Therapeutic Yoga I
Body Intelligence & Therapeutic Relationship
Therapeutic Yoga I
Body Intelligence & Therapeutic Relationship
100 hours | 4 weekends
Oct 30-Nov 1; Nov 13-15; Dec 11-13, 2026; Jan 22-24, 2027
Yoga Sangha Montreal
4412 St Laurent Blvd
Therapeutic approach and applications in yoga
With Marie-Françoise Mariette, Yoga therapist, ERYT 500,
Master Hypnotherapist, Hypnotherapist, ANQ, RITMA, Sonia Osorio, ND, DHom, RMT, CYT and Béatrice Ayotte, B.Sc. Kinesiology, M.Sc. Neuroscience, Certified Yoga Teacher
.
Drawing on yoga, current neuroscience, and the integrative clinical approach, this comprehensive training will enable you to develop a sensitive understanding of the human body and practical applications to improve the quality of life and health of those around you, your students, your private clients, and yourself. Using skills developed in therapeutic yoga, you will learn to observe and decode the compensatory mechanisms of the nervous system, understand pain beyond the symptom, and offer a dynamic intervention that fosters a holistic view of the individual. You will learn to structure a clear and evolving intervention protocol, integrating biomechanics, therapeutic breathing, neuromobilization, hypnotherapy, polyvagal theory, and trauma-informed therapy. This contemporary training is distinguished by its profound connection between yogic tradition, modern science, and a rigorous ethical stance, including the legal framework and the boundaries of the therapeutic role. You will thus develop the rare ability to provide discerning support while respecting the human complexity inherent in each situation.
Case studies, analysis, synthesis and overall understanding of the body will lead to the application of concrete tools for addressing postural discomfort or physical and mental health issues.
Through the modules, you will learn to build structured encounters, to conduct a clear anamnesis, to intervene precisely through breath, adapted movement, neuromobilization, therapeutic language, hypnotherapy and deep regulation practices.
The program finally includes a complete course in optional personalized professional mentoring for those wishing to launch their practice in private consultation or in an institutional setting.
The human body is a miracle of engineering. Understanding and harnessing the determinants of health can help increase health and longevity.
Module 1: Body Intelligence & Therapeutic Relationship
Body Intelligence & Therapeutic Relationship
October 30-31 & November 1
Introduction to Yoga Therapy | The beginnings of suffering, body alignment, and regulation of the nervous system
This first weekend will transform your perspective. You will learn to recognize suffering before it crystallizes into pathology, to read the nervous system's alertness behind a rigid posture, and to understand how breath, mind, and body structure interact. You will begin to think like a therapist by learning to observe, analyze, and regulate.
- The origins of suffering in yogic and Buddhist philosophy
- The 5 Koshas and their
Imbalances: from the dense body to the subtle - The 6 stages of disease according to Ayurveda
- The mechanisms of pain and its expression
- Nociception and modern understanding of pain
- Postural assessment: static observation, movement and body language
- What posture reveals about the mind
- Regulating cardiac and emotional activity through breathing
- The role of CO₂ and "less is more" in therapeutic respiration
- Therapeutic practices and pain
- Pain management through neuromobilization
- Applications
guided therapy and role-playing
November 20-21-22
Heart ailments & the therapeutic relationship
Discover how the therapeutic relationship is your primary tool for intervention. This weekend will teach you how to create a safe space where the client can relax. You will develop structured listening skills, a controlled presence, and a clear ability to intervene, in addition to being able to address physiological and biomechanical issues related to the upper body and limbs.
- Cardiovascular system and heart conditions
- Hypertension (theory and practice)
- Unexpressed emotional burdens and bodily impact
- Attachment bonds and the heart-nervous system relationship
- Introduction to the DSM-5 in a professional setting
- Anamnesis: the interview that soothes and clarifies
- client-therapist co-regulation
- Law 21 and ethical stance
- Biomechanics of the shoulders, elbows and wrists
- Diaphragmatic release
- Detailed therapeutic applications for the upper limbs
- Alternating demonstrations and supervised practice
- Construction of targeted mini-therapeutic sequences
December 11-12-13
Digestive System & Visceral Intelligence
Learn to listen to your gut as a center of intelligence. Stress, inflammation, sensitive constitution: you will understand how to connect physiology, emotions, and energy to intervene effectively through a holistic understanding of digestion.
- Gut-brain axis
- Vagus nerve and parasympathetic regulation
- Microbiota and inflammation
- Gastric reflux, hiatal hernia, gastritis, ulcers and inflammatory conditions, Crohn's disease, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation and discomfort of the excretory system
- Construction of sessions adapted to the terrain
- Alternating demonstrations and supervised practice
- Experiential immersion in the customer role
January 22-23-24, 2027
Anxiety, depression, burnout & addictions
Delve into the inner workings of the mind. You will learn to recognize anticipatory anxiety, debilitating burnout, and the avoidance strategies the mind employs to escape discomfort. You will develop the ability to intervene maturely in the face of compensatory behaviors and addictions, integrating body awareness, breathwork, and therapeutic language.
- Roots of anxiety and neural pathways
- Dopamine, the reward system, and habenula
- Burnout, chronic fatigue and insomnia
- Rumination and anticipation mechanisms
- Addictions: tobacco, alcohol, food, work, sex, screens
- Mental avoidance strategies and their bodily manifestations
- Identification phenomena ("what I think of myself, of others, and what I believe they think of me")
- Impact of buried fears and imbalances in the koshas
- Hypno-yoga and therapeutic visualizations
- The power of words and working with the unconscious
- HypnoYog Therapy as a regulatory tool
- Construction of protocols integrating movement, breathing and support
compulsive behaviors - Supervised practice and simulations
- Learn to discern what makes a posture uncomfortable.
- Learn to observe how to allow optimal breathing.
- Assess a subject's alignment on a daily basis or in exercise and allow the application, if necessary, of a therapeutic intervention protocol.
- Understanding the nature and use of fascia in relation to optimal movement.
- Making the connection between immunity and the lymphatic system.
- Making the connection between immunity and the digestive system.
- Put into perspective the importance of the nervous system and the brain (mental and emotional domain) in relation to health.
- Analyze by systems, the discomforts or pathologies specific to health and determine the appropriate therapy through yoga.
- Know how to apply an intervention protocol.
- Yoga teachers wishing to deepen your expertise
- Healthcare or helping professionals
- Body therapists
- Enthusiasts wishing to understand the mind-body connection in depth
- Seeking a 360° perspective on a personal health issue
Friday 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday 8:30am to 12:30pm & 1:30pm to 5:30pm
20 hours of case studies are expected, in addition to weekends.
In Studio or Online Live (Replay available)
$1,695 until September 27 / $1,795 after.
No tax applicable on training given our recognition as a recognized institution. $350 non-refundable after September 26, 2024
Teaching faculty
Marie-Françoise Mariette
Yoga Therapist, ERYT500, Master Hypnologist, Hypnotherapist, ANQ, RITMA
A yoga therapist, master hypnologist, and practicing hypnotherapist, Marie-Françoise employs an integrative approach where yoga practice meets emotional intelligence, nervous system regulation, and the latest neuroscience applications for physical and mental health. With over 1,300 hours of training and extensive experience in teaching and private clinical support, she has developed a subtle, precise, and deeply human understanding of the body.
Passionate about polyvagal theory, current somatic approaches, and the mind-body connection, she has refined an expertise that combines science, feeling, and lasting transformation. Her teaching, both rigorous and sensitive, allows her to accurately support the complexity of each individual.
For her, every human being is a fascinating territory to explore and to dedicate oneself to.
Marie-Françoise’s nearly 10 years of clinical and teaching expertise, along with the holistic range of training she has completed, make her a valuable collaborator as co-lead of our specialized Therapeutic Yoga program:
Hypnotherapy certifications
750 h — Master’s in Hypnosis, EHTM Montreal, 2022
1,200 h — Hypnotherapy, EHTM Montreal, 2024-2025
800 h — Master in Hypnotherapy, EHTM Montreal, 2024-2025
40 h — Chronic Pain and Hypnosis, EHTM Montreal, 2026
Yoga certifications
300 h — Hatha Yoga, 2013
100 h — Advanced Vinyasa, New York, 2015
100 h — Advanced Vinyasa, Montreal, 2016
40 h — Restorative Yoga, Montreal, 2016
300 h — Yoga Therapy, India, 2018
40 h — Yin Yoga, Montreal, 2019
40 h — Yoga Nidra, Montreal, 2019
25 h — Yoga & Post-Traumatic Stress, US, 2019
50 h — Judith Lasater – Hips & Shoulders, 2020
50 h — Tiffany Cruikshank – Shoulders
250 h — Yoga Therapy with Carina Raisman, Montreal, 2022
40 h — Menopause Yoga Teacher Training, course with Petra Coveney, 2025
20 h — Tiffany Cruikshank – Yoga & Burn Out, 2026
20 h — Tiffany Cruikshank – Transforming Habits, 2026
Faculty of Education
Béatrice Ayotte
B.Sc. Kinesiology, M.Sc., ERYT200
Driven by a constant quest for self-improvement, Béatrice explores movement as a field of both physical and neurological expansion. A teacher since 2014, her journey combines academic rigor with immersive explorations, from India to New York, enriching her practice with various approaches.
With a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and a master's degree in neuroscience, she has developed a keen understanding of the effects of yoga on the nervous system. Through her teachings, she builds concrete bridges between science and experience.
Creative and committed, she sees yoga as a powerful lever for evolution.
Béatrice's in-depth studies in neuroscience and her yoga background make her a valuable collaborator as co-leader of our Therapeutic Yoga program:
200h Ashtanga Vinyasa - Kranti Yoga school, Goa, India, 2014
50h Kids Yoga (18 months to 8 years old) - Little Lotus for Kids, Montreal, 2015
300h Ashtanga Vinyasa (equivalency) - Kranti Yoga school, Goa, India, 2016
75h ''The Art of Teaching Kula Style'', Kula Yoga Project, New York, 2017
Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology, UQÀM, 2018-2021
50h Aerial Yoga Teacher Training, Airyogalates, Montreal, 2018
100h Advanced Yoga Teacher Training, Studio Mile-End, Montreal, 2019
Master's degree in Neuroscience, thesis on the protective effect of exercise on memory and neuroplasticity in sleep deprivation, McGill University, 2021-2023
30h Katonah yoga, The Studio, New York, 2024
15h Katonah Immersion, Morpho Bleu, Montreal, 2024
15h Katonah through the seasons, Morpho Bleu, Montreal, 2025
Faculty of Education
Sonia Osorio
CYT, ND, DHom, ANPQ, RMQ
A seasoned yoga therapist, holder of a doctorate in naturopathy and homeopathy, and an experienced registered massage therapist, Sonia has over 25 years of expertise dedicated to living and sharing a psychodynamic and holistic approach to health. Her journey in integrative health gives her a global, sensitive, and deeply human vision of support. Her extensive studies, clinical expertise, and humanist approach have led her to work at the Centre for Integrative Medicine in Montreal and the Whole Person Care program at McGill University, where she explored mindfulness-based intervention and the therapeutic relationship.
Her collaborative and embodied approach supports a lasting return to balance, honoring both individual and collective dimensions of healing.
Yoga Training
• 500-hour Advanced Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training with Richard Freeman (Yoga Workshop; Boulder, CO; 2005-2006), including practical work in a dissection lab and daily meditation instruction at the Shambhala Center
• 250-hour Teacher Training with Richard Freeman (Boulder, CO; 2004).
• 500-hour Master Classes (advanced yoga approaches) Ashtanga Yoga and United Yoga Montreal.
• 150-hour Advanced Teacher Training United Yoga Montreal.
• 250-hour Mentorship and Personal Development Training – United Yoga Montreal, including therapeutic applications of yoga and supervision of students in teacher training programs.
• Continuing education in Hatha yoga and Ayurvedic studies.
Yoga – Teaching
• 20 years of teaching in various studios, centers, and schools
• Development of teacher training programs for professional development and therapeutic yoga skills, including: client intake and assessment, as well as the legal and ethical aspects of practice.
• Organization of university-level dissection lab training.
• Director of the mentorship program (Naada Yoga) and supervision of therapeutic yoga cases, research, and community initiatives.
Meditation
• Studies of Buddhist practices with Thich Nhat Hanh, Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche, Anyen Rinpoche, Khandro Rinpoche, Ken McLeod (ongoing supervision).
• Annual meditation retreats.
• 25 years of facilitating monthly peer meditation groups and teachings.
• Yoga Instructor, International Congress on Whole Person Care, McGill University
• Meditation Instructor, Department of Medicine, McGill University.
• Peer Meditation Group (co-facilitator), McGill University, Whole Person Care.
Professional and Personal Practices
• 25 years of personal Hatha yoga and Buddhist meditation practice.
• 25 years of private practice as a licensed massage therapist.
• 25 years of private practice as a naturopath (including training in anatomy and physiology, herbalism, homeopathy, nutrition, traditional Chinese medicine, client-therapist relations, ethics).
• Experience as a writer and editor for various medical and healthcare publications (specialization: journalism and communications, Concordia University)
• Training in dance and movement practices.
Other Relevant Experience
• Veterans Affairs Canada: Mindfulness-based facilitator training
• ELAN (English Language Arts Network): Workshop facilitator and speaker on mindfulness-based self-care approaches
• McGill University, School of Continuing Studies, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology: Guest Lecturer: mindfulness-based health approaches for children and adolescents
• Dawson College, Social Sciences, Psychology: Guest Lecturer, mindfulness-based health approaches
• Tiger Lotus Coop – Community organization supporting new accessible healthcare models: healthcare provider and workshop facilitator.
• Pine Collective – Community arts and healing center: healthcare provider and workshop facilitator.
• Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University – Guest Lecturer: principles and applications of meditation in a therapeutic context.
• International Congress on Whole Person Care: workshop facilitator – teaching yoga for self-awareness and well-being.
• Contributing Author – Mindful Medical Practice: Clinical Narratives and Therapeutic Insights (Springer Press, 2015; ed. Patricia Dobkin).
• McGill University Wellness Seminar – Workshop facilitator: teaching yoga to medical residents for stress management; Department of Medicine.
• Community engagement projects and First Peoples' House – Workshop facilitator: teaching meditation principles to First Nations groups
• Open Source Birth Project, Concordia University – Speaker/workshop facilitator: community project offering options in contraception and reproductive health.
• Gender Creative Kids – Healthcare provider: supporting the health and well-being of gender-creative children, their families, schools, and communities.
• Head & Hands – Facilitator: community program raising awareness among youth about safe and healthy contraception options.
• Centre for Gender Advocacy – Speaker: workshops on natural contraception and fertility awareness.
• Homeopaths Without Borders – Support for community epigenetic health program initiatives.
• International Congress on Whole Person Care (2013), McGill University – Workshop facilitator: yoga and mindfulness sessions.
• Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Conference – Co-presenter: session on mindfulness-based practices.
• POWER Camp National – Speaker and workshop facilitator: organization supporting young women in social action in their lives and communities.
• First Nations High Performance Teen Camp – Workshop facilitator: teaching yoga to spark interest in studies through physical activity; organized by First Peoples' House.
• Moovjam Festival – Yoga Instructor: yoga to provide options for children and adolescents dealing with childhood obesity and depression.
• Katimavik – Yoga Instructor: teaching yoga to a national group of youth volunteers.
Professional Affiliations
• Association des Naturopathes Professionnels du Québec (ANPQ)
• Canadian-American Massage Therapists Association (ACAM)
• Regroupement des Massothérapeutes du Québec (RMQ)
• Homeopaths and Therapists Without Borders (HTSF) – Executive Board Member
• National United Professional Association of Trained Homeopaths (NUPATH)
Become an accredited yoga therapist
Learn to see beyond the symptom and discover a holistic approach to health.
Become an accredited yoga therapist
Learn to see beyond the symptom and discover a holistic approach to health.
