Yoga Therapy Certificate Program

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Yoga therapy is the process of guiding individuals to progress toward improved health and wellbeing through the application of the teachings and practices of yoga. Yoga therapy begins with an assessment process, incorporates an individualized therapeutic plan based on the yoga tradition and the client’s needs, and evaluates the plan's efficacy in a continual process aimed at achieving optimal health.

SCHYS Yoga Therapy Certificate Program

Yoga Therapy is the next step after becoming a yoga teacher.  To become a Yoga Therapist, another three years of training is in order where you will learn how to use the tools of yoga to help a client.  Are you ready to embark on an exciting journey to learn deeper aspects and concepts of yoga therapy?  Whether you choose this program for your own personal growth and knowledge or you have the desired goal to help others on their healing journey, we believe this accredited training program to be among the best.  We take pride in knowing that our graduates know how to safely help someone using the tools of yoga.  We love to share the gifts yoga offers with others interested in this great journey of yoga and yoga therapy.

SCHYS follows and surpasses the standards set by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) for our Yoga Therapy Certificate Program. We are heavily influenced by the therapeutic teachings that come from the Krishnamacharya through TKV Desikachar lineage, and yet, all SCHYS faculty are multi-tradition trained, this means our curriculum does not adhere to any particular lineage.  We bring in teachings from other styles and teachings that our faculty have acquired in their years of study.  We believe this makes our program more well-rounded, more accessible, more accepting, and more inclusive as we have learned to take the best from every style, tradition, and lineage. 

All programs are directed by JJ Gormley, one of the premier leaders in the field, who began her journey of yoga in 1979. SCHYS was among the first schools to register with the Yoga Alliance (in 1999) and also with the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT), (program accredited in 2017) and was the premier Yoga Therapy Training Program in both Virginia and Chicago, IL. SCHYS is now proud to offer the program in a third location: Smithfield, NC at The Yoga Connection.

All SCHYS programs train our teachers to be Trauma Informed, have training in Western/allopathic anatomy and medical terminology, and to use All-Inclusive Language. Graduates of our 300-Hour training program are eligible for RYT500 with the Yoga Alliance. Graduates of our accredited Yoga Therapy Certificate Program are eligible for C-IAYT with the International Association of Yoga Therapists.

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International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT)

SCHYS is a member school of the IAYT, and our Yoga Therapy Certificate Program is an accredited program with the IAYT. Graduates of this program may apply to IAYT for their C-IAYT.

Would you like a brochure?

Please click here to download a PDF of our Yoga Therapy Training Brochure

Testimonial from a graduate, L.M.: I have benefited from JJ's teachings in workshops, conferences, private sessions, teacher training, retreats and the now IAYT accredited therapy program. She has a great depth and breadth of yoga knowledge. Her programs balance academic rigor and tradition with experience and creativity. JJ teaches with integrity, generosity, and compassion and she encourages these qualities in others. The trainings she and other SCHYS faculty present show commitment to professional and personal development. I am grateful for my association with Surya Chandra Healing Yoga School.

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Pre-requisites

  • RYT-200 from the Yoga Alliance (or equivalent).

  • Teaching experience: At least one year (minimum of 40-teaching hours over at least one year.)

  • An established home practice.

If you’re unsure that this program is a good fit for you, try our Foundations of Yoga first. This program is 24 hours of online courses that you may take at your own pace. The courses in this program will introduce you to the teaching style and methodology of our school. Our School Director, JJ Gormley leads these courses, so you’ll be able to “meet” her in these prerecorded classes to test the waters without a lot of cost. This program is $300 and is part of our 300-hour training program (Step 1 of the Yoga Therapy Certificate Program). For those who take this Foundations of Yoga program, you’ll have a head start should you decide to enroll, and we’ll reduce your tuition cost based on what you’ve paid for this program.

Have questions about this program? Please feel free to email JJ Gormley, Program Director, or Barb Pishock, Administrative Director.

Application and enrollment

Students may apply directly through the website by clicking here.

Learn more about the admission process here and receive a sample Enrollment Agreement by emailing Barb Pishock.

We believe we’ve set these programs up to bring you quite a lot of knowledge in a short amount of time. JJ Gormley has spent thousands of hours training teachers since 1994 which has allowed these programs to be streamlined to bring the best of both in-person hours with faculty and allow home-study using online platforms. We hope you’ll enjoy our programs at SCHYS as much as we enjoy sharing the wonderful knowledge of yoga.