The Vikara Way

Takoma Park, MD

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Purpose

Trauma is prevalent and unavoidable among members of our communities – yet it is invisible to the eye. Any and every person can be struggling with trauma, also called toxic stress, and it can be undetectable.

What to expect

Adaptations of trauma-informed approaches have been adopted by established organizations and leaders in all professions as they are motivated to excel and opt for a culturally competent environment as a means of improvement. Being considerate of one’s life experiences enhances engagement, health outcomes, provider, and staff wellness.1 As mind-body teachers, our primary goal is to improve student quality of life and minimize harm. To maximize positive outcomes, a trauma-informed approach is an effective tool. Yoga is proven to be an exceptional solution to emotional dysregulation, a primary contributor to the trauma experience, among a plethora of other mental and physical benefits.2 As such, the prevalence of efficient, effective instructors is essential to improving the field of mind-body wellness. Mind-body teachers who are qualified or trained to be trauma-informed and cognizant of mental health issues are beneficial to student health and wellbeing, with studies showing a vast improvement in their quality of life and retention of attendance. Dropout rates are incredibly high for those suffering from trauma or toxic stress – and students need encouragement best provided by knowledgeable teachers. A study on the effects of exercise on stress conditions found that suitably qualified instructors decreased drop out rates significantly and helped students develop a stronger sense of competence and social relatedness (Stubbs 2017).3

Style/Lineage

The Vikara Way™ exists to raise the standard of trauma-informed yoga — cultivating teachers who lead with integrity, grounded discernment, and steady presence. This certification exists for experienced yoga teachers who are ready to move beyond cautiously trying to "do trauma-informed yoga right" — toward becoming steady, self-aware teachers who trust their presence and decisions in the room. Through self-guided study and live mentorship, you'll develop the steadiness, grounded discernment, and attuned leadership required to teach ethically, confidently, and professionally. Upon completion, you'll graduate as a Vikara Village® Certified Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher and join a growing community of trauma-informed professionals committed to raising the standard of care in yoga.

Core competencies

By the end of this program, graduates will be able to…

Teaching Skills	Design a trauma-informed class introduction that integrates foundational trauma concepts and establishes psychological safety for all students Construct a class arc that intentionally moves students through identifiable ans states toward regulation and agency Analyze various aspects of a group yoga setting so that the teacher’s regulated presence informs what intervention best supports the student's return to regulation Design a mind-body sequence that deliberately incorporates neuroplasticity principles to support student regulation and long-term resilience Evaluate and implement a yoga class design for its appropriateness and potential benefit for students experiencing mental health challenges Design a full trauma-informed yoga sequence with clear understanding of rationale for each pose selection, modification, and transition decision Design a full closing sequence that integrates trauma-informed savasana, breath return, and grounding language suited to diverse student needs Develop a personal teaching framework that synthesizes physical environment factors, signs of student activation, and observation practices into an integrated set of response protocols for maintaining psychological safety and nervous system regulation in the moment. Design an inclusive teaching approach that integrates cultural competency language, content choices, and environmental considerations
Yoga History & Theory	Apply yoga philosophy concepts to personal teaching language so that instruction reflects an understanding of yoga’s ethical and spiritual framework
Practice Skills	Examine personal activation patterns to determine which regulation tools are most effective for your own individual nervous system response Identify poses selected for their grounding and empowering qualities as presented in module skill demonstrations
Lifestyle & Ethics	Explain how self-disclosure builds student trust without centering the teacher’s experience so that appropriate boundaries are clearly described Apply universal precautions to class design and delivery so that language, sequencing, and space management reflect consistent trauma-sensitivity for all Evaluate a course of action in a complex student scenario against ethical standards and program scope-of-practice guidelines Apply integrated program knowledge to a culminating teaching demonstration that reflects all major competency areas

AYC allows each school to state and evaluate the competencies each student acquires. Students rate how well the program delivered them.

Program Emphasis

Evaluation methods

Program evaluations

Solo Project Or Presentation
Other
Graded Skill Demonstration
Direct Observation
Written Submission

Through self-guided study and live mentorship, you’ll develop the steadiness, grounded discernment, and attuned leadership required to teach ethically, confidently, and professionally. Upon completion, you’ll graduate as a Vikara Village® Certified Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher and be welcomed into a growing community of trauma-informed professionals committed to raising the standard of care in yoga. While a graded exam is not a requirement of the program, we will have reflective exercises and a final project to evaluate your integration of the learned material. Through the live interactions, you will have an open space for case consultation, skill exploration, and honest questions about the material. The final project is the culmination of The Vikara Way™ certification. You will apply the Trauma-Informed Yoga Framework in a real teaching context — either independently or with a small group of students — and produce a written reflection on the process, outcomes, and your own experience as the teacher.

Program Faculty

Featured Faculty

Hannah Davis

LCSW-C, LICSW, LCSW, AYC-L2, YACEP, Founder & Executive Director of Vikara Village. Hannah is a social worker, yoga teacher and coach, passionate about leadership, youth and family.

vikaravillage.org

Silver Spring, MD, US

Policies

AYC Policies

Progam Code of Conduct

Refund Policy

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American Yoga Council