This comprehensive mind-body practice has been around for hundreds of years, and it is being practiced today by individuals from various walks of life all over the globe. [Citation needed] Yoga has been studied as a potential adjunct treatment for chronic health conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obesity. Its long list of health benefits includes relieving low back pain and reducing stress, and it has even been studied as a possible treatment for obesity.
Yoga has even been proved to help smokers stop smoking, as stated by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Additionally, yoga has been demonstrated to enhance the quality of life of cancer patients. It is abundantly clear that yoga has the capability of bringing about positive changes in people's lives.
Becoming a yoga therapist might be the ideal next step for you to take if you've been considering channeling your passion for yoga into a line of work that enables you to be of service to other people.
Who exactly is this "Yoga Therapist" person?
It is important to keep in mind that although all yoga instructors are also yoga therapists, yoga therapists do not always have to also be yoga teachers.
To explain, this is what we mean:
You need to complete a minimum of two hundred hours of training to get your certification as a yoga instructor. Anyone with aspirations of becoming a yoga therapist is required to complete not just these 200 hours but also advanced training at a school that is licensed and authorized.
In addition to the minimum requirement of 200 hours needed to become a yoga instructor, a certified yoga therapist must complete an additional minimum of 800 hours of intensive training in order to earn their certification. This additional training provides an even more in-depth understanding of anatomy, physiology, and yoga theory, in addition to topics that discuss topics that bridge the gap between Eastern and Western philosophies of medicine and healthcare.
Additionally, yoga therapists are required to document a minimum of one hundred clinical hours working with clients. These hours may be completed either one-on-one or in small groups.
What do we get in the end? An practitioner who has received extensive training and is able to lead and educate individuals through yoga sessions that are coached in a more therapeutic context is known as a yoga therapist. These practitioners are experienced in modifying and adapting their yoga sessions to meet the particular and often sensitive requirements of their customers. This includes clients who are dealing with past traumatic experiences or mental health concerns.
Participating in yoga classes led by an instructor may be beneficial to one's overall health. However, owing to the extensive training that they have received, yoga therapists are in a better position to assist clients in learning how to control or lessen the symptoms of chronic health conditions, enhance their quality of life, and build more personal agency.
One way to think about this is as the difference between talking about personal problems over the phone with a friend and doing so with a trained professional who specializes in mental health counseling. Both approaches could be helpful, but the second one is more likely to provide results that are more substantial and long-lasting. This has been the experience of a large number of individuals who have worked with professional yoga therapists.
The question that arises now is:
How exactly does one get their yoga therapy certification? The following are six pointers to help you get started.
One Piece of Advice: Make Yoga Part of Your Routine.
You need to be very certain that you like practicing yoga before you can consider making it your job. Find out where you can take lessons near you and make it a habit to go often. To get started with completing a personal inventory, it's a smart idea to start by asking yourself questions like the following:
Why do I want to make a career change into yoga therapy?
How much money do I have available to put toward my education and development?
Which kind of yoga do I want to practice, and/or with whom do I want to share my knowledge?
Tip 2: Get Involved in the Process
After you've established a regular practice at a yoga studio, the next thing you should do is consult with a yoga instructor or an experienced practitioner for guidance on how to begin your yoga journey. At this point in your journey, you should make a name for yourself in the yoga community in your area and choose the kind of yoga that most resonates with you.
Third and last suggestion: Get Your Yoga Teacher Certification.
Keep in mind that being certified as a yoga instructor is only the first step on the path to becoming a yoga therapist. This implies that you will need to submit an application to a recognized yoga school in order to complete at least 200 hours of teacher training. You will also want to make sure that you investigate the many kinds of yoga in which you are interested in becoming an expert (e.g., Vinyasa, Hatha, power, hot, Sivananda Ashtanga, etc.).
Teaching certification from a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga School (RYS®) or an institution recognized as equivalent is required for enrollment in yoga therapy programs. The precise certification you'll achieve is determined not only by the total number of hours spent in teacher preparation but also by a number of other considerations. The following are examples of teaching certifications:
You also have the option to seek specialist certificates, such as Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher (RPYT®) or Registered Children's Yoga Teacher (RCYT®). Both of these certifications are offered by Yoga Alliance.
Please take note that neither the RPYT® nor the RCYT® certifications fulfill the complete 200-hour need to become a certified yoga instructor.
Tip 4: Get Started With Your Lessons
Before applying to most yoga therapy programs, you will need to demonstrate that you have at least one year of experience teaching yoga. It is time to begin teaching yoga after you have completed the necessary training and received your certification. Teaching is the best way to hone your skills, expand your networking opportunities (which is helpful for references, which you'll need to apply to yoga therapy school), and help you clarify where you'd like your yoga career to take you. Teaching is the best way to hone your skills, expand your networking opportunities (which is handy for references, which you'll need to apply to yoga therapy school).
You may obtain employment as a yoga teacher via recommendations from other yoga instructors, by networking with other yoga teachers, or simply by checking through local job ads.
5. Make Sure You Pick the Appropriate Yoga Therapy Program
It is true that not all yoga therapy programs are the same, just as it is true for any other field of study in higher education. Therefore, after you have been teaching yoga for around a year and are ready to start your yoga therapy course, you will need to conduct your research and make sure that you select the one that is most suitable for you.
When choosing a yoga treatment program, be sure to ask questions about aspects like the following:
The fees of the program and any available scholarship possibilities
Both prerequisites and credit hours are required.
The structure and timing of the program
Possibilities of employment for college grads
If you complete this program, will you be able to work in a clinical environment?
For instance, the Master of Science in Yoga Therapy program at MUIH provides its students with the opportunity to participate in an integrative hybrid experience. This opportunity is available to students who have already obtained a minimum of 200 hours of Teacher Training from a Yoga Alliance 200-hour registered school program or its equivalent. We are pleased to report that 86 percent of our most recent alumni found employment or started their own businesses within a year of graduating from our institution.
Tip No. 6: Determine the Location of the Work You Wish to Do
Because yoga therapy can be practiced in such a wide variety of ways, it is an excellent career choice for anyone who would benefit from having some degree of adaptability in their jobs. You have the option of finding employment as a yoga therapist at a hospital, health club, school, or other institution. You even have the option of beginning your own independent private practice.