Dr. A. S. Pooja
Naturopathy physician, yoga therapist and wellness educator
In naturopathy, yoga is one part of a longer prescription that also covers what a person eats, how they sleep, how they breathe and how they rest. Dr. A. S. Pooja trained in that system for her Bachelor of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences (BNYS) at SDM College of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences in Ujire, and she brings all of it to her work as part of Pratimoksha’s full-time team in Dubai.
That breadth shapes her sessions. A client who comes to her with back pain may leave with a practice for the spine, and also with questions about their sleep, their meals and how many hours they spend sitting.
Clinical ground in Karnataka
Her training and early practice took her through hospitals and wellness centers across Karnataka:
- Easy Ayurveda Hospital, Mangaluru
- Kshemavana Wellness Retreat, Bengaluru
- SDM Ayurveda Hospital, Udupi
- SDM Nature Cure Hospitals in Dharmasthala and Pareeka
In these settings she worked across yoga therapy, naturopathy, diet counseling, physiotherapy-based practices, meditation and lifestyle care. She has also taught yoga and Laughter Yoga online and in person, for corporate groups and international audiences.
Therapy built around one person
At Pratimoksha, the work starts with the individual. Her yoga therapy sessions begin with close observation, and the program grows from what she sees: posture, breath, energy levels, and the practical limits of a Dubai working day. She pairs it with personalized diet and lifestyle guidance, so the practice on the mat has support through the rest of the week.
For clients preparing for surgery or recovering from it, she provides adapted pre- and post-surgical support under the guidance of founder and manual osteopath Lalitha Viswanath, following each person’s requirements and their doctors’ recommendations. She also works with expectant and new mothers through prenatal yoga and postnatal practice.
Laughter, reflexology and the office
Two of her specialties tend to surprise people. Laughter Yoga uses deliberate laughter, combined with breathing, as a practice in its own right, and it suits groups, since laughter spreads faster than instruction does. Reflexology, pressure applied to specific points on the feet and hands, gives her another way to help clients settle and rest.
She brings group practice and issue-based wellness programs to corporate yoga clients in Dubai, and coordinates client wellness programs at the studio from first consultation onward.
In the teacher training room
Trainees in Pratimoksha’s teacher training course meet Dr. Pooja in the anatomy lectures, where her clinical background gives the structure of the body a practical, working context. She also mentors trainee teachers as they learn to apply yoga safely with real clients.
Dr. Pooja sees clients at the studio in Oud Metha, Dubai, in their homes and at their workplaces. To talk through a health concern, a question about diet, or a wellness program for your team, get in touch, or book a trial and start with a single session.