Last week I found out that I was awarded a scholarship to the Integral Yoga Institute to participate in their Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training in June. Cheri Clampett and Arturo Peal, both of Santa Barbara, California, will be leading the training. Cheri currently teaches yoga at the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Yoga Center. Arturo is a yoga therapist who also holds a Masters Degree in Chinese Medicine and practices Craniosacral Therapy.
I’ve really enjoyed my work at New York Methodist Hospital, and want to continue to grow my yoga career in that vein. Even at the New York Public Library, I see a number of students who have a very specific health ailment. I’m able to help them to an extent but I know I could do more for them. They have a keen interest in using yoga as part of their wellness plan, and with a bit more training specifically in this area I know I can have a very positive impact.
More lessons on choosing a yoga training program
I’ve previously given advice about choosing a general yoga teacher training program. Choosing a specialty program is a bit different:
1.) Know how you want to use your teaching. Is there a certain health condition you want to help treat or a certain population (the elderly, children, athletes, etc.) you’d like to work with? Specialized training allows you to delve deeply into one specific area. I know I want to use yoga in healthcare settings so therapeutic yoga was the best option for me.
2.) Choose a reputable school. There are a lot of specialized training program out there. Many are legit and many are not. A few things that can help you determine a program falls: Does it provide hours toward the 200 or 500-hour Yoga Alliance certification? What is the general reputation of the school; is the school itself certified as a teacher training institute by the Yoga Alliance? I’ve wanted to study at Integral Yoga Institute for some time as they are recognized as one of the leaders in therapeutic yoga. The school and this program are certified by Yoga Alliance.
3.) Research the instructors. This goes for the instructors of the program and the school as a whole. What is their training? Where do they teach now? Do they use their teaching in a way that is similar to what you’d like to do? What institutions do they have ties to? Have there been news articles written about or by them? Cheri’s and Arturo’s teaching is something I am abundantly interested in because they work in healthcare settings. I’m also intrigued by Arturo’s training in Traditional Chinese Medicine that will add an interesting dimension to the therapeutic yoga.
4.) Ask around. And this can be asking questions through yoga blogs and websites or asking students who have gone through this training. Ideally, do both! I spoke to Cheri and Sevika at IYI, asking very specific questions about the program and introducing the work I currently do and where I’d like my yoga career to go. They were both very open to answering all of my questions and welcomed the dialogue.
5.) Certification. When you finish the program will you have a specific certification that adds to your qualifications and expands what you can offer your students and places where you teach? Once I complete this program, I will be certified as a Yoga Therapist and will have the opportunity to be listed in national directories of yoga therapy. Because I’m trying to grow my student base, this certification and listing is very important to me.
Are you thinking about a specialized yoga program? Got questions or some advice for others? Fire away!
Published by Christa Avampato
IN BRIEF
Author, journalist, digital product manager, and licensed New York City tour guide. Creator and host of NYC's Secrets and Lies. Alumna of the University of Pennsylvania (BA), the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA), Arizona State University (Biomimicry), and the University of Cambridge (MSt in Sustainability Leadership).
I build digital media platforms, report on urban climate resilience and biodiversity, and produce live narrative experiences that connect communities to history, nature, and place.
THE DEEP DIVE
My work centers on a single thread: building systems and stories that foster deep connection to our shared world. Across digital streaming, environmental reporting, and live civic storytelling, I design experiences that help people understand complex ideas and the environments around them.
DIGITAL PRODUCT STRATEGY & MEDIA LEADERSHIP
At Carnegie Hall, I serve as Digital Product Manager, leading product strategy, operations, and technical delivery for the video streaming platform Carnegie Hall+. I translate artistic mission into scalable, high-performance streaming architecture that reaches audiences globally. Previously, I led agile product and delivery teams across operations and compliance at American Express, managed Broadway theatrical productions and national tours, and guided strategic initiatives across cultural institutions.
ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM & AUTHORSHIP
As a freelance journalist, I investigate how living systems, urban infrastructure, and human culture intersect. My reported features on urban decarbonization, biodiversity, coastal resilience, and biomimicry appear in publications including Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post, Mongabay, Natural History Magazine, and Foreign Policy Magazine. In fiction, I write the Emerson Page young adult novel series, alongside upcoming historical fiction and nonfiction works on New York history, mythology, and human resilience. I also write Togetherhood, a LinkedIn newsletter focused on urban ecology and community restoration, and co-host the podcast Frameworks in the Wild.
LIVE EXPERIENCE & CIVIC STORYTELLING
As a licensed New York City tour guide and live event producer, I transform urban landscapes into shared narrative encounters. I created, produce, and host NYC's Secrets and Lies, an interactive live storytelling series staged across cultural landmarks including the New York Transit Museum, the South Street Seaport Museum, and the historic tall ship Wavertree. I also design and lead site-specific walking tours exploring coastal ecology, food history, and neighborhood evolution, often with partners at Climate Week NYC and the Natural Areas Conservancy.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING MEDIA
Through my independent production studio, Double or Nothing Media, I develop ventures across media, ecology, and public history:
Digital Products & Strategy: Architecting scalable digital platforms, streaming experiences, and operational models for mission-driven institutions.
Environmental Reporting & Publications: Delivering long-form reporting, books, and newsletters grounded in climate resilience and regenerative design.
Site-Specific Live Storytelling: Producing immersive live shows and educational walking tours that engage public audiences in community history.
CONNECT
Website & Production Hub: doubleornothingmedia.com and christaavampato.com
Newsletter: Togetherhood on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/newsletters/togetherhood-7273771832221089792/
Instagram & Threads: @christarosenyc
Emerson Page Novels: emersonpagebook.wordpress.com/
View all posts by Christa Avampato
Last week I found out that I was awarded a scholarship to the Integral Yoga Institute to participate in their Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training in June. Cheri Clampett and Arturo Peal, both of Santa Barbara, California, will be leading the training. Cheri currently teaches yoga at the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Yoga Center. Arturo is a yoga therapist who also holds a Masters Degree in Chinese Medicine and practices Craniosacral Therapy. 
CONGRATULATIONS!!! 🙂
LikeLike
How exciting, Christa! Congrats!
LikeLike
Do you know what the specific requirements to become a yoga therapist are? What the certification is called? It seems as though I’ve searched the internet high and low for this information, and I’m not quite sure.
LikeLike
Hi Stephanie,
Yoga therapy doesn’t have any universal requirements. I took the training course through Integral Yoga and really enjoyed it.
LikeLike
The thing that every search who wants to be the yoga teacher is that what are the offerings or what we get from training when we join. So here is the list of the best facilities we are offering in our yoga teacher training:
1) One month accommodation (shared rooms)
2) All course materials needed for your teaching certificate
3) 3 organic meals per day
4) Daily Yoga Classes (Beginners-Intermediate)
5) Beach Excursions
6) Waterfall Hikes
7) Dance Party and/or Circus Performance
8) Includes everything but your travel!
LikeLike
Hi Sam – thanks so much for this info! Sounds like you have a great thing going! What is the name of your organization?
LikeLike