Diploma in Yoga Therapy (Accredited)

For qualified yoga teachers looking to specialise in yoga therapy

Discover the profound power of ancient yoga models and techniques to promote health and facilitate healing. Grounded in the lineage of T. Krishnamacharya and T.K.V. Desikachar, this training prepares you to:

• Move beyond condition specific protocols to address your client’s unique and complex health needs.

• Empower your clients to play an active role in their own health and recovery.

Programme at a glance

Qualification: TSYP Diploma in Yoga Therapy

Hours: 800+ hours over 36 months

Dates: 1 September 2027 to 31 August 2030

Format: In person weekends, live online 2-hour sessions, guided self study

Venue: In person weekends at Lower Green Community Centre, Esher, KT10 8AU.

Accreditation: The programme is accredited by BCYT (British Council for Yoga Therapy) at 700 hours over 30 months. Qualified therapists are eligible to register with the CNHC (Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council).

We have submitted a pre-application for IAYT (International Association of Yoga Therapists) accreditation of our yoga therapy education program with the intention of submitting a full accreditation application.

Do you have questions?

Book a Zoom call to find out more

Format of delivery and schedule

Our hybrid delivery combines residential in-person teaching, live online teaching via Zoom, and guided self-study. This approach provides valuable face-to-face teaching while minimising the cost of accommodation and travel, particularly for non-local students.

Delivery mode	Hours	Details
Residential in person weekends Sat to Sun 09:00 – 18:30 Lower Green Community Centre, Esher, KT10 8AU	336	Year 1:  Eight weekends Year 2:  Eight weekends Year 3:  Five weekends
Live online via Zoom Tuesday 19:00 – 21:00	166	Year 1:  25 sessions Year 2:  27 sessions Year 3:  31 sessions
Total contact hours	502
Guided self-study	166	Spread over three years
Practicum	150	Independent provision of yoga therapy to   individual clients and small groups
Total non-contact hours	316
Total diploma hours	818

Schedule

We aim to schedule in person weekends and online (Zoom) sessions outside of UK Christmas, Easter, and summer holidays. To help pace your learning, there are no online sessions during the weeks directly before or after an in-person weekend.

The schedule for Year 1 is listed below. Year 2 and 3 schedules are provisional and will be finalised as soon as school term calendars are officially published. We will notify you of any updates well in advance. You can view the provisional schedules for Years 2 and 3 on the full schedule page.

Year 1: Online via Zoom, Tuesday 19:00 – 21:00

07 September 2027

14 September 2027

05 October 2027

12 October 2027

19 October 2027

09 November 2027

16 November 2027

07 December 2027

14 December 2027

04 January 2028

11 January 2028

18 January 2028

08 February 2028

15 February 2028

07 March 2028

14 March 2028

18 April 2028

25 April 2028

09 May 2028

16 May 2028

06 June 2028

13 June 2028

27 June 2028

04 July 2028

11 July 2028

Year 1: In-person weekends, Sat – Sun 09:00 – 18:30

24 – 25 June 2028

25 – 26 September 2027

30 – 31 October 2027

27 – 28 November 2027

29 – 30 January 2028

26 – 27 February 2028

25 – 26 March 2028

27 – 28 May 2028

Curriculum and learning experience

Philosophy and theory of yoga therapy

• Evolution of therapeutic yoga and its origins in traditional yoga literature.
• Traditional perspectives on the mind and psychological well-being in core texts, including the Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali, Taittirīya Upaniṣad, Kaṭha Upaniṣad, Sāṃkhya Kārikā, and Bhagavad Gītā.
• In-depth study of foundational models, including the vyūha model, pañcamaya kośa, pañca vāyu, and tri-guṇa.

Complementary biomedical knowledge

• Structure, function, and disorders of the human body systems.
• Mechanics of movement, breath and āsana
• Common surgeries, medical interventions, and prescription medications.
• Biopsychosocial development, psychopathology, clinical mental health treatments, and psychotropic drugs.

Therapeutic skills and clinical practice

• Establishing and maintaining  a client-therapist relationship that promotes healing.
• A structured, holistic approach to client intake, observation, and assessment.
• Application of śarīra cikitsā (physical), prāṇa cikitsā (energetic), and mano cikitsā (mental) principles to analyse to analyse health conditions and determine therapeutic direction.
• Therapeutic application of traditional yoga tools, including āsana with breath, prāṇāyāma, bhāvanā, bandha, śabda (sound), mantra, hasta mudrā, nyāsa, dṛṣṭi, dhāraṇā, yamas and niyamas.
• Vedic chanting rules and application of specific health chants for therapeutic benefit.
• Āyurveda for yoga therapists, including principles of āhāra (diet) and vihāra (lifestyle) to support client recovery.
• Trauma informed yoga therapy guidelines.
• Practice design, refinement and conclusion for individuals and small therapeutic groups.

Professional practice

• Ethical problem-solving, professional boundaries, legal and regulatory standards.
• Essential professional and administrative skills.
• Ongoing self-inquiry for personal growth and professional development..

Practicum and clinical supervision

• Hands-on independent practice with real-world clients.
• Close, regular clinical supervision from experienced faculty throughout your practicum.

Teaching strategies

Built on decades of experience in therapist training and adult education, our programme is designed to turn you into a confident, highly skilled yoga therapist.

We provide a solid foundation in biomedical knowledge while keeping authentic yoga principles at the heart of our teaching. To ensure your professional and personal growth, we keep cohort sizes small for an intimate, supportive learning environment.

You will learn through a mix of:

• Direct instruction and facilitated discussions.
• Practical application using real world case studies and role play.
• Guided self-study backed by faculty support.
• Supervised clinical practice with real clients.

Assessment approach

Successful completion of the course requires a minimum of 85% attendance. Your progress is evaluated through a blend of formative (informal) and summative (graded) assessments designed to support your learning. Every assignment comes with clear guidelines and receives constructive verbal or written feedback.

Assessment activities include:

• Active participation in experiential class exercises and group discussions.
• Hands-on practice with peers and volunteer clients, including role play scenarios.
• Recorded client observations and assessments.
• Designing and refining therapeutic plans based on real-world case scenarios.
• Ethical analysis of yoga therapy dilemmas.
• Quizzes and reflective writing tasks for independent self-study modules.
• Detailed case studies based on supervised individual and group client work.
• Formal evaluations of professional competence by your supervisor, alongside logs of  client contact hours and supervision attendance.

Clinical practicum and supervision

To bridge classroom learning and real-world practice, you will complete 150 hours of independent work with real clients as part of your clinical practicum.

How we support you:

•  Guidance and resources to help you find individual clients and group practice participants.
• Over 80 hours of our in-person and online curriculum is dedicated to small group clinical supervision led by experienced faculty.

Faculty and lineage

The programme is taught by a dedicated faculty of qualified yoga therapists. The next intake will be led by the same expert team or, should changes be necessary, by teachers holding equivalent qualifications and experience.

Our entire faculty was trained in the tradition of T. Krishnamacharya and T.K.V. Desikachar, ensuring consistency and depth across the entire curriculum. Many also bring additional specialist expertise in specific areas of the course.

As active, practising yoga therapists, our teachers seamlessly integrate real world experience into their teaching.

Annemarie Visser (Programme Leader)

Registered yoga therapist (CNHC), Qualified Vedic Chant teacher (TSYP), Registered counselling psychologist (HCPC, BPS), Registered psychotherapist (UKCP), Qualified teacher (HED).

Sadhvi Bhavya Bharta

 Qualified yoga therapist via IAYT accredited training, Registered Naturotherapy Practitioner with specialisation in Ayurveda.

Sue Chudley

Advanced Yoga Therapy Certificate (Yoga Vaidya Śālā, Chennai).

Andy Curtis-Payne

Advanced yoga therapy certificate (KYM, Chennai), Teacher Trainer Certificate (KHYF).

Michael Hutchinson

Yoga therapist, trained with T.K.V. Desikachar and Paul Harvey. Author of ‘Breath for Health’.

Christina Jones

Registered yoga therapist (CNHC).

Sonja Lange-Bangs

Advanced yoga therapy certificates (London and Yoga Vaidya Śālā, Chennai). BSc (Hons) Psychology,  PG Cert Advanced Practice in Psychological Wellbeing.

Felicia Pavlović, C-IAYT

Certified yoga therapist (IAYT), Yoga Therapist Trainer on IAYT accredited programme, Registered psychotherapist (CRPO), Co-founder Yoga Therapy Toronto.

Bea Teuten

Registered yoga therapist (CNHC), BWY teacher trainer, Qualified Vedic Chant teacher (TSYP).

Karin Worthy

Registered yoga therapist (CNHC), Qualified Vedic Chant teacher (TSYP).

Pre-requisites

• A yoga teaching qualification of minimum 200 hours of training, including a minimum 180 contact hours.
• A minimum of one year teaching experience.
• A minimum of three years regular personal yoga practice.
• A personal statement demonstrating the applicant’s readiness for advanced yoga therapy training.
• Confidence and sufficient fluency in both written and spoken English.
• Successful performance in an individual interview designed to assess the applicant’s readiness for yoga therapy training.

Pathway to Yoga Therapy course

While formal certification in the tradition of T. Krishnamacharya and T.K.V. Desikachar is not required for admission, a strong foundation in its core principles is essential for success on the Diploma course.

If you come from a different yoga background or wish to refresh your understanding, our Pathway to Yoga Therapy course (February to June 2027) provides the ideal preparation.

What the Pathway course offers:

• Develop a solid working knowledge of vinyāsa krama (intelligent step-by-step sequencing),  the integrated application of yoga tools, including āsana, prāṇāyāma, sound, and visualisation, and individual adaptation.
• Experience the depth of this lineage with no obligation to apply for the full Diploma.
• Earn CPD ( Continuing Professional Development) credits.
• Upon acceptance into the Diploma in Yoga Therapy, your full Pathway course fee will be credited towards your Diploma tuition fee.

Fees and withdrawal terms

Total tuition fee: £5,890.

Monthly Payments

• Deposit: £190 (payable one month before the course starts, on 1 August 2027). The deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable.
• Monthly instalments: £190 per month for 30 months. Instalments start 1 September 2027 and end 1 February 2030.

What is included:

• Clinical supervision of your practicum.
• Free Teacher in Training membership with TSYP for the duration of the course.

Additional costs (not included in the tuition fee)

• Required texts: Estimated at £150 to £250 over three years (if bought new).
• Travel and accommodation expenses.

Please note: As a practising yoga teacher, you must hold valid public liability and professional indemnity insurance, as well as an up-to-date current first aid certification. You are required to maintain both  throughout the course.

Financial assistance

TSYP is committed to equality of opportunity. As a charity, we are dedicated to sharing our yoga tradition with the widest possible audience.

If you are interested in taking this course but are currently facing financial constraints, please do not hesitate to contact us at yogatherapy@tsyp.yoga to confidentially discuss financial support. Further details are also available in our Financial Assistance Policy.

Withdrawal terms

The withdrawal procedure takes effect upon receipt of your formal written notification of withdrawal. Monthly payments will cease immediately from the date of notification.

How to apply

Do you have questions?

Book a Zoom call to find out more

or email us at yogatherapy@tsyp.yoga

Submit your application

We accept applications throughout the year, but we recommend applying early because we keep our cohort sizes small.

Download the Application Form, complete it, and email it to yogatherapy@tsyp.yoga.

Interview

We will review your application and get back to you within two weeks. If you meet the entry requirements, we will invite you to a 45-minute interview, with a final decision communicated within one week of the interview.