Yoga Therapy integrates ancient yogic practices with modern psychological and health science principles to support healing, well-being, and personal transformation.
Complete in 6–12 Months
Integrate Yogic Wisdom with Modern Psychology and Health Science
About the Yoga Therapy Certificate
The Yoga Therapy Certificate is a program offered through Meridian University's Center for Transformative Learning. Designed for yoga practitioners, mental health professionals, and healthcare providers seeking to integrate yogic principles and practices into therapeutic contexts, the certificate draws on Meridian's graduate curriculum in yoga and psychology to provide a comprehensive foundation in yoga therapy.
As a certificate participant, you will take courses from the anchor and other parts of Meridian's graduate curriculum offered during the period of your enrollment. This means you will engage with the same rigorous, faculty-led coursework that graduate students experience, tailored to the certificate's focus on yoga therapy principles and practices.
What is Yoga Therapy?
Yoga Therapy is a professional practice that applies the principles and practices of yoga to support individuals experiencing physical, psychological, and emotional challenges. Drawing on the rich tradition of yogic philosophy and practice, and integrating modern insights from psychology, neuroscience, and health science, yoga therapy offers a holistic approach to healing that engages the whole person -- body, mind, and spirit. Yoga therapists work with clients to develop personalized practices that address specific conditions while fostering overall well-being and resilience.
Meridian's yoga and psychology curriculum provides the scholarly and experiential depth that distinguishes this certificate. With the globalization of yoga practice throughout the world, the profession of Yoga Therapy has emerged as groundbreaking in successfully legitimizing yoga as a methodology for working with physical illness and chronic health conditions. Coursework engages topics including historical foundations of the application of yoga to psychology; yogic principles and practices in psychotherapeutic practice; issues related to spiritual practice and psychology; conducting qualitative research on yoga and psychology; legal, ethical, and scope of practice issues entailed in yogic-centered psychotherapy; and the neuroscientific foundations of yoga practice.
The Rise of Yoga Therapy
The emergence of yoga therapy as a recognized profession reflects the growing understanding that yogic practices -- including movement, breathwork, meditation, and ethical reflection -- have profound effects on physical and psychological health. Yoga therapy is practiced in diverse settings including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, mental health clinics, wellness centers, and private practice. As healthcare systems increasingly embrace integrative and complementary approaches, yoga therapy offers a powerful modality that honors the body-mind connection and the integration of ancient wisdom with contemporary science.
Details
Certificate Details
- 16 credits of graduate-level coursework (4 courses at 4 credits each).
- Complete in 6 to 12 months — take 8 credits per quarter (6 months) or 4 credits per quarter (12 months).
- Courses are drawn from Meridian's graduate curriculum offered during the period of enrollment.
- Content and collaboration via Meridian's social learning platform.
Tuition
$476 per credit
Total certificate cost: $7,616 (16 credits)
Credits earned through the certificate may be applied toward a Meridian University graduate degree program, as applicable.
Accreditation
The Yoga Therapy Certificate is part of Meridian University's California state approval and WSCUC (WASC) accreditation. WSCUC is a higher education accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education. WSCUC is also the accreditor for Stanford University, UCLA, and the University of California at Berkeley.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the application requirements?
The documents below are required to complete an application for certificate programs:
- Certificate Application (opens in a new tab)
- Application Fee: A non-refundable application fee of $50 USD is required to process your application at the time of submission
- Official Bachelor's Transcript: Must be received in a sealed envelope and may be mailed directly to the University's Los Angeles Campus (2450 Colorado Avenue, Suite 100E, Santa Monica, CA 90404) from the academic institution. Electronic transcripts are accepted if sent directly from the academic institution to admissions@meridianuniversity.edu
- Personal Statement (500 words): Included as part of the application form and should highlight the formative and significant experiences in your life, and how those experiences have influenced you in choosing to pursue a certificate program
- Information Meeting Attendance: In addition to submitting application materials, it is necessary that applicants attend an information meeting with certificate program faculty prior to moving forward in the application process. Prior to scheduling an information meeting, we require prospects to meet with an Admissions Advisor to discuss their certificate program interests further
- If you have not already done so, please schedule this Advising Appointment using this link. Once you meet this requirement, we will follow up with the next steps to schedule an Information Meeting with the faculty
What is the Yoga Therapy Certificate?
The Yoga Therapy Certificate is a 16-credit program offered by Meridian University that provides a comprehensive foundation in Yoga Therapy. The certificate draws on courses from Meridian's graduate curriculum, offering rigorous, faculty-led coursework aligned with the certificate's focus area.
How long does it take to complete the certificate?
The certificate can be completed in as few as 6 months (taking 8 credits per quarter) or up to 12 months (taking 4 credits per quarter). Each course is 4 credits, and the program requires a total of 16 credits.
How much does the certificate cost?
Tuition for the Yoga Therapy Certificate is $476 per credit. The total cost for the 16-credit certificate is $7,616.
Can I apply these credits toward a Meridian degree?
Yes. Credits earned in the Yoga Therapy Certificate may be applied toward a Meridian University graduate degree program, as applicable. This allows you to build on your certificate work if you choose to pursue further graduate study at Meridian.
Is the certificate accredited?
Yes. The Yoga Therapy Certificate is part of Meridian University's California state approval and WSCUC (WASC) accreditation. WSCUC is a higher education accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education, and is also the accreditor for Stanford University, UCLA, and the University of California at Berkeley.
What courses will I take as part of the certificate?
Certificate participants take courses from Meridian's graduate curriculum that are offered during the period of their enrollment. The specific courses available each quarter are drawn from the anchor and other parts of the graduate curriculum, providing a rich and varied learning experience grounded in the certificate's focus area.
What technology do I need to participate?
You will need an email account, a high-speed internet connection, and access to a computer, iOS or Android device. For live video sessions, you will need a webcam and microphone for your device. Course video calls are conducted with participants video-enabled.
How many courses do I need to complete?
The certificate requires four courses. At Meridian, each course is 4 credits, so the 16-credit certificate is completed by taking four courses. You can take up to two courses per quarter (8 credits) to finish in 6 months, or one course per quarter (4 credits) to finish in 12 months.
How can I reach program support?
The program support team will be available to assist from start to finish. Please send your questions, requests, or issues to admissions@meridianuniversity.edu