Therapeutic Yoga for Group Settings

Therapeutic Yoga for Group Settings is a 300-hour yoga teacher training in yoga therapy, offered online through the Kripalu School of Integrative Yoga Therapy at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. It is the starting point for two paths: the 300-Hour Advanced Teacher of Therapeutic Yoga and the 800-Hour Professional Yoga Therapist program. It is meant for yoga teachers who want to use yoga as a healing art in community, healthcare and group settings.

What to Expect

The training gives a foundational overview of the yoga therapy field. You study the philosophical roots of yoga therapy in India and in the West, then survey its tools: asana, pranayama, mudra, yoga nidra, guided relaxation and imagery. Alongside these come biomechanics, somatic movement, and anatomy and physiology of all the body systems. You also learn to shape individual sessions and to carry the principles of the therapeutic relationship into one-on-one work with clients.

The group focus is the heart of this course. By the end, you will be prepared to design and lead a six-week yoga therapy group series, online or in person. Along the way you practice assessing imbalances through the kosha model, communicating consciously with clients, instructors and colleagues, and creating brave spaces that support trauma awareness and sensitivity. You also look at best practices for building clientele and at how to take part in the growing profession of yoga therapy.

The work unfolds in four modules:

- Foundations and Philosophical Grounding: the evolution of yoga therapy, the kosha model, therapeutic principles, and yoga therapy in mainstream healthcare settings.
- Therapeutic Tools and Assessment: asana, pranayama, mudra, yoga nidra, guided relaxation and imagery, plus biomechanics, somatic movement and anatomy.
- Group Facilitation and Trauma Awareness: therapeutic communication, brave space creation, trauma-informed practice, and evaluating imbalances.
- Group Series Design and Professional Practice: building six-week series for online and in-person formats, professional standards, clientele and credentialing pathways.

The program runs for about six weeks of live online sessions. Weekends carry the longest days, typically a morning block from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and an afternoon block from 1:00 to 3:30 pm on Saturdays, and two morning blocks on Sundays. Friday evenings, Wednesday evenings and some Monday mornings fill out the week. Times are listed in Eastern time. Online training still asks for full participation in live classes, group work and homework.

The Setting

The training is taught online and connected to Kripalu in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, so you can join from wherever you live. Meals, accommodation and on-campus immersion are not part of this offering.

Before You Go

This is an intermediate to advanced training. You need a 200-hour yoga teacher certification and one year of personal practice, along with a Kripalu Schools acceptance note to register. Foundational knowledge of yoga postures, breathing practices and meditation is expected. The course is taught in English.

Your enrollment includes access to the Kripalu Online Studio for supplementary practice and resources, and a digital training manual with course materials and reference content. Kripalu notes that its Yoga Therapy programs meet professional standards and eligibility requirements for relevant credentialing boards. Limited scholarships and payment plans are available for most Kripalu Schools programs, and applying early is recommended because funds are competitive.