Innovations in Yoga Therapist Education: Developing a Yoga Therapy Program in an Academic Setting

Abstract

The educational standards created by IAYT are a big step forward in the professionalization of the field of yoga therapy. These standards support the alignment of competencies in training programs, and also provide a framework within which academic programs can be designed. Maryland University of Inte gr ative Health (MUIH) rec e ntly designed a Master of Science in Yoga Therapy degree program in accordance with the IAYT standards that also meets MUIH’s requirements for an academic degree program. This process brought to light the differences between studying yoga therapy at a yoga school or in a yoga therapist training program and earning a master’s degree in yoga therapy from an academic institution. Skills-directed and academic-oriented yoga therapist training programs are valuable avenues to proficiency. They are vastly different in their approaches, yet they share the common goal of supporting the development of competent yoga therapists. Academic programs emphasize critical thinking, research and scholarship, and effective communication as educational cornerstones. A foundation must be established to support lifelong study in a degree’s topic area, and rigorous assessments must be in place to demonstrate the completion of all program requirements and educational objectives. Degree programs must continually gather evidence to prove that the required standards are being met. Although a number of academic programs offer yoga therapy training in the context of other clinical disciplines, the Master of Science in Yoga Therapy degree program at MUIH is one of the first dedicated to the study of yoga therapy in an academic and an applied context. Embracing the yoga therapy field was an easy step for