INTEGRATIVE YOGA STUDIES OVERVIEW
500 Hour Professional Yoga Therapy Certification Program
FOR ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS, VIEW HERE
MelMarie Yoga's The Institute for Integrative Care's 500 Hour Yoga Therapy Program is offered through Four Residential Immersion Modules focused on speciality curriculum, Two Phases of Residential Integration Immersion Trainings, Two Phases of Virtual Integration Immersion Trainings, iRest or Yoga Nidra Training, Vedic Counseling Training, Monthly Integration Check-Ins, 1:1 Mentoring and a Supervised Practicum. This format allows students to participate in the training as they can creating a schedule that works for their budget and time. IAYT requires a minimum of two years to complete the 500 Hours of Yoga Therapy training. Enrollment is on an individual basis and the program schedule cycles throughout each year.Your education plan will be organized during your enrollment session.
Trainees have up to four years to complete the full program.
Trainees begin to develop skills as a Yoga Therapist after enrollment through 1:1 Mentoring, access to remote education, attending scheduled residential modules and progressing through their practicum delivery after a year in the program.
-THE JOURNEY-
YEAR ONE: Consultation Call -> Enrollment -> Enrollment Session -> Begin Pathway and Attend Workshops and Classes.
YEAR TWO: Continue Pathway, Workshops and Classes -> Begin Practicum -> Complete Required Courses -> Graduation
YOUR PACE. YOUR PATH. YOUR PRACTICE.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Phase One | 38 Hours
Our Immersion Phase One offers the foundational perspectives in Yoga Therapy to ensure trainees comprehend and apply techniques and methods through the IAYT Professional Scope of Practice. Trainees will also learn self care techniques and philosophies to aid professionalism and intuitively cultivate their yoga therapy services through a meaningful lens to them. The residential aspect is scheduled throughout the year via zoom.
Courses include: Professional Responsibility, The Business of Yoga, Professional Development, Beginning Your Yoga Therapy Provider Resource and Foundations in Improving Functional Potential, Yoga Therapy Scope of Practice, Professional Responsibility, Legalities of Yoga Therapy, Subtle Anatomy for Self Care, Intentional Touch in Yoga Therapy Scope, Sanskrit, Building Therapeutic Relationships, Building Your Yoga Therapy Tool Box, Understanding Effective Protocols, and Intuitive Healing Arts.
Residential Module One | 40 Hours
This module dives into functional and structural modalities to comprehensively understand mindful movement, stretching therapeutic sequencing and rehabilitative Yoga Therapy. Students will learn about conventional health care, economics and models to aid their clinical application of Yoga Therapy blending allopathic knowledge with Vedic traditions. Students will also receive a thorough training in myofascial stretching to optimize sequencing safely and based in the wisdom of biomechanics.
Courses Include: Yoga Therapy and Health Economics, Yoga Therapy as Integrative Care, Health Constituents and Models, Foundations, Distortion and Breath, Structural Integrity, Fascia, Biology and Myofascial Stretching, Improving Functional Potential.
JOIN REMOTE VIA ZOOM OR IN PERSON
Upcoming Dates:
- Saturday November 8, 2025 and Sunday November 9, 2025 | 1-4:30pmCT
- Saturday December 6, 2025 and Sunday December 7, 2025 | 1-4:30pmCT
- Saturday January 10, 2026 and Sunday January 11, 2026 | 1-4:30pmCT
Residential Module Two | 40 Hours
This module is a deep dive into Vedic Philosophy and methods in understanding human consciousness, laws of physics and vibrational healing. Trainees will learn the history of IAYT and the evolution of Yoga Therapy, Teachers and Traditions. This module is a blend of honoring the ancient wisdom of India while applying into modern science, physics and healing. In addition, this module explores utilizing Yoga Therapy for pain management and working with noncommunicable disease.
Courses Include: Philosophical Evolution of Yoga Therapy, 7 Systems of Indian Philosophy, Surya and Chandra, Yoga of the Mind: Samskara, Karma, Ayurvedic Psychology, Ego and The Shadow, Polyvagal Theory, Narrative Psychology, Conventional Pain Management, Noncommunicable Diseases, Physiology of Pain.
JOIN REMOTE VIA ZOOM OR IN PERSON
Upcoming Dates: TBA 2026
Residential Module Three | 40 Hours
This module anchors into the philosophies and modern modalities of Mental Health guiding trainees to explore and learn about current methods of treatment and how Yoga Therapy serves as adjunct and complimentary care for mental health pathology. Trainees will also learn about utilizing yoga therapy for cardiovascular health and illnesses, mind body medicine, the placebo effect as it relates to Vedic Teachings and a full day of Advanced Ayurveda.
Courses Include: Cardiovascular Health, Mental Health and Yoga Therapy, Affective Disorders, Mindfulness Based Healing, Advanced Ayurveda, Tantra, Mindfulness Based Healing, Compassion Based Healing, Our Bodies and Their Sensations, Yoga Therapy and Placebo and Pleasurable Neuromuscular Pathways .
JOIN REMOTE VIA ZOOM OR IN PERSON
Upcoming Dates:
- Saturday, January 18, 2025 and Sunday, January 19 2025 | 1-4:30pmCT
- Saturday, February 15, 2025 and Sunday, February 16 2025 | 1-4:30pmCT
- Saturday, March 15, 2025 and Sunday, March 16 2025 | 1-4:30pmCT
Residential Module Four | 40 Hours
This module covers assessment methods and styles that equip trainees with unique ways to identify imbalances and illness through Vedic wisdom that informs treatment plans and clinical yoga therapy. Trainees will learn to work with therapeutic group co-horts developing programs and maintaining group coherence through the process. In addition, this module dives into Yoga Therapy for Oncology, Neurological Health and aspects that enrich clinical yoga therapy.
Courses Include: Assessment Structures, Adherence and Qualitative Assessments, Therapeutic Group Cohorts, Burnout Prevention, Niyamas and Adaptive Coping, Yoga Therapy and Oncology, Neurological Health, Optimizing Brain Health in Aging Adults, Group Ethics in Practice and Process, and Yoga and Religious Inclusivity.
JOIN REMOTE VIA ZOOM OR IN PERSON
Upcoming Dates:
- Saturday June 28, 2025 and Sunday June 29, 2025 | 1-4:30pmCT
- Saturday July 26, 2025 and Sunday July 27, 2025 | 1-4:30pmCT
- Saturday August 23, 2025 and Sunday August 24, 2025 | 1-4:30pmCT
Phase Two | 48 Hours
Phase Two training is required to complete towards the end of training after all four modules and Phase One trainings have been completed. Trainees must complete the virtual training before joining the courses as this integrates methodology, curriculum, philosophies and clinical yoga therapy together to equip trainees to prepare for graduation and beginning their career in Yoga Therapy as a Yoga Therapist. Trainees will be approved to participate once all required courses are completed. Phase Two focuses on fine-tuning Clinical Assessments Skills including client adherence, qualitative assessments and professional practice. Trainees will deepen their ability to develop effective therapeutic plans and apply in clinical scenarios. Phase Two training clinical applications and clinical practice are to ensure trainees are ready for graduation and to begin their Yoga Therapy Career.
Courses include: Representing and Advocating for Yoga Therapy, Developing Your Yoga Therapy Provider Resource, Reviewing Clinical Scenarios, and Developing Effective Therapeutic Plans.
Foundations of Jyotish | 30 Hours
Our 30 Hour Foundations in Jyotish is a wonderful place to begin Yoga Therapy Training, giving foundations in Vedic counseling- a life guidance based upon the Vedic tradition of Self-Knowledge and cosmic knowledge. Vedic interventions are derived from the Vedas and are threaded through the philosophical foundations of Yoga. The science of Jyotish (Vedic Astrology) is one of four Yoga Sciences. It is an ancient Indian Philosophical System that studies the movement of nature, planets and constellations as it relates to human life, timing, and purpose. Jyotish translates as "the science of light" emphasizing the importance of our self awareness and how our awareness informs our free will.
Foundations of Vedic Counseling, Dashas and Destiny, Physics and Planets, Understanding the Planets, Understanding the Houses, Human Design and Vedic Wisdom, Debunking the Maya of Astrology ,The Internal Interior of You Workshop, Understanding the Zodiacs, Cosmic Math: How to Read a Birth Chart, The Moon and Malefics, Fine Tuning Self Trust and Intuition, Tailoring Yoga to Vedic Astrology, Elements and Vedic Astrology, and Vedic Astrology for Mental Health.
Monthly 1:1 Mentorship, a Beautiful Manual for the course mailed to you and much more to elevate Vedantic Teachings and application of yogic tools in yoga therapy. This program is formatted similiar to our module trainings and workshops cycle every three months for a self scheduled cadence that meets your personal scheduling needs. Course takes about 4-6 months to complete.
Embodied Rest | 25 Hours
The Embodied Rest Training is designed to provide you with the principles of rest through yogic and Vedic wisdom.This program explores foundations, history, theory, practice, and delivery of many textures of Yoga Nidra and Meditation. It teaches you how to incorporate the Yoga Nidra and Meditation protocols into your life, your yoga teaching, and/or your clinical practice. Yoga Therapy Trainees will be trained and certified in Embodied Rest Yoga Nidra.
THIS TRAINING INTRODUCES YOU TO THE PRINCIPLES, PRACTICES, AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND THAT UNDERLIE YOGA NIDRA AS A COMPREHENSIVE PATH OF MEDITATION.
YOU'LL LEARN:
- Eastern and Western psycho-spiritual perspectives that form the foundation of Yoga Nidra. Based on the Indriyas and a wide range of techniques to implement through process and practices including Sound Healing, Visualizations and more.
- About the evidence-based research showing the efficacy of Yoga Nidra and its use with various psycho-physical issues and populations.
- How to understand guided rest as a comprehensive approach to meditation and yoga therapy.
- Guidelines regarding the ethical considerations and person centered practices fostering your skills in working one-one to sharing with larger groups and special populations.
And it includes:
- Scripts and Manual to help you start teaching right away.
- Guided experiences to enjoy through the journey.
The goal of this training is to help you take the teachings of Yoga Nidra beyond your on-the-mat practice and into your daily life, techniques, teaching, and embrace the power of restful practice and an embodied homecoming to your essence.
Practicum Delivery | 170 Hours
The Institute for Integrative Care's Yoga Therapy Clinical Practicum is a total of 170 delivery hours with an additional 30 hours of Mentoring. Trainees will be eligible to begin their practicum after one year of training within the 500 Hour Professional Yoga Therapy Program. Once trainees qualify, their first practicum mentoring session will be an orientation to review their Yoga Therapy Toolsets, Assessment Methods and ability to facilitate yoga therapy. Yoga Therapists in training will have the option to facilitate their yoga therapy delivery on their own, through internships with MelMarie Yoga or through our clinical tele-yoga therapy practice here.
Yoga Therapy Practicum Includes:
- Facilitation of 100 1:1 Yoga Therapy Sessions followed by post-session observations through Practicum Delivery Forms.
- Facilitation of 70 group yoga therapy sessions including both organized cohort or fulfilling unique therapeutic requests in partnership with clinics, organizations and the community.
- Development, presentation and implementation of personalized yoga therapy protocols.
MENTORING + INTEGRATION | 42 Hours
- 30 Hours of 1:1 directly tailored mentoring with the Program Director, additional relevant review and education based on trainee’s focused therapeutic services and Delivery Form reviews.
- Mentor review and discussions through support as needed.
- First Fridays, 12 Required (Beginning February 2024)