The Foundations Program provides students with a yoga therapy model and framework for becoming a skilled Yoga Therapist. Students in the Foundations Program are part of a bigger vision in shifting the wellness paradigm. When they transition directly into working as a Yoga Therapist upon completion of this comprehensive course, they often decide to concurrently continue with the Advanced Program. Advanced Program students broaden their skills through eight weeklong immersive condition-specific modules held online and by delivering a 215-hour mentored clinical practicum, working with clients in their community.
The Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy Foundations Program is the backbone of our yoga therapy school. It contains 50 recorded lessons, live Q&A’s, homework, an active online platform, and in-depth learning retreats. The subject matter is comprehensive and clearly prepares students to do therapeutic work. It serves as the foundation for the live residential modules and allows students to move quickly into advanced material using their common knowledge base from their online work at home. The Foundations Program covers many topics, but its main focus is to teach the fundamental frameworks we use, as opposed to focusing on as many individual conditions as possible. Throughout the course, students not only work one-on-one with a Teaching Assistant to guarantee their mastering of the (course)work, they are encouraged to open, lean in, stretch their curiosity, engage in thoughtful conversations, and obtain answers consistently during live Q&A’s (3x’s weekly) with lead teacher and Breathing Deeply founder, Brandt Passalacqua.
Learn more about the Yoga Therapy Foundations Program.
Start Now And Complete Advanced Program Fully Online
The bulk of the 875-hour Advanced Program comprises eight weeklong online modules. During these synchronous, in-depth learning weeks, students cover a wide variety of topics spanning the breadth of yoga therapy including assessment protocols, physical complaints such as back care and rehab, mental health conditions, chronic disease, grief and end of life, eating disorders, trauma, as well as whole-system issues such as pain syndromes and suffering and autoimmune diseases.
All material in the modules is filtered through the system we have laid out in the Foundations Program. We believe this creates a very unified approach and will allow students to deliver clear yoga therapy as they enter the field. The residential modules are purposely not grouped around a unifying theme. The idea is to allow students to “switch gears” every couple of days or so. We believe in general that most students will be better able to absorb material this way.
Students spend their time during the in-depth module weeks studying Western perspectives of these conditions and yoga therapy’s perspective on them. Most importantly, they leave the retreat modules with a clear understanding of how to work with clients on multiple levels to provide better outcomes.
Module hours also provide time for spiritual practice and personal evolution, an essential part of being an effective Yoga Therapist.
Over the weekend portion of this module, Healing with the Body and Breath students will investigate techniques to work with the physical body and the breath and learn assessment skills to inform their work with the physical body.
Back pain is one of the leading causes of missed work and visits to the doctor in North America. In this course, students will learn to work with common spine/back pathologies. Students will learn function anatomy as it relates to back pain.
Hips and shoulders are also common areas for pain and dysfunction. In this course, we will learn functional anatomy and western diagnosis of common conditions that affect these areas.
In the weekend portion of this module called Healing through the Pranic Body and Conscious Mind, we move deeper into the koshas, or layers of the Self, unwrapping like a gift, the inner-workings of the pranic and mental bodies.
As medical technology advances, surgery is becoming a more common form of treatment. In this course, we investigate the most common surgeries and the best practices for helping clients rehabilitate after surgery.
A growing number of people with pelvic disorders are turning to yoga therapy. Pain, dysfunction, disease or trauma can manifest in many different ways. Therefore yoga therapy’s multifaceted approaches can be quite helpful. In this course, we will study both the male and female pelvic anatomy to learn how musculoskeletal imbalances impact pelvic function. We will also look at some common conditions that either contributes to or are caused by pelvic floor disorders, including incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and fertility.
Fascia is a key structural component of the body. As such, it contributes to the physical well-being of our bodies and is often indicated in pain and dysfunction. In this course we will learn all about fascia and its relationship to structure and health. Students will learn how to identify facial lines in the body and the restrictions within them. There will also be an emphasis on common fascia-based pain patterns and how to shift fascia through asana and pranayama techniques. Students will leave with a clear understanding of how to work with bodies using a fascial viewpoint to relieve pain patterns.
Spinal curvatures and scoliosis are a common cause of physical suffering. In this course, students will learn to properly assess spinal curvature and deliver yoga therapy to improve client’s conditions. Students will leave with more clarity on how to work with this challenging condition that can be greatly benefited by yoga therapy.
In this course we look at two difficult to work with mental health disorders, Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder. Students will leave more confident in working with clients with these, as well as other mental health conditions.
Based on Brandt’s work with obesity and eating disorders, this course is an overview to approaching obesity and eating disorders from a yoga therapy perspective.
Managing therapeutic relationships is a foundational skill for yoga therapists. In this course students will explore possible issues in the therapeutic relationship. Students will learn how to manage and identify boundary issues, transference and countertransference, and have a clear understanding of how to be ethical from a yogic perspective.
Yoga Nidra is an extremely powerful tool for healing. When properly taught yoga nidra can be modulated to treat many conditions and imbalances. In this course we will learn the basic theory behind yoga nidra. We will learn how to adjust yoga nidra to target specific koshas and gain the skills to language yoga nidra instruction appropriately for different condition sets.
Students will examine and gain knowledge in addictive behaviors and their roots as well as expression in each kosha while also learning the appropriate interventions for each aspect of the self. Doshic considerations will be touched upon, as well as group protocols.
In this course—taught by neuroscientist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Sat Bir Singh Khalsa—students will learn how to properly read and evaluate research studies. Students will examine how to integrate vetted knowledge into yoga therapy settings. Students will also be given an overview of the current state of neuroscience research as it relates to yoga and meditation.
In this course, taught by a grief and loss expert with over 4 decades of yoga study, students will investigate how we as Yoga Therapists can help those nearing the of their time in this form. Students will learn yoga counseling skills for the very ill and end of life, and philosophical foundations of death, dying, and grief work. We will learn the 5 needs of grieving people and how to provide practices to integrate and fulfill these needs. We will also examine the end of life from a koshic perspective.
Over the weekend portion of this module, Healing with the Body and Breath students will investigate techniques to work with the physical body and the breath and learn assessment skills to inform their work with the physical body.
In this course students will learn to design yoga therapy programs for clients who are suffering from issues related to trauma. Students will learn about the current science around yoga and trauma and how to integrate this knowledge into the Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy model.
In this course students will examine strategies for working with clients suffering from anxiety and/or depression based issues.We will learn assessment and treatment strategies using the koshic and doshic models.
In the weekend portion of this module, Bliss and Wisdom; Yoga Therapy for the Innermost Self, we look at the Vijnanamaya and Anandamaya Koshas. Students will learn advanced assessment and practices to address issues related to the Wisdom and Bliss Bodies. Students will learn preparatory practices to facilitate access to these areas of the self. The chakra based model for Vijnanamaya Kosha will be taught. Students will also learn more advanced practices for Ananamaya Kosha and how to share this information with diverse populations.
This course offers a practical overview of Ayurvedic Principles as they relate to yoga therapy. Students will gain the knowledge of Ayurvedic lifestyle guidelines as they relate to dosha diagnosis. Students will also learn to apply ayurvedic informed asana and pranayama. Shatkarma (cleansing) techniques will be taught with specific guidance on when these practices are most beneficial and how they might be offered to clients.
Additionally, pulse and tongue assessment can provide much clarity to the Yoga Therapist when used correctly. In this course, students will learn the theory and practice of pulse and tongue assessment as it relates to the BDYT assessments taught in the Foundations Program. Students will complete this unit with the ability to confirm and add to assessments using these 2 techniques.
The inner Koshas are the Wisdom and Bliss Bodies (Vijnanamaya and Anandamaya Koshas). Suffering can often have its roots in these koshas, but it can be unclear how to shift practice appropriately to create positive client outcomes. In this course, we will look at the subtler shifts in practices for these koshas. Students will learn how to identify signs that they need to shift their client’s meditation practices related to these koshas as well as, effectively choose practices best suited to their clients. Students will examine teaching styles and language to educate clients from differing backgrounds. Case studies will be presented for clarity.
Having the clinical skills you need to work in private practice as well as institutional settings such as hospitals and integrative healthcare centers is the first step but how do we become a trailblazer in this emerging field? As Yoga Therapists, we must find our way through professional territory that is not yet clearly defined. In this course, we will examine the different professional areas that we as Yoga Therapists might work in. We will look at how to educate potential clients, partners, and referral sources on yoga therapy and its efficacy. We will learn strategies for marketing ourselves directly to the public as well as potential employers. Discussion on how to run a private practice will be included. This course will be interactive so that students leave with a skill set that they can use to create success for themselves and in turn, the evolving field of yoga therapy.
As Yoga Therapists, it is important to keep ourselves firmly grounded in the philosophy that eventually birthed yoga therapy. In this course, we will examine teachings from key texts and how to apply them to our day to day work as healers.
This course will explore yoga therapy interventions for autoimmune disease. Students will practice assessment and how to create working strategies for several autoimmune conditions.
Students will examine working with cancer patients through the koshic model—learning to effectively and safely teach asana, pranayama, and meditation with a clear understanding of contraindications for this population.
We are honored and excited to offer this special module. Teaching Meditation for Specific Conditions is open to Breathing Deeply students in our yoga therapy school as well as those enrolled in the Breathing Deeply Meditation Mentor Certification.
Learning meditation practices for specific health conditions is a vital piece of our work as Yoga Therapists. It is an important skill as a meditation mentor because each person we teach may not only need a personalized approach in their evolution, but an individualized practice based on their health and challenges they may be experiencing.
Our first priority is to keep our students and clients safe. So how do we do this? Or more importantly, how do we avoid the pitfalls of working outside of our scope?
In this week-long experiential module, we look at specific conditions and learn practices and essential modifications for them. Conditions we will address include pain management, autoimmune diseases, mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and others.
Learn more about the Yoga Therapy Retreats and Schedule.
Just like the other aspects of the program, students get full mentorship and support in our 215 Hour Practicum. Students train directly with Brandt, to work in an open-minded, humble, solid, educated, compassionate way. From this place of service, students are creating positive effects of healing in their communities throughout the world. Once students have reached this phase of their education, they work with clients with all sorts of needs, and are not only capable but are effectively working on multiple levels using our holistic model.
Where the Foundations Program provides a complete set of tools and knowledge to begin working as a Yoga Therapist, graduates of the Advanced Program are fully equipped to work in private practice as well as institutional settings such as hospitals and integrative healthcare centers. Breathing Deeply Advanced students are able to utilize the full spectrum of yoga therapy tools and techniques with their clients.
We are seeing our students in their practicum, those working towards C-IAYT, getting referrals from all over including doctors, therapists, and even insurance case managers! Breathing Deeply is changing how people address their own conditions, find healing and lessen suffering, while integrating yoga therapy models into existing western models. The ripple effects are far and wide.
Once these 3 components are complete, Breathing Deeply is honored to collaborate with students on completing their education with a final exam. Comprised of both oral and written components, a pass confirms the highest level of yoga therapy training (C-IAYT) has been granted—a huge milestone after a long journey!
Breathing Deeply Advanced Program graduates not only hold this notable yoga therapy certification around the globe, but they are also held to a code of ethics standard while offering the highest quality of yoga therapy.
A unique benefit of training with Breathing Deeply is Yoga Therapist graduates always have a home with us, receiving continued mentorship from colleagues and teachers while working in the field. Being able to help clients with complex issues with the guidance of seasoned Yoga Therapists and experts to infuse and inspire ones yoga therapy practice is an integral part of clinical success and longevity.
We hope you choose to add your passion and voice to our vibrant community.