Applied Polyvagal Theory in Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery Certificate

Breath. Body. Vagus nerve. A new path to trauma recovery.

"The body keeps the score" — and we cannot simply talk or think our way out of traumatic stress. This 3-part, 30-hour certificate program with Dr. Arielle Schwartz, and special guests Dr. Stephen Porges and Deb Dana, explores the benefits of therapeutic yoga and applied polyvagal theory for trauma recovery. Learn to regulate your nervous system, naturally stimulate the vagus nerve, and reclaim a connection to your body.

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Applied Polyvagal Theory in Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery Certificate
Meet Your Lead Faculty

Learn from World-Leading Voices in Trauma Treatment

Internationally recognized leaders bring to life a holistic and unified curriculum.

Arielle Schwartz (Dr.)

Arielle Schwartz (Dr.)

Stephen Porges (Dr.)

Stephen Porges (Dr.)

Deb Dana

Deb Dana

Curriculum

Curriculum

01 Level 1 workshop
In this Level 1 workshop we will:

- Explore Applied Polyvagal Theory within Therapeutic Yoga
- Strengthen your Social Engagement System
- Understand the 8-Limbs of Yoga for Trauma Recovery
- Develop Self-Awareness through Neuroception of your Nervous System States
- Learning about Heart Rate Variability (HRV) as related to stress management
- Enhance your Vagal Tone through Conscious Breathing (Pranayama)
- Increase Vagal Efficiency to Widen your Window of Tolerance
- Experience the benefits of Co-Regulation within a compassionate online community
- Developing a home-based therapeutic yoga practice to nourish your nervous system
- Increasing accessibility of therapeutic yoga with chair yoga
02 Level 2 workshop
In this Level 2 workshop we will:

- Understand how Trauma can Dysregulate the Nervous System and impact your Health
- Discuss the connective tissue and fascial system as trauma recovery
- Apply core principles of Body-Centered Psychotherapies into therapeutic yoga
- Learn how to up-regulate and down-regulate the nervous system
- Explore key principles of neuroplasticity
- Discover Brain and Body Integration practices using Bilateral Movement and Reflex Integration
- Learn compassion-based practices to work through barriers to wellness
- Navigating co-regulation strategies when social doesn’t feel safe
03 Level 3 workshop
In this Level 3 workshop we will:

- Discuss how dissociation can show up in the yoga practice
- Discover Pendulation strategies to navigate nervous system states
- Work with your “internal family system” through body dialogues on the yoga mat
- Explore the benefits of restorative practices for your health
- Practice a trauma informed approach to meditation & Yoga Nidra
- Understand the Koshas as a path to coming home to Self
- Describe the factors of resilience
- Personalize the applied polyvagal theory within a therapeutic yoga practice for yourself, a student, or a client
- Learn the model for offering a six-week therapeutic yoga class to a group
What You'll Learn

Skills you'll carry into your practice

Within this couse you will learn how to: 

  • Regulate your nervous system and support others to do the same
  • Naturally stimulate the vagus nerve
  • Reconnect with your body
  • Ground in the present moment
  • Release unresolved patterns of fight, flight, freeze, or faint
  • Widen your ability to tolerate emotional discomfort
  • Develop a felt sense of resilience
  • Anchor yourself with self-compassion 
  • Reclaim a connection to your body
  • Create personalized embodiment and yoga-based practices for self-care

Program Schedule

Self-Paced & On-Demand

This certificate program is fully on-demand. All seven modules are available immediately upon enrollment, allowing you to move through the curriculum at your own pace.

Lifetime Access

Once enrolled, you have lifetime access to all course recordings, supporting materials, and downloadable resources — return as often as needed throughout your clinical practice.

Completion Timeframe

Most participants complete the 60-hour curriculum over 3–6 months, though there is no required pace. The program is designed to be integrated alongside an active clinical practice.

Learning Platform Format

Zoom:

The live portion will be offered using Zoom in meeting format, allowing instructors and students to interact and participate in breakout sessions.

Online Learning Platform:

  • Detailed schedule and reminder emails
  • How to access via Zoom
  • All recordings available within 48 hours
  • Supporting materials including PDFs

Accessibility:

  • Download video or audio to your computer
  • Lifetime access to the content
  • Live captioning and transcripts in English

Certificate of Completion

Requirements to receive the Certificate:

  • Attend the live sessions or watch the recordings
  • Complete any required assignments or reflections
  • Participate in supervision groups (where applicable)

Registration / Enrollment

Secure your spot in this certificate program. Payment plans and member pricing available at checkout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions, answered

Who is this program, Applied Polyvagal Theory in Therapeutic Yoga For Trauma Recovery, designed for?

This course is open to anyone (i.e yoga teachers, therapists, parents, teachers, etc.) interested in the application of Polyvagal Theory from a multidisciplinary holistic approach. We will use psychology, meditation and yoga to embody these practices and learn to apply them in our everyday lives.

This is an education program and not a licenser program.

What are the dates, schedule and time commitment?

This 30-hour certificate program includes 12 two-and-a-half-hour online sessions that are available to watch online and on-demand at your own pace via your online Content Library, which you will gain immediate access to upon registration. You will also receive access to an Online Community Forum. Additionally, when you register for the Full Certificate program, you will receive 5 hours of bonus content.
All sessions will be available to watch online and on-demand at your own pace.

HOMEWORK
There are no homework assignments during the program.

+ Do I need to attend live or am I able to watch reco

Do I need to attend live or am I able to watch recordings?

All sessions are available online and on-demand so students may watch in their own time (more information below). Please note, captioning was only available during the live sessions.

How can I interact with the instructors? Will I receive guidance?

During each of the live sessions, the instructors had a Q&A period where students could ask questions. A private online community forum is also provided to you for this certificate.

Do you offer scholarships?

No scholarships are available for this program.

Is there a deadline for registration?

There is no deadline for registration. The trainings can be completed in your own time via the recordings in your Online Content Library, and these can be commenced at anytime.

Do you offer refunds?

We offer a Registration Guarantee which means that if you register but decide the course isn’t right for you, we’ll refund your course fee - no questions asked - up to 48 hours before the course start date after which no refunds are available.

How can I access the online course and recordings?

ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORM: Once you register, you will receive access to our online learning platform which will include all the information about the certificate, including:

  • Program details
  • All the online sessions
  • Supporting materials provided by your instructors
  • Your Online Community Forum

ACCESSIBILITY | Video / Audio: Within our online learning platform, you may watch the videos within your online library or download the videos and audio files to your computer. You will have lifetime access to the content.

ACCESSIBILITY | Live Captioning / Transcripts: Captioning was only available during the live sessions. Transcripts are offered in English.

Will I receive a certificate?

All students who complete all three levels of this program will receive a certificate of completion.

Will Continuing Education hours (CEs) be offered?

CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

PLEASE NOTE: CEs ARE ONLY AVAILABLE FOR LIVE TRAININGS - NO CEs ARE APPLICABLE WHEN YOU COMPLETE THIS TRAINING VIA THE RECORDINGS.

10 CEs will be applicable for Health Professionals upon completion of the live training Applied Polyvagal Theory in Therapeutic Yoga: Level 1.

To register your interest for CE hours for this program and more detailed information, please visit this link: https://forms.gle/76mwhjgG5vnzVw9BA

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ELIGIBILITY
An additional fee of $75 will be charged for anyone needing CE hours. This fee will be due prior to the start of the program.

CEs are only available to those who participate in the LIVE sessions. We are not able to provide CEs for watching the recordings.

In order for live attendance to count, you must arrive within 15 minutes of the start time and stay for the duration of the course. If you arrive later than 15 minutes or leave early, you are not able to receive CEs. CEs cannot be given for partial attendance.

Below is more information on the health professionals which may be eligible for CEs through the Spiritual Competency Academy (SCA) which is co-sponsoring this program.

  • CE hours for psychologists are provided by the Spiritual Competency Academy (SCA) which is sponsoring this program. The Spiritual Competency Academy is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Spiritual Competency Academy maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE hours for LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFT license renewal for programs offered by sponsors of CE who are approved by the American Psychological Association.
  • LCSW, LPCC, LEP and LMFTs, and other professionals from outside of California need to check with their state licensing board as to whether or not they accept credits from programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.
  • SCA is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN Provider CEP16887) for licensed nurses in California. RNs must retain their certificate of attendance for 4 years after the course concludes. Nurses outside of California must confirm acceptance with their licensing boards.
  • For questions about your certificate or the content, logistics, or other support issues regarding this course, please contact The Embody Lab at info@theembodylab.com.
  • For questions about whether APA CE is valid for you, contact your licensing board directly.
  • For general questions about APA CE, contact SCA at ce@spiritualcompetencyacademy.com.

FROM A DIFFERENT STATE OR COUNTRY?

  • Registered Nurses, LCSW, LPCC, LMFT, MFT and LEP Health professionals from states other than California need to check with their state licensing board as to whether or not they accept programs offered by approved sponsors of Continuing Education by the American Psychological Association (APA).
  • If you are a health professional outside of the United States, please check in with the association you belong to to see if they honor CEs by the APA.For questions about enrolling in CE or receiving your Certificate of Attendance, please contact the Embody Lab at info@theembodylab.com.
Enrollment

Ready to begin?

Train with the field's most trusted voices in somatic practice.

Choose Your Level

LEVEL 1: FOUNDATIONS

LEVEL 1: FOUNDATIONS

$727
LEVEL 2: INTERMEDIATE

LEVEL 2: INTERMEDIATE

$727
LEVEL 3: ADVANCED

LEVEL 3: ADVANCED

$727
— OR —

Save when you bundle all 3 levels

TAKE ALL 3 ONLINE TRAININGS AND SAVE!Upon registration you will receive a welcome email with details on how to access the program. You will have lifetime access to the on-demand training sessions.

Non-Member Price
$597
One-time payment