11/28/2025
I love the way Breathing Deeply does their comparisons between a Yoga Teacher and a Yoga Therapist. It's difficult since it's such a relatively new and unknown field, but these posts do a good job of explaining the training that goes into being a Yoga Therapist and just how beneficial it can be imo :-)
You've been teaching yoga for years. You see the same students week after week.
And you notice something.
That student who always skips certain poses because of their knee pain. The one who mentioned their anxiety disorder during check-in. The person who asked if yoga could help their migraines.
You want to help them. But your 200-hour training didn't prepare you for this.
That's the difference between a yoga teacher and a yoga therapist.
π§π»ββοΈ Yoga teachers guide group classes in a specific style or tradition. They lead healthy populations through physical practice and, when skilled, can guide students deeper into all aspects of yoga.
π§π½ Yoga therapists apply specific techniques to address health conditions. They work one-on-one, assess clients through both yoga therapy and Western medicine lenses, and create personalized protocols for chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, anxiety, trauma, and neurological conditions.
The training reflects this difference:
π Yoga teacher: 200 hours
π Yoga therapist: 800+ hours (IAYT accredited) plus the foundational 200-hour certification
All yoga therapists are yoga teachers. Not all yoga teachers are yoga therapists.
If you keep encountering students with complex health issues, you're already feeling the pull toward therapeutic work.
Your students need more than a group class can offer. They need personalized, condition-specific guidance rooted in both tradition and medical understanding.
Ready to expand your scope and truly help people heal?
Comment YOGA THERAPY to learn about our IAYT accredited training program.