Yoga Therapy Teacher Certification Course

This page contains the information about requirements for becoming a Certified Body Balance Yoga Therapy Teacher. If you are a yoga teacher and are interested in becoming a certified by Body Balance Yoga, then the first step to certification is to successfully complete Body Balance Yoga Therapy Training and at least one more module of the Therapy Training of your choice (for a minimum total of 100 hours of classroom instruction). Certification indicates to the world that you are a knowledgeable, quality yoga teacher. Body Balance Yoga does not certify everyone that goes through the training or requirements. Jenny Otto reviews each submitted application and makes final decisions on certification status. Only those with this certification can state that they are a Body Balance Yoga Therapy Teacher.

Ethical Guidelines for Body Balance Yoga Therapy Teachers:

• Show humility and admit to your limitations.
• Verbally honor and pay tribute to your teachers and the sources of your knowledge and skills in each of your classes.
• Be welcoming to all students, regardless of gender, race, religion, creed, nationality, cultural background, sexual preference, etc..
• Always give the student the benefit of the doubt.
• Practice the Four Gates of Speech:
  • Is it truthful?
  • Is it necessary to say?
  • Is it the appropriate time?
  • Can it be said in a kind way?
• Be modest when demonstrating or describing your talents and experiences.
• Truthfully and accurately represent your teaching experience and training in all self-promotions.
• Take the responsibility for creating and sustaining both a sacred and safe environment for all students.
  
  

Prerequisites for Certification:

To be certified directly by Jenny Otto, all applicants must thoroughly understand the above Principles, follow the Ethical Guidelines and must:

• Be a yoga teacher, registered as an RYT500 or equivalent with Yoga Alliance.
• Have successfully completed 100 hours of Body Balance Yoga Therapy Training (100% attendance and commitment); this will typically take at least six (6) weekends or modules of therapy training.
• Demonstrate a dedication to higher learning and continuing education.
• Demonstrate a strong working knowledge of the Universal Principles of Alignment and an understanding of the myofascial chains of movement.
• Demonstrate a solid understanding of the nervous system and the effects of pranayama, meditation and asana on our nervous systems.
• Be able to effectively observe and read students' alignment and give the proper assistance.
• Demonstrate clear and precise verbal and physical instructions.
• Demonstrate the ability to present a well-designed asana sequence that opens and supports the body, mind and spirit.
• Possess a teaching style that is authentic and have a commitment to serving.
  
  

Required Reading for Certification:

In order to receive your Body Balance Yoga Therapy Teacher certification, the following books are required reading by Jenny Otto:
(Links to all of these books can be found on the Reading page)

• Anatomy Trains by Thomas Myers
• The Breathing Book by Donna Farhi
• The Body Has Its Reasons by Therese Bertherat and Carol Bernstein
• The Anatomy of Stretching by Brad Walker
• Inner Bridges by Fritz Smith
• Emotional Anatomy by Stanley Keleman
• The Concise Book of the Moving Body by Chris Jarmey and Thomas Myers
• The New Rules of Posture by Mary Bond
• The Tao of Healing by Haven Trevino
• Rolfing: The Integration of Human Structures by Dr. Ida P. Rolf
• The Thinking Body by Mabel Elsworth Todd
• Yoga Therapy: A Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Yoga and Ayurveda for Health and Fitness by A.G. Mohan & Indra Mohan

Application Process:

After each of the above requirements have been met, you must submit:

1) an APPLICATION for Body Balance Yoga Certification.
2) a NON-REFUNDABLE PROCESSING FEE OF $100.00 at the time your application is submitted. (make checks payable to Body Balance Yoga)
3) a COPY OF YOUR CURRENT YOGA ALLIANCE RYT500 CARD. Students who are currently enrolled in a Registered Yoga Alliance 500-hour program are eligible to apply but will only be rewarded with certification after proof of successful completion.
4) to an EVALUATION FOR CERTIFICATION: If you meet all of the requirements described above, you are eligible to be evaluated for certification. You will be observed during classes and/or workshops based on the above requirements. When you meet and successfully demonstrate the requirements, you will then be eligible for certification. This process is not about judgment; observation and critique are necessary for the growth of the student as well as the assessors. A written test and/or video may be requested and required.

Continuing Education to Maintain Certification:

In order to maintain your certification status as a Body Balance Yoga Therapy Teacher, you must:

• Maintain Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT500 or equivalent) status through Yoga Alliance
• Complete a minimum of eight (8) classroom hours with Jenny Otto or another Certified Body Balance Yoga Therapy Teacher every twelve (12) months
• Stay current with the 'Required Reading' list
• A $25.00 annual due payment is required yearly on the anniversary of your certification. Submit checks (payable to Body Balance Yoga) to: Body Balance Yoga, c/o Jenny Otto, 135 Gibralter Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21401. Also submit any revisions or updates to your online bio at that time.
  
  
  
  Body Balance Yoga®, Body Balance Yoga® Therapy Teacher and Body Balance Yoga®
  for Functional & Structural Therapy are trademarks of Body Balance Yoga, Inc. and Jenny Otto.
  
  

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