Combining group psychotherapy and yoga exercises improves quality of life in mental health professionals: a controlled randomized clinical trial

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the effects of combining 12-week group psychotherapy with yoga exercises on stress perception and qualityoflifeinmental health professionals. Design/methodology/approach – This study was a parallel-arm randomized controlled trial, in which the participants was unaware of which group was the experimental one. Participants involved in our research were assigned to two groups of separate treatment that followed for three monthsgrouppsychotherapycombinedwithyogaprogram forstressmanagementorusualstresscopingstrategies. Findings – The findings did not reveal a significant difference in stress perception assessed in the two groups either before or after intervention but reveal asignificantdifferenceinthequalityoflife inthetwogroups before andafter thepsychobehavioralinterventions. Originality/value – The findings did not reveal a significant difference in stress perception assessed in the two groups either before or after intervention butreveal asignificantdifference inthequalityoflife inthetwogroups before andafter thepsychobehavioralinterventions.