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Foundation for Yoga Therapy Professional Training Program 2011
FYT11 FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the focus of the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Program?
The AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy (FYT) Professional Training Program is a two-session immersion in the Viniyoga™ methodology, which forms the foundation for the Viniyoga approach to Yoga Therapy. FYT is for yoga teachers who have already completed a Yoga teacher training program in another tradition and wish to enter the AVI Viniyoga Therapist Professional Training Program beginning in March 2012.
Over two training sessions, the following content areas will be emphasized:
1. The Viniyoga tradition
2. Principles of breath and movement
3. Biomechanics of asana
4. Observation of individuals and groups
5. Principles of adaptation
6. Art and science of sequencing
7. Pranayama: theory and practice
8. Meditation, sound, ritual and prayer
Who is eligible to apply for entry into the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy?
• Yoga teachers who have completed a 500-hour Yoga teacher training program from a school registered with the Yoga Alliance
• Yoga teachers who have completed a 500-hour Yoga teacher training from a school not registered with Yoga Alliance
• Health professionals who have completed at least a 200 hour yoga teacher training from a school registered with the Yoga Alliance
• Health professionals who have completed a 200 hour yoga teacher training from a school not registered with Yoga Alliance can apply to the FYT program but are encouraged to consider the AVI Viniyoga Teacher Training as the most ideal preparation for entering the AVI Viniyoga Therapist Training.
Who will teach the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Training Program?
Gary Kraftsow is the primary teacher for the Foundation for Yoga Therapy Training. He has over 30 years experience teaching in the Viniyoga methodology. Gary began his study of yoga in India with T.K.V. Desikachar in 1974.
In addition to his study in the Viniyoga methodology with TKV Desikachar, Gary studied with several other great teachers including: a well-known mystic and scholar of Saiva Siddhanta, the Saivite Tantra of south India, V.A Devasenapathi; Kenneth Morgan, a leading authority on the study of world religions; M. Holmes Hartshorne, one of the foremost scholars on Soren Kierkegaard, often described as the Father of Christian Existentialism; Dr. Raimundo Panikkar, a Catholic priest, Vedic scholar, a scientist, world renowned scholar of world religions, and a world leader in interfaith dialogue; and the great Tibetan Buddhist master, Kalu Rinpoche, a teacher of Vajrayana, the great Tantric tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
Gary's teachers have given him a unique opportunity to understand the human condition from the perspective of diverse cultures, and to appreciate the universal relevance and applicability of Yoga.
Gary graduated Magna Cum Laude from Colgate University in 1976, and received his Masters in Psychology and Religion from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1983. He began practicing at the Maui School of Yoga Therapy in 1983, and received a Viniyoga Special Diploma from Viniyoga International in Paris, France in 1988. Gary founded the American Viniyoga Institute in 1999. He is a renowned speaker and respected teacher of the Viniyoga methodology for conferences and schools nationally and internationally.
Gary is the author of Yoga for Wellness and Yoga for Transformation and produced two DVDs: Viniyoga Therapy for Low Back, Sacrum, and Hips and Viniyoga Therapy for Upper Back, Neck and Shoulders. He is frequently consulted as one of the foremost Yoga Therapists in the U.S. for research and collaborative projects, notably an NIH study on yoga for back pain and a Harvard Medical School study for generalized anxiety. Gary composed protocol for the National Institutes of Health Studies: “Evaluating Yoga for Chronic Low Back Pain” and “Yoga Therapy for Generalized Anxiety.”
Gary was involved in establishing minimum standards for yoga teachers and yoga schools in the United States in what has now evolved into the Yoga Alliance. He is currently active with the International Association of Yoga Therapists to help establish minimum standards for Yoga Therapist training programs.
Gary is joined in the Foundation for Yoga Therapy training by Clare Collins, RN, PhD, FAAN, CYT, E-RYT-500. Clare is certified by the American Viniyoga Institute as a Yoga Teacher (2003) and Yoga Therapist (2005). She completed a Master’s Degree in Mental Health Nursing at Yale University, Ph.D in Counseling at University of Michigan and a post doctoral research fellowship in geriatric mental health at NIMH. She has assisted and taught in AVI programs since 2002 and is a consultant to AVI for program development. Currently, she is a Yoga Therapist in East Lansing, Michigan, Professor Emeritus of Nursing at Michigan State University and member of the Board of IAYT. Clare is the Training Coordinator for the AVI Viniyoga Therapist and Foundation for Yoga Therapy Programs.
Gary and Clare are assisted by a teaching team of AVI-certified Yoga Therapists.
What is the difference between the AVI Viniyoga Teacher Training Program, the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Program and the AVI Viniyoga Therapist Training Program?
AVI Viniyoga Teacher Training Program
The AVI Viniyoga Teacher Training Program is a 500-hour program which includes four 12-day residential sessions over a two year period plus guided home study between program sessions. The program was originally developed in 1999 by Gary Kraftsow after 15 years of training Yoga teachers. The program is registered with Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour level.
The AVI Viniyoga Teacher Training is Professional Training Program for serious students of yoga, beginning level teachers, and yoga teachers from 200 hour programs in other traditions to deepen their personal practice, immerse in the Viniyoga approach to Yoga, gain advanced teaching skills and prepare for entry into the AVI Viniyoga Therapist Professional Training Program.
AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Program
The AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Program is designed to prepare graduates of 500-hour teacher training programs from schools other than AVI to receive education and certification through the AVI Therapist Training Program. Health care professionals who have completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training program may also apply for entry into the Foundation for Yoga Therapy program. The primary goal of the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Program is to immerse students in the Viniyoga™ approach to Yoga, which is a fundamental element of our approach to Yoga Therapy. While not as extensive as our teacher training program in terms of teaching methodology, the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Program focuses on the content and experiences that we see as most important to prepare a Yoga teacher for study as a Yoga Therapist in the Viniyoga™ tradition.
AVI Viniyoga Therapist Training Program
The AVI Viniyoga Therapist Training Program is a professional training program designed to teach students clinical assessment skills and give students the tools to apply these skills in a clinical environment. Students will learn Yoga Therapy principles specific for working with individuals with a full spectrum of conditions, including structural, physiological, and emotional health issues.
Where is the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Training Program held?
Our program will be held at Mount Madonna Center in Watsonville, California. CLICK HERE for more information on Mount Madonna Center.
If I haven't completed a 500-hour Yoga teacher training program from a school registered with the Yoga Alliance, can I still apply for the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Program?
Yes, yoga teachers who are graduates of a 500-hour Yoga teacher training program from a school not registered with the Yoga Alliance may apply. In addition, health care professionals who have graduated from a 200-hour level yoga teacher training program from a school not registered with Yoga Alliance and who have had a sustained study of yoga may apply. Please note that a limited number of spaces are available in the upcoming program for students who have not completed a 500-hour program registered with Yoga Alliance.
We highly recommend that graduates from 200-hour teacher training programs in other traditions consider enrolling in the AVI Viniyoga Teacher Training Program, a 500-hour yoga teacher training program registered with Yoga Alliance. The AVI Viniyoga Teacher Training is a comprehensive teacher training and preparation for entry into the AVI Viniyoga Therapist Training.
If you are not a Yoga teacher from a 500-hour Yoga teacher training program registered with Yoga Alliance, but you are in one of the categories listed below, your application will be reviewed and considered for acceptance into the program:
- International students
- Yoga teachers with in-depth training in the Viniyoga™ methodology from schools other than AVI
- Experienced Yoga teachers who received their training prior to Yoga Alliance registration of Yoga schools
- Experienced Yoga teachers who are also licensed health care professionals.
What type of preparation is suggested before attendance at the first session of the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Program?
Students are strongly advised to attend a seminar or retreat with Gary Kraftsow or Mirka Scalco Kraftsow before attending the first program session. Attendance at an AVI event will provide an opportunity to work with the primary teachers in AVI programs, to find out more about the Viniyoga approach and to decide whether the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Program is the right program for you. AVI can also refer you to our Professional Training Program faculty or other AVI-certified Yoga teachers and Yoga Therapists in your area.
Will home study be required between program sessions?
Yes, guided home study both before and between training sessions is an important component of the program. You will be asked to immerse yourself in the Viniyoga approach in your personal practice. In addition, you will receive home study assignments which involve reading, designing practice sequences, and engaging in activities to promote your theoretical understanding of the Viniyoga approach.
Do I need to complete both sessions of the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Program before entering the AVI Viniyoga Therapist Training Program?
Yes, students must complete both program sessions and complete all training assignments before attending the AVI Yoga Therapist Training Program.
How do I apply for the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Program?
Here are the links to the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Program application with instructions: APPLICATION PDF or APPLICATION DOC.
What is the cost of the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Program?
For tuition and housing fees, please CLICK HERE for AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Program Information. Most students stay on campus at Mount Madonna Center during the sessions, but a commuter option is also available.
Is tuition assistance available for the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Program?
Limited scholarship funds may be available through The American Viniyoga Institute Foundation, a non-profit organization. For information about scholarships, please contact AVIF President, Kathy Jamison at kjam@me.com.
Limited work-study tuition discounts are available through the American Viniyoga Institute. Work Study students exchange work hours during the training for partial tuition reduction. Early application for financial assistance is important. Financial aid decisions begin four months prior to the beginning of the training. Contact Student Advisor, Dona Robinson, at donar@viniyoga.com more information on work-study tuition discounts.
Can you tell me more about Mount Madonna Center, the accommodations and food?
Mount Madonna Center (MMC) is a conference and residential retreat center located on 355 acres of mountain-top redwood forest and grassland overlooking Monterey Bay, between Santa Cruz and Monterey in Northern California. MMC is a community unified by the practice of Yoga that nurtures the creative arts and health sciences within a context of personal and spiritual growth.
There are a variety of accommodations at MMC including rooms and cabins. The MMC Conference Center is reserved for the FYT training. Lodging is available in the Conference Center. You can view photos of the MMC facilities.
MMC is ideally situated to take advantage of spectacular sunrises and sunsets. There are many miles of hiking trails and paths to refresh and renew at lunch and in the evening.
MMC offers fresh and delicious vegetarian cuisine that is simply prepared and easily adaptable for those with special dietary needs. Indoor and outdoor dining is available. A cafe/gift/book shop is located on the property and is open from breakfast through early evening.
Spa services are available at MMC. It is highly recommended that you book massage services for the day off in advance.
The nearest business centers are in either Watsonville or Gilroy, approximately 30 minutes away. Watsonville and Gilroy have a variety of business services including restaurants, hotels, pharmacies, and other business services.
Can I get Internet access and cell phone coverage?
MMC has several locations with reliable and free Wi-Fi coverage, including the cafe, Community Building and Conference Center. Computer and Internet access is available in the Computer Room in the Community Building for a nominal fee. You can also print and make copies in the Computer Room for a nominal fee.
You can get cell phone coverage at MMC. Because of the mountainous and remote terrain, some locations on campus are more ideal for cell phones than others. Faculty will advise you on the best locations. Pay phones are also available and phone cards can be purchased in the gift shop.
Whom do I contact if I have questions about the AVI Foundation for Yoga Therapy Training Program?
Email Dona Robinson, AVI Student Advisor.
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