After pursuing yoga teacher training and then gaining some experience, some people decide to embark on a course to prepare to become a yoga therapist. The International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) is the professional organization for yoga therapists. IAYT offers the following items of consideration for prospective students:
- Shop carefully and purposefully before digging a deep well. It will take an investment in time, energy, and scarce funds to find the right program for you.
- Log on to the IAYT site and search the “Find a Member School” function to locate schools near you, and throughout the world, to begin the tasks of learning more about a wide variety of training programs.
- The International Association of Yoga Therapists provides resources for members including publications for people interested in gaining a professional perspective on the field of yoga therapy.
- Do your research. Peruse school’s websites to see what a wide variety of leading training programs are like, even if you are only looking for a school close to you. There are advantages to different types of programs.
- Attend professional conferences to meet a number of people in a short amount of time. Conferences provide a wide exposure to the many different ways people are actively working as yoga therapists, such as in structural, physiological, psychological and/or spiritual realms and both individually and in integrative health care institutions.
- Once you have begun to narrow your choices, attend a weekend or introductory session with one or more different programs to gain a deeper perspective on their program and their teachers. Make sure you resonate with the teachers, their underlying approach to yoga and the school’s teaching methodology. Ask for referrals and speak to current and former students.
- Last but certainly not least, for individuals seriously interested in a professional career as a yoga therapist, consider a program that has obtained, or is in the process of, seeking IAYT accreditation. Accreditation is an important step in the professional development of this field. Graduates of IAYT accredited programs will be eligible to apply for IAYT certification as a yoga therapist.
