Want to be a yoga therapist?
By Ann Swanson
So you think you might like to become a yoga therapist? Great! The world needs more professionals who have effective ways of addressing suffering, including from the chronic conditions and lifestyle concerns that Western medicine can’t always fully address.
Before you consider entering a training program that will lead to certification (C-IAYT) by the International Association of Yoga Therapists, a bit more clarity on the definition of yoga therapy might be useful. I recommend first checking out What is yoga therapy? and Yoga therapy & yoga class: A few key distinctions.
Now that we have the definition clear, here are the steps to becoming an IAYT-certified yoga therapist.
First, become a yoga teacher
All yoga therapists begin as yoga teachers. To enter an IAYT-accredited program, you’ll need to have at least 200 hours of yoga teacher training, at least 1 year of teaching experience, and a regular personal practice (the formal standards require a minimum of 1 year). It’s also a good idea to experience a yoga therapy session for yourself. Find a yoga therapist here.
My own journey started as a yoga teacher who wanted more. Although the 200- and 500-hour trainings I’d done were excellent, they didn’t provide me with the skills to safely and effectively work with populations like those with PTSD, arthritis, anxiety, depression, diabetes, and stroke recovery. So my search began.
Your next step is to find an 800-hour yoga therapy program accredited by IAYT. IAYT is internationally known for its high standards, and the organization has more than 30 years of experience supporting the field.
Although all accredited programs meet IAYT’s accreditation standards, each emphasizes the tools and practices of yoga in its own way: Some programs focus more on mental or spiritual aspects of health and well-being, whereas others devote more time to research, philosophy, or other aspects of the practices. Some follow a specific yogic lineage.
It’s all about finding the right program fit for you:
- Take some time to read through the programs’ own websites. You’ll find a list here.
- Attend the Symposium on Yoga Therapy and Research (SYTAR), held every June. There, you can talk to experienced yoga therapists as well as graduates and faculty of the training programs.
- Consider which schedule, learning style, and location will work best for you. Some schools offer portions of their programs online, for example.
- Ask if you can sit in on a class at the schools you’re seriously considering, and whether you can talk with graduates of the program about their experience. This may not be possible at all schools, so you might also meet with the program director in person or online.
- Join IAYT and read their publications to learn more about the ins and outs of yoga therapy practice and familiarize yourself with the research.
Stud
y and develop your skills
IAYT-accredited programs take place over a minimum of 2 years, although some are longer. Each includes courses in yoga-related anatomy, biomedicine, philosophy, therapeutic skills, and professional practices.
All accredited programs also include mentored clinical practicum experience, where you actually get to work with clients under the guidance of expert therapists. You will gain knowledge, professional skills, and lasting friendships.
After you have graduated from an accredited program, you can apply to become an IAYT-certified yoga therapist. You’ll need to be a current IAYT member and agree to abide by the organization’s Code of Ethics. The application itself is simple—it took me 30 minutes, including the upload of my diploma and resume—and you are contributing to the professionalization and rapid growth of the field.
Begin your career as a yoga therapist!
Yoga therapy is an exciting, burgeoning profession—you will have many options to sculpt your career. In my yoga therapy business, I work with clients one-to-one (including telehealth); teach for hospitals, the military, and retirement communities; offer therapeutic workshops in specialties like arthritis; and educate people to become yoga teachers and therapists themselves.
The possibilities are endless. What will you do as a yoga therapist?
Ann Swanson, MS, LMT, C-IAYT, has a Master of Science in Yoga Therapy and specializes in virtual sessions for pain relief. She is the author of Science of Yoga.
Ann, this is such a wonderful step-by-step guide to becoming a yoga therapist. It’s concise while also detailed. Great job!
I am glad it was helpful, Nazaahah!
I am in the process of becoming a yoga therapist thus was very inspiring thanks. Money is tight rifht now but when I have it I’ll become a member of IAYT.
Thanks, Deborah—best wishes with your studies! Please stay in touch on the IAYT social media channels. There’s also lots of info on iayt.org that’s accessible to all (and a discounted student membership). 🙂
I hope you are enjoying your journey to become a yoga therapist, Deborah!
Hello! I am starting school in the fall to get a degree in Psychology and my plan is to go all the way to a Ph.D. I want to work a the VA, mostly with PTSD Soldiers. I already do yoga and I was wondering if getting this kind of certification can be completed while in school? Or would that be taking on too much responsibility? Thank you for your assistance, it is greatly appreciated.
That sounds like an incredibly rewarding career path, Elizabeth! You would generally need to first be a yoga teacher, and to have been teaching for at least a year, before beginning a yoga therapist training. That experience will also help you to hone in on how you want to approach the practice of yoga therapy.
If you’re already a yoga teacher, whether a yoga therapy training is workable during your other studies probably depends most on your learning style and preferences. IAYT-accredited programs take place over a minimum of 2 years, and many trainings do offer module-based or otherwise flexible formats. The list of programs is here:
https://www.iayt.org/page/AccrdPrgms
You might also like to engage with the community via the IAYT Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/IAYT.org
Hope this helps!
Hi Elizabeth, im not the writer but I think you could do it during your vacation time. I am also interested in doing psychology. What school are you going to? Wanna connection Facebook? @karuna marsh
Helpful suggestions. Thanks. I still would need some clarifications:
1) in one line its written that after completion of 2-yr program one has to submit the papers to become a certified yoga therapist. In the mean time one has to remain as a MEMBER of IAYT. What kind of membership is that? How can I have that?
2) does C-IAYT certification gives someone the right to work as YOGA Therapist? I mean, is C-IAYT sufficient? Or, its just an entry point?
3) I am from Bangladesh. There is NO institution to enrol for the 2-yr program to become Yoga Therapist. But I am desperate for it. I did my 300 Hrs Yoga Instructor Course (YIC) from S-VYASA, India. And I have been teaching yoga for more than 1 year. I am a regular practitioner of Yoga since 2013.
However, I found some institution in India who are IAYT approved but unfortunately they are NOT responsive enough.
How can I get some help?
I am OK for ONLINE course. In fact that is the only feasible way for me. Only problem is the FEE. I would be thankful for your help to find a good institution who offer “Yoga Therapist Course” at a lower cost.
Hi there,
You are on IAYT’s site for consumers. Please go to iayt.org and submit a Contact Us form with any questions that remain after you’ve visited the site.
Note that IAYT is the accrediting body, not the provider of the programs.
All best wishes on your journey!
Hi Elizabeth,
I am wondering how it’s going and if you were able to successfully do this? This is my dream vocation as well.
Please let me know if there is a online yoga therapy course
Hi Bhavna,
Do you mean a course to train as a yoga therapist yourself? Here is the current list of IAYT-accredited training programs: https://www.iayt.org/page/AccrdPrgms
Many do have distance-learning components, especially during the pandemic.
If you’re looking for online yoga therapy for yourself, that’s available, too. Many yoga therapists offer virtual sessions (and were doing so even pre-COVID). You’ll find the directory of IAYT-certified yoga therapists here: https://yogatherapy.health/find-a-therapist/
Hope this helps!
I completed my 200 hours YTT in 2013 after which I taught for 4 years. I stopped teaching in 2017, as I wanted to become the student again.
Would I be able to register for a Yoga Therapy course having not taught Yoga in the recent years?
Hi Caroline,
You’d want to check the specific requirements of the programs you’re interested in, but I believe this would be possible in many cases.
You’ll find the list of IAYT-accredited programs here:
https://www.iayt.org/page/AccrdPrgms
Best of luck on your new journey!
If I completed 200 hrs and 300 hrs YTT do I get credit for the 300 hrs or do I still have to complete 800 hrs for Yoga therapist training?
Hi Ronel,
Entry into an IAYT-accredited training program requires that a student has already completed a minimum of 200 hours of training, so those hours do not count toward the 800 hours (which is really a minimum—many programs are longer than this). It’s possible that some of your 300-hour training could be applied, though; within some limits set by IAYT, this is up to the individual programs’ policies. I’d check directly with the programs you’re considering—you’ll find the current list here: https://www.iayt.org/page/AccrdPrgms
All best,
Laurie
Hi! Thank you for sharing your love and light. I have plans in becoming a psychologist and yoga teacher as i want to incorporate mind and body on future therapies. What would you suggest me to start with? Do you suggest to take up Masteral degree in psychology first or have yoga teacher training first? Would love to hear your thoughts. Thank you!
Hi Ayana, It really depends! Either path works. In order to become a yoga therapist, you must first become a yoga teacher at the 200 hour level, which you can do in your local area. You can probably do that while pursuing your psychology degree as many of the programs are flexible, but that will depend on your preferences. To look ahead, you can find a list of the accredited programs for yoga therapy here: https://www.iayt.org/page/accredited_pgms. Best of luck!
Hi and Namaste!
I’m an E-RYT 500 from Yoga Alliance USA, and I was searching for Yoga Therapy course on Google, and found your website. It’s really very comprehensive guide to a seeker who wants to become a professional and certified Yoga Therapist.
Hope your detailed information will help me a lot in pursuing this course.
Sincerely grateful.
Thank you. Namaste!
Ajeya,
I am glad you found the article helpful! You can find a list of the accredited programs for yoga therapy here: https://www.iayt.org/page/accredited_pgms
I am a 100% disabled veteran and received my 500HR RYT in December 2022. I am interested in becoming a Yoga Therapist but due to my main income being from my disability pay that I support my family of 3 boys with I would need a scholarship. I have looked at several of the accredited schools and have not found any that offer scholarships. Is there a website that I could go to that would give me this information?
Congratulations on your 500-hour RYT!
This site is IAYT’s site for the public. You might want to join IAYT’s mailing list to stay informed on news in the field. You can do this by going to http://www.iayt.org, scroll down just a little bit and you will see in the middle of the page “Join IAYT” and under that “get e-news.” By clicking “get e-news” and following the prompts you will be added to our mailing list.
You might then want to determine which program(s) interest you most and reach out to them directly to learn more about the program and find out about financing options, including scholarships, which may not be listed in publicly available materials. Programs that are part of accredited universities may have additional financial pathways available.