top of page

Transform.

Trauma-Aware & Mental Health Yoga Teacher Training

February 2 - April 27, 2025

FOR CERTIFIED YOGA TEACHERS & STUDENTS WANTING TO DEEPEN THEIR KNOWLEDGE.

Trauma-Aware & Mental Health Yoga Training.

Embark on a transformative 75-hour program that will empower you to drive positive change within the yoga community. Benefit from a supportive and dynamic community-based approach, fostering growth and leadership.

Image by Sixteen Miles Out

Dynamic. Experience-driven. Influential.

A TRAUMA-AWARE & MENTAL HEALTH YOGA TEACHER'S MANIFESTO

“I am dedicated to creating a safe space where you can practice yoga to facilitate deep healing and lasting transformation in your life. While I may not fully comprehend the intricate details and depth of your experiences, through my healing journey and the study of yoga and The 7 Bodies Method, I am committed to establishing and maintaining a safe space during all our interactions. There are no "have to's," no "musts," and no "shoulds." You are safe, heard, seen, and loved in my yoga class. I am dedicated to your healing and committed to guiding you safely, lovingly, and respectfully."

Image by Lesly Juarez

Join us to learn, grow, experience & evolve.

FEBRUARY 2 - APRIL 27, 2025

A 16-Week Program.

 

A hybrid of virtual meet-ups & online program structure, with the option to travel to Costa Rica at any time during your program

​

Investment: $1250 USD

​

Scholarships & Financing is available.

THE IMPACT OF TRAUMA & MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS

...

Can range from everyday stress to more severe anxiety and disorders, but the initial effect is often similar. Individuals dealing with mental health conditions frequently experience dysregulation in their nervous system, which hinders optimal brain function.

​

Incorporating mindful yoga practices, breathwork, somatics, and targeted yoga nidra practices can aid in managing stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, trauma, and other mental health disorders.

IN THIS PROGRAM YOU WILL

...

Learn specific yoga-related techniques and complementary somatic strategies to help individuals who have experienced trauma feel more comfortable and at ease in their bodies while working with you in your group offerings or one-on-one. This will also help you develop greater empathy and compassion for individuals who have experienced trauma.

WHERE DOES TRAUMA COME FROM?

...

Trauma can be caused by an overwhelmingly negative event that has a lasting impact on the victim's mental and emotional stability. While many sources of trauma are physically violent in nature, others are psychological. Some common sources of trauma include domestic violence, natural disasters, and severe illness or injury.

WORDS FROM HALI LOVE, CREATOR OF TRAUMA-AWARE & MENTAL HEALTH YOGA TEACHER TRAINING

...

“Yoga is a practice that is not one-size-fits-all. Through my many hours and years of study and practice, and through my teaching career that started in 2006, I discovered that yoga is a tool that can be 100% accessible to every person - despite any physical or mental health limitations.

 

To paraphrase Krishnamacharya's words, a masterful teacher will insist on attending to each individual's uniqueness. If we respect each person individually, it naturally means we will always start from where each person is currently at. The starting point is never the teacher's needs but those of the student. This may require many different approaches; there is not just one approach for everybody. I love this.  I am present as a space holder for each student's experience, to see and value them—no matter where they are along their journey.”

What is Trauma-Aware & Mental Health Yoga?

Trauma-Aware & Mental Health yoga is not meant to take you back to the origin of your pain. It is not a means to diagnose or provide treatment. Its goal is to assist you in being more mindful of your body's sensations. By doing so, you can then focus on releasing any accumulated emotions, stress, and tension.

 

Trauma-aware and Mental Health Yoga is an approach to create a safe, supportive space where students can build their confidence to learn and practice emotional regulation, emotional agility, and learn how to effectively work with their nervous system to consciously activate their parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system. TMH Yoga provides each student with the opportunity to feel safe in their body, in control of their emotions, and experience greater inner peace.

 

TMH teachers learn how to effectively guide their students so they can lessen their trauma response symptoms through the many tools that the practice of yoga, meditation, Yoga Nidra, sound healing, traditional breath practices, hypnosis, traditional Chinese medicine, and both Eastern and Western psychology offer.

​About The Program

 

What is the difference between Trauma-aware yoga & regular yoga?

 

Yoga offers numerous physical and mental health benefits, but a typical yoga class may not be suitable for everyone. Trauma-informed yoga can support post-traumatic growth and healing for trauma survivors. A yoga instructor who is trauma-aware and mindful of mental health will prioritize your experience within a yoga class rather than focusing solely on performance, sequences, or postures.

 

In many traditional yoga classes, students are often encouraged to work through any emotional discomfort that arises. However, trauma-aware & mental health yoga aims to create a safe space for individuals to recognize signs of dissociation and distress, and to pause whenever necessary. Teachers trained in trauma-informed & mental health yoga are equipped with techniques to allow this pause without affecting the overall atmosphere, sequence, or posture goals of the other students in the class.

 

What is Mental Health?

 

Mental health is crucial for a person's overall well-being, enabling them to cope with life's stresses, realize their abilities, and contribute to their community. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in anxiety and depressive disorders. The number of people with depressive symptoms has risen from 193 million to 246 million, an increase of 28%, and those with anxiety disorders have increased from 298 million to 374 million, a 25% rise.

 

Mental health issues are prevalent worldwide, and many people may have experienced them or know someone who has. Common signs of poor mental health include feelings of worry, stress impacting sleep and appetite, depression symptoms, prolonged guilt, feelings of unworthiness, or an exaggerated sense of 'high'. Changes in sleep, weight, personal hygiene, or work/school activity may also indicate a mental health issue.

 

Mental health is fundamental to overall well-being, and practices like yoga can be beneficial for trauma healing and maintaining good mental health. Some insurance providers cover yoga classes, and corporate wellness programs, including yoga, are becoming more common.

 

What is Trauma?

 

When an individual experiences a highly stressful or frightening event that is difficult to cope with or control, it can lead to trauma. This event can be a one-time occurrence or an ongoing situation that persists over a long period of time. Trauma results in a lasting emotional response, which can impact a person's sense of safety, ability to regulate emotions, and capacity to navigate relationships.

 

The human body's reaction to trauma is natural and can be beneficial up to a certain point. Our body's stress responses have evolved to act as a personal bodyguard, alerting us to potential threats. However, problems arise when past experiences trigger this stress response.

Program Objectives

​

Participants will gain a thorough understanding of achieving and maintaining a balanced state of mental health. They will comprehend complex and developmental trauma and PTSD, including the neuroscience, subconscious and conscious patterning and the nervous system imbalances that accompany both trauma and PTSD.

 

They will also learn, through mentorship and in-depth individual exploration, the reasons, methods, and timing for utilizing TMHY (Trauma-aware & Mental Health Yoga) as supportive management for complex and developmental trauma, PTSD, emotional regulation & to obtain a macro vision of life.

 

Participants will gain the knowledge and skills needed to conduct TMHY sessions for individuals and groups to assist those dealing with trauma, PTSD, or seeking emotional balance. The program will cover various techniques including curated sequences from restorative yoga, yin yoga, gentle yoga, chair yoga, wall yoga, yoga nidra, breath practices & meditation. After completing the program, students will be able to effectively deliver all techniques and learn how to market themselves as a TMH Yoga Teacher. 

Program Structure

 

Meet & Greet

 

Your TMHY Certification Program begins Sunday, January 5 at 10am CST (local time in Costa Rica) with a group meet-and-greet, including student and faculty introductions and your program access and module completion plan.  This meeting is expected to be no longer than two hours.

 

Peer Support & Learning Group

​

This Yoga Certification Program emphasizes the importance of safe, supportive & connecting relationships. During this certification program, you will be paired with one to four other students for your peer support and learning group. During our first meeting, your peer group paring will take place.

 

Each student peer group will have a faculty mentor appointed to serve as your lead contact throughout your program. You will meet with your group for one hour each week, and your mentor will join your meeting for the hour every second week.   Your scheduled meetups with your peer group will be scheduled weekly - on either a weekend or a weekday evening - options will be presented during our initial meet-up.

 

Unlimited Individual Email Support

​

You will also have individual email support from your faculty mentor, who will be available to answer any questions. Additionally - you have the option to meet 1:1 with your faculty mentor one time per month.

 

Program Checklists

​

In between the meetings, you will complete our program work checklists, which include your program readings & presentations (videos, podcasts, PDF’s and presentations) on our program topics.

 

Live Zoom TMH Yoga Classes

​

You will have access to live yoga classes via Zoom based on participating studios' weekly schedules. All classes will be recorded and uploaded to our program platform for future viewing.  It is suggested that you complete a minimum of 1 x asana class per week.

​

Yoga Nidra & Meditation

​

You must complete 1 yoga nidra session and 1 meditation each week. Record these sessions and fill out the class completion form afterward.  Yoga Nidra sessions are approximately 45 minutes, meditations are approximately 5 - 15 minutes.

 

Weekly Recorded Seminars/Lectures


Additionally, you will receive weekly recorded seminars (no more than 30 minutes in length) that you are required to view and submit a Q&A to support your program progress. These seminars will be uploaded to our program platform weekly.

 

8 Live Seminars


We will host 8 live seminars on the schedule below to supplement your program material. You are welcome to attend these seminars live or catch the recording at a later date. Should you not be present for these recordings, you must submit your insights from each seminar to your faculty mentor via email (protocol will be presented during our introductory meet-up).  These Seminars will be no longer than 30 minutes in length, with a 30 minute Q & A period.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

...

This 75-hour Program will run for 16 weeks.

 

Live Meet Ups, in CST (local time in Costa Rica)

Introductions - Sunday, February 2 

Graduation -  Sunday, April 27

 

Live Seminars held at 11 am CST

(local time in Costa Rica) on the following Sundays:

​

February 2 

February 9 

February 23 

March 9 

March 16 

March 30 

April 6

April 13  

HOUR ACCUMULATION

...

  • Peer Support Meet Ups 1 hour per week = 14

  • TMH Yoga Practice 1 per week = 16

  • Yoga Nidra & Meditation Practice = 8

  • Weekly Recorded Seminars 30 mins per week = 8

  • Live Seminars one hour in length x 8 = 8

  • Certification Process total hours = 7

  • Personal Program Study total hours = 14 hours

ACCESS TO RECORDINGS

​

If you cannot attend the live seminars of yoga classes, they will be recorded for you and uploaded to our program platform.

You don’t need to be a yoga teacher or mental health professional to take this training. This program is also for those wanting to heal trauma, enhance their mental health, or increase their overall well-being.



This course is especially for
 
Certified yoga teachers who want to deepen their knowledge and teaching tools, especially when dealing with common mental health disorders and trauma triggers
 
Certified yoga teachers interested in offering trauma-aware or mental health-specific yoga classes
 
Professionals working in the mental health industry who are interested in learning new ways to support mental health conditions
 
Anyone who is interested in how yoga can assist people experiencing mental health issues, PTSD, or trauma

Check out the amazing things you will learn from this program!

  • The study of neuroscience to understand the development and function of the nervous system, including the parasympathetic and sympathetic systems, and mental health anatomy from both Eastern and Western perspectives

  • How mental health conditions affect the nervous system and the brain, how yoga can aid in the healing process, and the impact of different brain waves on overall well-being.How specific breathing techniques, meditations & yoga nidra work with our brain to calm our nervous system 

  • How the information from the meridian lines of Traditional Chinese Medicine can have a positive healing effect on trauma and stress, and how can this knowledge be incorporated into your yoga classes and 1:1 sessions 

  • The Neurobiology of Trauma: Understand what happens to the traumatized brain; including the effects of Trauma on memory & physical health

  • How to apply the Polyvagal Theory to create therapeutic yoga offerings

  • Vagus Nerve anatomy & calming tools to incorporate into your yoga offerings

  • The yogic view on Psychology Perspectives: healthy & unhealthy behaviour patterns, states of being & how to bring balance through the cognitive study of yoga texts

  • What “micro-traumas” are and the impact they have on our human psyche

  • Psychogenic pain; what it is and how to manage through TMH Yoga

  • The impact of different mantras and the 417 Hz sound on reducing stress responses and promoting the parasympathetic nervous system

  • Nutrition for trauma & stress: common foods to avoid due to the stress they have on the human nervous system

    Understanding Somatic Theory and  how to integrate it into your yoga classes and how NOT to use it in your yoga classes

    How to apply the 7 Bodies Method for sustainable change and healing in personal and teaching practices

  • The Different Types of Emotional Responses; including Hormonal Responses to Trauma

  • Verbiage to incorporate into your yoga classes to make them trauma-aware, suitable for mental health yoga classes & to avoid common triggers in yoga classes

  • How to create & guide yoga classes for people experiencing anxiety and depression and who are suffering from grief or loss

  • How to guide your students through breathwork and meditation practices that will help lower their stress response to triggers

  • Additional tools you can offer your students to support them in avoiding retraumatization

  • How to create 1:1 TMH Yoga Programs for your private clients, including the skills to help individuals on their healing journeys, fostering resilience and self-compassion through mindful movement and breath work

What you get

 

  • Lifetime access to our online learning platform

  • Access to our initial meet-up and closing graduation meet-up

  • Access to 8 live seminars (recorded in case you cannot attend the dates)

  • Access to 7 recorded seminars/lectures, uploaded weekly

  • An automated Calendar with your "Daily Do's", which are short practices with a written log of your experience

  • Access to a schedule of live TMH Yoga Classes (presented during our initial meet-up)

  • Connection to your peer group for support and enhancing your studying and learning process

  • Printable mantras, including Vedic stories, as well as recorded mantras to learn how to guide the mantra to your individual clients or groups

  • Unlimited email support during your training dates with your faculty mentor

  • An opportunity to meet 1:1 with your faculty mentor 2 times throughout this program

  • ​A printable program manual will be available for download from our program platform on July 7; this manual will serve as your guide for teaching.  It will contain your scripts for TMH Yoga Classes, meditations, breathwork practices, and Yoga Nidra that you can use as your own, as well as important teaching verbiage.  All other theory will be on our online learning platform.

Certification Process

If you are interested in getting your 75 Hour Certification as a Trauma Aware & Mental Health Yoga Teacher, you are required to complete the following:

 

  • A recorded 30-minute workshop presenting the various tools that can be used in Trauma-Aware and Mental Health Yoga classes

  • 40-minute recorded yoga nidra scripts (3 total) focussing on each of the following a) anxiety b) grief c) anger & frustration

  • Submission of 3 x TMH Meditation Script recordings

  • A recorded TMH Yoga Class 60-minutes in length (2 total) for each of the following a) depression b) anxiety

  • Successful completion of the Trauma-aware & Mental Health Yoga Teacher Certification open-book exam, which is comprised of 50 questions from your program material.

​

​

Certificate of Completion

 

If you are currently a 200-hour (minimum) registered Yoga Teacher with The International Yoga Alliance, you can register your 75-hour Certificate of Completion for your continuing education credits.  Students can also complete this program, however will only receive a Certificate of Completion.  

​

This program is also available online for self study - with 1:1 Guidance.

​

Questions? Email Hali Love.

​

Investment

$999.00 USD

​

​

bottom of page