Yoga is a powerful practice that can have a positive impact on your life. However, yoga is more than just a physical fitness regime. It’s also a spiritual practice that can help you become more grounded, centered, and focused.

If you’re interested in becoming a yoga therapist, there are several things you should know about the process. Here are some tips for getting started:

1) Find an accredited school that specializes in teaching yoga therapy. You can do this by searching online or asking people who have already graduated from these schools for recommendations.

2) Attend classes regularly and keep up with your homework assignments. In order to become certified as a yoga therapist, you’ll need to complete at least 200 hours of training and pass an exam administered by the National Board of Certification for Yoga Therapists (NBCYT). This certification process can take anywhere from six months to two years depending on how many hours per week you spend studying and practicing yoga therapy techniques.

3) Make sure you have enough money saved up before applying for loans or scholarships because tuition costs can run up quickly!

How To Become A Yoga Therapist

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.

Study 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.

15 Comments

1. Nazaahah Amin on January 30, 2020 at 2:24 pmAnn, this is such a wonderful step-by-step guide to becoming a yoga therapist. It’s concise while also detailed. Great job!Reply
2. Deborah Bennett on January 30, 2020 at 3:16 pmI 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.Reply
   • Laurie Hyland Robertson on January 30, 2020 at 4:17 pmThanks, 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). Reply
3. Elizabeth Leonhard on August 19, 2020 at 6:14 pmHello! 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.Reply
   • Laurie Hyland Robertson on August 20, 2020 at 8:33 pmThat 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/AccrdPrgmsYou might also like to engage with the community via the IAYT Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/IAYT.orgHope this helps!Reply
   • Karuna on January 11, 2021 at 8:43 pmHi 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 marshReply
     • Mazharul Alam on February 6, 2021 at 8:54 amHelpful 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.Reply
       • Laurie Hyland Robertson on February 6, 2021 at 3:58 pmHi 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!Reply
   • Kristen on February 17, 2022 at 7:06 pm