Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training
(24 CE Hours: Non-Clinical)

This 24-hour continuing education module is a designated segment within our 200-hour Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training program.

Participants must enroll in the full 200-hour program. Social workers seeking CE credit will complete this 24-hour module as part of the full training.

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Continuing Education Course Description

  • This 24-hour continuing education module is a designated segment within a 200-hour Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training program registered with Yoga Alliance. The full 200-hour program prepares participants for Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) certification. Only these 24 hours are submitted for social work CE review; they focus on nervous system education, stress physiology, and trauma-informed teaching principles. Participants seeking RYT certification must complete the full 200-hour program; social workers may earn CE credit for this 24-hour segment upon completion of the full training.
  • The course provides licensed social workers with foundational knowledge in trauma-informed neuroscience and practical skills for integrating body-based awareness into clinical and educational settings. Drawing from polyvagal theory, stress physiology, and somatic education, the curriculum offers a framework for understanding how autonomic nervous system states shape client behavior, attention, and engagement.
    Participants will explore the physiological underpinnings of stress and regulation, including the cardiovascular, endocrine, and respiratory systems, and learn to translate this knowledge into trauma-informed language and facilitation practices. The course emphasizes practical application: identifying cues of safety and threat, supporting co-regulation in group environments, and using invitational, choice-based approaches that align with social work ethics and scope of practice.
  • Content is delivered through didactic instruction, guided reflection, and experiential learning, with structured opportunities to practice and refine facilitation skills. This course is educational and skills-based in nature and is not psychotherapy training or clinical supervision. A post-course test with 70% passing score is required to verify learning and receive CE credit.

Continuing Education Participants

This course is designed for:

  • Licensed Social Workers (LSW, LCSW, CSW) in New Jersey seeking non-clinical continuing education credits

  • Marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, rehabilitation counselors, and alcohol and drug counselors whose licensing boards accept NASW-NJ approved credits

  • Social workers in other states where NASW-NJ credits are accepted

Participants are responsible for verifying with their respective licensing boards that NASW-NJ approved credits are accepted.

Continuing Education - Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this 24-hour course, participants will be able to:

Trauma and Stress Physiology (Session 1):

  • Define single-incident, complex, and developmental trauma as educational concepts to inform trauma-aware teaching.
  • Explain the stress response sequence from activation through recovery as a framework for understanding participant behavior.
  • Distinguish between bottom-up and top-down regulatory processes and their relevance to creating supportive environments.

 

Post-Traumatic Growth and Agency (Session 2):

  • Define post-traumatic growth and name its five domains as a strength-based lens for understanding resilience.
  • Describe how choice and agency function as teaching principles that align with social work values of self-determination.

 

Respiratory Physiology and Breath Education (Session 3):

  • Explain basic respiratory mechanics to provide accurate psychoeducation about the breath-body connection.
  • Describe how paced breathing can influence states of arousal as a self-awareness tool for practitioners and participants.
  • Practice leading a simple breath awareness activity using invitational, choice-based language.

 

Cardiovascular System and Stress Response (Session 4):

  • Describe cardiovascular stress responses to explain common physical experiences of anxiety and activation.
  • Explain how gentle movement can be used to teach body awareness as a regulation concept.

 

Digestive System and Gut–Brain Interactions (Session 5):

  • Describe gut–brain communication pathways to explain the mind-body connection in accessible language.
  • Explain how stress affects digestive function, providing context for somatic experiences participants may report.
  • Practice leading a brief interoception activity using trauma-informed language.

 

Endocrine System and HPA Axis (Session 6):

  • Name the core components of the HPA axis to explain why chronic stress affects well-being.
  • Distinguish between short-term stress responses and longer-term stress patterns as educational content.
  • Practice translating stress hormone concepts into plain language.

 

Autonomic Nervous System and Polyvagal Framework (Session 7):

  • Name the three autonomic states—sympathetic, parasympathetic, and ventral vagal—as a framework for understanding fluctuating engagement.
  • Define neuroception and identify examples of cues of safety in group environments.
  • Describe co-regulation and identify one practice that supports it.

 

Trauma-Informed Learning Environments and Integration (Session 8):

  • Identify environmental, language, and pacing modifications that align with trauma-informed principles.
  • Articulate the difference between trauma-informed education and clinical intervention.
  • Draft a brief facilitation plan that includes one nervous system concept, one invitational prompt, and one predictable transition.

Course Content & Agenda

  • Session 1: Trauma and Stress Physiology Foundations – Define trauma types, explore the stress response sequence, and distinguish between bottom-up and top-down regulation.

  • Session 2: Post-Traumatic Growth and Agency Framework – Understand post-traumatic growth domains and how choice and agency function as teaching principles.

  • Session 3: Respiratory Physiology and Breath Education – Learn basic respiratory mechanics and practice leading a simple breath awareness activity using invitational language.

  • Session 4: Cardiovascular System and Stress Response – Explore cardiovascular stress responses and how gentle movement can teach body awareness.

  • Session 5: Digestive System and Gut–Brain Interactions – Understand gut–brain communication pathways and practice leading a brief interoception activity.

  • Session 6: Endocrine System and HPA Axis – Name HPA axis components, distinguish short-term from long-term stress patterns, and practice translating stress hormone concepts into plain language.

  • Session 7: Autonomic Nervous System and Polyvagal Framework – Identify the three autonomic states, define neuroception, and explore co-regulation practices.

  • Session 8: Trauma-Informed Learning Environments – Apply trauma-informed principles to create supportive environments and draft a facilitation plan.

Continuing Education Teacher/Trainer

Judy Thompson, MS, holds a Master of Science in Yoga Therapy and has over ten years of experience designing and teaching professional education for mental health and education professionals. She is the founder and lead faculty of a 200-hour Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training delivered over 25 weeks, now in its sixth cohort.
In this role, she developed the curriculum, teaches the core content, and oversees instructional design and evaluation. Her graduate training in yoga therapy and applied neuroscience education provides the foundation for the course content, which includes trauma-informed principles, nervous system and stress physiology, and facilitation skills taught within a clearly defined educational scope.
The program she leads is structured around measurable learning objectives, sequenced instruction, applied exercises, and participant evaluation methods consistent with continuing education standards. Her sustained experience delivering multi-session training to adult professionals supports the practical, skills-based focus of this 24-hour CE module.

CE Approval Information

  • This course, Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training (24 CE Hours – Non-Clinical), Approval #033022026-
    140, provided by Sakala School of Integrative Teaching is approved for continuing education by the New
    Jersey Social Work Continuing Education Approval Collaborative, which is administered by NASW-NJ. CE
    Approval Collaborative Approval Period: Monday, March 30, 2026 through August 31, 2028. New Jersey social
    workers will receive 24 CE credits for participating in this course.”

Requirements for CE Credit

  • To receive CE credit, participants must:

    • Attend all 8 designated CE sessions in full.

    • Sign in and out for each CE-eligible time block.

    • Complete the post-course evaluation.

    • Complete a post-course test with 70% passing score.

Registration & Fees

  • Registration for the full 200-hour Witnessing Beauty: Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training program is required.
  • Please complete an application and visit our registration page for fees and information.

Contact Information

  • For questions about the continuing education training please send an email to hello <@> sakalaschool.com

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