Cands is a licensed counselor and yoga therapist that specialises in trauma and mental health. She has supported many individuals, young people and families, privately and on group therapy programs focused on the recovery from psychological trauma, and the physical health challenges that appear to co-occur with post-traumatic stress.

As a mom herself, with a completed BA degree in child & family psychology, a recently completed Masters degree thesis on trauma-sensitive yoga in the South African context and a special interest in developmental psychology – you are not only receiving training direct from Cands, based on many hours of personal and professional experience and training, but training that is also based on current world-class academic research in this field.

Cands is a licensed counselor and yoga therapist that specialises in trauma and mental health. She has supported many individuals, young people and families, privately and on group therapy programs focused on the recovery from psychological trauma, and the physical health challenges that appear to co-occur with post-traumatic stress.

As a mom herself, with a completed BA degree in child & family psychology, a recently completed Masters degree thesis on trauma-sensitive yoga in the South African context and a special interest in developmental psychology – you are not only receiving training direct from Cands, based on many hours of personal and professional experience and training, but training that is also based on current world-class academic research in this field.

Michelle Fury is a licensed psychotherapist and highly experienced paediatric yoga therapist. Michelle spent many years leading the yoga therapy practice at Children’s Hospital Colorado. She has a specialty in trauma therapy, as well as extensive training and experience using mindfulness-based therapy models such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). She has been involved in several yoga research projects. Her work with children in the field of yoga therapy as a psychotherapeutic intervention has been featured in a number of local and national publications including Yoga Journal, the Wall Street Journal, and Social Work Today. It is an honor to have her with us!

This training is for you if:

• You are curious about trauma-sensitive yoga for children, teens & their families and are just starting out.
• You’d like to deepen your introductory level knowledge of trauma and somatic approaches to trauma, particularly in work with young people and their families.
• You would like to receive training that is evidence-based and rooted in the South African and similar low resource, high trauma contexts.
• You would like to be eligible to be a facilitator on our group therapy programs and workshops.
• Completing this training will qualify you to facilitate trauma-sensitive yoga classes with children, teens and their families.

Our training is conducted online and can be attended from anywhere you choose. Accessibility is important to us.

Trauma-sensitive yoga for children, teens & their families (TSYFT-CTF) is a 20 hour, 4 month facilitator training program.

It is an open program. While completing our trauma-sensitive yoga level 1 facilitator training will be helpful, there are no prerequisites to join us. You do not need to be a certified yoga teacher or mental health professional to join us. Beginners, educators, students, parents and the simply curious are welcome!

This training is for you if:

• You are curious about trauma-sensitive yoga for children, teens & their families and are just starting out.
• You’d like to deepen your introductory level knowledge of trauma and somatic approaches to trauma, particularly in work with young people and their families.
• You would like to receive training that is evidence-based and rooted in the South African and similar low resource, high trauma contexts.
• You would like to be eligible to be a facilitator on our group therapy programs and workshops.
• Completing this training will qualify you to facilitate trauma-sensitive yoga classes with children, teens and their families.

As a licensed counselor and yoga therapist that specialises in trauma and mental health, with a strong public health background, it’s important to me that this training is evidence-based, experiential, accessible and rooted in local context.

Evidence-based

This training progam is and will continue to be informed by current and world-class academic research in trauma, trauma-recovery and somatic approaches to trauma for children, teens and their families. Not all trauma-sensitive yoga is created equal, and it’s important to study those methods proven in research and clinical trials to be safe and effective for trauma survivors. We ensure we do no harm in this way.

Experiential

It is hard, if not impossible, to facilitate from a place of little lived experience. It is for this reason that this training program also has a strong component of self-reflection, and practical hours training (personal and facilitation practice). This is a training program that will teach you about yourself too, and promote your own personal growth. From this foundation, you are able to start facilitating highly effective, evidence-based trauma-sensitive yoga for children, teens & their families.

Accessible

We appreciate the difficulty some students may face in traveling to and attending training, both in terms of cost and personal care responsibilities. For this reason our training is conducted entirely online and is self-paced. We have ensured the quality and integrity of the training while simultaneously keeping it at a level of financial and time investment that is accessible. You have 4 months to complete the training. Scholarships are also available periodically, please ensure you are following us on Instagram and are on our mailing list to be notified of these.

Rooted in local context

The South African Stress and Health Study found that the trauma exposure of the general population in present-day South Africa is approximately 78.3%. It is no surprise that South Africans and South African families are exposed to very high levels of trauma, that is higher than the global average. However, there is unfortunately limited research on trauma-sensitive yoga in the South African context. We are changing that! In this training, we are sensitive to the local context of our young clients, their families and local communities. We take international, world-class research and understand it through a local lens. This ensures effectiveness in our individual contexts, for our young clients and their families.

As a licensed counselor and yoga therapist that specialises in trauma and mental health, with a strong public health background, it’s important to me that this training is evidence-based, experiential, accessible and rooted in local context.

Evidence-based

This training progam is and will continue to be informed by current and world-class academic research in trauma, trauma-recovery and somatic approaches to trauma for children, teens and their families. Not all trauma-sensitive yoga is created equal, and it’s important to study those methods proven in research and clinical trials to be safe and effective for trauma survivors. We ensure we do no harm in this way.

Experiential

It is hard, if not impossible, to facilitate from a place of little lived experience. It is for this reason that this training program also has a strong component of self-reflection, and practical hours training (personal and facilitation practice). This is a training program that will teach you about yourself too, and promote your own personal growth. From this foundation, you are able to start facilitating highly effective, evidence-based trauma-sensitive yoga for children, teens & their families.

Accessible

We appreciate the difficulty some students may face in traveling to and attending training, both in terms of cost and personal care responsibilities. For this reason our training is conducted entirely online and is self-paced. We have ensured the quality and integrity of the training while simultaneously keeping it at a level of financial and time investment that is accessible. You have 4 months to complete the training. Scholarships are also available periodically, please ensure you are following us on Instagram and are on our mailing list to be notified of these.

Rooted in local context

The South African Stress and Health Study found that the trauma exposure of the general population in present-day South Africa is approximately 78.3%. It is no surprise that South Africans and South African families are exposed to very high levels of trauma, that is higher than the global average. However, there is unfortunately limited research on trauma-sensitive yoga in the South African context. We are changing that! In this training, we are sensitive to the local context of our young clients, their families and local communities. We take international, world-class research and understand it through a local lens. This ensures effectiveness in our individual contexts, for our young clients and their families.

• Enrolment: Upon enrolling and completing payment, you will receive a personal details form and liability waiver.
• Prep week: Once this has been completed, you will receive your first manual insert. This contains all your preparatory material and your reading for week 1.
• Week 1 – 4: The first Friday thereafter you will receive access to your first module to watch, related homework to complete and your next set of reading material. Each Friday for 4 weeks you will receive the same as the above (module to watch, homework to complete and next set of reading material).
• Week 5 – 6: Once the homework related to the above 4 weeks has been completed, you will receive the details of your final homework assignment.
• You will have 4 months to complete all of the the above, from the date of your enrolment / payment.
• Consulting with Cands: The first Thursday of each month at 2pm – 3:30pm SAST is a consulting session with Cands. You can attend this to discuss any of the training material in-depth should you wish, it is not compulsory. To ensure you extract the most value from this, booking in advance with your questions you’d like to discuss is required to attend. 
• The 20 hours are made up as follows: 8 hours theory training (video modules are accessible for full duration of 4 months), 6 hours of homework training (1 – 2 hours of homework per/week for the first 4 weeks), 4 hours practical training, 2 hours final assignment (final written and practical homework assignment, you will receive feedback within 4 weeks of submission).
• All components need to be completed within 4 months of enrolment / payment for you to graduate succesfully. Extensions can be purchased on a case by case basis. 

Training Program Structure

• Enrolment: Upon enrolling and completing payment, you will receive a personal details form and liability waiver.
• Prep week: Once this has been completed, you will receive your first manual insert. This contains all your preparatory material and your reading for week 1.
• Week 1 – 4: The first Friday thereafter you will receive access to your first module to watch, related homework to complete and your next set of reading material. Each Friday for 4 weeks you will receive the same as the above (module to watch, homework to complete and next set of reading material).
• Week 5 – 6: Once the homework related to the above 4 weeks has been completed, you will receive the details of your final homework assignment.
• You will have 4 months to complete all of the the above, from the date of your enrolment / payment.
• Consulting with Cands: The first Thursday of each month at 2pm – 3:30pm SAST is a consulting session with Cands. You can attend this to discuss any of the training material in-depth should you wish, it is not compulsory. To ensure you extract the most value from this, booking in advance with your questions you’d like to discuss is required to attend. 
• The 20 hours are made up as follows: 8 hours theory training (video modules are accessible for full duration of 4 months), 6 hours of homework training (1 – 2 hours of homework per/week for the first 4 weeks), 4 hours practical training, 2 hours final assignment (final written and practical homework assignment, you will receive feedback within 4 weeks of submission).
• All components need to be completed within 4 months of enrolment / payment for you to graduate succesfully. Extensions can be purchased on a case by case basis.