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This teacher training offers students in-depth skills to explore Yoga as a vehicle for holistic 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, yoga 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 yoga's ancient teachings and concepts from yogic philosophy including Ayurveda, Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and the Chakra System as frameworks for the application of Yoga as a journey towards radiant health and well-being.
The physical practice emphasis includes hatha and vinyasa yoga offered through a lens of biomechanically sound and anatomy-informed alignment. Expect both mindful vinyasa flow sequencing as well as gentler and restorative variations. You will practice physical postures from all categories of poses including standing poses, hip openers, forward bends, backward bends, twists, inversions, balancing, supine, seated, and prone.
Variations for all levels of practitioners will be provided in yoga practice, all abilities and ALL bodies 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 flow yoga, alignment-based classes, yoga foundations, senior, gentle, and restorative.
Dive DeeP Into Yoga At 200 Hour Teacher Training
quick view
Yoga Styles: Mindful Vinyasa Yoga, Hatha, and Restorative through a Therapeutic Lens
Pose Study with Adaptations for ALL BODIES (includes standing poses, hip openers, forward bends, twists, backbends, inversions, and supine)
Alignment: Bio-mechanically sound & anatomy-informed alignment
Skill Level: All levels of yoga practitioners are welcome. Some come to deepen their practice and others to learn to teach.
Class Demographics: Ages 17 – 70, diversity welcome. Our class sizes are typically between 18 - 24 students with 2 experienced instructors.
Certification: Soma Yoga Institute 200 Certification, Yoga Alliance RYT-200 Upon Successful Completion
Instructors: Train with C-IAYT Certified Yoga Therapists & E-RYT 500 Master Teachers with 25 + years of experience
Learn to teach with safety, skill, and confidence
This program and the teachings are so beautiful, authentic and come from heart. My confidence as a yoga teacher has increased hugely. I have literally only dipped my toe into the vast ocean of Yogic knowledge but this yoga teacher training has definitely provided me with an amazing foundation to build upon. Thank you, to Liz and the teachers, for creating such a safe, supportive and nourishing environment, you have instilled so much confidence in me to grow and be the best version of myself. The curriculum suited me so well, I am very interested in Ayurveda and the alignment based pose study was very insightful, learning proper alignment in my own practice was invaluable and I definitely dug deeper into my soul over the past 18 days. – Cornelius Sheehan, Peace Retreat, 200 Hour YTT Costa Rica
- Cornelius
curriculum highlights
Please note: This teacher training 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 yoga teachers and yoga therapists
get the complete curriculum guide
JUST WOW! My understanding of yoga has changed from a more dominant physical practice to a more balanced mind-body spirituality. I loved the alignment study. This was a true learning experience focusing on the placements and foundations from the ground up and the bones out was truly eye opening. So much material was covered in these 17 days I'm truly impressed. I never felt it was overwhelming but the content and how it was delivered was truly professional and enjoyable. Our instructors Alison and Peggy immediately made us feel at home, with their warm nature and compassion. Yes, I would absolutely do another yoga teacher training with Soma and highly recommend this teacher training to others. – Allison O'Callaghan, Peace Retreat, Costa Rica Yoga Teacher Training
- Allison
Liz Heffernan, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT, is an international yoga teacher and Integrative Yoga Therapist with over 25 years of teaching experience. She draws on extensive training in Hatha, Vinyasa, and therapeutic yoga to create adaptive practices for ALL BODIES. Liz leads yoga teacher trainings, workshops, and retreats worldwide, offering personalized mentoring and private therapeutic sessions. Known for bridging ancient yoga wisdom with modern biomechanics, her teaching emphasizes alignment, self-inquiry, and personal empowerment. Her approach weaves together mindfulness, creative sequencing, and bio-mechanically safe alignment, offering students an accessible path to vibrant health and self-transformation. As the founder of Soma Yoga Institute, Liz is dedicated to making yoga accessible to all. Her heartfelt commitment to the transformative power of yoga continues to inspire students worldwide.
meet your instructors
Liz Heffernan
more about Liz
E-RYT 500, C-IAYT Yoga Therapist
more about Molly
Molly Masaoka, E-RYT 500, is a highly experienced yoga teacher and studio owner with over 20 years of practice and more than a decade of leading yoga teacher trainings. Innately perceptive and wildly passionate, Molly applies a level of determination and delight to her yoga instruction that’s truly one of a kind. Her approach is focused and intense; a union of effort and surrender that she believes is key to unlocking one’s deepest level of awareness and joy. While the core of Molly’s teaching is alignment-based flow and restorative yoga, a deep level of therapeutic guidance governs all she offers—from her public classes, workshops, and private sessions to her ongoing teacher trainings and retreats. As the owner of Yoga Centered Studio in Hawaii, she continues to inspire students worldwide through transformative yoga education and personal healing.
Molly Masaoka
February 15-March 4, 2025
E-RYT 500, Owner Yoga Centered
The overall energy and feeling of this yoga school in Costa Rica was stupendous, thorough, and in-depth. Liz and Alison both have immense and lifelong knowledge and passion for yoga. My experience has taught me to be more open, thoughtful, and compassionate for all things on a daily basis. This program provided me with the tools to go out in the world as someone with not only a deep appreciation for the practice, but also as someone with the ability to share these skills with others. I will 100% be recommending this experience to others and can't wait to return to Soma Yoga Institute for my 300-hour training! I cannot thank Liz and Alison enough for guiding us on this journey that is about so much more than just yoga. Soma Yoga Institute has created something amazing and I'm so glad I was able to make the leap and partake! --Giles Smith, 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Costa Rica
- Giles
The Peace Retreat, Playa Negra, Costa Rica is a wellness center and eco-resort designed as a nature lovers paradise, perfect for your deep immersion into yoga and is walking distance to Playa Negra beach.
The Peace Retreat is designed intentionally to achieve the right balance of peace and rejuvenation for all its guest and includes a variety of accommodation options all with safes, ceiling fans and fresh linen service. The property includes two open air and screened yoga studios, a 10-foot deep swimming and dive pool, spa options, and Nourish at Peace, an Ayurvedically inspired restaurant.
Playa Negra is a small beach and surf community that's off the beaten track. You will find yourself surrounded by unspoiled nature, next to the most beautiful beaches of Guanacaste on the North Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It is just a 25 minute walk from Peace Retreat to Playa Negra beach through a jungle path or a 5-minute shuttle ride. The beach is large and lovely, the ocean is warm and the sunsets are magical. The beach has a surf wave and an area where you can swim safely. On your off time or for day off adventures you can enjoy all that costa rica offers; surf or paddleboard lessons, options for a variety of ceremonies, local eco-excursions, kayaking, bird watching, horseback riding and hiking to waterfalls, star gazing into the dark sky and much more.
If you have not yet had a chance to visit this tropical paradise nestled in Central America, you won't be disappointed. It is a safe travel destination for solo travelers and beckons nature enthusiasts with its unparalleled natural beauty and abundant biodiversity. Renowned for its commitment to conservation, the country boasts a plethora of national parks that showcase the richness of its ecosystems. For nature lovers, Costa Rica is a haven, offering a wildly wonderful experience with diverse wildlife and lush landscapes. The phrase "Pura Vida," meaning pure life, encapsulates the essence of this vibrant nation, where the locals embrace a laid-back and joyful lifestyle. Endless adventures await, from exploring dense rainforests to witnessing breathtaking waterfalls and pristine beaches.
Embrace the pura Vida Lifestyle at our Peaceful Costa Rica RETREAT
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the details
Food is Medicine at the Peace Retreat - Costa Rica. The cuisine is delicious, healthy, locally sourced and organic when possible. Expect three delicious meals a day made with love from a variety of local, minimally processed ingredients and prepared with Ayurvedic food principles. Vegetarian meals are provided with vegan options and occasional protien sources. Students who have special dietary requirements are encouraged to let us know in advance as we will do our best to accommodate them. Snacks and smoothies with fresh tropical fruits options are also availble for purchase at their on-site restaurant, Nourish at Peace.
meals
Meditation, pranayama, and gentle movement
Breakfast
Yoga asana practice plus techniques or teaching methodology
Lunch
Restorative, gentle, therapeutic practice, or Yoga Nidra. Yoga philosophy, lifestyle, and ethics, anatomy, and physiology, practice teaching
Afternoon break to rest, swim or take in the amazing sunsets of Costa Rica
Dinner
Evening session
06:00
07:30
08:30
12:30
13:30
14:00
18:00
19:00
Choose Your Dates
Daily Schedule
February 15-March 4, 2025
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A $500 USD deposit will reserve your space and will be applied to the full tuition price listed above. Deposits, tuition, and housing 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.
Retreat costs (housing and food) are due three months prior to the start date of the program or within two weeks of registering and 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. Ask about our buy now and pay later option through Afterpay, available for those in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
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 residential programs in retreat settings, we regret that we are unable to issue deposit/tuition/housing refunds 30 days or less prior to program start date. No refunds are issued on or after the program start date for any reason.
ALL INCLUSIVE Yoga Teacher TRAINING PACKAGES
Program Deposit & Tuition Payment Schedule
All Inclusive Yoga Teacher Training Packages Include:
- Housing
- Three delicious and healthy meals per day prepared for you with love
- Yoga teacher training tuition
- Instruction from world class C-IAYT yoga therapists/E-RYT 500 instructors with over 25 years of experience
- A comprehensive 250 page Yoga Teacher Training Manual
- Daily room cleaning, towel changes every 4 days, and weekly sheet changes
- Business of yoga curriculum to help you design the teaching career of your dreams
- As needed mentoring after the program ends
- Six month access to our 200 Hour Online Yoga Teacher Training content, an essential resource to support you as you move out into the world teaching yoga
- As needed mentoring after the program ends
Shared Accommodations
🍃Casa Verde Private Quartered Dorm | Shared Community Bath House $3997 USD
🍃Jungle Cabina Double Occupancy | Shared Community Bath House $3997 USD
🍃Double Room in Casa (Om, Samadhi, or Shanti Room) | En Suite Bathroom $4249 USD
🍃Double Bunglow | En Suite Bathroom | A/C $4547 USD
PRICES VARY BASED ON ROOM CHOICE:
Single Accommodations
🪷Jungle Cabina Single Occupancy | Shared Community Bath House $4847 USD
🪷Single Room in Casa (Om, Samadhi, or Shanti Room) | En Suite Bathroom $5397 USD
🪷Single Bunglow | En Suite Bathroom | A/C $5597 USD
(Payment plan options now available through Afterpay)
Accommodation options vary from double or single-shared cabinas and an open-air bath-house and single-stall bathrooms, as well as private indoor rooms with ensuite bathrooms and attached balconies - all with safes, ceiling fans, and fresh linen service.
I had high expectations for this yoga teacher training and all were surpassed! Peggy and Alison are incredible educators, yogis and inspirations. They complemented each other so beautifully and they are so talented, compassionate, and modeled so well the kind of yoga teacher I would like to be. The content and instruction was attentive to making yoga safe, accessible and trauma informed and was exactly what I wanted. This experience has been profound for me guiding me to some important internal changing of patterns. This yoga training also deepened my knowledge and understanding of the background of yoga and how it is used therapeutically. The routine of the course inspired me to dedicate myself more fully to practice. I am so moved by how loving the instructors were and how they supported all of us and made themselves completely available to us as we made our way through the training. Such a big thank you to Soma for conducting an incredible experience.-Peggy Leggat, Peace Retreat, 200 Hour YTT Costa Rica
- Peggy
transportation- Group Shuttles Available
Please book your flight to arrive at Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) or Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO). Transfer from and to the airport on the group shuttle is provided for a
reduced fee (specified times only).
From Liberia International Airport:
Arrange to fly into the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport (LIR) in Costa Rica. The group shuttle departs from the airport at 12:00pm and 3:30 p.m. on arrival day (Feb 15) and returns to Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) for flights departing after 12:30 p.m. on departure day (March 4). Shuttle from Liberia to Peace Retreat takes approximately 1.5 hours. The group shuttle charge is 50 USD per person each way.
From San Jose International Airport:
Arrange to fly into the Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in Costa Rica. The group shuttle departs from the Adventure Inn (15 minutes from the airport) in San Jose at 10:00 a.m. on arrival day (Feb 15) and returns departing Peace Retreat at 8:00 a.m. on departure day (March 4) for flights leaving after 3:00pm. Shuttle from San Jose to Peace Retreat takes approximately 4 hours. Group shuttle charge is $100 per person each way. The Adventure Inn in San Jose is a great place for the first night with free airport shuttles if you are a guest and a large breakfast included in the price. You may book a room directly with them here: https://www.adventure-inn.com/. The shuttle will depart directly from this hotel and on the return take you directly to the SJO airport.
We make it EASY & SAFE for You!
"I feel blessed to have had Liz and Alison leading and guiding me on my way and preparing me for a deeper journey into yoga. I enjoyed the diversity, focus on safety and the appreciation for every body type which this program fostered. We always approached the practice first by seeing the beauty of a student’s pose before we seek to modify it. I have a deeper understanding of how I practice yoga and how it feels in my body. While I mostly came to this program for personal reasons, I feel it has given me the courage to start a new path integrating yoga into my work as a holistic nutritional consultant. I look forward to joining Soma Yoga Institute again in the future to continue my education and would not hesitate to recommend Soma Yoga to anyone who asks! "
-Amanda Divinecz, Costa Rica Yoga Teacher Training Graduate
"I have never experienced anything like this. My heart is full. The asana and alignment study profoundly changed my practice for the better. I have so much more awareness and I am receiving even more benefits from my own practice than I ever imagined. My confidence as a yoga teacher is stronger than I thought it would be. Liz and Serena have an amazing balanced dynamic which helps to motivate through an intensive schedule. I always felt supported and inspired, the love and support was palpable the entire time."
-Ashley Flohr, 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Graduate Peace Retreat, Costa Rica
"Thank you for an incredible, transformative yoga teacher training program. The faculty, Liz and Alison, were incredible and did an extraordinary job. I loved the intense focus on alignment and loved all of my fellow classmates. I learned so much solid, foundational information that we can turn back to again and again as we deepen our own personal practices and develop our sequences for our yoga studios and private clients. The anatomy portion of the training was very accessible. I am so much more aware of my alignment and connected to my breath. I have great confidence that I am ready to teach and look forward to continuing to improve and grow my practice."
-Jacqueline Fernandez, 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Graduate
"This yoga teacher training was life changing. Alison and Liz are joyful teachers who really cared about us as both individuals and new teachers. I thoroughly enjoyed their attention to detail in every aspect of yoga. The precise language and thoughtfulness in the design of the curriculum was spot on. I loved the idea of safety first in the asanas and understanding the anatomy, this is key. I left this class feeling prepared to teach and this is a direct result of everything Liz and Alison taught us. Thank you, Soma Yoga Institute, for preparing me to be successful."
-Becky Goldsmith, Costa Rica Yoga Teacher Training Graduate
"Our instructors were wonderful! They helped us build a supportive loving little community that became the foundation for the whole experience of this yoga teacher training program. I'm going back to normal life equipped with so many new tools and resources to make a positive change in my life supported by my personal yoga practice. This training also gave me the confidence in my ability to grow into a strong yoga teacher!-"
– Paige Angne, 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Graduate Peace Retreat, Costa Rica
"I really enjoyed everything about this yoga teacher training program – the asana practice, history, Ayurveda, chakras, Yoga sutras, chanting, and especially the instructors. Peggy and Alison are amazing teachers!! Keep them as long as you can."
-Jon Sirney, 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Graduate Peace Retreat, Costa Rica
"I truly enjoyed the balance between physical activity, spiritual/philosophical learning and the more technical topics. I loved (and needed) the alignment classes! Instead of thinking about an alignment for each pose I am taking away an alignment framework that works with any posture. Alison and Peggy are fantastic teachers and each of them brings their own touch to the yoga classes. I recommend this yoga teacher training to any Yogi looking to learn to teach others in a safe way."
-Aïda El Malti EL, 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Graduate Peace Retreat, Costa Rica
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this great and unforgettable experience. This yoga teacher training deepened my ability to be more mindful to myself, others and everything. It opened up a dimension of spirituality and inspiration to take care of myself more, to honor myself more. Alison’s yoga classes gave me a deep understanding of self-love, appreciation and love for this planet and they were also very calming and grounding. My body feels so much better now compared to when I arrived. I've also learned so much and I'm surprised that I can already sequence a yoga lesson! I enjoyed absolutely everything about this yoga teacher training program, especially the perfect mix of our instructors Peggy and Allison!"
-Annette Frueh, 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Graduate Peace Retreat, Costa Rica
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