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Foundations of Yogatherapy Certificate Program

Program Overview

The Foundations of Yogatherapy Certificate Program (FYT) is a 252-hour (1 semester) program that can be taken independently or as part of the Diploma of Eastern Therapies and Bodywork (ETB).

This program introduces students to the philosophy, therapeutic principles and techniques of yoga.Yoga has a depth of practice that extends much further than physical postures, and is not limited to those who are flexible or mobile. The practices of breath, cultivating focus and awareness through meditation and lifestyle, and the application of the eastern understandings of health, well-being and disease all work together to create a model of yoga that is both therapeutic as well as enriching. Yogatherapy is the application of the techniques and philosophy of yoga to support the healing and well-being of clients on all levels.

The Foundations of Yogatherapy Certificate Program is for students who have an interest in using all aspects of yoga in a therapeutic context. Students gain comprehensive knowledge and practical skill in the 8 limbs of yoga. They know how to identify various imbalances in the systems (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and energetic), determine the causes of imbalances according to the yogic model, and treat these imbalances through the application of techniques and principles of Yogatherapy.

Curriculum

The FYT is delivered over 3 months. At the onset, students may enrol in any independent certificate program or may apply for admission into the full Diploma of Eastern Therapies and Bodywork. The diploma-specific coursework is an additional semester that integrates all disciplines and applies them to the maintenance of health and the treatment of disease.

The following courses comprise the Foundations of Yogatherapy Certificate Program. All courses must be completed for a student to be eligible for graduation. New students must complete the General Introduction component. Please see Study Options below for more information.

General Introduction		Total Requirements
Foundations in Eastern Therapies and Bodywork		1.2 credits	18 hours
	During this course, students learn the general background and cultural context for Eastern Therapies and Bodywork with specific attention to Indian, Chinese and T'ai indigenous medicines. This course offers an introduction to the theoretical principles and the history of spirituality and medicine. Both energy medicine and healing are defined, and basic energetic anatomy is explored, all through a comparative approach of Yogic, Ayurvedic, Thai and basic Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) systems.


Total		1.2 credits	18 hours

Foundations of Yogatherapy		Total Requirements
Yogatherapy Foundations		0.6 credit	9 hours
	In this course, students learn the general background and cultural context for Yogatherapy as they explore the history of yoga and therapeutic yoga and delve deeply into yogic philosophy (e.g. Classical vs. Tantric, 8 Limbs in Yogatherapy, Yanumoja, and journeywork and themes).




The Yogic Body, East and West		3 credits	45 hours
	Students learn Eastern and Western anatomy as it relates to Yogatherapy. They integrate anatomy, indications and contraindications through experiential learning strategies and explore theory and application of alignment principles, hands-on corrections, modifications, restorative postures and chair yoga. Equal weight is given to Yogic Energetic anatomy and Western anatomical perspectives.
Breath and Meditation: Theory and Techniques		1.2 credits	18 hours
	In this course, students explore theory and practice techniques of breath and meditation. They learn diagnosis and therapeutics as they relate to breath and meditation, integrating knowledge of energetic systems, brain functions, and physiological affects of various techniques.
Yogatherapy: Diagnostics, Therapeutics and Facilitation		8 credits	120 hours
	This course gives students an in-depth opportunity to develop practical skills of facilitation, diagnosis, and therapeutic application and planning through peer practice, case studies and public clinic.
Technique Hours		4 credits	60 hours
	Students of yoga and Yogatherapy continually deepen their skill development through regular practice and application of the various techniques and principles. Throughout the duration of the program, students maintain both a documented weekly yoga practice in classes and at home.
Total		16.8 credits	252 hours

Study Options

The Foundations of Yogatherapy Certificate Program is a single semester program. Students may take this individually or as part of the Diploma of Eastern Therapies and Bodywork. All new students entering into FYT must complete the 18-hour General Introduction to Eastern Therapies and Bodywork.

Post-Graduation

Graduates of this program can use knowledge and experience gained to work in community health centres, fitness studios and clinical settings. They may pursue work within the fields of sports medicine/therapy, trauma recovery and general rehabilitation for injuries, surgery, illness and diseases. Yogatherapy complements therapies used by physiotherapists, chiropractors, and counsellors, doctors, traditional medical practitioners/doctors and naturopaths.

Graduates may also choose to enrol in other certificate programs at PRC or transfer into the Diploma of Eastern Therapies and Bodywork (ETB) to meet advanced standards of training as deemed by the International Association of Yoga Therapists. The ETB is a unique 4-semester program that integrates Yogatherapy with Traditional Thai Massage and Ayurvedic Marmatherapy.

Admissions

Entering students into the Foundations of Yogatherapy Certificate Program at Pacific Rim College must have a high school diploma or an equivalency test, one-year experience as a yoga practitioner (engaged in regular yoga practice), and all non-native English speaking applicants must demonstrate a mastery of written and spoken English. Any foreign applicant may be required to submit an official score report from an English proficiency exam such as TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Test System).

Pacific Rim College is determined to produce only the highest quality health practitioners. As a result, we reserve the right to admit only students who demonstrate the potential to achieve at the upper-most level. Applicants will be evaluated based on merits such as high academic achievement, emotional maturity, humanitarian activities, community involvement and health-related experience.

All entering students into FYT must have completed the 18-hour General Introduction course Foundations in Eastern Therapies and Bodywork. This course is offered at the onset of the Certificate Program.

Enrolment spaces for the program are very limited and fill quickly. Admissions applications can be submitted at any time, but placement priority is to students enrolled in the Diploma of Eastern Therapies and Bodywork program. Confirmation of admission will be sent to all applicants of the certificate program approximately 9 weeks prior to the start of the program, but not before this time.

To apply for the Foundations of Yogatherapy Certificate Program, please click on the button below. Upon favourable review of your application by our admissions committee, you may be contacted for an interview, which can be carried out via telephone if a person-to-person interview is not possible.

All successful applicants must submit a non-refundable enrolment deposit of $1000, which is credited toward tuition fees. Should a student decide not to enrol for the specific semester of study as stated in the application or registration form, the fee is forfeited and cannot be used to offset any charges that the student may incur. All accepted applicants must submit this deposit within 60 days of the published semester start date, or within 7 days if accepted within this time. Enrolment space will not be reserved without this deposit.

International Students

International students are welcome to attend Pacific Rim College and are encouraged to apply. Canadian law requires foreign students to have a valid study permit to study in Canada. Pacific Rim College provides international students with the necessary documentation to receive a valid study permit. In some cases students can apply for and obtain a permit upon entering Canada.

Canadian law requires that foreigners obtain a work permit for work within Canada during academic studies. See http://www.cic.gc.ca/ for more information.

Academic Calendar

The general program schedule for each component of the Diploma of Eastern Therapies and Bodywork is as follows:

Foundations of Yogatherapy (FYT): May 2010 - August 2010
Fundamentals of Ayurvedic Marmatherapy (FAM): September 2010 - December 2010
Eastern Therapies and Bodywork (final semester of Diploma Program): January 2011 - April 2011
Traditional Thai Massage (TTM): January 2011 - April 2011
Foundations of Yogatherapy (FYT): September 2011 - December 2011
Fundamentals of Ayurvedic Marmatherapy (FAM): September 2011 - December 2011

	Summer 2010 - FYT	Fall 2010 - FAM	Weekly Schedule
Orientation	May 3	September 7	All classes are held Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 8:45am-6:30pm with afternoon breaks.
General Introduction	May 3-7	September 7-10
First Class Day	May 10	September 13
Holidays	August 2 (BC Day)	October 1 October 9-12 (Fall Break)
Last Day of Class	August 6	December 10

	Winter 2011 - ETB	Winter 2011 - TTM	Weekly Schedule
Orientation	January 10	January 4	ETB classes are held Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. TTM classes are held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Classes are from 8:30am-5:30pm with a half day on Friday.
General Introduction	NA	January 4-7
First Class Day	January 10	January 11
Holidays	February 14-18 (Reading Break), March 18	February 14-18 (Reading Break), March 18
Last Day of Class	April 13	April 14

Class Schedule

Please click on the button below for the Summer 2010 class schedule for the Foundations of Yogatherapy Certificate Program.

Tuition and Fees

All tuition amounts are in Canadian dollars. Full payment of program tuition is due by April 15, 2010.

General Introduction	$252

Certificate Program	$3750

Please click here for a description of Academic Fees.

Financial Aid

This program is approved for Canada Student Loans. Please visit www.hrsdc.gc.ca for information about Canada Student Loans. Students must submit a paper application for student loans. The online application process is not available to PRC students at this time. Please print an application from the Canada Student Loans website or pick up an application from PRC or any other academic institution registered with Canada Student Loans.

For a list of all financial aid programs available to PRC students, please visit our Financial Aid page.