IAYT Definition of Yoga Therapy
Yoga therapy is defined by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) as: ‘the professional application of the principles and practices of yoga to promote health and wellbeing within a therapeutic relationship that includes personalised assessment, goal-setting, lifestyle management, and yoga practices for individuals or small groups.’ — iayt.org
What Yoga Therapy Is
- A personalised, holistic approach to supporting individual health and wellbeing
- A therapeutic relationship involving intake assessment, goal-setting, and a tailored programme of yoga practices
- An evidence-informed discipline drawing on classical yoga, pranayama, meditation, mantra, Ayurveda, and yogic counselling
- A complementary practice that may support individuals managing stress, chronic conditions, lifestyle-related health challenges, and mental wellbeing
What Yoga Therapy Is Not
- Yoga therapy is not the diagnosis or medical treatment of disease
- AYA yoga therapists do not replace doctors, physiotherapists, psychologists, or other licensed healthcare professionals
- Yoga therapy is not a cure for any medical condition
- AYA graduates are trained to recognise the limits of their scope of practice and to refer clients to appropriate healthcare professionals when needed
AYA Graduate Scope of Practice
Graduates of AYA’s 300-Hour Integrated Yoga Therapy programme are trained to:
- Conduct structured intake interviews and initial assessments of new clients
- Design personalised yoga programmes addressing identified health and wellbeing goals
- Deliver individual and small-group yoga therapy sessions using a range of classical yoga tools
- Document session notes and track client progress over time
- Apply Ayurvedic lifestyle and dietary principles as supportive tools
- Practise yogic counselling — compassionate listening, reflection, and guidance — within appropriate professional boundaries
- Refer clients to licensed healthcare professionals when symptoms or conditions are beyond yoga therapy’s scope
For more information about IAYT’s professional standards, visit www.iayt.org.
