Marlysa Sullivan is a physiotherapist, Yoga therapist, educator, author and researcher. She has over 20 years’ experience working with people suffering with chronic pain conditions.
Published Author
Marlysa Sullivan is the author of Understanding Yoga Therapy: Applied Philosophy and Science for Well-being. She is the co-editor of Yoga and Science in Pain Care: Treating the Person in Pain. She has authored several peer-reviewed articles focusing on the intersection of Yoga philosophy, neurophysiology and developing frameworks for Yoga therapy and mindfulness-based movement.
Marlysa Sullivan – Clinical Work
She is the Telepain – EVP National Program Coordinator for mindful movement with the Empower Veterans Program (EVP). She specialises in working with people with chronic pain at the Veterans Health Administration.
Educator and Researcher
Marlysa has extensive experience as an educator. She teaches for several yoga therapy training programs. Marlysa helped to create the first Masters in Yoga Therapy program at Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH). She is currently an adjunct assistant professor at MUIH. She holds an adjunct position at Emory University, where she teaches the integration of yoga and mindfulness into physical therapy practice in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Focused on researching and treating chronic pain conditions and bridging evidence-based healthcare with western and yogic philosophy, Marlysa’s broader research interests involve defining the framework and explanatory model for Yoga therapy based on philosophical and neurophysiological perspectives.
Marlysa Sullivan and Yoga Therapy
Marlysa has been involved in the professionalization of the field of Yoga therapy through the educational standards committee of IAYT, including helping to define the competencies for the field. She is also part of the Global Consortium of Yoga Therapy focusing on international collaboration and development of the field.
In her clinical and research consulting work, she has researched and developed Yoga interventions for studies on managing dementia symptoms, osteoarthritis, low back pain, and sickle cell disease.
The Empower Veterans Program (EVP) is an interdisciplinary program for people with chronic, persistent pain. It focuses on compassion practices for daily living, mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy and return to safe movement. She also works as a subject matter expert for yoga and meditation nationally with the Integrative Health Coordinating Center (IHCC).