SAAL Yoga
Innovative care for your spine
SAAL Yoga: The Medical Approach is the trusted source and authority on the therapeutic application of yoga in relation to the spine. Developed by Dr. Jeff Saal and his daughter, Nicole Saal Miller, SAAL Yoga’s innovative approach integrates traditional yoga practices with science-backed, medically-sound research and techniques to support spinal health and overall wellness. SAAL Yoga is fiercely committed to offering accurate, safe, and innovative care to spine patients seeking a yoga professional they can trust.
From its creation, our program’s successful aim is to bridge the gap between Physician and Yoga Instructor. Our medically-guided approach to yoga is appropriately paced, systematic, and gradual, applying alignment-based instruction to build poses from the foundation and up.
While standard yoga classes provide a more generalized approach to movement and meditation, SAAL Yoga adapts the practice of Yoga to suit your individual needs, focusing on correct postural alignment of your spine from names and sources your trust in the Medical and Yoga communities.
Your SAAL Yoga program is created based upon your medical diagnosis, including but not limited to MRI results and limitations caused by musculoskeletal or medical conditions.
You will be introduced to a wide range of mind-body practices, including:
Physical postures (asanas), specific for spine health to promote:
Strength and awareness of the muscles to support a neutral spine
Soft-tissue flexibility
Skeletal mobility
Balance
Coordination
Improved posture
Breathing practices (pranayama) and Meditation techniques to foster development of:
Mind-body awareness
The relaxation response and the parasympathetic nervous system
Health and prevention
Stress management tools
Nicole Saal Miller (M.Ed., RYT-500) is a passionate yoga educator and lifelong student of mindful movement. With more than two decades of practice and teaching experience, Nicole’s approach combines the precision of alignment-based yoga with the warmth and accessibility of restorative movement. Her work is guided by one core belief—that everyone can move with greater strength, ease, and awareness when they’re given the right tools and support.
Blending the time-honored principles of B.K.S. Iyengar Yoga with modern insights into spinal health, Nicole teaches with clarity, compassion, and an unwavering focus on safe, individualized movement. Each practice she creates is designed to meet students where they are—helping them build both stability and confidence in every posture.
A former educator with a Master’s degree in Education and thousands of hours in advanced yoga and anatomy training, Nicole brings both knowledge and heart to her teaching. Her passion for spine health runs deep—she developed SAAL Yoga in close collaboration with her father and uncle, renowned spine specialists Dr. Jeff Saal and Dr. Joel Saal. Together, they created a method that bridges yoga’s mindful awareness with the science of modern movement and spinal care.
Today, Nicole continues to guide students around the world through her online programs, workshops, and personal mentorship. Her mission is simple: to help others reconnect with their bodies, trust their movement, and find strength from the inside out.
To connect with Nicole and learn more about SAAL Yoga: The Medical Approach, click the button below
Meet your guide on the mat
Nicole’s Philosophy
At the heart of Nicole’s teaching is the belief that yoga is not about achieving perfection—it’s about cultivating awareness. Every posture, every breath, and every pause becomes an opportunity to listen more closely to the body’s intelligence.
She invites students to approach movement as a dialogue rather than a demand: to challenge thoughtfully, rest when needed, and celebrate progress in all its forms. Through mindful repetition and curiosity, Nicole helps students reawaken their natural strength, find ease where there once was tension, and build the foundations for lifelong vitality—one practice at a time.
