Join us for the first mental health certification designed specifically for yoga teachers in Charlotte.

We are teaching yoga in a mental health era—one where anxiety, burnout, and trauma are increasingly present in the room. Many yoga teachers want to support students well, but have not been formally trained for moments when someone becomes overwhelmed, panics, cries, or needs a more thoughtful response. This training is designed to help close that gap.

What You Will Learn

This peer-led certification program will help yoga teachers:

• Teach more safely and appropriately for students with mental health needs
• Understand scope of care and important teaching nuances for this population
• Explore the mind-body connection and nervous system regulation
• Respond more skillfully in elevated or complex situations
• Reduce student risk and better understand triage protocols

What You Will Receive

• QPR Suicide Prevention Certification
• Yoga Alliance CEUs
• Practical tools and resources
• Sequencing frameworks
• Common mental health language
• A local mental health provider guide

Where This Training Can Lead

Expanded facilitation opportunities may include work with corporations, retreats, schools, community centers, private yoga programs, and partnerships with healthcare and wellness organizations such as hospitals, medical centers, and senior living communities.

Who Should Attend

This training is limited to 20 participants. The ideal participant has a 200-hour RYT certification or at least 3 years of yoga teaching experience.

Yoga teachers have an opportunity to support a growing population of individuals navigating mental health challenges every day. This certification is designed to help you do that with greater confidence, skill, and care.

Program Schedule

• Friday, May 29: 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Saturday, May 30: 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
• Sunday, May 31: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Registration

Cost: $350

Registration is now open.

To register, download the Thrive Carolinas app on the App Store or Google Play.

If you have questions about the program, visit our Facebook page.

Meet Your Instructors

Sara Cain-da Costa, E-RYT500, YACEP, NBC-HWC, CPT, Health Coach, Yoga & Meditation Teacher, and Retreat Leader

Mental health is not a trend for me. It is personal.

I grew up alongside severe mental illness, and I have lost people I love because of it. During my own mental health crisis, I found yoga—not instead of therapy, but alongside it. That experience shaped everything.

Now, through my work in mental health treatment, I see the gap clearly: yoga teachers are often holding space for things they were never trained to navigate. This certification is here to change that. If you feel called to teach in a deeper, more skillful way, this training is for you.

Terrie Reeves, E-RYT200, YACEP, MSTOD, CCE Executive Coach, and Harvard Medical School and IOS Mindfulness Certified

My passion for mental health is deeply personal. I grew up in a fractured family where instability and uncertainty were often the norm, and for many years I navigated life without the tools to fully process what I was experiencing.

Like many people, I faced anxiety, low self-esteem, and periods of depression. At one point, I coped in unhealthy ways that led to an eating disorder. I am grateful to say that chapter is behind me.

Six years ago, I lost my brother to alcoholism, a painful reminder of how real and complex mental health challenges can be. Yoga and mindfulness taught me the power of the pause and gave me tools to heal, regulate, and live with greater intention.

Research continues to support what many practitioners have experienced firsthand: mindfulness practices and yoga-based interventions can help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress while improving emotional regulation and overall well-being. These practices can also positively influence the nervous system, helping people move out of chronic stress responses and into states that support healing and resilience.