Yoga for Seniors Teacher Training

gentle yoga markham is your destination for certified Seniors Yoga Teacher Training.

This training is available to certified Yoga Instructors only. Although I honour students from all Yoga traditions, if you are not yet certified, you might want to consider Teacher Training in the Kripalu tradition offered by Aida Neves at Sunlilyoga (see Kripalu Teacher Training).

Why pursue a Yoga for Seniors training?

the percentage of the population in Canada that is elderly is projected to almost double by 2056 - costs to the health care system will be astronomical making any program that supports healthy aging more attractive
capitalize on the need for specialized Seniors Yoga teachers as opportunities in hospitals, retirement homes, long-term care facilities, seniors centres and specialized classes such as arthritis or heart disease are growing
be a leader in providing Yoga teaching to older adults as there are very few qualified Seniors teachers in Ontario
expand your knowledge and qualifications
experience fulfillment in bringing Yoga to a segment of the population that can greatly benefit from your teaching
network with other experienced teachers, many of whom are already teaching this segment of the population
placement opportunities (Referral Service): I have already assisted a number of my certified teachers in finding Seniors classes to teach and plan to continue providing this service

Program Overview:

This training consists of 2 weekend courses taught by Monica Cordes (E-RYT 500) at breathe yoga studio (Toronto), or Rama Lotus Studio (Ottawa).

PART I: Fundamentals of Teaching Yoga to Seniors

We will cover teaching Chair Yoga and All-Levels classes as well as addressing all major health challenges. There will be time on both days dedicated to practice teaching, with constructive criticism given.

PART II (prerequisite Part I): Therapeutic Approach to Teaching Yoga to Seniors

Emphasis on teaching older adults with less mobility and greater health challenges than in Part I. Get a sense of practicing Yoga in a Seniors’ body. Put your skills to the test by teaching the group.

Note: it is recommended that you take time between trainings to integrate the material and practice teaching Seniors.

Please read our Frequently Asked Questions.

Check out the schedule for our upcoming courses and for registration information.

Students' comments:

"Enjoyed the knowledge, information, experience, expertise that Monica shared with us. Appreciated the practical advice given, and the ‘space’ to ask questions. Bravo."

"Everything I hoped for and more."

How it all started:

I began teaching yoga to seniors about 15 years ago. I adapted traditional yoga poses using a chair, either to sit on or as an aid to balancing. At first it was intimidating to deal with a group where there were so many health challenges, but the feedback was so positive that I persevered, encouraged by how much my students were getting out of the practice.

Five years ago, wanting to learn more to expand my program, I was quite appalled to find there were very few yoga programs geared toward certifying yoga teachers to instruct seniors. Here was a large and growing segment of the population with special needs and yoga geared specifically to them was almost non-existent. I enrolled in all the courses offered, mostly in the United States, and then together with my own teaching experience, designed a training of my own. This path has proved to be most rewarding for me: I continue to be inspired both by the senior students I teach and the yoga teachers I certify to teach them.

My Credentials:

Yoga for Seniors Teacher Training (with Kripalu teacher Jean Short in Halifax), Silver Age Yoga (online course based in San Diego), Therapeutic Yoga for Seniors (Duke Center for Integrative Health, North Carolina), Lakshmi Voelker’s Chair Yoga (Kripalu Center, Massachusetts)

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