Yoga Therapy
Yoga Therapy 800 hour training returns to Agama Yoga Centre 2024
Are you a yoga teacher interested in taking the next step?
These ancient and potent yoga teachings come direct from the source of Yoga Therapy - TKV Desikachar and the Krishnamacharya lineage. Yoga Therapy employs the tools of yoga in a way that addresses the individual in front of you. Tailoring yoga in a unique way with the multi dimensional needs of the student put first.
This face to face program will commence February 2024 in Melbourne taken by experienced yoga therapists trained in this lineage. Weekend based training.
*Minimum of 6 people required for the program to start.
Course structure
This is a face-to-face program consisting of 10 weekends per year, in 2024 & 2025 (Feb to Nov) and 4 weekends in 2026 (Feb to May). This is equal to 14 weekends with a total of 15 hours per weekend resulting in 360 hours of study. The remaining 440 hours is made up of assesment tasks, study, mentorship and consultation.
Face-to-face program | 360 hours
Online tutorials / prerecorded material | 70 hours
Assessment tasks (done in own time) | 300 hours
Pre-reading prior to weekends | 30 hours
Mentorship and personal practice consultation | 40 hours
Total: 800 hours
About the Trainers
Jill Harris, the primary Trainer, has been a teacher in the Krishnamacharya lineage for the past 20 years. She is a Yoga Therapist and Teacher Trainer, and has a special interest in yoga and research having designed Yoga Therapy protocols for trials on Yoga for Anxiety & Depression, Yoga for Pelvic Pain – Endometriosis (The Happi Study) and upcoming research on a Yoga for Eating Disorders clients.
Barbara Brian has been a yoga teacher for the past 37 years, much of her journey studying yoga with the late TKV Desikachar. She is the founder and director of Agama Yoga Centre which offers group classes and Yoga Therapy consultations for people at all stages of life. Most of Barbara’s work is now personal consultation for home practice, mentorship for yoga therapy and postgraduate studies in the Krishnamacharya lineage.
Before applying
Interested teachers must have a minimum of 2 years teaching experience and have completed a minimum of 350 hours of Yoga Teacher Training. Teachers who have less than 2 years teaching experience can apply and will be considered providing they have mentor support. Those who are trained in a different tradition must undertake the 100 hour integration program (information below).
What makes the Krishnamacharya training unique?
Understanding Yoga Therapy for the person in front of you (no ‘one size fits all’ approach).
Case Studies are an essential aspect of the training – you gain a practical understanding of working one on one with Yoga Therapy clients.
Comprehensive study of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali pertaining to Therapy. Review of Chapters 1 & 2 and an exploration of Chapters 3 & 4.
Models from the Bhagavad Gita, Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Samkhya philosophy.
Functional Anatomy from the Therapeutic perspective Systems and functions of the body.
Ayurvedic understandings of the body and Ayurveda’s role in Yoga Therapy.
Direct referencing of tools for therapy as used in the Krishnamacharya tradition.
Access to one on one mentoring throughout the process and development of personal practice.
Working and creating bonds with a group of like minded yoga practitioners in a face to face setting.
Prerequisites for yoga teachers not trained in the Krishnamacharya lineage
Participation in a 100 hour integration program is required. This will provide the fundamentals of the lineage for teachers trained in other traditions and will be conducted either through mentorship or over 3 months prior to course commencement. 50 hours will be face-to-face learning with the additional 50 as study and assessments.
The integration program includes:
Models of Therapy from Yoga Sutras and the Vedic Tradition (Vyuha, Pancamaya, Cakras, Vayus, Astanaga Yoga, Kriya Yoga)
Understanding Vinyasa Krama – stepping yoga practices in an appropriate way for specific goals
Classification of Asana according to function
The Role of Breath in Yoga
An integration program is currently planned for the below dates:
3 weekends Nov, Dec 2023 & late Jan 2024 * (exact weekends to be confirmed)
If only a small number of students need to complete this option, it may be done through direct mentorship instead of set weekend work.
Cost: $1,000 inc GST
Cost and payment information
The total cost of the training is $9,000 inc GST. An inital deposit of $1,000 is required with the remainder to be paid in monthly installments of $286 over 28 months.
Further study opportunities
For students who are interested, an optional extra 200 hours can be undertaken by those wishing to specialise in a particular topic - this will require research to be completed as well as mentorship/observation at KYM Chennai. Extra fees are applicable.
“I gained a deepened appreciation and understanding of how extraordinarily beneficial yoga can be for each of us. I have studied and taught in other areas and thought this course exemplified the best in education principles and practice - layer upon layer of learning combining centuries of tradition and the latest therapies.”