Nervous System Regulation & Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher Training
Yoga understood the nervous system long before science explained it. We teach where the two meet.
Trauma informed yoga is a way of teaching yoga that pays attention to how stress and past experience live in the body. It uses safety, choice and gentle awareness instead of forceful correction. This 200 hour training combines nervous system regulation, trauma literacy, somatic movement, Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra, breathwork and sound healing into one practical, science backed program.
See Dates & Apply View Curriculum- Yoga Alliance RYS 200
- RYT 200 Eligible
- Since 2007
- 2,500+ Graduates
What You Will Learn
- How the nervous system responds to stress, safety and connection
- What trauma informed yoga is, and how it differs from a regular yoga class
- Trauma literacy, the knowledge every modern yoga teacher needs
- Polyvagal theory, explained simply, and how to use it in real classes
- Somatic movement and body based awareness practices
- Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra, breathwork, sound healing and meditation
- Co-regulation: how a calm teacher helps a whole room feel safe
- How to hold a safe, supportive space for students of all backgrounds
Who This Training Is For
The Yoga Teacher
You want to support students with greater confidence, sensitivity and depth. You are ready to move beyond teaching postures and begin understanding the people behind them.
The Wellness Professional
You work with people and want practical tools that support emotional wellbeing, resilience, stress regulation and sustainable transformation.
The Curious Practitioner
You may never teach yoga professionally. You simply want to understand yourself more deeply and develop practices that create balance, awareness and connection.
The Seeker in Transition
You are navigating change, burnout or a period of growth. Yoga is widely used to support stress and PTSD recovery, and many students find this training deeply grounding.
What Is Trauma Informed Yoga?
Trauma informed yoga is yoga taught with awareness of how stress and difficult life experiences affect the body and mind.
Instead of pushing students into poses, the teacher offers choice, invites rather than commands movement, and creates a space where students feel safe and in control. It draws from nervous system science and polyvagal theory, but the class experience stays simple, warm and human.
Trauma Informed vs Trauma Sensitive Yoga: What Is the Difference?
This course focuses on trauma informed yoga, built for real teachers teaching real classes.
Trauma literacy means understanding, in simple terms, how trauma shows up in the body and behaviour, so you can respond with care instead of confusion.
Most yoga trainings skip this completely. A trauma literate teacher can notice signs of stress in a student, adjust their language and pace, and avoid accidentally causing harm. This is one of the few trauma literacy trainings for yoga teachers available anywhere, and it sits at the centre of the curriculum.
Nervous System Regulation & Polyvagal Theory
What is nervous system regulation in yoga?
Nervous system regulation is the ability to move between states of stress and calm in a healthy way. When you are regulated, you can think clearly, feel safe and connect with others. When you are dysregulated, you may feel anxious, shut down or on edge. Yoga, especially breathwork and pranayama, slow movement and stillness, is one of the most effective tools for building this skill.
What is polyvagal theory, and how does it apply to yoga?
Polyvagal theory, developed by Dr Stephen Porges, explains that the nervous system moves through three main states. You will learn to recognise these states in yourself and your students, and how breath, sound, movement and stillness can gently guide the body back toward safety.
Safe & Social
Calm, connected, able to learn. The state every trauma informed class is designed to invite.
Fight or Flight
Alert, anxious, on guard. Breath and grounding practices help discharge this energy safely.
Shutdown
Numb, frozen, disconnected. Gentle movement and co-regulation help the body come back online.
Common signs of nervous system dysregulation
- Racing thoughts or constant worry
- Feeling numb, foggy or disconnected
- Trouble sleeping or relaxing
- Being easily startled or on edge
- Shallow, fast breathing
- Difficulty focusing or being present
Yoga practices such as slow breathwork, grounding poses and Yoga Nidra help bring the nervous system back to balance. You will learn exactly how, and how to teach it to others.
What is the window of tolerance in yoga teaching?
The window of tolerance is the zone where a person can handle stress while staying calm and present. Inside this window, learning happens easily. Outside it, a person becomes either overwhelmed or shut down. A trauma informed yoga teacher designs classes that help students stay inside their window of tolerance, one of the most practical skills in this training.
What is interoception in yoga practice?
Interoception is the sense of what is happening inside your own body: your heartbeat, breath, tension and emotion. Trauma can disconnect people from this sense. Interoception based yoga practice rebuilds it gently, and it is woven through the whole course.
See more photos of the ashram, rooms and classes in our photo gallery and on the rooms and food page.
Curriculum Overview
| Module | What You Will Learn |
|---|---|
| Nervous System Regulation | How stress, safety, resilience and regulation influence every aspect of human experience, with practical tools that support balance |
| Trauma Informed Yoga | How language, pacing, awareness and choice create safer, more supportive learning environments |
| Trauma Literacy | How trauma shows up in the body and behaviour, and how to respond with care |
| Somatic Movement | A deeper relationship with the body through practices that build awareness, presence and embodied intelligence |
| Polyvagal Informed Teaching | Applying the three nervous system states in real classes |
| Yin Yoga | How stillness, long held postures and mindful observation support regulation and restoration |
| Yoga Nidra | One of yoga's most profound practices for rest, integration and nervous system recovery |
| Breathwork & Pranayama | Practices that influence energy, focus, emotional regulation and nervous system balance |
| Sound Healing | How vibration, resonance and therapeutic sound support relaxation and emotional processing |
| Meditation & Mindfulness | Awareness, clarity, self regulation and presence through traditional and contemporary practices |
| Restorative Yoga | The role of deep rest in healing, recovery and sustainable wellbeing |
| Embodied Teaching Methodology | How to guide practices that are physically effective, emotionally intelligent and deeply supportive |
Curious about the yogic foundations behind these modules? Explore our study pages on pranayama, yoga anatomy and Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.
Vagus Nerve Yoga Exercises You Will Learn
Certain yoga practices directly support the vagus nerve, the main nerve of the rest and calm response. You will learn these, and how to teach them safely to students who may be carrying stress or trauma.
- Slow diaphragmatic breathing Long, low breaths that signal safety to the body.
- Extended exhale breathing Exhaling longer than you inhale to activate calm.
- Gentle forward folds Supported folds that soothe the nervous system.
- Humming and chanting Vibration that stimulates the vagus nerve through the throat.
- Restorative and Yin postures Long, supported holds that lower stress hormones.
- Yoga Nidra Guided deep rest that resets the whole nervous system.
Why Choose Oceanic Yoga
At Oceanic Yoga, we do not separate science from spirituality or tradition from contemporary understanding. We explore where they meet. Most trainings in this space are either too clinical, built for therapists, or too shallow, a single module added to a regular course. This training is built differently.
What other trainings offer
- Trauma basics as a short add on module
- Polyvagal theory taught from a therapy angle
- Expensive clinical certifications not built for yoga teachers
- Online only formats with little live guidance
The Oceanic Yoga approach
- A full curriculum built around nervous system science and trauma literacy
- Polyvagal theory taught for yoga teachers, in plain language
- An accessible, embodied trauma sensitive yoga certification pathway
- Immersive residential training in Goa with daily teacher support
What students often leave with
- Greater emotional resilience
- A deeper understanding of themselves
- More confidence as teachers
- Practical tools for stress regulation
- Greater self awareness
- Improved wellbeing and balance
- A sustainable personal practice
- A stronger sense of connection and purpose
Read experiences from past students on our testimonials page.
Daily Rhythm
Morning
Embodied practice: movement, breathwork, meditation and yoga practices that help you experience the teachings directly.
Mid Morning
Study and exploration: nervous system regulation, trauma informed principles, yogic philosophy, practical applications.
Afternoon
Teaching and application: practice teaching, partner exercises, group exploration and experiential learning.
Evening
Integration and reflection: Yoga Nidra, sound healing, meditation, community conversations.
Sample Daily Schedule
- 6:00 – 8:15 AMAsana, Kriya, Mantra Chanting, Pranayama
- 8:45 – 9:15 AMBreakfast
- 10:00 – 11:00 AMAnatomy
- 11:15 – 12:30 PMAdjustment and Alignment
- 12:30 – 1:30 PMLunch break
- 2:30 – 3:30 PMYoga Philosophy, Patanjali's Yoga Sutras
- 3:45 – 5:15 PMYin and teaching practice
- 6:00 – 7:00 PMMeditation, Yoga Nidra, Emotional Detox, Yin
- 7:30 – 8:15 PMDinner
The schedule is a sample and can change batch to batch. Sundays are holidays, with breakfast only.
Dates & Fees
- 3 veg buffet meals daily
- AC room with balcony
- Swimming pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Laundry machine
- Yoga mat
- All study materials
| Arrival | Departure | AC Room · 3 Share | AC Room · 2 Share | AC Private Room | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Oct 2026 | 17 Nov 2026 | €1,597 | €2,097 | €2,697 | Apply Now |
| 18 Nov 2026 | 09 Dec 2026 | €1,597 | €2,097 | €2,697 | Apply Now |
| 10 Dec 2026 | 01 Jan 2027 | €1,597 | €2,097 | €2,697 | Apply Now |
| 28 Jan 2027 | 19 Feb 2027 | €1,597 | €2,097 | €2,697 | Apply Now |
| 22 Feb 2027 | 16 Mar 2027 | €1,597 | €2,097 | €2,697 | Apply Now |
| 18 Mar 2027 | 09 Apr 2027 | €1,597 | €2,097 | €2,697 | Apply Now |
| 12 Apr 2027 | 04 May 2027 | €1,597 | €2,097 | €2,697 | Apply Now |
| 06 May 2027 | 28 May 2027 | €1,597 | €2,097 | €2,697 | Apply Now |
Choose Your Package
How to Book & Good to Know
- Application: complete the online application form. If you do not hear back within 24 hours, email contact@oceanicyoga.com or WhatsApp +91 93684 69447.
- Booking amount: once accepted, a non refundable but transferable booking fee of €400 confirms your place. It is adjusted in your total course fee.
- Balance: payable on or before arrival by cash, card or online transfer. Card payments carry a 5.5 percent transaction charge.
- Arrival: 4 to 7 PM on the arrival date. The course starts early the next morning.
- Departure: after breakfast, before 10 AM. Certification is held the previous evening.
- Airport transfer: available from Goa Dabolim or Mopa Airport (30 USD).
- Visa: all international participants must obtain a valid visa before arrival.
- See rooms, food and campus details on our accommodation page.
Certification
Upon completion, you receive a 200 hour Yoga Alliance accredited certificate from Oceanic Yoga and a complimentary lifetime RYT 200 membership with the International Yoga Association. You can also register as an RYT 200 with Yoga Alliance and teach worldwide. For teachers looking for a trauma sensitive yoga certification pathway, this training also counts toward continuing education and specialisation in trauma informed teaching.
The Oceanic Yoga Ashram
Oceanic Yoga has provided professional yoga education since 2007 in the traditional systems of Ashtanga and Hatha Yoga. The ashram sits on a small hillock overlooking the Arabian Sea, with a swimming pool where sky and ocean seem to meet. Air conditioned cottages with balconies are surrounded by trees, just 10 minutes from Morjim beach.
Learn more about Oceanic Yoga or explore the photo gallery.
Your Teachers
Our teachers come from traditional Indian yoga lineages, combining decades of lived practice with modern, practical teaching methods. This training is where that traditional depth meets modern nervous system science.
Swami Krishna Saraswati
Practicing yoga and meditation since the age of 17, Kris Ji has spent decades living the inner journey he now shares. For him, the pilgrimage itself is the goal.
Read more
Swami Anand Jiska
A seeker of truth since childhood, his path led through prayer, service and austerity to deep meditation practice in the Himalayas, a journey that continues today.
Read more
Naren Ji
An engineering graduate who left the corporate world to travel, practice and study the Upanishads, bringing a grounded, inquiring mind to the teachings.
Read moreMeet the whole team on our teachers page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is trauma informed yoga teacher training?
What is nervous system regulation in yoga?
What is trauma literacy, and why does it matter for yoga teachers?
What is polyvagal theory, and how does it apply to yoga?
Who is this trauma informed yoga training for?
Is this training Yoga Alliance accredited?
What is the difference between trauma informed and trauma sensitive yoga?
Do I need prior teaching experience to join?
Can therapists and healthcare professionals join this training?
How much science and neuroscience is included?
Teach the Whole Human Being
Join a 200 hour trauma informed yoga teacher training in Goa that gives you the nervous system knowledge, trauma literacy and embodied skill to hold space for anyone who walks into your class.
Apply NowFAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
Trauma-Informed Yoga is a multidimensional approach that recognises every nervous system responds differently to stress, safety and healing. Rather than relying on a single practice, we integrate Polyvagal Theory, somatic movement, Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Yoga Nidra, breathwork, pranayama, meditation, sound healing and traditional yogic wisdom to support regulation, resilience and embodied awareness.
Polyvagal theory explains how the vagus nerve shifts us between safety, fight or flight, and shutdown. Teachers who understand it can read activation in a class and use breath, movement and voice to guide students back toward regulation.
No. The training teaches all nervous system and trauma literacy from the ground up. Yoga teachers, beginners with steady practice, therapists and social workers all join, each applying the skills in their own field.
Yes, and demand is growing. Graduates teach in studios, schools, addiction recovery, refugee support and corporate wellness, where trauma informed skills are increasingly requested and often better paid than standard classes.
Yes. It is a complete 200 hour yoga teacher training with a trauma informed specialisation, run by a Yoga Alliance registered school in Goa, so you graduate as an RYT 200 with a rare additional skill set.
These skills are valuable for yoga teachers, fitness professionals, therapists, coaches, healthcare practitioners and anyone interested in the relationship between movement, the nervous system and wellbeing.