Yoga Therapy Training?
I am currently researching yoga therapy training programs. There do not seem to be an overabundance of them. I’m looking at various training options, from a weekend seminar that would provide CEUs towards Yoga Alliance’s continuing education requirements, to 300-hour programs that can lead towards a 500-hour RYT designation.
One thing that always boggles my mind with yoga: How so many programs are so expensive and require residential stays that would entail the trainee to stop working while taking the course. I wonder how many yoga teachers come from wealthy families or have spouses that take care of them. Who is able to pay all these fees while being unemployed for a month?
Of course, getting your certification done in a month instead of over the span of a year certainly has its benefits.
I have to weigh a variety of options – affordability, time that I’d have to take off to do the training, and how appealing the training is. But, I also want to be practical.
For example, the Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy program looks absolutely fascinating, but it’s not really designed to teach about physical issues. You won’t be learning a lot about physical anatomy or ailments. Their idea of yoga “therapy” is more along the lines of yogic psychotherapy vs. yoga physical therapy. My healing mind is interested in this training, while my practical mind thinks I need more training in physical kinesthesiology.
On the other hand, I’m not sure if I want to learn the finer points of anatomy. Loyola Marymount University offers a certificate program in yoga therapy that handles all that hard “medical” stuff, but this seems more like something you’d learn because it’s good to know it, not because you want to know it. Like, you’d be happy you’d gone through the anatomy class once it’s over, but you’d be bitching the entire time you were in it. I’m still getting information on this program, however, since it’s local, somewhat affordable, and I know it’d be good for me.
At any rate, if you know of any good yoga therapy programs please share them in the comments!
Thanks Stephanie for the thoughtful article.
it does sound familiar as I hear you discerning the ‘right’ yoga therapy for you.
As a PRYT practitioner and faculty member, I recognize the distinct differences between healing that comes from the inside out (client-centered, non-directive, non-prescriptive), vs the outside in (directive, diagnostic, prescriptive). Both are essential in our lives and finding your way to working with others is the journey.
As for me, I came in to PRYT with 15 years of chronic back pain. The diagnosis from the doctor was that I’d have bad days and worse days – Yikes!. However, with PRYT I not only cured my back (in 1 week) but also ‘healed’ the relationship I had w/ my body which I was angry at for the pain and had labeled as ‘bad’.
There is an LA training October 2009 (no residency). I’ll be teaching Portland, OR in August, too.
Be Well.
Soleil*
Thanks for your explanation and story, Soleil. It is VERY helpful!
One of the options I was considering was doing PRYT as well as a training that offered more of the “anatomical” yoga therapy training. After all, one of the things about being a yoga instructor is that you end up a life-long student…I could take trainings all the time if I had the time and money!