Trauma-Informed Yoga Alliance Teacher Training

15th – 25th April 2022

Online Virtual Training

Are you ready to up-skill your yoga qualifications to learn how to respond to trauma in your students more effectively?
Or perhaps you are looking to understand your own experience of trauma, and to heal yourself with yoga?

In this specialized online 100 Hr Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training, you will be inspired and empowered to take yoga out from the “asana” into a deeper dimension of healing and transformation for the world.

Join our community of trauma-informed yoga teachers, who are committed to their own personal healing, and seek to take yoga out into marginalized populations all over the world, to create a deeper contribution to the world!

Are you ready to expand your impact in the world through yoga and an embodied understanding of trauma in the Body, Mind and Spirit?

This Yoga Alliance YACEP certified online yoga training is designed for you to learn, not just through theoretical knowledge, but through somatic and embodied practices, group discussion, video lectures and yoga workshops, and valuable placement and supervision so that you can be immersed in this content holistically. There is also a strong focus on social activism and innovation in this training which is unique and powerful for teachers wanting to make a sustainable change in the world on a heart-centered and practical level.

This unique program is led by Somatic Experiencing™ Therapist, yoga teacher, TED speaker, #1 bestselling author, and social activist Atira Tan, (PhD. Candidate, MA Art Therapy, SEP, 500 E-RYT) founder of both Art to Healing, an Australian charity which supports the psychological recovery of sex-trafficked survivors, and Yoga for Freedom, which has raised over $65,000 for the fight against child sex slavery. Atira is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom, distilled from her 17 years of experience working with marginalized populations and communities around the world.

Nepal Yoga Teacher Training
Yoga Teacher Training Kathmandu Nepal
Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher Training Kathmandu Nepal

This training provides life-long tools for you as a yoga teacher to create safer spaces in your classes and amplify your therapeutic presence, as well as the foundation of understanding of the impact of trauma on the body, mind, and emotions.

You will also learn how to respond with empathy, compassionate presence, and attunement with your students, in turn, creating a more wholehearted, healing presence in the world.

“What a life-changing experience. This training is a true treasure of knowledge and wisdom and shared with a caring and loving presence. The depth of insights into a variety of tools to create safer spaces is the most I have ever experienced in any training. But besides the theoretical teachings, what touched me the most was how space was held and naturally became the soil for our personal softening into the journey. And with that, we were able to truly experience the effect of a teacher who fully embodies what she teaches. And that is a priceless gift I will benefit from for the rest of my life.”
– Florianne Wohlfahrt, Psychologist, Trauma-Informed Life, and Integration Coach, Holland.

Join Us To:

* Improve your ability to create safer spaces

* Identify patterns of trauma in your students

* Learn which yoga asanas heal, and which can harm

* Trauma-Informed language and cueing which create safety

* Learn the Art of Therapeutic Presence

* Understand the foundations of trauma and how it impacts the nervous system.

Nepal Yoga Teacher Training
Yoga Teacher Training Kathmandu Nepal
Yoga Teacher Training Kathmandu Nepal

This training is perfect for you if you’re looking to:

  • Become more trauma-sensitive

  • Deepen your ability to hold space

  • Understand how to identify trauma in students

  • Expand your knowledge in Somatic and Embodied Approaches

  • Deepen your knowledge in Somatic and Embodied Approaches

  • Identify trauma in the body and mind

  • Connect with an inspiring yoga community

  • Set up your own yoga program

  • Learn about the deeper dimensions of yoga

  • Experience the gifts of Somatic Experiencing®

  • Becoming an agent of healing in the world

  • Learn about Somatic Yoga, BMC & Introceptive Yoga

  • Cultivate your therapeutic presence as a teacher

“Both Gemini and Atira are not only GREAT yoga teachers, they know everything there is to know about trauma and how to teach yoga accordingly. Not only are they great teachers; both of them also have amazing personalities and loveliest laughter and humor. Their standards are really high, so are their ethics.
 I have learned SO much more than I could have ever expected. I highly recommend this teacher training to anyone interested in healing traumas of their own or/and others.”
– Hanne Lyngholm, Social Worker, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Our Curriculum

Our curriculum covers a comprehensive dive into the deeper dimensions of trauma, facilitation and healing which will prepare you to teach in this new approach with confidence and awareness.

Many past students are now teaching trauma-informed yoga to marginalised populations such as refugees, asylum seekers, sex trafficked girls and women, and women shelters around the world. We continue to mentor and supervise our students so that you can receive the proper support to take yoga off the mat, and into the world to create more therapeutic and empathic spaces for healing and recovery.

Learn how to work with groups, privates or in community settings with populations such as people suffering from PTSD, violence, war, sexual abuse, anxiety and depression, refugees and asylum seekers and more. In this training, you will also learn how to tailor your studio classes to those who may be unaware of how unresolved trauma may be impacting their bodies, emotions and lives.

What you will receive:

16 hrs
Yoga class videos (to start our training days, done in the comfort of your own home)
16 hrs
Video lectures (for you to watch beforehand and to keep)
46 hrs
Zoom conferencing in-person virtual workshops & classes
2 x
Individual supervision sessions with Atira.
Ongoing
Email and WhatsApp contact throughout the course.
Ongoing Private FB group where you can ask questions.

OUR SUBJECTS

MODULE 1: THE FOUNDATIONS OF TRAUMA

MODULE 2: ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA

MODULE 3: TAKING IT INTO THE WORLD

Module 1: The Foundations of Trauma

Subjects:

Key Objectives:

1. Foundations of Trauma-Informed Yoga: The Importance of TIY Principles
    • Exploring the fundamental principles of Trauma-Informed Yoga and it’s importance in creating safer spaces for your students.
    • Understanding why and how your students may have unresolved trauma and the art of attunement and trauma-informed responses to their needs and emotions.
    • Learning the difference of the diverse styles of yoga in the context of the nervous system, and turning the focus from the physicality of the asana, to introception, felt sense and safety in a pose.
    • Understanding the importance of choice and agency for your students.
    • Knowing how rigid and authoritative cueing, adjustments and nonconsensual touch can trigger and potentially harm your students.
    • Exploring the elements of a yoga class such as pace, tone of voice and language, and the essentials of trauma sensitivity. 
    • Learning the difference between a regular yoga class and a trauma-informed yoga class, and the fundamental differences of both.

2. Overview of Trauma & the Nervous System: The Psycho-physiology of Yoga & Trauma.
    • Understanding why and how trauma affects the nervous system, and how this may create a loss of connection to ourselves and others in the context of a yoga class.
    • Grasping a strong foundation in the psycho-physiology of the nervous system through the Polyvagal Theory, and how this applies in yoga philosophy through the Gunas.
    • Learning about the fight/ flight/ freeze/ fawn and social engagement response, and how to identify these responses in the classroom.
    • Knowing how trauma impacts our bodies, minds and spirits, and the essential elements and steps of somatic trauma resolution.
    • Understanding how the symptoms of unresolved trauma can wreck havoc on our bodies, minds and spirits, and how to respond effectively as a yoga teacher to our students in fight/ flight/freeze and fawn.
    • Learning about the “trauma vortex” and the “healing vortex” and how we can guide our students to access their innate capacity to heal through various important teaching and yoga elements.

3. Different Categories of Trauma: The Signs and Symptoms in the Body.
    • Understanding the different categories of trauma and how it can impact our body, mind, spirit and emotions, and how to respond with efficacy in your yoga class.
    • Learning about the signs and symptoms of unresolved trauma in the body, such as violated boundaries, dys-regulation, hyper-vigilance, armouring, aggressive and co-dependence patterns.
    • Being informed on the psychology of yoga, including the chakra system and the stages of development to help students identify “stuck” or “stagnant” energy from developmental trauma.
    • Assisting students to befriend their bodies despite their discomfort, disassociation or numbing imprints to create a felt sense of safety in their bodies, mind and spirit.
    • Recognising visual, verbal and physiological cues in your students through your attunement and empathic resonance to support them to create awareness, safety, care and compassion.
    • Learning somatic and embodied practices to support others to track and cultivate their awareness in deep listening, tracking and introception to create more self-compassion and care.
Subjects: Key Objectives:
1. Foundations of Trauma-Informed Yoga: The Importance of TIY Principles
  • Exploring the fundamental principles of Trauma-Informed Yoga and it’s importance in creating safer spaces for your students.
  • Understanding why and how your students may have unresolved trauma and the art of attunement and trauma-informed responses to their needs and emotions.
  • Learning the difference of the diverse styles of yoga in the context of the nervous system, and turning the focus from the physicality of the asana, to introception, felt sense and safety in a pose.
  • Understanding the importance of choice and agency for your students.
  • Knowing how rigid and authoritative cueing, adjustments and nonconsensual touch can trigger and potentially harm your students.
  • Exploring the elements of a yoga class such as pace, tone of voice and language, and the essentials of trauma sensitivity.
  • Learning the difference between a regular yoga class and a trauma-informed yoga class, and the fundamental differences of both.
2. Overview of Trauma & the Nervous System: The Psycho-physiology of Yoga & Trauma.
  • Understanding why and how trauma affects the nervous system, and how this may create a loss of connection to ourselves and others in the context of a yoga class.
  • Learning about the fight/ flight/ freeze/ fawn and social engagement response, and how to identify these responses in the classroom.
  • Knowing how trauma impacts our bodies, minds and spirits, and the essential elements and steps of somatic trauma resolution.
  • Understanding how the symptoms of unresolved trauma can wreck havoc on our bodies, minds and spirits, and how to respond effectively as a yoga teacher to our students in fight/ flight/freeze and fawn.
  • Learning about the “trauma vortex” and the “healing vortex” and how we can guide our students to access their innate capacity to heal through various important teaching and yoga elements.
3. Different Categories of Trauma: The Signs and Symptoms in the Body.
  • Understanding the different categories of trauma and how it can impact our body, mind, spirit and emotions, and how to respond with efficacy in your yoga class.
  • Learning about the signs and symptoms of unresolved trauma in the body, such as violated boundaries, dys-regulation, hyper-vigilance, armouring, aggressive and co-dependence patterns.
  • Being informed on the psychology of yoga, including the chakra system and the stages of development to help students identify “stuck” or “stagnant” energy from developmental trauma.
  • Assisting students to befriend their bodies despite their discomfort, disassociation or numbing imprints to create a felt sense of safety in their bodies, mind and spirit.
  • Recognising visual, verbal and physiological cues in your students through your attunement and empathic resonance to support them to create awareness, safety, care and compassion.
  • Learning somatic and embodied practices to support others to track and cultivate their awareness in deep listening, tracking and introception to create more self-compassion and care.

Module 2: Essential Elements of Trauma-Informed Yoga

Subjects:

Key Objectives:

4. The Art of Therapeutic Presence: How Regulation and Resourcing is Vital 
    • Developing your therapeutic presence, trauma-informed language and cues, and tools for deep listening and attunement so that we can provide regulation, resourcing and safety for our students.
    • Understanding the art of holding space in a safe and gentle way where we are present, empathetic and compassionate instead of “giving advice” or rescuing.
    • Learning how our experiences of unresolved trauma and lack of resources and regulation as teachers can impact our students.
    • Creating a safer space for others whilst tending to our own self-care through yogic and embodiment tools to help us regulate as teachers in stressful situations and classes.
    • Cultivating somatic tools of self-regulation, co-regulation and exploring our own inner and outer resources in order to further assist our students in promoting a sense of peace, calm and tranquility in their bodies and lives.
    • Cultivating somatic tools of self-regulation, co-regulation and exploring our own inner and outer resources in order to further assist our students in promoting a sense of peace, calm and tranquility in their bodies and lives.
    • Exploring our boundaries, or lack there of, which can impact the safety of our students, and tools to create healthy boundaries and protection so that we can anchor in the role of a teacher more effectively.

5. Essential elements of Trauma-Informed Yoga Part 1: Asana, Meditation, Philosophy & Pranayama
    • Learning about yoga asanas, pranayamas and meditation techniques which can heal or harm students who have unresolved trauma.
    • Applying yoga asanas for the different categories of trauma, and how we can safely guide students into supporting trauma in certain areas of the body.
    • Preparing and teaching yoga sequences that can help to support specific physical areas of unresolved trauma and how to respond in your sequencing.
    • Understanding the koshas, chakras and yogic philosophy, and the practice of yoga nidra to support further relaxation and transforming the imprint of trauma in the body-mind.
    • Applying somatic and embodied skills into your yoga classes so that you can support your students into a space of self-attunement, instead of over-riding their sensations to achieve the perfect pose.
    • Experiencing the gifts of Body Mind CenteringTM (BMC), The Enlightenment ProcessTM and other embodied spiritual practices as a way to support your students to befriend their bodies in your classes.
    • Diving deeper into the concept and philosophies of Karma Yoga and the Bhagavad Gita as a tool for Awakening and Service.

6. Essential elements of Trauma-Informed Yoga Part 2: Trauma-Informed Cueing, Adjustments, Consent, Boundaries, and Language
    • Learning about the skills of trauma-informed and invitational language and cues to create a space of safety, trust and relaxation instead of re-triggering your students, creating fear and anxiety in your classes.
    • Gaining awareness of how the music in the class, tone of voice, adjustments, sequencing, transitions, presence and eye contact can create greater regulation and agency, instead of constriction and anxiety.
    • Understanding how the need and cultivation of healthy boundaries and self-protection, as a teacher, is necessary for the cultivation of safety. This, in turn, will inform your response to students who have experienced “boundary violation” and how we can use appropriate touch with consent in the context of a yoga class.
    • Improving your skills on gaining non-verbal and verbal consent in class for touch, and  learning how touch and adjustments can be potentially triggering for your students, and how supportive touch can help to regulate your students who may be experiencing fight, flight or freeze,
    • Developing your ability to provide choice and agency in your classes as an important element of trauma-informed yoga through your cues, attunement, and presence as an antidote to traumatic experiences.
Subjects: Key Objectives:
4. The Art of Therapeutic Presence: How Regulation and Resourcing is Vital
  • Developing your therapeutic presence, trauma-informed language and cues, and tools for deep listening and attunement so that we can provide regulation, resourcing and safety for our students.
  • Understanding the art of holding space in a safe and gentle way where we are present, empathetic and compassionate instead of “giving advice” or rescuing.
  • Learning how our experiences of unresolved trauma and lack of resources and regulation as teachers can impact our students.
  • Creating a safer space for others whilst tending to our own self-care through yogic and embodiment tools to help us regulate as teachers in stressful situations and classes.
  • Cultivating somatic tools of self-regulation, co-regulation and exploring our own inner and outer resources in order to further assist our students in promoting a sense of peace, calm and tranquility in their bodies and lives.
  • Exploring our boundaries, or lack there of, which can impact the safety of our students, and tools to create healthy boundaries and protection so that we can anchor in the role of a teacher more effectively.
5. Essential elements of Trauma-Informed Yoga Part 1: Asana, Meditation, Philosophy & Pranayama
  • Learning about yoga asanas, pranayamas and meditation techniques which can heal or harm students who have unresolved trauma.
  • Applying yoga asanas for the different categories of trauma, and how we can safely guide students into supporting trauma in certain areas of the body.
  • Preparing and teaching yoga sequences that can help to support specific physical areas of unresolved trauma and how to respond in your sequencing.
  • Understanding the koshas, chakras and yogic philosophy, and the practice of yoga nidra to support further relaxation and transforming the imprint of trauma in the body-mind.
  • Applying somatic and embodied skills into your yoga classes so that you can support your students into a space of self-attunement, instead of over-riding their sensations to achieve the perfect pose.
  • Experiencing the gifts of Body Mind CenteringTM (BMC), The Enlightenment ProcessTM and other embodied spiritual practices as a way to support your students to befriend their bodies in your classes.
  • Diving deeper into the concept and philosophies of Karma Yoga and the Bhagavad Gita as a tool for Awakening and Service.
6. Essential elements of Trauma-Informed Yoga Part 2: Trauma-Informed Cueing, Adjustments, Consent, Boundaries, and Language
  • Learning about the skills of trauma-informed and invitational language and cues to create a space of safety, trust and relaxation instead of re-triggering your students, creating fear and anxiety in your classes.
  • Gaining awareness of how the music in the class, tone of voice, adjustments, sequencing, transitions, presence and eye contact can create greater regulation and agency, instead of constriction and anxiety.
  • Understanding how the need and cultivation of healthy boundaries and self-protection, as a teacher, is necessary for the cultivation of safety. This, in turn, will inform your response to students who have experienced “boundary violation” and how we can use appropriate touch with consent in the context of a yoga class.
  • Improving your skills on gaining non-verbal and verbal consent in class for touch, and learning how touch and adjustments can be potentially triggering for your students, and how supportive touch can help to regulate your students who may be experiencing fight, flight or freeze,
  • Developing your ability to provide choice and agency in your classes as an important element of trauma-informed yoga through your cues, attunement, and presence as an antidote to traumatic experiences.

Module 3: Taking Trauma-Informed Yoga Into The World

Subjects:

Key Objectives:

7. Cross-Cultural Sensitivity: Taking Trauma-informed Yoga to the World
    • Understanding the meaning of culture and building your knowledge base, awareness and acceptance of your own and other cultures, ethics, beliefs and religion.
    • Developing the ability to tailor your yoga classes to include a culture’s history, economics, politics, hierarchy, gender, traditions and customs, facts, attitude and behaviours and expressing feelings and attitudes towards religion.
    • Respecting diversity and exploring, understanding and accepting differences across all dimensions of race, culture and gender.
    • Learning how to teach in settings which may need a translator and where language and cultural barriers persist.
    • Exploring our own assumptions of cultural and role differences, including those involving age, disability, education, ethnicity, gender, language, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital or family status, and how our assumptions can negatively impact or trigger students from minority populations.

8. Teaching & Integration: Practicing and Creating TIY Programs & Classes In The World
    • Guidance in creating yoga, meditation and pranayama sequences for students who are in the fight/flight/ freeze/ fawn response and how to use your therapeutic presence to lead them into social engagement.
    • Practising the principles of Trauma-Informed Yoga in leading a TIY class, whilst staying self-regulated and observing signs and symptoms of trauma in your students.
    • Adapting elements of being trauma-sensitive such as invitational cues, agency, felt sense and introception, self-regulation and co-regulation, language and adjustments in your practice teaching classes.
    • Learning the principles of community yoga and how to create a trauma-informed yoga program for marginalised populations within social work and non for profits organisations and community settings.
    • Gaining awareness and steps of setting up your trauma-informed yoga practice as a teacher and the business of yoga through building your confidence and trust in self whilst connecting to yogic philosophy principles such as Seva (selfless service), Svadhyaya (self-study) and Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender).
Subjects: Key Objectives:
7. Cross-Cultural Sensitivity: Taking Trauma-informed Yoga to the World
  • Understanding the meaning of culture and building your knowledge base, awareness and acceptance of your own and other cultures, ethics, beliefs and religion.
  • Developing the ability to tailor your yoga classes to include a culture’s history, economics, politics, hierarchy, gender, traditions and customs, facts, attitude and behaviours and expressing feelings and attitudes towards religion.
  • Respecting diversity and exploring, understanding and accepting differences across all dimensions of race, culture and gender.
  • Learning how to teach in settings which may need a translator and where language and cultural barriers persist.
  • Exploring our own assumptions of cultural and role differences, including those involving age, disability, education, ethnicity, gender, language, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital or family status, and how our assumptions can negatively impact or trigger students from minority populations.
8. Teaching & Integration: Practicing and Creating TIY Programs & Classes In The World
  • Guidance in creating yoga, meditation and pranayama sequences for students who are in the fight/flight/ freeze/ fawn response and how to use your therapeutic presence to lead them into social engagement.
  • Practising the principles of Trauma-Informed Yoga in leading a TIY class, whilst staying self-regulated and observing signs and symptoms of trauma in your students.
  • Adapting elements of being trauma-sensitive such as invitational cues, agency, felt sense and introception, self-regulation and co-regulation, language and adjustments in your practice teaching classes.
  • Learning the principles of community yoga and how to create a trauma-informed yoga program for marginalised populations within social work and non for profits organisations and community settings.
  • Gaining awareness and steps of setting up your trauma-informed yoga practice as a teacher and the business of yoga through building your confidence and trust in self whilst connecting to yogic philosophy principles such as Seva (selfless service), Svadhyaya (self-study) and Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender).

This YTT comprises of 80 hours of contact hours, and 20 hours of non-contact hours. Please note that there will be additional reading and  homework assignments to  integrate your learning will be required.

Flower Yoga Teacher Training Kathmandu Nepal
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“Since the training, it’s been really exciting. I‘ve been teaching a trauma-informed yoga class at a private counselling centre for rape survivors, and I just got hired to teach at an outpatient treatment facility.  I’ve also partnered with a local counsellor and we’re offering CEU classes for mental health professionals to learn how they can incorporate trauma-informed yoga techniques into their sessions.”

– Lisa Orozco, Equine Therapist & Yoga Teacher, USA

What our Students Say…

Our Social Change Model

“Paying It Forward”

We believe that every girl and woman deserves to determine her future.

As part of our feminine social change model, this teacher training “pays it forward” to assist women and girls from Nepal who has experienced sex slavery and exploitation to also receive valuable therapeutic support and education.

$50 from your fee in this teacher training will sponsor ONE woman in Asia to receive therapeutic support and mental health care in shelter programs, providing the chance for these girls to live a life free from slavery with our charity partner Art to Healing.
Learn more about Art to Healing
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Investment

Full Price: €1379

Early Bird before 30th Jan 2022: €1179

Registration Deposit: €300 (non-refundable)

This includes all tuition fees, your PDF trauma-informed manual, your yoga alliance certified certificate, and a contribution to our “Pay it Forward” social change initiative of supporting 1 woman who has experienced sex slavery in Asia to also receive valuable trauma-informed yoga & therapeutic support too.

Schedule

DAY 1 – 11:
1st Virtual Live Workshop: 9 – 11.30 am (CEST)
2nd Virtual Live Workshop: 12.30 – 3 pm (CEST)

Each day, you’ll receive 1 x 2 hour yoga video for your morning practice, or you can do this in your own time. The yoga videos are for your keeping and are available to watch and download.

You’ll also get 2 x 1 hr video lectures to watch before our Live Virtual Workshops. These video lectures are also for your keeping, and available for downloads.
In addition, our Virtual Workshops will be recorded, and for your keeping and available to download.

You will also receive a 120 page TIY PDF Manual after the training is over.

Online Virtual Yoga Teacher Training

NORMAL PRICE: €1379

NOW: Only €1179 (Early Bird Offer ends 30th Jan 2022)

*Pay your €300 deposit to reserve your space. Remainder due 1st Mar 2022.

Promo Code: YOGAHEALS22

You’ll receive:

  • 16-hour yoga class videos (to start our training days, done in the comfort of your own home)
  • 16 hours of video lectures (for you to watch beforehand and to keep)
  • 42 hours of zoom conferencing in-person classes
  • 2 x individual supervision 1 hr sessions with Atira Tan
  • Email and Wassapp contact throughout the course
  • Private FB group where you can ask questions.

In addition, you’ll be required to do:

  • 4 hours of additional homework, required reading and journaling.
  • 20 non-contact hours of observational notes, practice teaching and assignments due on the 31st July.

As part of our training, you will be required to partake of required reading, homework assignments, observational classes, practice teaching classes and reflection essays.

The dateline for the teacher training assignments, homework and essays are due on the 31st of July 2022.

WE ARE A YOGA ALLIANCE TRAINING AND REGISTERED WITH YACEP.

I’ve been teaching yoga for 5 years and would have loved this information in every yoga training I’ve done. This content is so profound and important. It changes your perspective on what trauma is, and how to respond. For me, it was like a window which opened. It has changed my teaching, as well as my life off the mat. I am now teaching with Art to Healing as a Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher with girls who have experienced child sex slavery.”

– Lisa Mosvich, Yoga Teacher, Germany. 

YOUR TEACHERS

Your Lead Teacher

Atira Tan
Atira TanM.A, SEP, 500 E-RYT
Hi, I’m Atira. I’m passionate about empowering others to be leaders in social change. I’ve been teaching yoga for over a decade and have worked as a consultant, supervisor, clinician and educator in community organisations and international development for many years. I’m also the founder and CEO of Art to Healing, an Australian charity that offers mental health, PTSD and trauma recovery programs – using yoga, art therapy and somatic experiencing – to help people heal from sex trafficking, exploitation, and abuse.

Art to Healing’s programs, targeting rural communities, refugee camps in Burma, the brothels and slums of Nepal and India, as well as war zones in Cambodia, have changed the lives of thousands of women and children. At their core, these programs inspire and teach the participants to love themselves, to re-build their self-esteem and live free from slavery, both within and without.

Based in Melbourne, I also frequently teach workshops, retreats and teacher trainings in South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. I’m also a TEDx speaker, 500 E-RYT yoga teacher, best-selling author, art therapist and somatic experiencing practitioner.

SOCIAL ACTIVIST | TRAUMA SPECIALIST | TEACHER
Read more about Atira

Your Co-Teachers

Simone McKay
Simone McKay500 E-RYT
Canadian-raised and Switzerland-educated, Simone is passionate about sharing the practice of Yoga & Yoga Nidra and deeply inspired to study and share ancient wisdom from indigenous traditions in a way that connects to the stresses and strains of modern life.

Simone originally trained as a Social Worker, and spent many years working in crisis centres, supporting women in recovery from domestic violence and abuse. She combines this expertise with her 18+ years as a Yoga Alliance accredited teacher with a practice deeply rooted in Yogic philosophy.

Having trained directly with Richard Miller in iRest, the I Am Yoga Nidra Amrit method with Kamini Desai and Total Yoga Nidra with Nirlipta and Uma Dinsmore-Tuli, Simone holds space with great presence and a gentle grace, in ways that truly support those in recovery from a painful past, helps them ease into an embodied self awareness that promotes holistic healing.

Simone is also the creatrix of Somah Journeys, and the co-founder and director of the School of Sacred Arts (SOSA). She offers advanced yoga teacher training programs, immersions and retreats that combine shamanism, plant medicine and modern mindfulness methods to enable participants to connect to their true soul path, rather than live from pain, past conditioning or programming.

YOGA NIDRA TEACHER | FACILITATOR
Read more about Simone

And we are super passionate about making a difference in the world through yoga!

Art to Healing:

Trauma-Informed Yoga in Women Shelters

Atira Tan’s TED X Talk:

Inspired Action from the Heart

“This 100-hr Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training with Atira was beautifully organized and layered. Both on a personal and professional level, this training brought new insight, awareness, and growth in understanding the world of yoga teaching, and in navigating life with greater confidence and ease. It is an absolutely invaluable experience, and one that I wish every single yoga teacher out in the world has the opportunity to participate in one day.”

– Stephanie Maren, Mother & Yoga Teacher, USA

Flower Yoga Teacher Training Kathmandu Nepal