Mental Health Awareness Training for Yoga Teachers

Who is this training for?

• Any Australian yoga teacher facilitating online and/or face-to-face group classes who wants to make their classes psychologically safer for everyone to attend
• Trainee teachers or those who have recently completed their foundational training who would like to learn skills on how to safely support students with their mental health
• Any trained yoga teacher who feels they lack the mental health knowledge and skills to handle the increase in students coming to classes with mental health conditions
• Teachers wanting an express, basic introduction to trauma-informed/mental health aware yoga, not those seeking extensive in-depth training

This training does NOT cover how to:

• Teach specific mental health therapy or trauma-sensitive yoga classes or programs 
• Use yoga as a therapy to treat mental health conditions
• Self-treat or provide mental health advice/counselling to others

Why learn from me?

I am an experienced Yoga Teacher who has also worked extensively in the Australian mental health sector for over 12 years in various roles, including mental health outreach support worker, complex care case manager, telephone and face-to-face counsellor, and wellness coach. I have an in-depth understanding of the Western approach to mental health, the Australian mental health care system, and how to support others with their mental health. As a Yoga Teacher I understand the nature of the role, and recognise the broad ranging skills that are required to facilitate safe, accessible, and inclusive yoga classes and offerings to students.

With over a decade of experience working in the mental health sector, I feel confident supporting yoga students with their mental health whilst setting and maintaining professional boundaries around the student-teacher relationship. However, I am aware not all yoga teachers have this experience or knowledge and most YTT trainings do not cover mental health. I have put this mental health awareness training together to support fellow yoga teachers in the community so that we all can make a difference by sharing the practice of yoga in mental health informed way.

Feedback from past attendees:

“This is the kind of training and information that all yoga teachers need in their initial YTT but don’t actually get! It is essential for all teacher to do this. I enjoyed most: the tips and ideas to keep in mind when guiding a class. Adding the trauma/PTDS to enrolment form, I hadn’t considered that. Very well resourced.” – Ashlynn, Yoga Teacher NSW

What did you enjoy most about the training? “Finding out that it is important to always offer options, not just in postures and poses but joining in the start/end of a class, breath work etc. e.g. “I invite you” or “you can choose to do this or that”. Learning about how PTSD can be triggered by a sound for example was interesting and something I had not thought of.” – Corrine, Yoga Teacher VIC

“Thanks Steph! Great workshop! Wonderful.” – Glenis, Yoga Teacher QLD

“I actually enjoyed the whole training, it’s jam-packed with useful and helpful information.” – Allan, Yoga Teacher, Philippines.