Chelsea is the Program Director of the Yoga Therapy Certification Program at the Vancouver School of Healing Arts. This 800 hour program is accredited with the International Association of Yoga Therapy (IAYT); graduates are eligible to apply to become Certified Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT) upon successful completion of this program. The 800 hour program is divided into two components: the Foundations of Yoga Therapy (300 hours) and the Advanced Yoga Therapy (500 hours). The FYT program can be taken independently, while the AYT requires students to have first completed the Foundations program.

The 300-hour Foundations of Yoga Therapy (FYT) program is designed to broaden and deepen yoga teachers’ knowledge and skills, enabling them to create individualized yoga programs as well as small group therapeutic yoga classes. This intensive program of study offers a holistic approach to therapy, looking at the person as a whole. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the application yoga techniques to support their client’s healing on all levels of their being – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and energetic.

Students are required to have earned their 200 hour yoga teaching certification in order to be eligible for the Foundations of Yoga Therapy, and have 1 year of teaching experience. Graduates of the Program will receive a PTIB (Private Training Institutions Branch) recognized certificate and can expect to be employable in various capacities in the healthcare industry worldwide.

Following completion of the FYT, students are eligible to apply for the Advanced Yoga Therapy – 500 hour program, in order to obtain 800 hours of training in Yoga Therapy and apply to become Certified Yoga Therapists with the International Association of Yoga Therapy (C-IAYT).

This program expands on the in depth material covered in the Foundations of Yoga Therapy program, delving deeper into every component and broadening the therapist’s knowledge and skills.

• Demonstrate comprehensive theoretical knowledge and practical skills in various components and disciplines of Yoga Therapy
• Offer personalized Yoga Therapy sessions and develop yoga therapy programs for one-on-one & group therapeutic sessions
• List common medications for various pathophysiologies and demonstrate familiarity with medical terminology
• Illustrate how Diane Lee’s Integrated Systems Model provides a framework for clinical reasoning
• Offer key asana with working knowledge of the biomechanics of the feet, ankles, knees, pelvis, thorax, shoulder girdle and cervical spine
• Understand the role of the Yoga Therapist when working with mental illness
• Create safe classes and practices for trauma survivors
• Apply the basic concepts of Ayurveda
• Adapt traditional yoga poses to Chair Yoga for a diverse population