The Art of Assists

Led by Casey Ricci // February 7 & 8

The assisting landscape has changed in recent years — this program meets the moment by emphasizing a present-day, evolving approach to consensual touch and support in your yoga classes.

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Join Casey for a 10-hour training focused on the foundations of hands-on assists to offer support in Vinyasa, Yin and Restorative classes. Supportive touch is a complement to verbal teaching to enhance a student’s felt sense and understanding a pose. Expect to learn assists for core yoga poses with the skills and techniques to physically and energetically assist postures safely and confidently. You will establish your own personal code of ethics for consensual assisting in your yoga classes, developing skillsets that are immediately applicable upon the completion of this training.

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Email jess@portlandyogacollective.com to sign up.

Overview

When is this taking place?

Saturday, February 7 from 12-5pm
Sunday, February 8 from 12-5pm
Students must attend the full training

What is the cost?

$200 non-refundable investment
$180 for PYC YTT graduates (we offer a lifetime 10% training discount for all PYC Yoga Teacher Training graduates)
We are proud to offer 2 half scholarships as part of our ongoing work to diversify the Greater Portland yoga community. Please email jess@portlandyogacollective.com to inquire about scholarship opportunities.

Who is this for?

Certified yoga instructors who are interested in developing their hands-on support teaching skillset.

Content & Materials

This 10-hour course will cover the following topics and materials:

When and how to assist students in Vinyasa, Yin and Restorative classes.
The ethics and energetics hands-on assists.
Development of a personal code of ethics for appropriate, consensual touch in the context of a yoga class.
Practice teaching assisting bodies in motion.
Opportunities for continued support post-training:
- Assist a Vinyasa and/or Yin class at the studio with guidance and feedback from PYC staff.
- Option to add on a post-training mentorship session with Casey for a sliding scale fee of $40–$60 for a 60-min session.

Trainings at Portland Yoga Collective prioritize a safe and nurturing environment for students to step into curiosity. Expect to participate in meaningful dialogue on the art of teaching and engage in the courageous practice of teaching.

Teacher | Casey Ricci

With a deep appreciation for intuitive movement and how it's supported me throughout different chapters of my life, my classes empower you to make choices that feel good. Expect a balance of sweet and spicy as we move through playful sequences curated to open the body and guide you inward. My classes are infused with Reiki as my intention is to create a nurturing space for self-care. In 2017, I completed my 200-hour yoga teacher training. I have Reiki Level 2 and am certified in yin yoga, yoga nidra and meditation. Outside of class you can find me dancing in heels, swimming in the ocean, designing marketing emails, fostering dogs, or finding Portland's best oat latte.

**Hear from Casey on her why behind The Art of Assists training:**

“Giving and receiving hands-on assists has been one of the most profound aspects of my teaching journey. Into the body is the way for me; I continue to come back to embodiment, energy and hands-on touch—this training is the intersection. Consensual, appropriate touch has opened me up to deeper trust and connection in my own life. To be held and supported and to offer that in return is an essential part of the human experience. Teachers have misused touch and the assisting landscape has changed post-pandemic. Assists are rarely offered today, and as such we’ve lost the beneficial aspects of touch: to show better than tell, to offer support and to connect. My WHY behind this training is to bring back the benefits of touch to the modern yoga practice in the most intentional, clear and heart-centered way.”