Nervous System Regulation Sleep Optimization Somatic & Embodiment Work Strength Development Women’s Wellness

Lasater Yoga: Somatic Woman

Somatic Woman is a six-month online program for women navigating perimenopause and menopause. Led by Judith Hanson Lasater, Mary Richards, and Lizzie Lasater, it pairs live Zoom workshops with somatic strength, restorative yoga, and science-based education on hormones, sleep, and the nervous system.

Certification: certificate of completion
Format: hybrid (self-paced and live online)
Skill level: beginner, intermediate, advanced
Career pathway: interest

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Course program

Somatic Woman by Lasater Yoga is a six-month online immersion for women in midlife and beyond. Designed by Judith Hanson Lasater, Mary Richards, and Lizzie Lasater, the program reshapes a yoga practice around the realities of perimenopause and menopause, combining live workshops, somatic movement, restorative yoga, and science-based education on the hormonal and nervous-system changes of this transition.

No prior yoga credentials are required. Somatic Woman welcomes women who haven’t yet entered perimenopause, women navigating its symptoms, and women in postmenopause. Yoga teachers seeking to support women through this transition are also welcomed. It suits practitioners whose old yoga practice no longer feels supportive and who want a more grounded, science-informed approach to their changing body.

The curriculum is built around six monthly workshops, each addressing a specific aspect of the menopause transition. The series moves through Embracing Menopause, The Menopause Brain, The Menopause Bed, The Menopause Heart, The Menopause Belly, and Beyond Menopause. Each month combines a two-hour Zoom workshop pairing Active Asana with Restorative Yoga, a dedicated Somatic Strength session, and a science session with a downloadable cheat sheet.

Beyond the asana, students explore Nonviolent Communication self-empathy skills, guided Savasana practice with Judith Hanson Lasater, journaling prompts, homework, and reading recommendations. The program integrates strength training into yoga to protect bone health, teaches nervous system regulation as an alternative to performance-driven practice, and grounds movement in physiological understanding of hormonal change. Quizzes accompany each section, with an optional final exam available for Somatic Woman Certification.

Three lead teachers guide the program. Judith Hanson Lasater, PhD, has taught yoga since 1971, co-founded Yoga Journal, and is a pioneer of Restorative Yoga. Mary Richards, MS, C-IAYT, is a certified yoga therapist and author of Teach People, Not Poses. Lizzie Lasater, MArch, is a yoga teacher, designer, and the program’s host. Sarah Jane McIntyre serves as community manager.

The format is hybrid. Six live Zoom workshops run from 9 to 11 am Pacific between May and November 2026, with August set aside for rest. All workshops are recorded if you can’t attend live. Each month also delivers self-paced content including Somatic Strength sessions, science sheets, guided Savasanas, and reading materials. Students receive three years of replay access and join a private community.

Meet your teacher

Judith Hanson Lasater

Dr. Judith Hanson Lasater has taught yoga since 1971 and holds a PhD in East-West psychology. She is a licensed physical therapist, a pioneer in Restorative yoga, and one of the founders of Yoga Journal magazine.