-reflection and application. My intention for you is that the practices and knowledge will begin to awaken your inner wisdom to transform your relationship to and with diabetes. |
Live Office Hours with EvanThe people who get the most out of the program are the ones who ask questions and receive answers. There are two 30-minute office slots each week in the morning and evening. Ask questions, receive answers and guidance. |
Guided MeditationsThe inner practices of breathwork, meditation and yoga nidra (yoga sleep) are the backbone of this training because they address your physiology, emotions and deep subconscious. The inner practices are highly replicable and structured, specially designed to retrain your nervous system, promote deep rest and mental clarity. Every week you'll receive a new guided recording by Evan. |
Private AssessmentThere are two options for private assessment. The standard route offers a 30-minute complementary private with Evan where you can discuss your personal needs, receive support or ask her for a short personal practice. The VIP path includes a full 90-minute private assessment with a personalized yoga therapy practice curated by Evan. |
Bonus: Private Assessment with Evan
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Standard Registration30-Minute Consultation with Evan *Must be scheduled within 3 months of program start date. VIP Registration90 Minute Yoga Therapy Private with Evan Includes:
*Must be scheduled within 3 months of program start date. |
Week 1
The Foundations of Yoga Therapy for T1D
The importance of self-care in type 1 diabetes care
Why we're different than other types of diabetes
Cultivating empowered diabetes resilience - the pillars of diabetes mastery and health
The 4 pathways yoga benefits type 1 diabetes
The how and why of practice - understanding intervention vs. prevention for diabetes
Spinal movement and energetics as palette for healing
Breath-centric yoga - Become aware of and retraining your breath for diabetes health
Why we're different than other types of diabetes
Cultivating empowered diabetes resilience - the pillars of diabetes mastery and health
The 4 pathways yoga benefits type 1 diabetes
The how and why of practice - understanding intervention vs. prevention for diabetes
Spinal movement and energetics as palette for healing
Breath-centric yoga - Become aware of and retraining your breath for diabetes health
Week 2
Ayurveda for Diabetes
Understand the oldest living medical science's view on type 1 diabetes
The Gunas - The Forces of Change
The Doshas - Looking at yourself and your diabetes through an Ayurvedic lens
Sattvic living - a balanced approach to a holistic lifestyle
Ayurvedic model for self-care - Cultivating joy and longevity
How to actually cook Ayurvedic food for diabetes
The Gunas - The Forces of Change
The Doshas - Looking at yourself and your diabetes through an Ayurvedic lens
Sattvic living - a balanced approach to a holistic lifestyle
Ayurvedic model for self-care - Cultivating joy and longevity
How to actually cook Ayurvedic food for diabetes
Week 3
Hyperglycemia
The biology of hyperglycemia
Types of hyperglycemia - and how to practice for them
Physical and emotional cost of highs
Improving insulin sensitivity
Strategies and techniques to stop hyperglycemia in its tracks
Types of hyperglycemia - and how to practice for them
Physical and emotional cost of highs
Improving insulin sensitivity
Strategies and techniques to stop hyperglycemia in its tracks
Week 4
Hypoglycemia
The science of hypoglycemia
Treating types and severity of hypoglycemia
Increasing hypoglycemia sensitivity
Developing willpower during lows
Strategies to reduce hypoglycemia fear
Practice for restoring balance after hypoglycemia
Treating types and severity of hypoglycemia
Increasing hypoglycemia sensitivity
Developing willpower during lows
Strategies to reduce hypoglycemia fear
Practice for restoring balance after hypoglycemia
Week 4
Mental Health
Stress and its impact on diabetes care
Rewiring the stress response
Down-regulation, training your nervous system
Transforming thought, emotion and behavior
Working with diabetes burnout and diabetes distress on your own
Practices to create calm, balance and train your nervous system to handle stress better
Rewiring the stress response
Down-regulation, training your nervous system
Transforming thought, emotion and behavior
Working with diabetes burnout and diabetes distress on your own
Practices to create calm, balance and train your nervous system to handle stress better
Week 6
Transformation
A yogic perspective: Looking deeper at the mind, the causes of attachment and suffering
The chakra system and yoga psychology
Reshaping habit and transforming beliefs
Setting intention, goals and implementation
Practices to build light, positivity and self-acceptance
Transcending illness with meditation
The chakra system and yoga psychology
Reshaping habit and transforming beliefs
Setting intention, goals and implementation
Practices to build light, positivity and self-acceptance
Transcending illness with meditation
Bridging the East and the West - From the Lens of T1D
Ayurveda |
Neuroscience |
Yogic Philosophy |
Rise Above T1D Program
Streamlined Therapeutic Yoga for Type 1 Diabetes
Live and Pre-Recorded Content
At Your Pace Learning - 18 Weeks to Complete
Educational Lectures - Small Form Video
Based in Science and Yoga Tradition
Thematic Yoga Therapy Practices for Major Diabetes Challenges
Guided Breathwork, Meditations and Yoga Nidra for T1D
Transformational Self-Inquiry and Goal Setting
Integrative Blood Glucose Monitoring Journal
Ayurvedic Recipes and Self-Care Practices
Weekly Office Hour with Evan
T1D Community Accountability and Support
Bonus - 30 Minute Consultation with Evan
*90-Minute Private Yoga Therapy Assessment Session with Personal YT Practice by Evan
INVESTMENT
STANDARD |
VIP with 90-min assessment |
*Payment plans available
Testimonials
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For the majority of my life, type 1 diabetes was something that I fought. I lived in denial of and resentment towards the disease. With Evan's program as a key component, in recent years, I have learned to accept and live with type 1 diabetes as a part of myself and my life. My life has transformed in ways I never knew were possible through breath, movement and meditation. Since working with Evan, my HbA1c has dropped from nearly 9 to 7.2 - something that I can honestly attribute to my newfound ability to manage stress and connect with my body on a higher plane. I cannot emphasize enough how strongly I recommend this program for other type 1 diabetics.
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Evan’s devotion to serving others through yoga is exceptional. She masters yogic teachings and brings them to life through the day-to-day experience thriving with diabetes. In her course, Evan artfully presents potent practices with situational awareness that comes from self-study and personal experience with type 1 diabetes. I am more thoughtful in my daily actions and consequently, spend more time in my optimal blood glucose range after taking Evan’s course and living my yoga.
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"I've had type 1 diabetes for almost 35 years and had the privilege of studying with Evan as part of the Rise Above Diabetes program. I learned that I am not a diabetic, but a person who has diabetes. Yoga and breath center and calm me, which helps manage my numbers.
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As a newly diagnosed adult Type 1 diabetic, I have entered an entirely new world of health management. I’m a science and data driven person, and while carb counting is easy for me, I could not get my arms around how to manage to less measurable aspects of my health, such as stress. Evan taught me how to manage stress through breathing and Yoga, enabling me to get a grasp on the less tangible aspects of diabetes. I will be forever grateful to Evan for her wisdom and help.
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ABOUT YOUR GUIDE
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Evan Soroka, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500Is the founder of the Rise Above T1D program and author of Yoga Therapy for Diabetes (Singing Dragon 2021). She is a regular contributor to Yoga Journal and Yoga International Magazines. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1998, Evan sought yoga to help manage the physical and emotional challenges of chronic illness. She has dedicated her life to sharing yoga's healing and transformative tools with others. Her unique life experience with type 1 diabetes and chronic pain has guided her to specialize in various movement methodologies, health sciences, and spiritual traditions. |
F.A.Q.
What are the benefits of participating in Rise Above T1D?
The benefit of participating in Rise Above T1D is something Evan calls empowered diabetes resilience. Resilience is our power to bounce back, adapt, and grow stronger from experiences. Evan will teach you the missing pillars in diabetes management, increasing self-awareness, inspiring adaptation, and trust in your ability to be the healer. This positive reinforcement is not singular to a 6-week program but stays with a person throughout their lives.
I'm new to yoga. Will this course be too challenging for me?
Rise above T1D is not a physically demanding program. Little of our focus is on achieving postures but using the poses as a doorway to increase and redirect prana (our life-force) or consciousness. No matter where you are in your yoga journey, you will benefit from this program. Some of the concepts and words may be new to you but having a skilled and compassionate guide like Evan will ensure that you start on the right foot. We offer a weekly office hour where you can ask pertinent questions and connect with other students.
I've been practicing yoga for years. Will this course be too easy for me?
We often equate challenge with physicality. Most yoga practitioners begin with a physical practice, a helpful starting point as asana trains discipline, self-study, and non-attachment amid change. At a certain point, a practitioner yearns for a more profound understanding and must search past the body to experience it. This subtle searching is the real yoga advancement. Rise Above T1D does not focus on postures but instead uses yoga's tools, philosophy, and science to tailor deeply healing experiences for people with diabetes. If you are looking to perfect your handstand while also working on diabetes, this course will be too easy. But if you can set aside the goal-oriented work-out and see this as an invitation to take your yoga practice to new inner heights, there is no limit to the depth of your experience.
I have a busy schedule. If I run behind on the sessions will it be okay to jump into a class?
While we highly recommend setting aside the time to follow Rise Above T1D live, we are also realistic about how life can be. We've intentionally structured educational videos to be small so you can watch as you go throughout the week. Although the system is sequential, you can piece it together as you wish. The best recommendation is to honestly assess if you have time to dedicate to your health and learning. Try not to fill your plate with too many extracurriculars like multiple yoga classes a week so you can absorb this material.
How can I access the classes and recordings?
All recordings are uploaded to a member's only website. Live classes are on zoom. Once completed, the videos are uploaded to the member's website, accessible for three months.
How much support will I get?
Asking questions and showing up live is the best way to receive support. You have the opportunity to connect with Evan with a weekly office hour offered at two different times for your convenience and the option to schedule a 30-minute private session. These sessions are highly valuable to those who take advantage of them.
When will this course be offered again?
The next session will hopefully be in the spring of 2022.