Tag: prenatal yoga certification

Online Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training

September 29, 2016
Posted by Sharon

Get certified to teach Matrika Prenatal Yoga in this unique, self-guided online study program facilitated by Sharon Fennimore, MA.  Yoga teachers who are registered with Yoga Alliance can earn up to 25 CEU credits for completing this course.

Not only is being a prenatal yoga specialist a rewarding career, but considering the fact that over 80% of American yoga practitioners are women, it is imperative that all yoga instructors explore ways to support optimal reproductive health for all their students. The skills you learn in this training program will inform all of your teaching and the program itself is rigorous and demands personal and professional transformation.
What Makes Matrika Prenatal Yoga Special?
    • Emphasis on Tantric subtle body anatomy
    • Focus on how culture and reproductive politics impact fertility and pregnancy
    • Learn how to support optimum fertility with yoga
    • Use of Buddhist philosophy applied to teaching prenatal yoga
    • Learn how to teach visualization and meditation specific to pregnancy
    • Includes the use of yoga and meditation to prepare for labor and birth
    • Postpartum care and Mom and Baby Yoga

Register TODAY!

Work at your own pace! This amazing online training offers complete flexibility and personalized instruction through optional private sessions (cost of private sessions NOT included in tuition). Distance learning is ideal for busy professionals trying to juggle career and family while also moving in the direction of your dreams.  Perfect for expats or English speakers all over the world who do not have access to a training school, but wish to work towards their certification while traveling or living abroad. The training is designed to take around 100-hours to complete and students generally finish within 4-5 months, but you have 6-months of enrollment in the course with your tuition payment.

$278 Full Tuition

[headline_border]Course Curriculum[/headline_border]

This intellectual approach to yoga as a science requires self-study and an investigation of the cultural, social and economic values that we hold around fertility, women’s health and specifically reproduction so that we can teach from our hearts.
  Informed by contemporary social theory and medical anthropology, Matrika Prenatal Yoga nourishes and empowers students physically, emotionally and spiritually.  This method, philosophy and approach has been refined over almost 20-years by Sharon Fennimore , MA and DONA Trained Birth Doula and enjoyed by thousands of women.

In this online course, you will explore:

  • Culture and Reproduction (Including Yoga for Fertility)
  • Yoga During Pregnancy
  • Common Pregnancy Complaints
  • Teaching Matrika Prenatal Yoga (INCLUDING Tibetan Subtle Body)
  • Practice and Professionalization
  • Postpartum Continuity and Care (including Mom & Baby Yoga)

matrika-084The online course includes: instructional videos, readings, discussion boards, audio and articles and readings.  Interaction and participation in online discussion boards is required and we all learn from one another.  Due to the nature of the course, your fellow students are located all around the world! In this way, we all share diverse practices, experiences and ideas.  All trainees can download the Matrika Prenatal Yoga eBook and audio guide at no additional cost.  Most of the practicum assignments require significant practice, planning classes and engaging in your community as you create a supportive professional network that is meaningful to you wherever you are in the world.  Therefore, this isn’t just about sitting in front of your computer watching training videos!  This is a dynamic, interactive and experiential program. 

Your tuition also includes webinars and events scheduled during your enrollmentmatrika-012Online “events” such as webinars and teleseminars are scheduled regularly.  These events can be attended live by joining online or by phone and are recorded and available for you to download and experience at your convenience if you can’t make it as scheduled.  These events are all included in your course tuition.

TESTIMONIALS

“Sharon of Matrika Yoga offered an insightful, thought provoking training program that far exceeded my expectations. I was challenged to examine my ideas and beliefs about pregnancy and culture, and I now have a much better understanding of pregnancy and the obstacles a pregnant woman faces. I feel that I am now much better equipped to lead prenatal yoga, and I would absolutely recommend this program to anyone looking to learn more about pregnancy or prenatal yoga.” ~Nicole

“I maintain nothing but absolute gratitude to you and Matrika Prenatal Yoga.  At the outset of training, I yearned for a missing link, in between 42 years of obstetrical nursing experience and 51 of yoga practice!  How I found your program and that “link” was nothing short of miraculous!  Your insight into the wonder and miracle of birthing is in itself a spiritual gift.  Your compassion and love for the pregnant client is apparent as well as intuitive empathy for the pregnant psyche. The reading list was comprehensive and the webinars fun and informative.  I respect your genius fully.” ~Ambika

“Sharon was an excellent instructor and an amazing sounding board. I loved that she so clearly articulated her personal opinions and beliefs without forcing them on us, her students. This is a unique skill and, from my experience, one many instructors struggle with. Sharon did a great job at sharing information, offering feedback and discussing alternative/contrary thoughts/experiences/beliefs without ever seeming critical or offended. She offered a ton of excellent information and I left the program prepared to lead others through a prenatal sequence.”~Megan

“The training was very in depth and challenging. I feel that after completing the program, I am well prepared for teaching prenatal yoga.” ~Kate

“I really enjoyed the option of online learning as well as personal time. Sharon’s approach is a flexible alternative for trainees looking to expand their learning while continuing with their responsibilities. The pranayama and meditations were my favorite part.”~Natalie

“Yoga Matrika provides more than just a great educational journey on the basics of Hatha Yoga, Yoga Matrika expands on the typical 200 Hour course offerings by ensuring that the course material is delivered and received in a way that is most beneficial and valuable to the student and the path they are on for their life, teachings, and personal yoga journey. Yoga Matrika shares their unique insights and personal mentorship on every topic and does so for every student so that no one is felt left out or passed over. Yoga Matrika truly helps each student tap into their true potential and identify with what they want to offer the world as a person, a continuing yoga student, and a yoga teacher.” ~Brandi
[headline_border]How Does a Distance Training Work?[/headline_border]

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STEP ONE: Pay Tuition and Enroll

As soon as you pay tuition, you will have immediate access to the online course.  The first section of the course is an ORIENTATION and you will be introduced to the main topics in the course, the graduation requirements, the assigned textbooks and start your studies.

STEP TWO: Participation

It is important that all students engage with the course materials and assigned readings through online discussions.  There are prompts given for most online discussions, but students are encouraged to ask questions and be active participants and leaders in the conversations.  Watch all the videos, use the practice suggestions in your home practice and try out the techniques in your yoga classes.

STEP THREE: Connect with the Trainer

Regularly email your questions or problems in your training to Sharon and stay connected.  Your trainer has over twenty-years of experience teaching prenatal yoga and you are encouraged to communicate with Sharon regularly through the course.  Unlimited email communications are included in your tuition.

STEP FOUR: Make the Program Your Own

You can get “lost in the crowd” at an in-person training and online, but this program inspires you to consider yourself a professional and act like it too.  You are given assignments that ask you to be curious about pregnancy and birth, to explore what options are available in your area and to start to create professional support and referral networks.  The more time and energy you invest in the practical and professionalization assignments, the more confident you will feel.

If you want more personal guidance or mentoring, Sharon also offers, at an additional cost, packages of four private mentoring sessions that can be scheduled at your convenience and never expire.  These are not included in the cost of tuition, but many students have found that this extra investment helped them complete the training and feel more confident in their ability to teach the highest quality prenatal yoga class possible—even with little experience.  You are not obligated in any way to purchase mentoring sessions, but matrika-023just know that Sharon is personally available to mentor you if you wish for that kind of attention and professional coaching and guidance.

The tuition does NOT include the required textbooks for the course.  The books required for the course, when ordered new from Amazon cost approximately $80 USD.  Most of these books will be excellent reference volumes as you plan prenatal classes for the rest of your career.  You are under no obligation to purchase the books, so feel free to borrow from the library, colleagues or buy electronic versions or used copies.  Depending on your location in the world, if you are having a hard time finding any of the assigned books, I can usually work with you on locating alternative titles that you can obtain.  IMG_3861

Who facilitates the course?

Your lead trainer is Sharon Fennimore, MA.  She designed this course and has almost 20-years of experience teaching prenatal yoga and meditation.  Sharon personally responds to all email, conducts all private sessions and facilitates all online discussions.  Sharon is a DONA trained birth doula and holds two Masters Degrees in East Asian Studies and Cultural Anthropology.  She has worked with thousands ofSharon Profile expectant women and their families over the past 15-years and has been offering prenatal yoga teacher training courses for over seven-years.
Full Tuition $278

[headline_border]Commonly Asked Questions[/headline_border]

When Can I Start the Training?

You can start at ANY time.  Enrollment is on a rolling basis.  As soon as you pay tuition, you have immediate course access.

Can I finish the program faster than 6-Months?

Sure!  Due to the nature of the practicum assignments that are required for graduation, it is impossible to complete the course in less than three-months.  But, you work through the course and the requirements at your own pace and can schedule your final exam whenever you wish.  Most participants complete the course in five-months.

I’m not an RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher).  Can I Still Take This Training?

There are no pre-requisites for this training program.  Anyone can enroll.

What if I don’t like the course?  Can I get a refund?

There are no refunds.  It is recommended that you sign up for the FREE course Yoga During Pregnancy just to get a feel for the online course platform.  Send an email to Sharon with any questions BEFORE you pay tuition: sharon@yogamatrika.com.  Once you are enrolled, if you are unhappy for any reason, Sharon will do everything possible to fix the problems and make an individual plan for you that works for what you need.

Despite being motivated and my best intentions, I need longer than 6-months to complete the course!  Can I extend my program?

Yes!  Every student has a single opportunity to extend their program by 6-months with a $100 payment.  You don’t need to grovel, beg, ask for extension or get permission.  There is a section in the online course with a link to make the extension payment, make it, and the program is automatically extended for six-months.  Only one extension per student no matter what.  No exceptions.

Does this online training allow me to register with Yoga Alliance as a RPYT?

No. Yoga Alliance standards do not permit distance learning for the Prenatal Yoga Specialist designation. Yoga Matrika used to have a Registered Yoga School (RYS) and Registered Prenatal Yoga School (RPYS), but these programs are no longer registered and Yoga Matrika’s teacher training programs are no longer associated with Yoga Alliance.  You will receive a 25 CEU credit certificate for Yoga Alliance continuing education credits upon graduation.  This is the maximum number of  distance learning CEU credits that Yoga Alliance will permit to count towards the required 30 CEU credits.

Technical Skills Required

In order for you to get the most out of this course, you need a minimum of technical skills including, but not necessarily limited to:

  • Being able to sign-in to the online course and create a password
  • Ability to follow links, download PDF files, audio files (mp3) and video files (mp4)
  • Ability to open WORD files, type into the document and then “save as” a PDF
  • Must have consistent internet access
  • Must know how to use SKYPE or FaceTime and have the electronic devices and/or accounts set up so you can use this technology for private sessions

Do you wonder if you have these skills or not?  Are you concerned about your ability to use your skills in an online course environment?  I suggest that you try out this free course.  This course is the EXACT same format as the teacher training and if you learn how to navigate this course, comment, and download the eBook, then you will know for certain that you can take the training course too.  If you have a hard time with this free course, then send an email to Sharon and discuss your concerns.  Because this course includes personal attention, we can usually find ways to work around any technical concerns, but since there are NO REFUNDS for any reason, let’s try to make sure you feel confident about taking an online course BEFORE you enroll.  Just send an email to Sharon: sharon@yogamatrika.com

Requirements for GRADUATION

This is a 100-hour distance learning program, that leads to certification in yoga for fertility, pregnancy, birth and the immediate postpartum period.  Upon program completion, you will be certified to teach Matrika Prenatal Yoga and any other classes, workshops and retreats of your own design that you create based on this training.  You will receive a graduation certificate and personalized letter from Sharon Fennimore explaining the curriculum and your special skills.  You are NOT guaranteed certification based on enrollment or tuition payment alone! Choosing this track is a significant commitment to becoming a specialist in working with women and supporting optimal fertility, nourishing pregnant women, their infants and their families and support system.  There is significant reading, writing and practicum requirements and certification requires your active participation in the online course discussion boards.  The reading level of many of the articles is graduate level academic work.

Enroll NOW
MATRIKA PRENATAL PROGRAM Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate from the Matrika Prenatal Yoga teacher training program and obtain certification to teach Matrika Prenatal Yoga, within 6-months of enrollment* you need to have:

#1: Actively participated in ALL of the discussion boards of this online course with these minimum guidelines:

  • Provide meaningful initiation of a minimum of two discussions for each section of the course.
  • Provide meaningful responses to the discussions started by other participants in the course that show you are doing the readings, watching the webinars and engaging deeply with the material for a minimum of three discussions in each section of the course.

Please do not comment just to fulfill this requirement.  I’d rather you not participate in a particular discussion if it is not an area of interest to you or you don’t genuinely have a question.  I will be monitoring all discussion boards and generally just want to see active participation and ongoing dialogue.

#2: Work through the entire course including watching ALL videos:   As the course facilitator, I can “see” all of your activity in the online course including what activities you open, the videos you watch and how long you take for each item.  We are all professionals and adults and you have made a significant investment in this training.  If I have concerns about your participation in the online course, I will send you a private email.  It’s up to you to take the time and really do the work of the online course.

#3: Send written practicum assignments for review to Sharon:   Sharon personally reviews all submitted work and will produce a graduation and CEU certificate within 2-4 weeks from the date of submission.  All work must be submitted typed and as PDF files.  All assignments are due within 6-months* of date of enrollment in the course.

*Oops!  Taking longer than six-months?  No problem!  You can extend your program another six-months for $100.  Every student is entitled to one extension.  You don’t have to request it, just make the extension payment in the STUDENT RESOURCES section of the course prior to your 6th month of enrollment and you will automatically be given six-additional months to finish the program.

 

Is This the Right Program for YOU?

Online learning is not right for everyone.  This program works best for 200+ hour trained yoga teachers (or equivalent training and experience) with a minimum of one year of teaching experience who either live outside of the United States and have little to no access to in-person training programs OR teachers who have full time jobs and/or young children that make attending a training program in-person impossible.  You must be highly motivated, organized and committed in order to complete this significant online course.  There is a lot of college-level reading of articles written for academic audiences, participation and personal and professional practicum work and assignments that must be completed in order for you to graduate.  Only students who complete all of the graduation requirements will be given a graduation certificate.  Your enrollment does NOT in any way guarantee your graduation or that you will receive a certificate.  There are NO REFUNDS for any reason, including if you decide that this course is too much work, fail to do the work or meet the graduation guidelines.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that an online course is “easier” to manage because of the flexibility when, actually, the opposite is generally true.  Before you enroll, take a look at your calendar and see if you can block off a minimum of 4-hours a week for the next five-months.  If there is a week when, say, your sister is getting married and you know you won’t be able to get any work done, or you have weeks when you single-parent because your partner is traveling for work, then you have to find another week when you could put 8-hours into the course.  What tends to happen is that many students lose their momentum and then start to procrastinate when they feel that they have been gone from the course for so long that they can’t possibly “catch up”.  If this happens, it’s best to send an email to Sharon and make a specific plan for moving forward.

Enroll NOW for ($278): Sign-up here for immediate course access!

 

Fine Print
  1. No refunds for tuition for online programs, mentoring packages or training retreats for ANY reason.  If you are unhappy with the program, at any time, for any reason, please remain calm and contact Sharon as soon as possible (LONG before you get so frustrated you think you are just going to quit!): sharon@yogamatrika.com.  Although there aren’t any refunds, we can usually work out an alternative plan so you get the training you need at no additional cost.  This is a program with a lot of personal attention and all problems are solvable.
  2. There is absolutely no guarantee of graduation or certification.  Your work and training portfolio will be evaluated and your ability to complete the program and obtain certification documents will be based on the merits of your participation and quality of the portfolio that you submit.
  3. Online programs are not for everyone.  With flexibility comes extraordinary personal responsibility.  You must also have the technical skills to register for the online program, upload documents and submit work as PDF files.  Consistent access to a computer and the internet are imperative.
  4. You should be able to set aside 15-20 hours for each month of your program for working online, reading, practice, and writing assignments.  It is important that you put these hours in your calendar and stick to a schedule.  Otherwise, it is unlikely that you will complete your program in time.  If something “comes up” then you must re-schedule your time.
  5. The cost of required textbooks is not included in any of the above fees.
  6. The cost of additional contact hours with Sharon Fennimore are NOT included in any of the above fees.  An additional mentoring program of four SKYPE sessions can be purchased for $400. These sessions are entirely optional and not required for graduation, certification, or CEU credits.
  7. These programs provide an esoteric and intellectual approach to the science and practice of yoga.  This may challenge your current practice or ideas about yoga and meditation.  Personal mentoring sessions are designed to help you incorporate this information into your own practice and unique teaching voice.  Be prepared to be challenged and inspired!

For the past 20-years, I have refined an approach to yoga during pregnancy that is inspired by Tibetan yoga subtle body anatomy and informed by contemporary reproductive science.  Using this unique style, I have worked with thousands of expectant women and their families to help them feel empowered, vital and filled with joy–not fear–during their pregnancies.  I have also trained yoga teachers and professionals all over the world who work with pregnant women so that this nourishing practice can be shared with as many people as possible.

WHAT MAKES MATRIKA PRENATAL YOGA SPECIAL?
      • Emphasis on Tantric subtle body anatomy
      • Focus on how culture impacts the experience of pregnancy
      • Use of Buddhist philosophy applied to  yoga
      • Visualization and meditation specific to pregnancy
      • Gentle, yet incredibly powerful practice for strength and grace

Course Details

For more than ten-years, I offered this training in-person through my school, registered with Yoga Alliance, to develop the most comprehensive curriculum possible.  This past summer I decided to close my yoga school that was registered with Yoga Alliance and I am now in the process of revising my online programs to meet my own standards and goals. In the meantime, I am offering the full course online as a self-study program at a significant discount.  If you are a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with Yoga Alliance, you can earn a 25 CEU credit certificate for your participation in this course.  All participants who complete the course will receive a PDF of a signed graduation certificate that you can use as part of your teaching and training portfolio.

Work at your own pace! This amazing online training offers complete flexibility and personalized instruction through private sessions if you would like to work personally with the facilitator (private sessions are NOT included in the tuition). Distance learning is ideal for busy professionals trying to juggle career and family while also moving in the direction of your dreams.  Perfect for expats or English speakers all over the world who do not have access to a training school, but wish to work towards their certification while traveling or living abroad. The training is designed to take around 100-hours to complete and students generally finish within 4-5 months, but you have 6-months of enrollment in the course with your tuition payment.

This course is intellectually challenging and requires a great deal of significant personal reflection, reading, discussion, writing and research as well as observing and practicing.  Whether you are taking this course for professional development or because you need the certification to continue teaching, this experience will expand your teaching skills and deepen your practice. The online course module is really a way for you to organize your self-study.  It is also the way that you will document your time spent on the course.

Tuition and Schedule

The full-cost is $278 (USD) and you can start the program at any time.  It is designed to take approximately 4-months to complete and you have six-months of enrollment included in this tuition.  This tuition does not cover the costs of any of the required textbooks.  The total price for brand new textbooks from Amazon has been around $80 USD for most of my students.  Many of the books can be borrowed from friends or local libraries and you can likely obtain used copies from Amazon or other sources at a significant discount.  There are no private sessions included in this tuition.  If you would like to invest in private SKYPE or FaceTime sessions with Sharon Fennimore, you are able to purchase a special mentoring package of four-sessions for $400 once you are enrolled in the course.

Graduation and Continuing Education Credits

Upon graduation, you will receive two certificates:

  • 25 CEU Certificate to Use for Continuing Education Credits with Yoga Alliance*
  • Graduation Certificate and Certification as a MPYT (Matrika Prenatal Yoga Teacher)
*Please note that this training course is NOT a Registered Yoga School with Yoga Alliance.  You CAN earn CEU credits for Yoga Alliance, but you will not be able to register in their Prenatal Yoga Specialist directory.

Top Five Reasons to Enroll in the Matrika Prenatal Teacher Training

May 15, 2013
Posted by Sharon
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Top Five Reasons to Enroll in the Matrika Prenatal Teacher Training

Reason Number Five

You are a yoga teacher.  More than 80% of American yoga practitioners are women.  If you are a yoga teacher in America, then this program gives you the cultural, social and political information you need to better understand the lived experience of your female students.  You will learn teaching skills and techniques that you can use in ANY class with men and women to improve the quality of experience for your students.  And, as an added bonus, you won’t have to freak out the next time one of your students confides in you before class that she just found out she’s pregnant and wonders if it is still OK to take your class.  Have the confidence you need to work with women.

Reason Number Four

You are a healing professional that works with women and, well, maybe you are a wee bit burned out.  This online program gives you a unique perspective and will challenge everything that you know and understand about women and reproduction.  You will find inspiration in this profound approach to the anatomy of energy and this, in turn, will inspire creative approaches to your work as a massage therapist, nurse, doctor, acupuncturist, counselor, therapist, doula……….

Reason Number Three

You have always wanted to add these professional skills but you just don’t have the time to do a residential program or perhaps you don’t have the financial resources to take off from work, travel to some resort or training center and stay in a hotel and eat out.  Or, perhaps you are a parent of young children or caring for a sick adult or maybe you just can’t travel due to your own personal circumstances.  Well, thanks to the power of the internet, you can now access this incredible curriculum and work at your own pace and whenever it suits you.  Sit in your pajamas while eating Fritos out of the bag at 2:00 am if you wish (not recommended though!) and work through your writing assignments.  No one will know.  Nurse your baby at 4:00 am and get your work done at the same time.

Reason Number Two

This course is a way to professionalize your interest in working with pregnant women.  Not only will you gain a certificate in teaching prenatal yoga, but you also get 30 CEU credits to use for your advancement or maintenance in your registration with Yoga Alliance.  There just aren’t that many flexible programs like this out there that offer this specific continuing education benefit for yoga teachers.  You can also, with a few added requirements, obtain credits required to register with Yoga Alliance as a RPYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher) in this prenatal yoga specialty.    If you have been teaching prenatal yoga for years, but didn’t graduate from a prenatal yoga teacher training program registered with Yoga Alliance, this is the most efficient and economical way to be able to register in this specialty.

Reason Number One

Working with women during pregnancy is one of the most rewarding things you will do for your entire life.  You don’t just support a pregnant woman—you support her entire family.  To empower a woman with strength, joy and a sense of calm during pregnancy is to help her use these skills throughout motherhood.  When one of your students or clients tells you that she is pregnant or just had a baby, you will have all the information and skills you need to fully support her and honor this time in her life on a physical, spiritual and energetic level.  This is a tremendous calling and your investment in these skills and training is a small sacrifice in the face of what you can offer to all the world.

 

Program Details:Unique and comprehensive curriculum includes the Culture and Politics of Reproduction, Culture of Fertility, Yoga During Pregnancy, Teaching Matrika Prenatal techniques and practices, Professional Skills and requires significant reading and writing and engagement with the cohort through discussion board participation, office hour conference calls and web-based lectures.  Cohorts begin four times a year, but it is possible to be added to a current cohort depending on your circumstances.  The cost of the program is $450 up to one month before the cohort begins and $550 after that.  Tuition does not include required textbooks.  Sign-up for my professional development newsletter and be the first to hear about training programs, registration information and for free resources for yoga instructors and birth workers.  

Posted by Sharon Fennimore,  a Pittsburgh-based yoga therapist, women’s health specialist and doula.  I am honored to do this work and would love to be a part of your birth and healing process.  If you have questions about the program, please send me an e-mail: sharon@yogamatrika.com or call me (412) 855-5692.

Program Details, FAQ and Enrollment Links

Matrika Prenatal Teacher Training

March 19, 2012
Posted by Sharon
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Yoga Matrika is a Registered School with Yoga Alliance and graduates of our 100-hour Matrika Prenatal Teacher Training Program are eligible to register with Yoga Alliance as an R-PYT (you must be at least a 200-hour RYT before you can obtain this specialty registration). 

Not able or interested in making the 100-hour commitment?  Yoga Matrika also offers an online course that carries 30 CEU credits.  Anyone, anywhere can take this course as long as you have internet access and a computer.  Study when you can and as you can.  With each tuition payment, you get one year of access to the online course—so take your time!

 100-Hour Matrika Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training

Features:

  • hybrid course combines a unique online course component with five weekend training intensives
  • program registered with Yoga Alliance so graduates who complete course and all requirements can register as R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher)
  • comprehensive course includes dynamic curriculum in yoga for fertility, yoga and exercise for pregnancy, postnatal yoga and mom and baby yoga
  • embodied anatomy (over 18-hrs.) for fertility, pregnancy and infant development facilitated by Mark Chandlee Taylor
  • curriculum includes social and cultural anthropological approach to theory, social criticism and the politics of reproduction
  • flexible course schedule
  • pay as you go for all course components

Curriculum:

  • Matrika Yoga for Optimum Fertility: poses and sequencing for yoga classes and private sessions to support fertility
  • Matrika Prenatal Yoga and Exercise: poses and sequencing for yoga classes for women in all phases of pregnancy
  • Matrika Mom & Baby Yoga: poses and sequencing for yoga classes for moms to share with infants up to one year of age
  • Skills for teaching deep relaxation, meditation and visualization for pregnancy
  • Working with Students through Disappointment and Grief
  • Anatomy of Fertility, Pregnancy, Postpartum
  • Energetic Anatomy of Pregnancy: The Matrika
  • Embodied anatomy of Infant Development
  • Culture and Fertility, Pregnancy and Motherhood
  • Ethics and Responsibilities
  • Practicum

Who will benefit from this Course:

  • Yoga instructors who wish to make working with women from fertility through pregnancy and beyond a specialty
  • Yoga instructors who already work with women and infants who wish to professionalize their commitment to this specialty
  • Doulas, massage therapists, alternative health care providers, labor and delivery nurses and other birth professionals who want to know how to incorporate yoga into their care of women and infants
  • Experienced yoga practitioners who want to commit to learning more about yoga for fertility, pregnancy and postnatal moms while also learning about the cultural construction of health for women and children in the United States. (Please note that ONLY instructors who have their RYT status can register with Yoga Alliance with the R-PYT status. Without the 200-hour RYT registration, you can’t add this specialty.)

How to Sign Up:

Register for each component individually.

First, purchase the ONLINE COURSE ($500). You will purchase the online course from our online store and receive a password and registration instructions within one week. The online course is only available to a limited number of participants at any given time. Please register as soon as you are able to make a commitment. If the course is full, please send an e-mail to Sharon indicating your interest and you will be placed on the mailing list: sharon@yogamatrika.com. The online course is available for purchase now and can be accessed starting May 1, 2012. Your purchase gives you access to the online course for ONE YEAR from the date of purchase or May 1, 2012, whichever is the latter.

 

Second, register for weekend training intensives. Each weekend costs $325*. Each training intensive will be offered once a year. If you miss any weekend training intensive, you should plan on taking the training you are missing in the next year. While you have up to three-years to finish all the requirements, please be aware that Yoga Matrika is not able to guarantee that any individual training session will be offered in any year in the future.

2012-2013 Weekend Training Intensives Dates:
  1. Optimum Fertility Weekend: September 28-September 30 (Friday evening, Sat. & Sun.)
  2. Prenatal Yoga Weekend: November 3-November 4 (Saturday & Sunday)
  3. Mom & Baby Yoga Weekend: January 18-January 20 (Friday evening, Sat. & Sun.)
  4. The Matrika: Energetic Anatomy of Fertility, Pregnancy and Motherhood: April 13-April 14 (Sat. & Sun.)
  5. Teaching Practicum: June 1-June 2 (Sat. & Sun.)

*Tuition for weekend intensives includes the following meals (vegetarian) and snacks will be available at all sessions: 9/28 & 1/18 dinner and breakfast and lunch on all Saturday and Sunday training dates. If you have special dietary requirements, please let Sharon know at least 2-weeks before each training.

How to Obtain Continuing Education Credits and Proof of Graduation:

There are TWO different and separate processes for obtaining your Continuing Education Credits and for your Proof of Graduation that you will require if you wish to register with Yoga Alliance as an R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher). You can apply for and obtain your CEU credits as soon as you finish the entire online course with the exception of the practicum requirements. In order to obtain proof of graduation, you must finish all of the training weekends, teach 30-classes (fertility, prenatal & postnatal all OK as long as you have a minimum of 5 prenatal and 5 mom & baby) and complete the practicum section of the online course. Sharon encourages all participants to obtain their CEU credits as soon as they finish the online course component so that, even if you do not complete the entire course, you get the full value from your investment in the online course.

30 CEU credits: How to Obtain Your CEU credit Certificate

You can earn 30 CEU credits by taking this online course (the Practicum section is not required for CEU credits) and by scheduling a minimum of one individual Skype sessions with Sharon Rudyk. After you have finished the entire online course, please e-mail Sharon to arrange for your SKYPE session(s): sharon@yogamatrika.com. After the session, you should send a letter with the following information:

1. Your name, as you wish for it to appear on your certificate

2. The address you wish the certificate to be mailed to

3. The e-mail address you wish for your certificate PDF to be sent to 4. A brief statement regarding your professional use of the course material

Please include a $20 certificate fee. Checks should be made out to: YOGA MATRIKA. Your certificate will be mailed to you within 14-days of the receipt of your letter and payment. Send your letter and payment to:

Sharon Rudyk Principal, Yoga Matrika 1406 S. Negley Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Please note that ONLY certified instructors can claim that they are teaching Matrika Prenatal or Matrika Mom & Baby classes. If you have taken this course for professional development and CEU credits, it is certainly appropriate for you to indicate that you have completed this course and invested in further training in this specialty area. You will not be able to say that you are certified to teach these specialty classes and you will not be able to register with Yoga Alliance as an R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher). If you wish to be able to do these things, then please complete the requirements for certification as outlined below.

Requirements for Certification

Step I: Complete Online Course, including Quizzes and the Practicum Section (the completion of the Practicum includes teaching at least 30-classes of some combination of fertility, prenatal/min. 5 and postnatal/mom & baby yoga/min. 5).

Step II: Attend All Five Training Sessions (Yoga for Fertility, Yoga for Pregnancy, Matrika Mom & Baby, The Matrika: Energetic Anatomy, Practicum)

Step III: Complete requirements for CEU Credits as listed above

Step IV: Send a letter with the following information to Sharon

1-Your name as you wish for it to be typed on your Graduation Certificate

2-The mailing address you wish to have your signed certificate mailed to you and the e-mail address that you wish to have the PDF of your certificate mailed to (you will need this PDF to register with Yoga Alliance as a R-PYT)

3-A brief statement regarding your professional use of the course material

4-How you wish to be listed in the Matrika Prenatal Instructor Guide, including your personal website, links to where you teach, e-mail address and/or telephone number. If you are also a doula, midwife, nurse or have other professional identities that you wish to have indicated in your listing, please also state these in your letter.

Please include a $50 Graduation Certificate fee. Checks should be made out to: YOGA MATRIKA. You will receive your documents within 14-days of receipt of your letter and fee. If you wish to register with Yoga Alliance, that is a separate fee and you will need to do so directly with Yoga Alliance.

Mail your letter and fee to:
Sharon Rudyk Principal, Yoga Matrika 1406 S. Negley Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Once you have graduated, you have the right to indicate that you are certified to teach yoga for fertility, prenatal yoga and postnatal yoga. You are encouraged to indicate that you are teaching the following courses and to distinguish what you are offering from other styles, but it is not required that you use the Matrika name if it presents an obstacle for you or your employer or if it is not appropriate for any reason:

Matrika Fertility™
Matrika Prenatal Yoga and Exercise™
Matrika Mom & Baby Yoga™

When you receive your graduation certificate, you will also receive full class descriptions for the above classes that you will be certified to teach. These can be used to promote your classes.

Registering with Yoga Alliance as an R-PYT

Your graduation from this course and fulfilling all of the listed requirements also makes you eligible to register with Yoga Alliance as a R-PYT. Your registration with Yoga Alliance is not managed by Yoga Matrika and it is not required. It is a personal and professional decision that you must make if you wish to align yourself with this professional organization or not. Please be aware that Yoga Alliance requires that all R-PYT are already registered RYT at the 200 level or greater. If you are not an RYT or eligible to register as an RYT, you will not be able to register as an R-PYT even if you finish this course. These are the regulations of Yoga Alliance and Yoga Matrika has no control over these requirements. If registering as an R-PYT is important to you and you are not currently eligible to register as an RYT, please consider Yoga Matrika’s 200-Hour Teacher Training Program. We have scheduled this program so that you can do both at the same time.

This course is registered with Yoga Alliance and graduates who meet all of the requirements (including already having graduated from a 200-hour program with RYT status and meeting all of the graduation requirements of this program) can register with Yoga Alliance as R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teachers). This course includes fertility yoga, culture and reproduction, over 18-hours of embodied anatomy training with Mark Taylor, prenatal yoga, postnatal yoga and Mom and Baby yoga. You will be fully qualified to teach Matrika Yoga for Optimum Fertility, Matrika Prenatal Yoga and Exercise and Matrika Mom and Baby classes upon graduation. This course has a significant online course component and five required training weekends. This program exceeds Yoga Alliance requirements and is intended to offer the highest quality of professional training available.

Training Weekend Details

We welcome pregnant women and women with children in our program and hope that you will discuss your needs with us before registering. We are happy to provide more frequent breaks, allow you to keep a nursling with you at all times and coordinate on-site or off-site childcare for children. You have up to one year to complete the online course (from whenever you start) and up to three-years to finish the training sessions.

Are you coming from out of town? Yoga Matrika highly recommends the Marriott Spring Hill Suites in Bakery Square. This hotel is convenient to Trader Joe’s supermarket, a Coffee Tree Roasters coffee shop and is approximately 2.5 miles from the yoga studio. There are also myriad restaurants within walking distance and an awesome natural fibers yarn and knitting shop (if you are into that kind of thing…..). If you are coming with family members, Pittsburgh is an awesome place for all ages for a weekend with world class museums, performances, restaurants and more. Sharon can provide referrals for childcare. If you are coming to the Burgh solo and wish to find a roommate or maybe even a home stay, please let Sharon know and she can connect you with others who are traveling alone.

 

Matrika Prenatal Teacher Training program is registered with Yoga Alliance™ and all graduates are eligible to register with Yoga Alliance as R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teachers).

 

 

Professional Development: 30 CEU credits
An Online Course for RYT Yoga Instructors in Yoga for Women for Optimum Fertility, Pregnancy and Beyond

Online Course Tuition: $500
45-Minute Skype Session with Sharon Rudyk: $40
CEU Credit Certificate Fee (one time fee): $20

Total cost: $560

This online course discusses anatomy, culture and yoga techniques, modifications and sequencing ideas for fertility, pregnancy and mom and baby classes. This is a wonderful way for 200-hr. RYT instructors to explore an interest in working with women through all phases of reproduction and earn credits towards maintaining registration with Yoga Alliance. Experienced teachers may find that this online course provides all that they need to be better able to serve their existing clients who are pregnant or become new parents. If you decide during or after the online course that you wish to pursue certification, you have up to three-years to complete all of the weekend intensive trainings after starting the online course. Upon completion of the online course and all graduation requirements, you will receive a certificate of completion and 30 Continuing Education credits valid for your professional registration with Yoga Alliance. The costs of this course is $500 and there are additional costs for SKYPE sessions ($40 per 45-minutes) and/or private sessions ($60 an hour) and professional mentoring and a one time certificate fee ($20) to cover administrative processing.

Pay Online Course Tuition HERE:
Please note that you can pay for the course at any time, but you will get an access code for registration on May 1st, 2012 or if you pay after May 1st, you will receive an access code within one week of payment. It is recommended that you send Sharon an e-mail: sharon@yogamatrika.com and/or call (412) 855-5692 after you make payment to confirm it has been received.

 

 

30 CEU credits: How to Obtain Your CEU credit Certificate

You can earn 30 CEU credits by taking this online course (the Practicum section is not required for CEU credits) and by scheduling a minimum of one individual Skype sessions with Sharon Rudyk. After you have finished the entire online course, please e-mail Sharon to arrange for your SKYPE session(s): sharon@yogamatrika.com. After the session, you should send a letter with the following information:

1. Your name, as you wish for it to appear on your certificate

2. The address you wish the certificate to be mailed to

3. The e-mail address you wish for your certificate PDF to be sent to 4. A brief statement regarding your professional use of the course material

Please include a $20 certificate fee. Checks should be made out to: YOGA MATRIKA. Your certificate will be mailed to you within 14-days of the receipt of your letter and payment. Send your letter and payment to:

Sharon Rudyk Principal, Yoga Matrika 1406 S. Negley Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Please note that ONLY certified instructors can claim that they are teaching Matrika Prenatal or Matrika Mom & Baby classes. If you have taken this course for professional development and CEU credits, it is certainly appropriate for you to indicate that you have completed this course and invested in further training in this specialty area. You will not be able to say that you are certified to teach these specialty classes and you will not be able to register with Yoga Alliance as an R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher).