Yoga Therapy International (YTI) has been a Registered Yoga School (RYS) with Yoga Alliance since 2009 and became one of the first 12 Accredited Yoga Therapy Training Programs with the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) in 2014.
Not only do we train our therapists to have a deep understanding of the major approaches from the Krishnamacharya lineage of Yoga Therapy – Breath/Meditation/Chanting and Restorative/Alignment-Centred, but we also train our therapists to have a broad understanding of the major trends in current Yoga Therapy practice today, including Chair Yoga, Yoga Nidra, and Yoga for Conditions including Scoliosis, Chronic Pain, Cancer, MS, Parkinson’s, and Disabilities.
Maggie Reagh, the Founding Director of YTI, has been practicing and teaching Therapeutic Yoga for over 25 years. She has trained 31 Yoga Therapists since starting her training program in 2009. Her latest cohort began their program in 2019 and will graduate with their CYT 1000 in 2021.
Her vision is to provide a high-quality, individualized, Yoga Therapy training that is steeped in tradition yet grounded in current practices and that fosters deep, lasting relationships in our global community of practitioners.
What makes Yoga Therapy training at YTI unique?
Accredited IAYT Yoga Therapist Training Program: One of the first accredited programs in the world with the International Association of Yoga Therapists (CYT 1000)
Depth in Traditional Practices from India: Sri T. Krishnamacharya lineage – breath/meditation/chanting and restorative/alignment-centred
Breadth in Current Practices from the West: Major trends in current Yoga Therapy practice
Master Yoga Therapists from India: Study with Master Yoga Therapists from India, specialized in traditional Krishnamacharya-Desikachar Yoga practices
Intensive Mixed-Mode Format for Students from around the Globe: 5 weeks Online - 5 weeks Vancouver, Canada - 6 weeks Chennai, India - 7 weeks Vancouver, Canada with at home internships/practicums after intensive term.
Small Class Sizes of only 10-12 Students: Small class sizes foster individualized learning and deeper relationships for a higher quality learning experience
Senior Yoga Therapists and Specialists from Vancouver: Be taught by real Yoga Therapists at work with real students with real conditions in one of the world’s thriving Yoga hubs, Vancouver, Canada
Practicums at Home Supported by Mentors and Faculty: Be supported at a distance by our Practicum Supervisor and Mentors at home as you transition into your career as a Yoga Therapist
Yoga Therapy Research: Learn how to conduct Yoga Therapy research during our Directed Studies Case Study Capstone Project, during the final phase of your training, mentored by Tracy Dignum and Maggie Reagh
1000 Hours of Classes: 200 hours above the 800-hour IAYT minimum standard to allow for internships and our Directed Studies Case Study Capstone Project, fostering an experiential, thoughtful approach to learning and teaching
30-34 Hours/Week during 3 Mixed-Mode Intensive Terms: Evenings and weekends off to relax, study, and integrate learning at deeper levels, rather than cramming in too much material over a short period of time
Transfer Credits: RYT 500 students from other RYS schools to transfer 30-300 hours after a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) with Maggie Reagh. All transferred hours must be audited on campus during Term 1.
Students will develop the skills to...
- Design and lead general Therapeutic Yoga group classes as well as private sessions, modifying for a wide range of physical-emotional conditions
- Design and lead small Therapeutic Yoga group classes as well as private sessions, focussed on conditions ranging from Lower Back Pain to Disabilities
- Design intake and assessment tools for both public and private Yoga Therapy classes
- Modify practices using chairs and other props for small Therapeutic Yoga group classes as well as for private students, managing the symptoms of a wide range of physical-emotional conditions
- Incorporate Restorative Yoga Therapeutics into small Therapeutic Yoga group classes and the private practice of Yoga Therapy
- Incorporate Anatomy-Physiology, Yoga Philosophy, Ayurveda, Chanting, Meditation, and Pranayama into small Therapeutic Yoga group classes as well as private Yoga Therapy
- Conduct basic Yoga Therapy research by reviewing current trends, conducting a case study, and demonstrating the results through a Capstone Project
International students are encouraged to apply
You are welcome to study in Canada with a tourist visa for programs less than 6 months per calendar year.
Because of the weak Canadian dollar right now, international students can get a high quality Canadian education for about 25% less
The first 5 weeks of Term 1 is in now online, with live, synchronous classes for students around the Globe. Time-zones of students will be accommodated when scheduling these classes to make them internationally accessbile.
Our in-person classes are located in the Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood in East Vancouver close to North Vancouver and Burnaby. This is a residential area with many opportunities to rent rooms through Air BnB or Craig's List. Maggie will let you know if any of her students are renting rooms as well.
If English is not your first language, you must have an IELTS or equivalent of 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band as the program includes academic reading and writing, including Yoga Therapy research.
International students are not permitted to work while in Canada.
Read stories from our CYT 1000 Graduates.
In the Open House below, Maggie Reagh, core faculty members, and program graduates discuss and answer questions about our 2021-2024 Certified Yoga Therapist training.
