Anxiety & Stress Relief Functional Movement Injury Prevention Nervous System Regulation Trauma-Informed Practices

Santosha Yoga Institute: Foundations of Yoga Therapy

Santosha Yoga Institute with Andrea Abian

A 100-hour online yoga therapy training by Santosha Yoga Institute, designed for RYT-200 and RYT-500 teachers and healthcare professionals. Covers therapeutic anatomy, breathwork, chronic conditions, the nervous system, and mental health applications. Counts as 100 YACEP Yoga Alliance continuing education hours and earns a Santosha Yoga Therapeutics certificate.

Modules: 6 Modules
Duration: 100h
Certification: CE credits, certificate of completion
Format: self-paced
Skill level: intermediate, advanced
Career pathway: advanced training

$649 $719

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Course program

The Foundations of Yoga Therapy is a 100-hour online training by Santosha Yoga Institute, designed to equip existing yoga teachers and healthcare professionals with practical therapeutic tools for group classes and one-on-one private sessions. The program approaches yoga as personalised medicine — applying postures, breathwork, and meditation to meet the specific needs of each student.

This training is open to Yoga Alliance RYT-200 and RYT-500 certified yoga teachers, therapists with yoga teaching or practice experience, and medical professionals, physiotherapists, and coaches looking to broaden their therapeutic skill set. It also welcomes anyone interested in deepening their personal practice through the therapeutic applications of yoga and in-depth anatomy studies.

The curriculum is delivered across six modules. Module 1 introduces the principles and foundations of teaching Yoga Therapy and safe class sequencing. Module 2 covers the locomotor system, intentions of movement, and common ailments and imbalances. Module 3 goes deeper into the power of the breath — the physical systems controlling breathing and practices for ailments linked to it.

Module 4 focuses on chronic disorders and how to integrate Yoga Therapy into the lives of students managing long-term conditions. Module 5 covers the nervous system and the neuroscience behind meditation and yoga therapy practices. Module 6 addresses mental health and trauma, applying therapeutic yoga to stress, anxiety, depression, and addiction.

Across the program, students learn to assess movement patterns, history, and lived experience so they can adapt practices for one-on-one sessions and group classes — supporting healing through intelligent, individualised therapeutic movement.

The lead teacher for this training is Andrea Abian, a physiotherapist and yoga therapist with over 15 years of clinical experience in muscular pain treatment, structural realignment, therapeutic massage, and fascia release. Andrea studied Yoga Therapy in India with Sharat Arora and continues her studies with Ganesh Mohan in the Krishnamacharya tradition. Santosha was founded by Sunny Richards, who has taught yoga for over 30 years across Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Vini Yoga, Yoga Therapy, Pre and Post Natal Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Trauma Sensitive Yoga, Yin Yoga, Children’s Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Meditation.

The format is fully self-paced. Students gain lifetime access to video modules and lectures delivered by their Master Teacher, alongside comprehensive course module slides and reference notes. The program can be completed in 20 intensive days or studied part-time over a longer period to fit around work and family commitments. All materials and manuals are provided — no additional books required.

Meet your teacher

Andrea Abian

Andrea Abian is a Yoga Therapist and Physiotherapist with over 13 years of professional experience. A dedicated Ashtanga and Yin Yoga practitioner, she began studying Yoga Therapy in India and continues to study with Ganesh Mohan.

Host reviews

Lyn Russell

Verified user

I held my workshop on Saturday afternoon. It was a practice run through with my husband to see how the format went and how I went! I absolutely loved it, and so did my husband. Overall, doing the practice run through was great as I now feel confident to advertise and run the workshop for a small group of people! Thank you so much for sharing all of your experience, knowledge and wisdom. I would never have had the confidence or the knowledge to pursue this without you.
Elisa Santamaria

Verified user

The online material was so thorough and informative that I never felt I was lost or missing something. Learning via online was easy with Santosha because their online platform was well organized. It took the doubt of online learning completely away. The teachers were also amazing! My experience of training with Santosha gave me a whole different understanding of yoga. The mental, spiritual, meditative side of yoga was so beneficial to my life and especially in these crazy times we are in currently.
Héloïse Lambert

Verified user

I never thought I could feel such a strong sense of community, love and passion through my laptop! The courses are well organized and very complete. I have learned so much. The challenging part for me was to deconstruct what I had learned in my own yoga practice, in order to teach in a safe way for my future students. My life has been turned upside down with the COVID crisis. This training not only gave me new future perspectives, it also helped me go through a difficult time and listen to myself. I can only recommend!
Melanie Ceveri

Verified user

I'm so grateful that this opportunity came up and I was able to learn from the most wonderful and knowledgeable instructors from around the world. There is so much to learn and I have been fully supported both during the course and ongoing. I've come away with such amazement at what I learnt as yoga is really so much more than I thought. I'm so happy to have found answers and I want to share my love for yoga with all.