Yoga Therapy: A Growing Profession in Health and Wellness

Yoga therapy bridges wellness and health care, applying yoga's tools to heal and foster self-development through personalized, holistic sessions (in person or via Zoom) with an intake and home practice.

Cultivate self-understanding to break patterns, use yoga tools to balance body and mind, and empower self-care through a certificate-based, private-pay yoga therapy approach that complements traditional care.

Understand who is a yoga therapist, their education and specialties, and how 800 to 1000 hours emphasize anatomy and personalized, client-centered, prescriptive practice—tailored for conditions like lymphedema and Parkinson's disease.

Trace the history of the international association of yoga therapists from 1989 to today, noting grandfathering, research symposia, and growth toward recognition in therapy alongside physical and occupational therapy.

Explore two paths to becoming a yoga therapist: an accredited 800-hour program or a portfolio review, then maintain the c-iayt credential through exams and continuing education credits.

Explore the Kosha model, from physical body to energetic, mind, inner wisdom, and bliss layers, to assess health, regulate the nervous system, and tailor yoga therapy for growth and healing.

A yoga therapy session begins with an individualized evaluation of health history and goals, then builds a personalized program using postures, breathwork, meditation, journaling, and philosophical guidance.

Yoga therapy provides one-on-one sessions with a therapist who customizes modifications, safety, and technique for your unique needs, unlike a general group class, and begins with a detailed intake.

Identify who is a yoga therapist, and how 800–1000 hours of education and anatomy training support a prescriptive, client-centered practice.

Explore how yoga therapy uses the tools, techniques, and philosophy of yoga to promote health, healing, and self-development, and locate certification resources from IATA.