Yoga therapist
Yoga therapists use yoga to help people with physical and emotional issues, and specific health conditions.
- Typical hours24 to 37 a week
What you'll do
As a yoga therapist, you could:
- talk to clients about their physical and emotional health and lifestyle
- agree a personalised programme of therapy to help with issues or symptoms
- work with clients on a one-to-one basis or in group classes
- teach simple yoga postures to target specific health needs
- teach breathing exercises, relaxation and visualisation methods
- give advice on how to maintain good health and a sense of inner peace
Working environment
You could work at a health centre, in a therapy clinic or at a fitness centre.
Your working environment may be physically demanding.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- excellent verbal communication skills
- active listening skills
- sensitivity and understanding
- to enjoy working with other people
- physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
- knowledge of psychology
- to be flexible and open to change
- leadership skills
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
How to become a yoga therapist
You can get into this job through:
- specialist courses run by private training organisations
Other routes
You could take a course in yoga therapy with a training organisation approved by the British Council for Yoga Therapy.
To do this you'll usually need to:
- complete a yoga teaching course of at least 200 hours
- have at least 2 years' experience of teaching yoga
You may need to show examples of recent study to prove that you can cope with the academic content of the course. An understanding of anatomy and physiology will also be useful.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- pass enhanced background checks as you may work with children and vulnerable adults
- have a good level of fitness
Career path and progression
You could be a yoga teacher , as well as practising as a self-employed therapist.
With experience, you could teach or supervise yoga therapists in training.
You might also complete extra courses to offer other complementary therapies to clients.
Registration
- you could join an accredited register managed by the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) or the Federation of Holistic Therapists
Guides for this industry
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