Yoga Therapy Programs:
Frequently Asked Questions

The Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy program is based on Structural Yoga Therapy, a system developed by Mukunda Stiles, as well as, a fusion of an Ayurvedic model and a Koshic model looking at the five aspects of the self (physical body, energetic body, conscious and unconscious mind and the bliss body) to assess clients. These are an integral part of the Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy Programs.

The path toward becoming a C-IAYT begins with the Yoga Therapy Foundations Program, and continues with 8 online weeklong retreat modules, totalling over 500 hours. These modules can be taken at the same time as the Foundations Program, with specific lesson prerequisites for each module guaranteeing each student is fully prepared for the advanced information. Once a student completes 4 out of the 8 modules (along with completion of the Foundations Program, which can all be done as quickly as in one year), they are eligible to begin their supervised 160-hour practicum delivered in your own community, while they continue completeing their final 4 modules. This Practicum portion of the Advanced Program is mentored and progress is monitored. 

In other words, both programs can be taken concurrently, at a pace that works for each individual. Completion of the IAYT Accredited Advanced Program can take 2.5 years, however, some choose to move at a slower pace, depending on schedule and finances. 

Advanced Students are welcome to prioritize what advanced modules to take first on their learning timeline based on their knowledge goals. 

Finally, Foundations students are invited to take advanced modules that are of interest to them, even if they don’t want to do the entire Advanced Program, allowing for further knowlege and specializing in their work as yoga therapists.

You’re welcome to schedule a call with our Student Advisor at any time to talk about what your personal path might look like with this link.

Foundations Program:
– Must be at least 18 years of age
– High school diploma or equivalent certificate
– Completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training or equivalent from any tradition. Others will be considered case by case.

Advanced Program:
– Must be at least 18 years of age
– High school diploma or equivalent
– 200-hour yoga teacher training certificate or equivalent (see our 200 hour TT/Foundations Program combination offering, if you do not have this)
– At least one year of personal practice
– At least one year minimum teaching experience

The home for our programs is a very user-friendly platform called Mighty Networks, which contains access to all of the elements of our programs. All of the video lessons, practices, and coursework information live here. The site also provides a private space for students to connect with others in the community and get in touch with teachers and mentors as needed. Our live Q&A schedule is accessible from the platform as well, making it a one stop accessible platform with easy access. We provide daily(!) live Q&A classes per week via Zoom during different parts of the day to accommodate different time zones and lifestyles. These live events are an important resource and invaluable piece of your education as students connect directly with founder and lead teacher Brandt, along with Teaching Assistants on a regular basis.

In the yoga world, there are two large membership organizations. The International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) is an organization that accredits yoga therapy programs. Our Advanced Program is accredited by the IAYT. The Yoga Alliance is a membership organization for yoga teachers.

Absolutely. The Breathing Deeply Foundations program gives you the skills and support you need to practice yoga therapy. If you are certified by our school then you have taken the course and have demonstrated the capacity to provide yoga therapy. As of this writing, you may call yourself a Yoga Therapist in the all 50 U.S. states and in Canada.

The Advance Program certifies you as a C-IAYT. It demonstrates your capacity to work with clients with a more thorough knowledge base. The Advanced Program is currently the highest level of education for practicing yoga therapy.

One popular question our applicants ask is whether to take a 500-hour RYT (advanced teacher training) or seek a 875-hour IAYT yoga therapy certification. Click here to read our response.

The foundation program requires two clients. The minimum is six sessions/client (12 sessions total as a minimum). These practicum hours can be done in your area with anyone in need.

Most people take 18-24 months to complete. The fastest one would be able to fully complete our program is 15 months.

Each lesson varies in terms of the content and length. Most run anywhere from 15 minutes to 45 minutes, sometimes looking like 30 minutes of lecture and another video/practice that is attached to this lecture material. These are self-paced, so you might schedule yourself to watch one per week or decide on a faster or slower pacing. One of Brandt’s superpowers (which is strongly executed in the foundations course, is his ability to distill ancient broad (sometimes complicated) information into real-life, clear and cohesive concepts.

So, you might decide to put an hour or two into it/week, (watch one lesson and do the corresponding coursework) or you may decide to spend more time on it. One more thing that might be useful is that the practices being taught will likely be woven into your personal practice, so that will take some awareness (and time).

Yes. We currently have several students in many places around the globe that will work as Yoga Therapists once they’re certified. Both levels of training and certification – Foundations and Advanced Programs – are used internationally. The IAYT is an association that accredits programs globally.

The Foundations Program has 3 main components:

-50 pre-recorded video lessons that you can move through at your own pace. These include practices and coursework.

-Live online Q&A classes on Zoom. These are offered daily M-F at different times of the day to accommodate different schedules and time zones. We recommend attending one per week.

-Three live retreats. Please see our Retreats page here for further information and dates. The 3 retreats may be taken in any order for your convenience and are all offered once per year, live online as daylong workshops 9-5pm EST with a break for lunch.  

The Advanced Program can be taken concurrently with the Foundations Program, where students begin. In addition to the Foundations Program, the Advanced Program has two main additional components:

-8 weeklong retreat modules, held online, totaling over 500 hours. These modules may also be taken in any order for your convenience. All eight are offered over a 2 year timeline, four each year, on a rotating schedule. 

-A mentored Practicum with live Q&A sessions on Zoom twice each week for supervision, monitoring, and support throughout your Practicum. Please find more information on our Advanced Program page here.

Feel free to contact us for more information. We would also welcome a conversation with one of our Student Advisors at any time to talk about what your personal path might look like. Apply here.