Nirvana Yoga Therapy

Therapist Profile

Oliver Jane Jorgensen, LMSW, MS, C-IAYT & MFA

Oliver/Olivia Jane (they/them) is a queer and nonbinary Social Worker and Yoga Therapist who offers Telehealth Talk Therapy, Yoga classes, and private Yoga Therapy sessions in person and online. They are a licensed MSW level social worker (PA & NJ) and certified by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT).

Oliver has completed a number of trainings in Yoga, Yoga Therapy, and Yoga Nidra; this includes specialized training to create personalized practices that assist individuals in managing, treating, and reducing the symptoms of various pathologies. Through primarily training with teachers from the Yoga tradition of Krishnamacharya as taught by his son T.K.V. Desikachar, Oliver has been afforded the skills to help students bring about their most optimal expression of wellness using Yoga tools. In addition to their Yoga training, Oliver completed their Master’s in social work at the University of Pennsylvania, where they concentrated on developing their clinical social work skills.

Oliver has been practicing Yoga for about 20 years. They completed their first 200hr Yoga Teacher Training course in 2018 at Breathe Yoga + Wellness in Toronto, ON with the intention of developing a deeper relationship with their yoga practice. During that time Oliver began to struggle with Major Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Chronic Pain associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: issues that had previously been under control. Turning to Yoga Therapy allowed Oliver to address their symptoms holistically. While working one-on-one with Yoga Therapist and beloved teacher Felicia Pavlovic (Yoga Therapy Toronto), Oliver became acquainted with the lineage of Tirumalai Krishnamacharya as passed down by his son T.K.V Desikachar. Oliver’s Yoga practice shifted away from attending standard functional-movement/vinyasa-based flow classes, to a home practice that includes specialized Yoga practices tailored to Oliver’s body, mind, constitution, and goals. These practices include asana, pranayama, mantra, Yoga Nidra, and meditation. Over time Oliver has seen the positive impact these practices have had on their mental and physical health. As a result, Oliver enrolled in Yoga Therapy Toronto’s training programs, completing a 300hr YTT at Yoga Therapy Toronto in May 2019. In 2023, Oliver completed their Yoga Therapist training and became a C-IAYT. To supplement their education, they have pursued additional training in Restorative Yoga in the style of Judith Hanson Lasater (with Leslie Cranston at Yoga Grove and with Andrea Peloso through Octopus Garden Holistic Yoga Center) and Yoga Nidra (through the Yoga Nidra Network and Taryn Diamond). To schedule a private Yoga class or Yoga Therapy session please click here.

At present, Oliver runs therapy groups at an inpatient behavioral health facility, including movement-based Mindfulness groups. As a social worker, Oliver’s objective is to help clients build confidence, develop self-understanding, and acquire skills so clients can achieve personal goals, navigate relationships, and move through life transitions with more ease. Via a client-centered approach, Oliver strives to foster a collaborative relationship between therapist and client so that growth, healing, and learning can develop in a personalized way. A background in Yoga and the arts lead to Oliver discovering the therapeutic benefits of somatic interventions, play, and expressive arts. For interested clients, Oliver blends these approaches with application of evidence-based interventions and other approaches to private therapy. Oliver currently offers insurance covered Telehealth-based talk therapy through Continuum Counseling & Clinical Services. For scheduling a therapy session with oliver visit: https://www.continuumllc.org/appointment.

In addition to teaching Yoga, Oliver holds a Master of Fine Arts in Devised Performance from UArts/The Pig Iron School, and a MS in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice. When they have spare time, Oliver sometimes make theatre projects in collaboration with others.