Overview
This 50-hour module is a part of our 300-hour Advanced TTC, but we are opening some spots for those who wish to join us for this week only. The module is open to all Yoga Teachers who would like to learn how to apply Trauma Informed principles in their teaching, regardless of their teaching style or method. Apart from the in-person part of the training, this module consists of 5+ hour online pre-training lectures on the Nervous system.
Schedule
The training starts on Sunday November 10 at 9 AM (Check-in on Saturday after 3 PM)
The training ends on Friday November 15 (Check out on Saturday at 11 AM)
* please note that there is no dinner on Saturday evening
Daily schedule from Sunday-Friday:
09:00 - 10:30/45 Morning practice + short break
11:00 - 13:00 Lectures
13:00 - 15:00 Lunch break
15:00 - 18:30/19 Lectures and Practicum
SAFE SPACE
Trauma-Sensitive Yoga, Somatic Awareness
As yoga students, we all experienced a sudden, involuntary release of emotion on the yoga mat. Sometimes, these are good, joyful or touching, but sometimes, they can trigger a trauma buried deep within our body/mind. Trauma remains a fact of life: most of us will experience a traumatic event in our lifetime, and some will develop post-traumatic stress. And while this may appear to be a good thing, a yoga mat might not be the best place for healing trauma. Dysregulation needs regulation, and yoga teachers are, for the most part, not equipped to deal with this.
The deeper we go into the body/mind and the more advanced tools of Yoga we use, the more we need to become aware that no practice is created equal and beneficial for everyone. While most of the asana sequences, pranayama, and meditation techniques we teach might be helpful to most, they might be triggering for some. In this training, we will explore why some practices can create dysregulation for people who've experienced trauma and ways you can prevent this. You will learn how to recognise traumatic stress symptoms or other dysregulation and explore evidence-based tools for emotion regulation.
This module also explores Somatic Awareness and its tools for self-regulation.
Your Teachers
Nina Vukas
E-RYT 500, RPYT, IAYT
Nina is a founder of Spanda Institute and a Program Director of the 200-hour and 300-hour programs. A practitioner since her early 20s, Nina completed her first YTT in 2004 and became a full-time Yoga Teacher in 2006 when she opened a Yoga studio (Sangha Yoga Centre 2006-2019). In 2009 she founded a Yoga Teacher Training school and led 200 and 300-hour programs. The school later became Spanda Institute, a well-known yoga school with an excellent international team offering various programs in Europe and Sri Lanka. Today Nina focuses mainly on teaching 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training courses, offering one-on-one Yoga Therapy and Psychotherapy sessions, and organising Spanda events.
Nina is the lead trainer on this course and will teach all three modules as well as most of the online modules.
Maddie Rowland
E-RYT 200, RYT 500, Musician
A professional singer and musician, Maddie has been sharing her love for Yoga and music in Cornwall, Portugal, Sri Lanka and Bali. She has been teaching Yoga since her early 20s, and was one of the youngest students to complete a 300-hour program with us. After completing her 300-hour YTTC, Maddie joined our Teacher Training team and is now an essential member of our 200-hour and 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training programs in Portugal and Sri Lanka.
In her classes and retreats, she combines her passion for world music and sound, using a variety of instruments to create a healing space, guiding you along a journey of sound and moving meditation. Besides our YTT courses, Maddie teaches weekly classes in Cornwall and leads beautiful annual retreats in Portugal.
Marina Moric
RYT 500, PhD Neuroscience
Marina has been with us for years, first as a student finishing her 200-hour TTC after which she started teaching classes in our fist home base, Sangha Yoga studio. She continued her Prenatal 300-hour studies with us as well as other renowned yoga teachers.
Marina lives and works in Basel, Switzerland where she moved to pursue her PhD in Neuroscience. You’ll most likely find her upside-down or in the air; her passions include Acro Yoga, Aerial Yoga and Paragliding. She is our resident Neuroscientist, teaching neuroscience on our 200 and 300 hour Yoga Teacher Training courses.
Marina will be covering the Nervous system part of Anatomy & Physiology for the online part of the training.
Location
Our retreat centre is located in a small village in the outskirts of Ericiera, an old fishing town that has become surf and wellness mecca. But, Ericeira hasn’t lost its charm - alongside tourists, cool shops, and modern bars, cafes and restaurants you can still experience the local, fishing-village vibe. Perched atop of 30-meter sandstone cliffs, overlooking the powerful blue Atlantic, and a string of golden sand beaches, Ericeira is located about 35 kilometres northwest of Lisbon. The old village is charming and typically Portuguese with whitewashed houses, blue doors, and window frames, tiles, chapels, and narrow cobbled streets.
Accommodation and Food
Our venue, Quinta Raposeiros is located close to Santo Isidoro village. It’s settled on a hill of a large estate surrounded by nature and overlooking the Ocean. All rooms have an ocean view, as well as our glorious, spacious yoga shala.
The rooms are very spacious, with twin beds and a terrace. The restaurant and the pool are located within a few minutes walk through the lemon tree grove. Your daily vegan meals will be prepared using local seasonal ingredients and lots of creativity. Even if you’re not vegan, we know you will enjoy every bite as well as a chance to eat nutritious and healthy meals daily.
Since some of our students like to start their day with breakfast and others prefer to have it after, breakfast groceries (tea, coffee, granola, plant-based milk, vegan cheese, nut butter, etc) will be provided in your room (rooms have a kitchenette) so you can enjoy it whenever you like.
Investment and Terms
Twin en-suite room*
Early Bird ………………. 1640 euro
Late Bird ……………….. 1710 euro
Spanda Students 10% off tuition
Spanda Ambassadors 20% off tuition
*Two single beds
Price per person includes:
Tuition
Accommodation for 6 nights, meals
Non-residential option
Early Bird …… 800 euro
Late Bird ……. 900 euro
Includes tuition only
Terms and Conditions
Packages do not include transfers
We take 300 euro non-refundable deposit to save your spot
Full payment for Early Birds is due by June 1st 2024
Full payment for Late Birds is due by October 1st 2024
Student testimonials
“My 300 Hour YTT at Spanda Institute, exceeded my expectations. Nina is a true leader, and I feel incredibly grateful I had the opportunity to train with her. The program she has designed is one of the most thorough training I have ever done, and I've done many yoga teacher training courses. I walked away with a wealth of knowledge, and I now feel confident and excited when I'm teaching my students about anatomy. The trauma-sensitive section of the training was so insightful and has me considering going back to school for psychology. The training not only helped me become a better teacher, but it also brought so much self-awareness. All of the teachers are incredibly knowledgeable, compassionate and are really striving to transform the yoga world. I know I'm a better teacher having done the training, and honestly a better person. I look up to Nina so much, and would jump at the chance to take another training with her and Spanda Institute.” Laurelle (Canada)
“I was attracted to Spanda Institute and Nina's approach which resonates with my ratio (science meets tradition). Still, this TTC offers so much more—beautiful teacher souls who hold safe space for students, unselfish knowledge sharing, and inspirational classes. The group was wonderful and I am so grateful that I had an opportunity to connect and learn with them and from them. Moreover, the place itself serves perfectly for this kind of learning like a cherry on top :). Altogether this was a magnificent experience that will be deeply embedded in my journey as a yoga teacher.” Ivna (Croatia)
"I loved the 300-hour YTT! Nina operates with nothing short of excellence. I really appreciate the Spanda Method because it is so thorough and a useful structure for teaching people the core elements of practice - sankalpa, meditation, breath-informed asanas, and restoration. In the 300hr course, we dove deep into anatomy compensation patterns and how traumas, major and minor, can affect students in their yoga practice. It was very helpful to see how these stress patterns can affect us physically, and how we as yoga teachers can better inform students to meet postures where their bodies are at. Nina also brought in an expert panel of guest speakers who provided more in-depth knowledge on the history of yoga, kirtan, neuroscience, and somatic awareness. The women drawn to the teacher training were equally as awesome and I made life-long friends! Highly recommend Spanda Institute for deepening your yoga studies!” - Jenessa (US)
“This teacher training was so much more than I could have imagined! It really gave me a new and refreshing perspective on yoga not only for myself but also to teach. Everything from the pre-recorded pre-study material, to the in-person training, to the materials we received, the location and the people were amazing! Nina has put together exceptional training which is based on tradition but is backed by science, which I believe makes this TTC even more special and valuable. Also, the in-house and guest lecturers were all experts in their fields and willing to share their knowledge with us and help bring us further on our path. I am so happy I chose this course and will be forever grateful to Nina and her team for what I have learned.” - Laura (Switzerland)
“I enjoyed the training a lot; also, I could say that it was one of the best months in the last years because I had a chance to go deeper, not only regarding yoga knowledge but also myself. I am already using much of the knowledge we got at the training in my personal life and classes. I'm going to be forever thankful not only for the knowledge but for the whole experience. All the knowledge Nina and the teachers gave us was mindblowing and gave me another perspective. I now think differently about yoga and the way of teaching it. The training gave me the knowledge and self-confidence I lacked and ideas for developing my own yoga business. The place where we stayed, the nature and peace around us, was great. The food was perfect. I would recommend this teacher training to everyone, not only those who want to teach but to everyone who wants to open their minds, see things from a different perspective and nurture the body, mind and soul.” - Anja (Slovenia)
“This course is transformational! The content is so well thought out and taught professionally by each tutor in a way that felt really nourishing. I have learned so much about myself, and have more of an understanding of the people I choose to surround myself with every day. Trauma Sensitive Yoga has really opened up my mind to something that is extremely helpful in life situations and I am looking forward to using that knowledge for the good of my community.” - Gillian (UK)
“The Spanda Yoga Method is a unique and inspiring Method with a huge variety of creating Yoga classes. I really loved Ninas and Bruno’s teaching and I wished every person could join one of their amazing classes! Nina is a lovely and amazing person with a huge knowledge of the science of the human body. Adding this knowledge to her Yoga classes (pranayama and meditation included) and sharing it at the YTT, Nina gives the opportunity to have a completely new point of view to asanas and connecting vinyasa. I am so grateful for all the wisdom I got from her and Hareesh. Everything was just perfect, a sacred space and I felt like being at home. This YTT will open your mind and strengthens you from the inside so you can grow from the inside out. I definitely recommend this YTT for every Yogi(ni).” - Shirin (Germany)
“I have few certifications in yoga, but I especially wanted to study with Nina and her Spanda Institue, as they have a very scientific and profound approach to yogic studies. Great place to be!” - Marta (Austria)