Yoga Therapy: Bridging Healthcare and Yoga
What is Yoga Therapy?
Yoga therapy is the process of empowering individuals to progress toward improved health and well-being through the application of the teachings and practices of Yoga. IAYT
Yoga therapy adapts the practice of Yoga to the needs of people with specific or persistent health problems not usually addressed in a group class. Larry Payne, Ph.D
The use of the techniques of Yoga to create, stimulate, and maintain an optimum state of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D.
Yoga Therapy is the Next Wave of Holistic Health-Care
Are you drawn to be a true healer of body, mind, and spirit? A YogaFaith yoga therapist can help people connect to their own innate healing potential through individually tailored yoga therapy which reaches well beyond simple conventional prescriptive approaches. Research now shows that the therapeutic benefits of yoga therapy provide not just physical benefits, but the transformative mind-body-spiritual benefits of yoga as well.
Many integrative and holistically minded MDs are already including yoga therapy as part of their medically mandated treatment plans, even billing insurance for the care provided by yoga professionals. Healing professionals who are able to offer multi-dimensional holistic care are being sought out in the private sector and accepted by the medical industry at an unparalleled pace.
We do not have a Health Care System in America.
We have a disease-management system, one that depends on ruinously expensive drugs and surgeries that treat health conditions after they manifest rather than giving our citizens simple diet, lifestyle, and therapeutic tools to keep them healthy.
Making a Difference: Why Yoga Therapy?
Yoga therapy is the process of empowering individuals to progress toward improved health and wellbeing through the application of the teachings and practices of yoga. The yoga tradition views each human being as a multidimensional system that includes numerous aspects-including body, breath, and mind (intellect and emotions) and their mutual interaction.
Yoga therapy is founded on the basic principle that intelligent practice can positively influence the direction of change within these human dimensions, which are distinct from an individual’s unchanging nature or spirit. The goals of yoga therapy include improving function; helping to prevent the occurrence or re-occurrence of underlying causes of illness; and moving toward improved health and well-being.
The YogaFaith Yoga Therapy Program, YF-YTP
Length: 800 hours
Certification upon completion: C-YFTH-800
Our Christian Yoga Therapy program has been in the making for over 7 years. Becoming a Registered Yoga Therapist includes a highly specialized training beyond that of a yoga teacher, in accordance with YogaFaith’s Educational Standards for the Training of Yoga Therapists.
YogaFaith is dedicated to the professionally minded yoga student committed to the study of the clinical applications of yoga therapy. Graduates are prepared to design and teach Yoga Therapy and YogaFaith Therapy for groups and individuals with specific needs or health challenges.
800-hour graduates may:
- Use the service mark of a Certified YF Yoga Therapist at the 800 level, C-YFYT-800
- Achieve 1000-hour YogaFaith Therapy through electives/specialty trainings, C-YFYT-1000
- Eligible to Register with the Christian Yoga Association (CYA), as a Christian Yoga Therapist, R-CYATH
- Eligible to Registe with the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT), as a C-IAYT
YF-YTP Combines 300-Hour Didactic and 500-Hour Clinical Externship Programs.
- Minimum admission requirements: 200 hours of teacher training or equivalent (includes yoga techniques, anatomy and physiology, yoga philosophy, teaching methodology and practicum)
- A minimum of one year of teaching experience, can be virtual, specifics determined by YogaFaith
- A minimum of one year personal practice experience, can be virtual, specifics determined by YogaFaith
- Has begun or has a Certificate of Completion: World Religions and Spiritual Disciplines course
- Minimum time to complete YF-YTP: 1 year
- Maximum: Program must be completed within 3 years of start date
- Level I: Our 300-hour Masters, start anytime
- Level 2: 300 hours On Demand, start anytime
- Level 3: 200 hours, Online and Live Fall Graduation Retreat
- YF-YTP Program: Level I: 300 hours, Level II: 300 hours, Level III: 200 hours
- Level 1 300 Hours is YF Master’s Program, can be taken as a dual certification
Please note: all non-contact hours are currently counted as contact hours until further notice.
- Where to start:
- Level I is YF Masters and the first 300 hours (online + in person training)
- 200 hours distantly and 100 contact hours at Master Immersion
- Level II
- 200 hours distantly and 100 synchronous/on demand + live hours
- Level III
- 100 hours distantly and 100 contact hours/live + virtual + in person [Graduation Retreat]
- Level I is YF Masters and the first 300 hours (online + in person training)
- YF-YTP Curriculum draws upon the yoga of devotion. Students develop knowledge and understanding of the philosophy, theory, process, and application of Yoga therapy using the pathway of surrender, devotion, service, worship, and union with God (Jesus Christ) to eliminate or reduce suffering and ailments.
- YF-YTP is designed to enable students to develop and deliver individualized yoga therapy sessions for one on one as well as group yoga therapy sessions.
Includes didactic and experiential learning, practicum-based skill learning, personal and professional development through one on one and group mentorship (sangha). - Hours include synchronous distant learning, asynchronous online learning, and residential hours (real time learning interactions with faculty), 300 contact hours, 500 non-contact hours.
Used in all Levels
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- The Holy Bible
- Stretching Your Faith, Practicing Postures of Prayer to Create Peace, Balance and Freedom, Michelle Thielen or Kindle
- Level One {Masters}
- Yoga Therapy and Integrative Medicine, Where Ancient Science Meets Modern Medicine, by Larry Payne Ph.D., Terra Gold M.A.LAc.
- Stretching Your Faith, Practicing Postures of Prayer to Create Peace, Balance and Freedom, Michelle Thielen or Kindle
- Trail Guide to the Body 5th Edition Andrew Biel
- Trail Guide to the Body Workbook 5th Edition Andrew Biel
- Trauma Sensitive Yoga in Therapy, Bringing the Body into Treatment, David Emerson
- The 21 Most Powerful Minutes in a Leader’s Day, John C. Maxwell
- When the Heart Waits, Sue Monk Kidd
- Lead Like Jesus, Ken Blanchard
- Provided: Yoga Sutras, Sutras through the Lens of Christ, Special Populations Manual: Trauma, Men, Ethics, Pranayama, 12 Step and Recovery and More
- Level 2 YF-YTP Textbooks
- The Principles and Practice of Yoga in Healthcare, Khalsa, McCall
- How Not to Die, Michael Greger
- Exit Wilderness, A Road Map Out of Depression and Hopelessness, Michelle Thielen
- Recommended: Trail Guide to the Body 5th Edition and Trail Guide to the Body Workbook 5th Edition, both by Andrew Biel
- Provided text: Equine therapy, pre/post operative yoga therapy, yoga therapy for special populations: Parkinson’s, Scoliosis, 12 Step and Recovery, Stone, Chakra and Oils within yoga therapy, and so much more.
Level 3 YF-YTP Textbooks
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- Switch on Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health by Dr. Caroline Leaf
- The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective, by Richard Rohr, Andreas Ebert
The above list does not include any chosen Elective’s Textbooks as those will vary based on individual selection of Elective(s). See Elective in the Mentor and Educator Tab.
- Estimated Textbook Cost
-
- Kindle: 139.00
- New: 286.00
- Used: 143.00
- YF-YTP Directors, Educators and selected Mentors are a combination of Registered YF Master Trainers at the 500-hour level, R-YFMT 500, Certified Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT), YogaFaith Lead Trainer, YF-LT, Psychotherapists, Spiritual Directors, and/or PhDs – Others may be accepted based on experience determined by YogaFaith
- Practicum Mentors have skills related to the program area they support
- Practicum Mentors supervise, support development, and evaluate skills and abilities in respective competency categories
Faculty and Mentors
Other Course Faculty:
- Integration of Body Systems | Yoga Therapy within Disease and Disorders
- Gary May, Judi Murfin, Michelle Thielen, and Gil Headley
- Yoga Therapy in Trauma, Grief, Depression and Anxiety:
- Michelle Brinkley, Michelle Thielen
- Ayurveda, Nutrition, Digestion and Biochemistry:
- John Immel of Joyful Belly Ayurveda School, Rosy McCann
- Yoga Therapy in Healthcare, Seniors, Spine, Scoliosis, Diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s
- Gary May, Judi Murfin
- Yoga Therapy and the Integration of Thai Massage | Thai Yoga
- Gabriela Anderson
- YogaFaith Yoga Therapy for Cancer and Caregivers
- Megan Steele, R-YFMT 500, YF-A
- Child-like YogaFaith, YouthFUL YogaFaith
- Julie Petersen, R-YFMT 500
- Principles and Practice of Yoga in Healthcare | Interviews in Healthcare and Wellness Fields
- Michelle Thielen, Gabriela Anderson, Judi Murfin
- Chakra Therapy, Stone Therapy, Sound Therapy and Aromatherapy | Essential Oils in Yoga Therapy:
- Shannon Henshaw, Gabriela Anderson
- Pre and Postoperative Yoga Therapy and Injury Prevention
- Jessica McCarty, Laura Burkhart
- Restorative Yoga within Yoga Therapy
- Judith Lasater, Jody Thomae, Amy Kuscsik, and Michelle Thielen
- Adaptive Yoga, Addictions, 12 Step and Recovery within Yoga Therapy
- Michelle Thielen, Gabriela Anderson
- Yin with Yoga Therapy
- Michelle Thielen, MaryAnn Sander
- A Meeting of Ancient Paths (Prerequisite for YF-YTP):
- Phil Vestel, Rosy McCann, Amy Kuscsik, Liz Glover-Wilson, MaryAnn Sander, Michelle Thielen
Schedule of Hours:
- In-Person Master Immersions located either in Seattle or Atlanta
- Start anytime: Level One Online Program
- Level One: In Person Immersion
- Level Two Online Program
- Level Two On Demand online, go at your own pace with online material
- Meet virtually with mentors and accountability group
- Virtual Immersion + Practicum
- Level Three: Oct. Online and Live Virtual+ Graduation Retreat Rotate East Coast and West Coast.
- Distant/Asynchronous
- Synchronous/Real Time Distant Learning
- Level Three On Demand online, go at your own pace with online material
- Level 3 Virtual Immersion + Practicum
- Graduation Retreat + Final sessions
- Start anytime: Level One Online Program
2023: Master’s and Yoga Therapy Schedule
- Level One Yoga Therapy {Master’s 300 hour} Begin anytime, live calls begin online January 9, 2023
- Group Calls: 1/9, 3/13, 5/8, 7/10
- In Person Immersion: July 21-25, 2023, Tacoma, WA
- Level Two Yoga Therapy: On Demand, Suggested Timeline: August-September.
- Virtual Immersion + Practicum
- Level Three Yoga Therapy: September-October: On Demand + Graduation Retreat, outside of Seattle
- Virtual Immersion + Practicum
- Graduation Retreat + Final Sessions
- 2023 in outside of Seattle
