This teacher training offers students in-depth skills to explore Yoga as a vehicle for vibrant health, self transformation, and personal empowerment. Our curriculum includes a unique blend of alignment-based vinyasa flow, a solid foundation in Hatha Yoga and 200 hours of instruction offered within a therapeutic framework.

The instruction will cover a wide range of Yoga techniques including Yoga postures, anatomy, relaxation, breath awareness, pranayama, meditations to calm the mind, contemplations to transform limiting tendencies into life affirming thought patterns, and the application of clear, anatomy-informed principles of alignment to create safety, balance, and freedom in Yoga poses. Students explore concepts from Ayurveda, the Upanishads, Patanjali and the Chakra System as frameworks for the application of Yoga as a journey towards radiant health and wellbeing.

The asana emphasis includes both level one/two alignment-based vinyasa flow sequencing as well as gentler and restorative variations. Expect to practice asana from all category of poses including standing poses, hip openers, forward bends, backward bends, twists, inversions, balancing, supine, seated and prone. Modifications for all levels of practitioners are provided and all levels of abilities are welcome to attend.

Rather than offer standard sequencing or rigid methodologies, students are exposed to frameworks that inspire each yoga teacher to adopt the practices, awaken their creativity and find their own authentic voice as a teacher.

Graduates of this program feel empowered to teach a variety of Yoga class types, including all levels vinyasa Yoga, alignment-based classes, Yoga foundations, senior, gentle, and restorative.

CURRICULUM INCLUDES VINYASA FLOW, THERAPEUTIC ALIGNMENT PRINCIPLES & THE PATH OF YOGA AS A FRAMEWORK FOR HOLISTIC HEALTH

CURRICULUM HIGHLIGHTS

Please note: This teacher training program is approved with Yoga Alliance (Y.A.) and graduates are eligible to register with Y.A. as a Registered Yoga Teacher at the 200-hour level (RYT-200). The therapeutic perspective & curricular components of this program are based on the instructors' registration as a Certified Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT) and not derived from their status as an E-RYT 500 with the Y.A. Registry as the Y.A. Registry does not certify therapists, solely yoga teachers.

Certification as a RYT-200 with Yoga Alliance

A solid foundation in classical Hatha Yoga – including alignment based vinyasa flow and restorative yoga within a therapeutic framework.

An anatomy and biomechanically informed alignment system that helps to address common misalignments and keeps your students safe

Modifications and adaptations for all bodies, including special populations such as seniors, pregnancy, and those with injuries

Gain insights into your (true) nature through the wisdom of Yoga and its philosophy


Explore breath work, mantra and meditation as tools to create vibrant health and wellbeing in your life

Learn the art of sequencing yoga classes that honors your authentic voice and meets the needs of your student population

Business of Yoga & How to Build Your Yoga Community

Learn to share the practices with others in a safe and powerful way

Build self-confidence and tap into your amazing potential in a supportive, nurturing environment

Train with highly experienced, knowledgeable and passionate teachers and yoga therapists

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"My heart feels blown open (like hanuman)! This 200 Hour yoga teacher training gave me the confidence to share my love of yoga, of breath and of mindfulness. I feel more confident with my ability to venture forth and share yoga with my friends, family, students, healthy aging groups, and absolutely everyone. I really enjoyed the morning silent and guided meditations, this time helped bring me to my sankalpa. I also really appreciated how the daily schedule was set up including our 1/2 day trips. These assisted in keeping us grounded. I absolutely receomend this program!"

- McKenna

Peggy Profant, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500 is a certified Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapy, Anusara Yoga certified, and a lead teacher trainer for Soma Yoga Institute since 2016. Her approach blends the ancient wisdom of yoga with biomechanically sound alignment to help her students become more firmly anchored in their true, radiant self.  Every class she teaches is an artistic expression with meaningful and uplifting heart themes partnered with skillful sequencing and therapeutic alignment. 

meet your instructors

Peggy Profant

more about peggy

Liz Heffernan, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT is an international yoga teacher and Integrative Yoga Therapist. She draws from over two decades of personal yoga practice, 25 years of teaching and extensive training in the Hatha yoga systems of Kripalu, Integrative Yoga Therapy, Ashtanga and Anusara. She currently directs and leads Yoga teacher trainings and workshops in worldwide locations, provides unique one-to-one mentoring for yoga teachers wishing to improve their skills and delivery, instructs daily yoga classes and offers private therapeutic sessions.

Liz Heffernan

more about Liz

C-IAYT YOga Therapist, E-RYT 500, Certified Anusara Yoga Teacher

C-IAYT Yoga Therapist, E-RYT 500

She first discovered Kripalu yoga and changed the course of her life in her formative teen years in 1980. In 1994 she met her teacher, BNS Iyengar in Mysore, India who taught her the traditional forms of Ashtanga yoga. In 2001 she became interested in a more therapeutic approach to help her heal from injuries. She found Anusara Yoga and delighted in it's style of weaving meaningful heart themes into therapeutically aligned sequences. Peggy pursued the rigorous path to become a Certified Anusara Teacher in 2004 and began to delve into more studies of the therapeutic aspects of yoga.

Every class she teaches is an artistic expression with meaningful and uplifting heart themes partnered with skillful sequencing and therapeutic alignment. As a yoga practitioner and teacher for over 25 years, Peggy has always been intrigued by the aspects of mental well-being through yoga. In her studies to become a yoga therapist, she focused primarily on yoga psychology and the healing benefits of yoga for herself and her clients.

Peggy is a thoughtful and encouraging mentor to many students and yoga teachers in her community and around the globe. It is her wish to empower her students, friends and colleagues to overcome obstacles to self love and allow each person to joyfully offer their gifts back to humanity. In addition to Yoga, traveling and being in nature with her family is where she finds her deepest joy and peace. Peggy founded and operated a premier yoga studio in Arcata, Om Shala Yoga, for 10 years, and co-founded World Family Yoga leading family retreats in Costa Rica. She has been leading workshops, retreats and Yoga Teacher Trainings since 2005.


Peggy profant

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Liz is the Founder and Director of Soma Yoga Institute, a world-wide, in-person and online yoga teacher training school that embraces a therapeutically-oriented, heart-centered approach. These programs, heralded by many as truly inspirational, combine modern day biomechanics and research driven science with ancient teachings and serve to teach adaptive Yoga for all BODIES as a practice for vibrant health, self-transformation and personal empowerment.

Liz has trained extensively in the Hatha systems of Kripalu, Ashtanga, Anusara and Integrative Yoga Therapy.

In her work as a yoga therapist, Liz specializes in working with students with musculoskeletal issues as well as helping seniors age gracefully. She is highly skilled in adapting practices to meet the complex health challenges associated with aging. In collaborative partnership with Yoga 4 Brain Health she has co-founded the Memory Maintenance Yoga Teacher Training program that certifies Yoga teachers to help their communities delay the onset of memory loss related diseases through Yoga. Liz also serves as a faculty-mentor for the Kripalu School of Integrative Yoga Therapy supporting professionals on their journey to become yoga therapists.

Liz is known is 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.

Liz believes that the path of Yoga brings greater ease, not just to the individual, but to all beings everywhere, and ultimately uplifts planetary consciousness one conscious breath at a time.

Liz heffernan

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the details

THE STUDIO 

Blue Lake Sanctuary is a custom home yoga studio large enough to accommodate 16 people located in Peggy's abode in Blue Lake, CA.  With artfully designed architecture, wood heat fire, and radiant heated floors, this space is perfect for hosting classes, retreats and trainings. In the upstairs kitchen and dining area, with its lovely pastoral scenery and views of the redwood forested hills, we will enjoy delicious, healthy lunches together each day. Blue Lake Sanctuary is also walking distance to the Mad River for beautiful nature hikes and swimming holes on warmer days.  

Tuition: $2747 USD includes lunch each day (except on your day off). Price includes yoga teacher training tuition, and a 200 page yoga teacher training manual, six months access to our online yoga teacher training material, as needed mentoring after the program ends, and healthy lunches each day.

April 23-May 10, 2024

tuition

Deposit & Tuition Payment Schedule

A $500 USD deposit will reserve your space and will be applied to the full tuition price listed above. Deposits and tuition payments minus a 10% processing fee, are refundable up to 31 days prior to retreat start date. The 10% processing fee will apply to all refunds and this fee covers credit card charges and administrative processing fees.

Your final tuition payment is due no later than one month prior to the program start date. If you would like to discuss alternate arrangements or a payment plan, please feel free to contact us directly and we would be happy to work something out.

Fee-free transfers for documented health/emergency situations: If cancellation is necessary prior to the first day of the program due to documented health or emergency situations, a student’s deposit and tuition will be fully transferable to a future program with Soma Yoga Institute. In all other circumstances, due to the logistics involved in planning immersion programs, we regret that we are unable to issue deposit/tuition refunds 30 days or less prior to program start date. No refunds are issued on or after the program start date for any reason.

program Dates

10:00

Daily Schedule

12:30

13:30

17:30

19:00

Yoga asana practice, meditation and pranayama
Methodology, alignment study, anatomy, teaching skills
Delicious, Healthy Lunch Prepared For You
Restorative or Yoga Nidra. Philosophy, lifestyle, and ethics, and practice teaching
Break
Personal study or group work assignment
**There will be one full day and one half day off to rest and explore the area.

08:00

HOUSING 

There are many options for housing in the local area.  Peggy in Blue Lake is offering a variety of reasonably priced housing options on her property within walking distance to the Blue Lake Sanctuary Yoga Studio, these include single rooms, shared accommodations and camping options. Additional options can be found through Airbnb www.airbnb.com and/or VRBO www.vrbo.com/.  If you would like to be paired with a roommate please let us know and I can share your email so you can speak directly with one another. 

We are pleased to offer this 200 hour teacher training is set in beautiful Arcata/Blue Lake, California, near the majestic Redwoods. 

During the program students will have time to enjoy majestic and ancient Redwood forests, wild and scenic rivers, dramatically gorgeous beaches and immerse into the local culture of Arcata. Trips will be planned to the nearby sites throughout the program so students may take in and experience the areas diverse natural beauty. Surfing, hiking, biking and rock climbing are just a few of the diverse activities which the local area offers.

The training will be held at Blue Lake Sanctuary, a large private yoga studio with ambient heated floors, is located just 15 minutes from downtown Arcata, making it an ideal location to explore and soak in all the community has to offer. There are a variety of locally owned restaurants and natural and organic grocery stores, Arcata Natural Foods, and Wildberries Marketplace, which both serve ready-made food. Wildberries marketplace also features a community "box office" which sells tickets to local events and festivals. There are also many locally owned artisan stores and on Saturdays, Arcata holds a local agricultural farmers market, drawing members of the surrounding community, for fresh, organic goods, music and community.

Join Us Near The Majestic Redwoods

Complimentary airport transportation is provided from Arcata-Eureka Airport (ACV) in Humboldt County, California to your housing location. Shared shuttles are also coordinated from San Francisco Airport (SFO) at an additional cost. Please contact us for more information on the SFO shuttle.

transportation

"I came for the purpose of learning how to safely get back into yoga after living in chronic pain for over 2 years.  I am leaving with no pain in my mind, body, and heart. I was given the space to rest, recover, and to love myself. 

The love and care of the instructors was amazing. Sam’s soul oozes with love and gratitude and that spills over to her students. Her zest and love for what she does makes you feel safe, loved, and excited to delve into self-study. She taught me how to calm my mind, open my heart, and know that it will be OK. Peggy gave me confidence and space to feel like I could physically practice again. Her love, patience, and direct approach is amazing. She made me feel safe on my mat and retrained me on proper alignment that has forever changed my practice. The entire experience was so magical."

-Marlo Drago

"The teachers, Peggy and Sam were the absolute best – so knowledgeable, caring, and supportive. They really brought the best out in each of us. The group of students was so amazing and we had a great bond with each other. This was mostly due to how the teachers held space for that sort of interaction from day one. I learned so much about bringing self-love into my life. I highly recommend this course to new teachers as well as current teachers who want to add to and improve their current teaching skills. I have attended other 200-hour trainings in the past and many other yoga trainings but have found Soma Yoga’s offerings to be the best ones. I look forward to returning for their 300-hour advanced program in 2021. I learned so much that I am now ready to take out into the world and use with my students. Thank you, I really loved every minute of this course and experience."

-Amanda Marren

"This program completely transformed my understanding of Yoga.  The alignment brought ease and joy into my practice as well as a new deep sense of trust. It gave me the confidence to share the practice with others without fear. I loved hearing the stories, I keep mulling them over as they are so rich with insight into the human condition. I felt so supported throughout the entire process. I loved how beautifully crafted each session felt. It progressed gradually and every lesson built upon and reinforced the last, always allowing us to digest and present what we learned through well-supported teaching sessions. I liked how prepared I felt for each practice teaching experience.  I never thought I would be able to stand in front of the whole group and teach (while still breathing) let alone that it could be fun.  The teachers feedback and support gave me a wonderful sense of confidence.  I am so thankful. "

-Lina Crowley

"I came out of this yoga teacher training with more confidence and a balanced mind. My practice is way more efficient from learning proper alignment and my ability to teach what I know to others is developing through the strong support of this community and my education. The community of support and new friends has been very healing; it inspires me to keep developing my health and mindset. I am humbled by the quality of education I have received." 

-James Hendricks

"The therapeutic alignment, philosophy and chanting were some of my favorite aspects of the curriculum. I also loved the safe, supportive environment that Sam and Peggy created for us to feel comfortable at home, and to learn and absorb as much as possible. I have already taken a 200 hour program before but having been given the additional refinement on many aspects of what I have previously learned, coupled with the new material made this the perfect YTT experience. I am SO happy with all of it. I will absolutely recommend Soma to all and be back to return for more trainings." 

-Larrisa Noto

I loved the teaching staff, Jess and Liz, the philosophy, the Ayurveda, the awesomeness, the business of yoga, and eyes of love. I became more aware of some of my own mental blocks where I am judging myself too harshly and where I am pushing myself too intensely or lacking discipline and alignment. I learned the importance of being more gentle, compassionate, and inclusive as a teacher which starts with my relationship to myself. This has been an amazing experience that I will always cherish. I am grateful for the energy Jess and Liz put into this training and I’m looking forward to continuing my yoga journey.

 

-Kate Hill

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what our students are saying

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