Learn a safe and conscious approach to teaching aging bodies, injured students and pure beginners.

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CONTINUING EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION

Upon full completion of this program, you will receive 20 Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Credits and a "Yoga S.A.F.E" Certification, an extra credential that will allow you to let studio owners and your community know that you have been trained in Sustainable & Safe Adaptations for EveryBODY.

We understand that meeting the needs of each individual comes with plenty of challenges. Avoid injury in your classroom, provide effective modifications and address common musculoskeletal issues with confidence and tack.

Meet The Needs of Diverse Challenges

Promote safety

Whether student approaches you with a health condition or injury, learn which safe practices and modifications to suggest, as well as how to guide students at each level to help them choose the best program for their needs and experience level.

teach with confidence

Deepen your knowledge of the human body and become more proficient in your understanding of alignment and anatomy so you can assess and address common misalignments in your classroom more effectively.

deepen your knowledge

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• Help your students avoid common yoga injuries & build safe, healthy alignment in their poses
• Train your eye to assess common misalignments
• Empower your language to be clear, concise and radically effective
• Learn modifications that help your students avoid pain and unhealthy discomfort
• Learn yoga relevant anatomy and a fascial fitness approach that make a real impact in your students' practice
• Become more purposeful in how you teach yoga, keep your material fresh and original
• Implement strategies for crafting accessible, safe sequences
• Learn to help your students access poses with self-assurance and skill
• Refine your language of alignment
• Modify for common musculoskeletal issues in yoga safely and effectively
• Learn clear alignment cues to keep your student safe and out of danger
• Review the contraindications for the major poses
• Embrace the motto “do no harm, embrace (promote) well-being”
• Increase your technical knowledge

When You Join You'll:

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Content will be delivered to you in clear, concise and practical lessons. The course will include video, slides, lectures, Q&A, and homework actionable items for the direct application of the techniques into your group classes.

The structure of this course is designed for you to get the greatest benefit, apply what you are learning and work it into your busy schedule.

This course is self-paced so you can take as long as you like to view and practice the material. In fact, you will have a lifetime of access to the material so you can re-learn and deepen your understanding and application of the principles again and again.

To get through the full curriculum, content and assignments expect to invest approximately 20 hours of your time, most students complete the program in 4-6 weeks. If you take longer to complete the certification aspects of this program, that's just fine, you actually have an entire year to complete the requirements and receive 20 CEs with Yoga Alliance.

"I loved the demonstration and hands-on interaction and the openness of the instructors to answer our questions and cater to real life examples. As a teacher, this program gave me the language and physical tools to more confidently assist my students in adjustments and feel confident in my instruction. I found the concept of always adjusting from the ground up essential and loved the reminders to assist firmly, using the palms with confidence."

- Sarah

Content will be delivered to you in clear, concise and practical lessons. The course will include video, slides, lectures, Q&A, and homework actionable items to help you incorporate the techniques into your group classes with confidence.

Designed With Your Busy Schedule In Mind

Studio Ready

The structure of this course is designed for you to get the greatest benefit, apply what you are learning and work it into your busy schedule. To get through the full curriculum, content and assignments expect to invest approximately 20 hours of your time, most students complete the program in 4-6 weeks. If you take longer to complete the certification aspects of this program, that's just fine, you actually have an entire year to complete the requirements and receive 20 CEs with Yoga Alliance.

learn at your own pace

You will have a lifetime of access to the material so you can re-learn and deepen your understanding and application of the principles again and again.

Lifetime Access

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Fit In World-Class Education When It Works For You

• Modifications and best practices for aging bodies, injured students and pure beginners.
• A therapeutically oriented, bio-mechanically smart approach to alignment. Techniques to address limited mobility & common musculoskeletal issues in group classes
• BONUS: Teaching Yoga to Seniors. Strategies, Tips and Sequences.

what's included

Content will be delivered to you in clear, concise and practical lessons. The course will include video, slides, lectures, Q&A, and homework actionable items for the direct application of the techniques into your group classes.  The structure of this course is designed for you to get the greatest benefit, apply what you are learning and work it into your busy schedule. While this is a five-week course, it is also self-paced so you can take as long as you like to view and practice the material. In fact, you will have a lifetime of access to the material so you can re-learn and deepen your understanding and application of the principles again and again. To get through the full curriculum, content and assignments expect to invest approximately 4 hours of time per week for five weeks. If you take longer to complete the certification aspects of this program, that's just fine, you actually have an entire year to complete the requirements and receive 20 CEs with Yoga Alliance and the YogaS.A.F.E. certification.

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meet your instructors

Liz Heffernan

Samantha Akers began practicing yoga in 2000, after being diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia. She credits Restorative Yoga and meditation, to her healing.

Samantha Akers

more about samantha

E-RYT 500, C-IAYT

Liz Heffernan, E-RYT 500, is a recognized international yoga teacher with over two decades of personal practice and 22 years of teaching. She trained extensively in the Hatha systems of Kripalu, Ashtanga and Anusara and works as an Integrative Yoga Therapist.

more about liz

MA, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT

Liz currently directs and leads teacher training programs and workshops in worldwide locations, provides one-to-one mentoring for yoga teachers, instructs daily classes, and offers private therapeutic sessions. Liz is known for her ability to bridge the gap between the ancient perspectives of yoga and contemporary daily life.

Her teaching weaves together philosophy, creative sequencing, clear alignment, mindful breathing, and compassionate self-inquiry to form a tapestry that reflects her heartfelt commitment to this transformative path. Find her complete bio here.

liz heffernan

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Samantha Akers began practicing yoga in 2000, after being diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia. She credits Restorative Yoga and meditation, to her healing. She began teaching yoga in 2002, receiving her first certification in Hatha and Kundalini with Karuna Yoga in Los Angeles. She went on to graduate from her 500 hour program in 2009. She became increasingly interested in the Therapeutic Style of Iyengar Yoga and studied Therapeutics with Judith Lasater, Leeann Carey and Russ Pfeiffer. Samantha is also a massage therapist, specializing in combining mindfulness with bodywork, earning her certification from one of the only 1000 hour programs in Los Angeles, in 2009.She sees over 50 private students a month, mixing modalities of yoga, meditation and bodywork. She began studying mediation with Pema Chodron in 2000. Her current teachers are Shinzen Young and George Haas at Against the Stream in LA. She just completed and 11 month training in Developing Meaningful Relationships through Meditation with George, in 2014. In 2012, she opened TheraYoga Studio in Los Angeles, bringing the TheraYoga Method (TM) to the community.

samantha akers

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5 WEEKS - 20 HOURS OF STUDY

Each week our lessons will include five parts:

• Bio-mechanically smart alignment principles: application, observation strategies and clear language to use as a teacher in your classes as well as a few assists and teaching techniques to use to help your students learn the alignment in their own bodies.
• Yoga relevant anatomy to include an exploration of common musculoskeletal issues and their corresponding contraindications and best practices for yoga (the dos & don'ts)
• In-depth yoga pose study of selected asana, including modifications for seniors, beginners, rounder bodies and limited mobility.
• A targeted therapeutically oriented yoga practice
• Teaching practices and tips to avoid harm and promote well-being

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Lifetime Access- Complete at Your Own Pace

week 1

• Standing poses
• Alignment & anatomy of the feet and knees
• Anatomy Trains based Asana practice exploring and recruiting the fascial "core"; the Deep Front Line
• Adapting, modifying & best practices for: Collapsed arches, bunions, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, cartilage and ligament injuries of the knee, hyper-mobile bodies and knee hyperextension

1

week 2

• Hip openers & forward bends
• Alignment & anatomy of the hips & lumbar spine (part one)
• Exploration and Asana practice for the Superficial Back Line of Fascia
• Adapting, modifying & best practices for: Lumbar disk issues including herniated, bulging, and ruptured disks, lumbar flexion syndrome, spinal stenosis, sciatica, and piriformis syndrome

2

Introductory Session

Introduction to the program and common questions with answers.

week 3

• Core stabilization & twists
• Alignment & anatomy of the hips, core & lumbar spine (part two)
• Safe Core Strengthening for all bodies, including those with conditions of the spine, utilizing the Deep Front Line.
• Adapting, modifying & best practices for: Sacro-Illiac joint safety, excessive lordosis in the low back, scoliosis and spondylolisthesis

3

week 4

•Backward bends
•Alignment & anatomy of the upper back & shoulders
•Exploration and Asana practice for the Superficial Front Line of fascia: exploring how the front line can affect low back discomfort in asana
• Adapting, modifying & best practices for: Excessive kyphosis in the thoracic spine, rotator cuff injuries, and frozen shoulder

4

week 5

•Poses that weight bear on the arms
• Alignment & anatomy of the head & neck, elbows and wrists
•Using Yoga Tune Up Balls for self-massage of the upper body. Exploration and asana practice for the myofascial arm lines
•Adapting, modifying & best practices for: Chronic neck tension, text neck, cervical disk issues, tennis elbow, golfers elbow, elbow hyperextension and carpal tunnel

5

DO I HAVE TO BE A YOGA TEACHER TO BENEFIT FROM THIS COURSE?


Do I have to be teaching yoga currently to take this class?


Is this course eligible with Yoga Alliance for Continuing Education Credits?


How much time is required per week to complete the course?


FAQs

Absolutely not. While the course is primarily geared towards yoga teachers, all students of yoga will benefit if they are interested in learning correct alignment in their poses, modifications and how to work with injury safely and effectively.

DO I HAVE TO BE A YOGA TEACHER TO BENEFIT FROM THIS COURSE?


Do I have to be teaching yoga currently to take this class?


Is this course eligible with Yoga Alliance for Continuing Education Credits?


How much time is required per week to complete the course?


FAQs

No, you will still benefit greatly with the study of asana, alignment and modification. And, who knows the course may just re-inspire you to begin teaching again. If you are currently teaching yoga, you will be able to apply the lessons each week with focused direction and guidance to your classes.

DO I HAVE TO BE A YOGA TEACHER TO BENEFIT FROM THIS COURSE?


Do I have to be teaching yoga currently to take this class?


Is this course eligible with Yoga Alliance for Continuing Education Credits?


How much time is required per week to complete the course?


FAQs

Yoga Alliance teachers are required to complete at least 30 hours of continuing education every three years to remain active. This online program counts as 20 Continuing Education (CE) units with Yoga Alliance. Attendees must complete the course in its entirety to be eligible for these credits. If the five-week pace of the course is not feasible, students will have one full year from the date of registering to meet the requirements

DO I HAVE TO BE A YOGA TEACHER TO BENEFIT FROM THIS COURSE?


Do I have to be teaching yoga currently to take this class?


Is this course eligible with Yoga Alliance for Continuing Education Credits?


How much time is required per week to complete the course?


FAQs

The course is structured as an intensive. While the course provides approximately 4 to 5 hours of curriculum and assignments per week, students have the choice to keep pace with the course or work through the material in their own time.

100% YES I recommend this program.  I found great benefit in these small focused modules to continue alignment study. This program specifically helped me to develop an eye for pose intention rather than the focus on the outer form and learn cues for poses that help students find their power, develop strength and learn what their bodies can do for them. My favorite part was the review of the poses posted online. Pose study was always my favorite part of teacher training and getting to continue that kind of learning was exciting. I really enjoyed how Liz and Sam’s teaching complimented each other. I also appreciated Sam’s language around where one’s curiosity goes when looking at a pose and enjoyed the contributions of my fellow classmates.

-Autumn

I loved this program and highly recommend it to any other educator with students who vary in age or who teach a variety of levels. As I learned and used the information from the program, I saw a significant change in my students' practice and received messages after classes thanking me for providing them with a new awareness. Liz and Sam were not only accommodating but incredibly patient and understanding when we had questions. Sam clearly shares an excitement about the program and her enthusiasm is so contagious. Liz was just as accessible for questions or concerns as I remembered her being in my in-person YTT. Thank you both again!

-Caitlyn

Thank you for this incredible class! I know that I’ll return to all of the lessons and videos again and again—they are a treasure trove of information and guidance that I’ll continue to study and learn from for years to come. I feel I have a much better sense about how our bodies work holistically…that everything about us—our posture, strength, flexibility, etc.—are all interconnected. I feel I have learned so much, but, more importantly, I have also discovered how much more there is to learn and understand as a yoga practitioner and teacher. 

-Sandy Palm, RYT

Yoga S.A.F.E is a FIVE star program! I loved it. It is so useful to myself and my yoga students. I am already feeling the benefits. I have introduced my students to the alignment and these very subtle movements are making a huge difference in their bodies. They are beginning to make real connections with their bodies that might otherwise have taken years. I liked the anatomy because it was presented visually and verbally with great clarity and simplicity giving a great foundation for what followed in the practical videos. Looking at people in different poses and having to look at what to address was also very useful because I learned to look more carefully. In a normal face to face situation/workshop you come home - write up your notes and realize you actually have only a fraction of what you were taught and often the manual is not as good as it should be. I loved knowing that I can do the course and then really take the time to go back and study the videos again and review how it works for me and my students and integrate it at my own pace both in my own practice and in class, without losing vital information. Thank you both for all your hard work and the thought you put into presenting this. This course will go far, and has so much to offer.

-Amanda Roussos, RYT

"Thank you for teaching this Yoga SAFE course. I’m very glad I took it and I’m very glad to have a better understanding of anatomy. The cues learned in this class definitely help with my understanding of the poses and in articulating stronger more stable poses to students. I loved learning about how the psoas holds a lot of excess tension just from living in a chronically stressful environment and how this has affects on the lumbar spine that require exercises in strengthening and stabilizing the core to remediate. I found the therapeutic series for supporting the spine to be amazingly gentle yet effective in strengthening in a deeper more subtle place.  Overall I liked how the course format provided a great balance between structure and flexibility. The weeks were well organized, working from bottom (feet) to the top of the body, and I appreciated how we looked at people in various skill levels/body types doing each pose to expose us to a great range of potential ways to practice and support each pose.  I’m excited to incorporate the techniques we learned into my teaching. 

-Jackie Jones

I found the Yoga S.A.F.E. course of deep value for myself and my students, now and in the future. Teaching those with injuries as well as “seniors” can be perplexing, to say the least, and educating myself in this regard is of utmost importance. The quality and content of this course has definitely contributed to my ability to offer deeper insight into the needs of those I teach. After practicing the various poses and techniques offered within this course, I am experiencing an increase in my ability to maintain a beneficial posture, having gained strength in musculature as well as awakened muscle memory…something I’m excited to share with my students! I love ball rolling as offered by Samantha Akers because it works!!! And I especially enjoyed the Shoulder work offered by Liz Heffernan because I am constantly working with an injury to my right shoulder and the response in my own body to these healing techniques is inspiring. 

-Laura Reneau

We are so certain that you will love this training that we are offering you a two-week risk-free guarantee. If you are not satisfied with the material after the first two weeks of the course, we will refund 100% of your money - just email us by 14 days after the start of the program and complete an exit interview so we can learn how to improve our educational programs for the future.

RISK-FREE
GUARANTEE

Sign-Up Today for Just $497

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Please register me for the UPGRADED Package with Individualized Mentoring and Class Review $997.

10 Signs You Are Ready for a Yoga Teacher Training!