In this article, yoga teachers will learn about yoga therapy–what it is, what goes into it, and what it takes to become a certified yoga therapist. 

KEY TAKEWAYS:

• Specialization in Yoga Teaching: Yoga teachers can specialize in various types of yoga (e.g., Bikram, Kundalini, Ashtanga) or in teaching formats (online, in-person, hybrid).
• Yoga Therapy as a Specialization: Yoga therapy uses yoga practices to address physical and mental health conditions, focusing on holistic well-being, self-care, and the mind-body connection.
• Conditions Treated with Yoga Therapy: Yoga therapy can be used to manage conditions such as stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, chronic pain, diabetes, heart disease, and more.
• Role of a Yoga Therapist: Certified yoga therapists work one-on-one with clients, reviewing their health history, setting goals, and developing personalized yoga practices that promote physical and mental health.
• Difference Between Yoga Therapy and Regular Yoga: Unlike typical yoga classes, yoga therapy is tailored to individual needs, often involving personalized sessions that focus on specific therapeutic goals.
• Becoming a Certified Yoga Therapist: To become a yoga therapist, one must complete an 800-hour accredited yoga therapy program and be certified by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT).
• Importance of IAYT Accreditation: The IAYT sets standards and provides accreditation for yoga therapy programs, ensuring quality and consistency in the practice of yoga therapy.
• Insurance for Yoga Therapists: It’s important for yoga therapists to have proper insurance coverage to protect their practice, with options available that cover a range of yoga modalities.

As a yoga teacher, the world of specializations is your oyster. When you make the choice to become a yoga teacher, you also make the choice to choose what kind of yoga you’ll be teaching. 

Sure, you could specialize in one of the types of yoga––bikram, kundalini, ashtanga, hatha, restorative, etc.–or even the format of how you teach yoga–online, in-person, hybrid, etc. 

Another way you could specialize as a yoga teacher? The intention behind the yoga practice. For many yoga teachers, using yoga as a therapeutic tool is the entire intention of their practice. But what exactly is yoga therapy, and further, what do you–a yoga teacher–need to know and understand about this practice if you’re hoping to teach it? 

This blog will outline all the ins and outs of yoga therapy, explain the fundamentals, provide a path of how to become a licensed yoga therapist and explore how you can start providing this type of therapy to your students or patients. 

Is Yoga Therapy The Right Path For You? Here’s What To Know

What Is Yoga Therapy?

If this is the first you’ve heard of yoga therapy, you’re in the right place. Though there are varied definitions out there for what yoga therapy is (and what it specifically entails), the simplest way to explain it is as follows: 

Yoga therapy is the process of using yoga practices to alleviate physical and mental health conditions through the lens of promoting self-care, encouraging overall well-being, and with the ultimate goal to cultivate the body and mind toward they’re healthiest versions. 

According to the Minded Institute, a leader in providing expert yoga therapy education and training to yoga and health professionals to work with mental and physical health conditions, yoga as a therapeutic method makes sense because the practice itself is rooted in wellness for the body and mind. 

The breathwork, meditation techniques, postures, exercises, and mental clarity involved in yoga can all be used as tools to help people address and improve their physical, mental, and emotional health needs. 

Yoga therapy can be used to treat a variety of physical and mental health conditions, including: 

And other physical and mental conditions. 

The yoga therapy model for health is unique and differs from other kinds of therapy because it addresses a holistic look at wellness. Instead of compartmentalizing each body part or each body system, it takes account of every aspect of life as a whole, helping patients and students address their health and wellness from a holistic perspective. 

What Does A Yoga Therapist Do?

A certified yoga therapist is a professional who meets with their clients one-on-one to create a safe and practical approach to yoga therapy. Though every iteration and practice of yoga therapy is different, the responsibilities are generally the same.

Typically, a certified yoga therapist will: 

• Review a client/patient’s medical file and go over health and wellness concerns 
• Estalblish goals and benchmarks that are attainable and safe 
• Determine movements and practices that will benefit the client safely 
• Show clients how to use proper form and technique to prevent injury and help heal 
• Explain how each pose, practice, and technique impacts the holistic appraoch to therapy (body, mind, spirit, etc.) 
• Guide clients through thre process, teaching relaxation and stress management along the way 
• Help clients reach their personal wellness goals–mental and physical 

Key Differences Between Yoga Therapy And Yoga 

Something that’s unique about yoga therapy versus a non-therapy yoga class is that, likely, it’s going to be tailored to an individual’s specific needs. It is, first and foremost, a therapy session that’s designed to help the patient, client, or student take a holistic and healthy approach to their physical and mental well-being. 

In most cases, yoga therapy will be a 1:1 session rather than a group yoga class (though group yoga therapy does exist and can be helpful for patients and students).

Additionally, the session itself will primarily address areas that will most benefit the student. In some circumstances, that could mean a full session of physical movement, in other cases, the focus could shift toward meditation and mental well-being practices. 

Typically, a yoga therapist will also prescribe practices and exercises for students in their own homes to continue their wellness work. 

Becoming A Yoga Therapist: What To Know 

For current yoga teachers who are interested in becoming yoga therapists, it’s important to know that you can’t begin practicing as a certified yoga therapist until you’ve completed the appropriate training, earned your certification, and have been properly registered. 

Currently, this process looks like finding an 800-hour yoga therapy program that’s accredited by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT), completing that program, and applying to become a certified yoga therapist as an accredited program graduate. 

Choosing the right program is important and is going to depend on which aligns with your practice, specific interests, and belief systems. For example, some yoga therapy programs focus on psychology and spirituality specifically. Others are based on other elements associated with yoga therapy. 

What Is The IAYT?

The International Association of Yoga Therapists is the go-to accreditation group that has, in their words, “championed yoga as a healing art and science since 1989.”

According to IAYT, yoga therapy can be challenging to define because, like yoga, it can be approached in so many different ways. Still, IAYT realized that in order for yoga therapy to be widely accepted and understood, it was crucial to create a standard and a pragmatic definition. 

It’s been their mission ever since to create accreditation standards that ensure only those who strive to understand the practice of yoga therapy become yoga therapists. 

Did You Know That beYogi Covers Yoga Therapy? 

Like any other branch of teaching yoga, yoga therapists (and their practices) deserve and demand proper protection. At beYogi, we’re proud to offer yoga therapists quality, affordable coverage that protects them from liability. 

No matter what kind of yoga you teach or how you teach it, beYogi covers over 500 modalities, ensuring that you, your studio, and your yoga career are completely covered.