Restorative Yoga Teacher Training course
40 hour course: 32 hours training plus 8 hours self-study certified by Yoga Alliance
WEEKEND ONE: TBC
WEEKEND TWO: TBC
TIME: 09:00-17:00
VENUE: tbc, bristol location
PRICE
Full price - £555
Early bird - £520
Note: £145 is a non-refundable deposit. Payment plans are available. Please see my terms and conditions.
Teacher training scholarships - two places available
I’ve always endeavoured to offer free and low-cost practices so I’m offering two low-cost scholarship places for my teacher training courses, a discount of 30%. The total cost of the course will be £388.50 (payment plans will be available). Those on low incomes and those who feel under-represented in the yoga community, please apply. If you feel like you are eligible, please get in touch with me and tell me your reasons for applying.
Looking to really learn radical rest?
Are you looking to deepen your study of yoga nidra, a perfect companion to restorative yoga? Purchase both courses for £1000 (payment plans available).
About the course
An increasing popular form of yoga practice, Restorative Yoga is accessible, effective and timely. A poll by the Mental Health Foundation in 2018 showed that in that year, 74% of people have felt so stressed they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope. Since that we have lived through a global pandemic, and potentially seen a big increase of stress, anxiety and depression within our communities and perhaps in our own lives.
Whilst stress is not always a negative thing, an overload of stress can lead to a variety of health problems, including altering our behaviour and affecting our psychological well-being. It is becoming increasingly important for yoga teachers (and those working in a therapeutic setting with others) to understand the role of the body in the experience of stress.
Restorative Yoga is a powerful tool which is accessible to all. Drawing its roots from Iyengar yoga, with an emphasis on props, alignment and technique, it has been shown to heal the impact of chronic stress, as well as:
Support back pain, headaches, digestive and menstrual issues and breathing problems
Enhance recovery from illness
Create a quieter mind and better self-awareness, which in turn creates the ability to respond and not react
Balance anxiety and lift depression, calming the mind and energising the body
This course will be limited to 15 students to allow for intimacy of learning and connection. The focus of this course is making you a confidence and creative teacher and so there will be focused on you learning to prepare, plan, and teach your fellow students.
This course is open to yoga teachers with a minimum of a 200hr certificate only - it’s OK if you are brand new to teaching, or if you have had a break from teaching.
“The manual mirrored the course content - comprehensive and will provide an ongoing valued resource. It’s both practical with detail on postures and includes yogic wisdom and science based connections too. I liked the pacing of the course, the 4 week space between the weekends. All in all I appreciated Mel’s straight talking, down to earth approach and would recommend this course.”
“Mel’s course covered everything I needed to confidently start teaching restorative yoga – and integrate restorative elements into my existing classes. The training days were nurturing and it always felt safe to make mistakes, which was lovely. Mel is a great teacher too. She’s knowledgeable, supportive and made me fall in love with yoga all over again. Thank you.”
Syllabus
In this course we will explore the philosophy, technique, practicalities and benefits of Restorative Yoga including:
The physiology of stress: the stress response
Looking at two stress responses: fight-flight-freeze-fawn and tend-and-befriend
A very brief history of stress
A spiritual persepective on stress and fear
How restorative yoga reduces the impact of stress
The conditions that Restorative Yoga supports, including chronic fatigue, burnout, chronic pain and mental tension and more
Restorative yoga as a gateway to mediation
How to incorporate yoga philosophy, namely looking at pratyahara, dhyana and samadhi
Reflecting on energetic anatomy, namely chakras, koshas, prana and nadis
Restorative Yoga asana
How to teach - practical considerations and contraindications including length of time in postures, sequencing, the use of equipment (or lack thereof) and teaching online
Experience teaching your fellow students and being taught by them
The use of adjustments
Creating a relaxing environment
Language, adjustments and trauma sensitivity
How to incorporate Restorative Yoga into a Hatha-based class
Whether pranayama helpful or harmful in a restorative yoga class
The use of silence in class
What to do with students who are unable to settle
Giving and receiving healthy and useful feedback
Why study with Mel?
I have been studying and practising restorative yoga since 2013. In this time it has been a regular part of my practice and has supported me in healing from fatigue, grief, burnout and anxiety and depression. In 2020 I wrote my first book, Rest Is Radical, inspired by my experiences of teaching and practicing both restorative yoga and yoga nidra. I aim to teach in a way that is practical, non-dogmatic, grounded and yet rooted in the spirituality of yoga. I work therapeutically with clients and groups in one-to-one settings, as well as classes, workshops and retreats, and I look forward to sharing you with you the skills, creativity, confidence and joy of teaching restorative yoga to others.
Who this course is for:
Certified yoga teachers looking to begin to teach restorative yoga and expand their understanding of the practice and to teach it
Homework
This course requires you to spend 8 hours of your own time planning two restorative classes and teaching at least one. You will be required to submit both class plans, and a reflection on how the taught class went.
A note on health
Please be sure that you are safe and well before commiting to this course. You are responsible for your own safety and wellbeing. This is an educational, not therapeutic space.
What is included in the price
Comprehensive manual and workbook of approx 90 pages including space for your own reflection
32 hours of teaching time with an emphasis on teaching
Accreditation from Yoga Alliance
Option to join yoga teachers’ support group at discounted rate
Not included:
Transport and accommodation
Any takeaway food/coffees you choose to buy
Certification
This course is certified through Yoga Alliance Professionals. You will receive by email a certificate of training from Mel Skinner Yoga, recognised by the Yoga Alliance. Full attendance and completion of homework is necessary to receive certification.
Preparation - suggested (not essential) reading
Rest Is Radical - Mel Skinner
The Breathing Book - Donna Farhi
Relax and Renew - Judith Hanson Lasater
Equipment
In order to be a restorative yoga teacher, it is important that you have the equipment to practice restorative yoga. I recommend you have as a minimum the following: a yoga bolster, yoga blocksx2, yoga bricksx2, yoga strap/belt, eye pillow and 2 blankets. You may also consider purchasing a yoga chair and sandbag. All these things can be found at Yoga Matters, as well as many other places. Please bring all this equipment with you for the training - if this is not possible, let me know and I may be able to provide equipment for you.
Venue
TBC, Bristol
Schedule
This will be emailed to you nearer the time.
Terms and conditions
Please read and understand the terms and conditions before booking.
1. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/statistics/mental-health-statistics-stress