The difference between a Yoga therapist and Yoga teacher lies in their focus, training, and approach to working with their clients. A Yoga teacher guides group classes aimed at overall wellness, while a Yoga therapist provides personalised care, which may help individuals manage or recover from health conditions.
If you are a Yoga teacher wondering if undertaking a Yoga therapy training is the next step in your teaching journey, it’s important to understand the difference between a Yoga therapist and Yoga teacher so you can decide if this is the right pathway for you.
At the Yoga Therapy Institute, we have been running Yoga therapy training courses for Yoga teachers since 2012. We have trained over 400 Yoga therapists over more than 30 deliveries.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down the key differences between a Yoga therapist and Yoga teacher, their training, and how they approach the work they do with their clients.
1. What Is the Difference Between a Yoga Therapist and Yoga Teacher?
The primary difference between a Yoga therapist and Yoga teacher lies in the approach and purpose of their practice. While both roles use the same core elements of Yoga (like asanas, breathwork, and meditation), they apply these tools differently depending on the needs of their clients.
Yoga Teacher:
A Yoga teacher generally leads group classes. Yoga classes are a mind body practice designed to promote general physical fitness, mindfulness, and relaxation. They work with students to improve flexibility, strength, and mental well-being through structured sequences of practices, that include asana, meditation, breathwork among other tools.
Yoga Therapist:
A Yoga therapist focuses on using Yoga as a therapeutic tool to improve health and well-being. They often work one-on-one with clients or in small groups to address specific health concerns that the client may present with, such as chronic pain, mental health issues, or recovery from injury. A Yoga therapist tailors the client’s program to meet their individual’s needs. This is an important distinction between Yoga teacher and Yoga therapist. Because every individual is different, every Yoga therapy program is different.
2. Training and Certification: Yoga Therapist vs Yoga Teacher
One of the other distinctions when discussing the difference between a Yoga therapist and Yoga teacher is the level of training and certification required. To become a Yoga therapist, one needs to complete a Yoga teacher training first.
What do you Learn in a Yoga Teacher Training:
A certified Yoga teacher typically completes a 200-hour, 350-hour or 500-hour teacher training program accredited by organisations like Yoga Alliance or Yoga Australia. This training covers basic Yoga philosophy, anatomy, teaching techniques, and how to guide students through a safe and effective class.
What do you Learn in a Yoga Therapy Training
The path to becoming a certified Yoga therapist is more extensive. Yoga therapists undertake training that is between 650 hours and 800 hours or more. These programs are accredited by bodies such as, the Australasian Association of Yoga Therapists in partnership with AusActive, Yoga Australia and the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT).
What do you Learn in a Yoga therapy training:
- Therapeutic relationship and counselling skills
- Specialised knowledge about specific illnesses and injuries
- How to work in a healthcare setting
- How to assess your clients needs holistically
- How to apply Yoga philosophy and Yogic principles
- How to create personalised Yoga therapy programs
3. Client Interaction: General Classes vs Individualised Care
Another significant difference between a Yoga therapist and a Yoga teacher is the way they interact with their clients.
Yoga Teacher’s Approach:
A Yoga teacher generally works with groups in a class setting. Modifications may be offered to individual students but Yoga classes are not generally customised to the individual’s needs.
Yoga teachers may also provide one to one classes. In this context, the goal is normally to teach and refine specific Yoga practices.
Yoga Therapist’s Approach:
A Yoga therapist works closely with clients to develop individualised programs that address the specific needs of the client. To do this they develop a professional therapeutic relationship with their clients. They also undertake a comprehensive, holistic assessment of the client’s circumstances prior to developing a personalised practice. They might work alongside medical professionals or in clinical settings.
The Yoga therapist designs unique programs that are client focused. The Yoga therapist does not rely on generalised sequences that may be found online or in books.
This tailored, individualised care marks a significant difference between a Yoga therapist and a Yoga teacher.
4. Goals and Outcomes: General Wellbeing vs Individual Needs
When comparing the difference between a Yoga therapist and Yoga teacher, it’s important to note that their goals often differ.
Yoga Teacher’s Goal
A Yoga teacher’s aim is to help students improve overall well-being. Their classes often focus on increasing strength, flexibility, relaxation, and mindfulness, with an emphasis on general health and fitness.
Yoga Therapist’s Goal
A Yoga therapist sets specific therapeutic goals for their work together in consultation with their client. Then the Yoga therapist develops a self-empowering, therapeutic Yoga program that is tailored to meet the needs of their clients. The client would then be given a Yoga practice to do at home in between consultations with their Yoga therapist.
The Yoga practice may assist to manage or alleviate particular health conditions or reduce pain. But it is important to note that the goal of Yoga therapy is to reduce suffering, not to cure a health condition. Of course, a client’s health condition or symptoms might be alleviated as a result of working with a Yoga therapist. This therapeutic, tailored approach, combined with a home Yoga practice are some of the defining differences between a Yoga therapist and Yoga teacher.
5. Work Settings: Yoga Studios vs Clinical Environments
The environment in which a Yoga teacher and Yoga therapist work also highlights their differences.
Yoga Teacher Work Environment
Yoga teachers may work in Yoga studios, fitness centres, community spaces or outdoors. Their classes are open to a variety of students looking to enhance their physical and mental well-being. They may also conduct Yoga classes in more clinical settings.
Yoga Therapist Work Environment
Yoga therapists may work in more clinical or therapeutic settings, such as hospitals, rehabilitation centres, or private practice. They may work as part of an interdisciplinary team in a clinical setting and a Yoga program might be integrated into a client’s broader healthcare plan, under the supervision of a medical professional. This professional context is another difference between a Yoga therapist and a Yoga teacher.
Key Difference Between a Yoga Therapist and Yoga Teacher
In summary, the difference between a Yoga therapist and Yoga teacher lies in their focus, training, and approach to working with their clients. A Yoga teacher guides group classes aimed at overall wellness, while a Yoga therapist provides personalised care, which may help individuals manage or recover from health conditions.
Are you curious about how to become a Yoga therapist? Then read our blog – How Do You Become a Yoga therapist? A 5 Step Guide for Yoga teachers.
If you want to find out more about Yoga therapy training then CLICK HERE.
Authors:
Sal Flynn is a leading Yoga therapy educator and mentor. Sal has trained over 400 Yoga therapists over more than 32 deliveries. She has been practicing Yoga for over 40 years and she has been working in the field for over 30 years. She is also a mindfulness trainer and a counselling and psychotherapy supervisor.
Trina Bawden-Smith is the founder and director of the Yoga Therapy Institute, which has trained over 420 Yoga therapists. She has been overseeing the development of the Yoga Therapy Institute’s Accredited Yoga Therapy Certification since 2012, has conducted 8 Yoga therapy conferences and directed numerous professional development programs for Yoga therapists and Yoga teachers since 2003.