Advanced Teacher Training ~ The How-To Guide to Private Yoga Sessions

Advanced Teacher Training Thesis Topic ~ The How-To Guide of Private Yoga Sessions

I would love to hear from you on my thesis topic of Private Yoga sessions, If you are visiting the blog to take the survey, please click here for students and here for teachers. If you have a few minutes to read about why I've chosen this topic, I would love for you to continue to read on.....

As I've mentioned a few times since last August, I have taken my yoga teaching to a new level with Advanced Teacher Training, a 500 hour certification. To expand on what this means, it is 300 additional hours of yoga training on top of the original 200 hour training one should take to become a certified and qualified yoga teacher. It's like the Masters degree for yoga.

One of the exciting and yet also nerve recking, nail biting aspects of advanced teacher training is a THESIS!!! I have to admit, I don't think I have ever actually done an official THESIS! It's kind of ironic actually because I've spent most of my life going to school or studying for something (high school, college, CPA, MBA, Yoga teacher training..etc..)....and yet I've mostly done reports or group projects but never anything titled THESIS.

Picture Credit: wikispaces.com

OK, so you can probably tell, I'm a bit freaked out about this. Putting such a serious name to a project that is suppose to culminate in my knowing *ALL* things yoga related with a hopeful graduation from ATT 500 (Advanced Teacher Training 500 hours) had me in complete panic mode.

Part of me really wanted to have a thoughtful, tear jerking, super insightful thesis which would be inspiring, jaw dropping, full of intention setting, heart impacting material.  BUT, those of you who know me, or if you don't you might have guessed from my *how I love checklists* post, that I am a very practical person.

So, I decided I wanted to spend my time and effort learning something that I can incorporate into my yoga career, something that I could take with me, weave into my practice and have a purposeful and positive impact on other yogis or soon-to-be yogis in a practical manner......

~The How-To Guide of Private Yoga Sessions ~

As a yoga student, I have taken both group and private classes. I truly believe the private yoga classes catapulted my yoga practice both on a physical (hello headstand!) and spiritual level.  So, when I decided to become a yoga teacher, I fully anticipated that I would teach private yoga classes. However, I quickly learned after completing my 200 hour certification, that I did not feel equipped to run out into the world and take on private yoga students.

The purpose of my thesis (also presented in workshop form) is to consider the history of private yoga sessions, why students may consider (or may not like to) working with a teacher via a private/one-on-one client or semi-private group; benefits from the student and teacher perspective; from the first interactions (how does a teacher get a private client student base?) to the exiting process; identifying the needs (goal) of the student; setting clear expectation of both the student and the teacher role; the teachers skill level for working with various private client relationships, including injury and  the ethical framework of private client relationships.

As I begin the research of private yoga sessions, I would love to hear from you about your thoughts on taking and teaching private yoga classes. Even if you've never taken or taught a private yoga session, your insight would be especially helpful. Below are links to brief (10 questions) surveys. I would be most grateful for all of your insights.

Picture credit: Online Survey

For students who have or haven't taken private yoga: click here for survey

For teachers who have or haven't taught private yoga: click here for survey

I look forward to sharing the survey results as well as private yoga tidbits with you along the journey of this Thesis!