Fall 2024 Trainings

150-hour Yoga Student Training // 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training

Portland Yoga Collective is excited to offer a 150-hr Yoga Student Training with the option to take 50 additional hours of study to complete a 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training. Co-led by Christina Spencer and Tizzy Ernstoff and with support from the PYC teaching staff, you will explore a multifaceted approach to self-inquiry, deepen your practice and understanding of yoga, and gain the tools to teach a safe and empowering yoga class.

Content

Students in the 150-hr Yoga Student Training and 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training will learn:

  • History, philosophy and ethics of yoga

  • Chakra system and the subtle body

  • Yoga and the nervous system

  • Pranayama, mantra and meditation

  • Experiential anatomy, physiology and biomechanics

  • Posture breakdown and alignment

  • Taoism

  • Systems of oppression, cultural appropriation and accessible & inclusive yoga 

  • Public speaking and communication skills

  • Asana practices focusing on Vinyasa with exploration of Yin and Restorative

Students taking the additional 50 hours of study to complete the 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training will learn:

  • Intelligent sequencing and theming

  • Art of holding space

  • Voice and communication of a teacher

  • Safe and effective hands on adjustments

  • Practice teaching

  • Giving and receiving feedback

  • Arc of a playlist

  • Business of yoga

Timeline

We will meet at the studio Wednesday evening and Saturday & Sunday during the daytime:

  • Wednesdays 6:45pm - 8:45pm

  • Saturdays 8am - 4:15pm 

  • Sundays 8:30am - 4pm

  • *Students in the 150-hour Yoga Student Training will have early release some Saturdays & Sundays

The 150-hour Yoga Student Training is completed in 2 semesters, or 8 weeks total:

  • Week 1: September 25, 28-29

  • Week 2: October 2, 5-6

  • Week 3: October 9, 12-13

  • BREAK: October 14-20

  • Week 4: October 23, 26-27

  • Week 5: October 30, November 2-3

  • Week 6: November 6, 9-10

  • Week 7: November 13, 16-17

  • Week 8: November 20, 23-24

Students who take the additional 50 hours of study to complete the 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training in trimesters will continue on for another 2 weeks, or 10 weeks total:

  • BREAK: November 25–December 1

  • Week 9: December 4, 8-9

  • Week 10: December 11, 14-15

Weekly schedule example

Teaching Team

  • Yoga Teacher Training Instructor

    Victoria Swift

    TEACHER

  • Yoga Teacher Training Instructor

    Danielle Gismondi

    TEACHER

  • Yoga Teacher Training Instructor

    Margo Rosingana

    TEACHER

  • Yoga Teacher Training Instructor

    Casey Ricci

    TEACHER

  • Yoga Teacher Training Instructor

    Witold Fitz-Simon

    TEACHER

  • Yoga Teacher Training Instructor

    Kat Englishman

    TEACHER

  • Yoga Teacher Training Instructor

    Cayce Parker

    TEACHER

  • yoga teacher training instructor

    Jess Fadale

    TEACHER

Unique Benefits

Participating in Portland Yoga Collective’s trainings means you‘ll enjoy additional studio perks, individualized support and ways to continue honing your craft after the program concludes.

  • Two learning paths so you can choose the investment and content most aligned to you

  • Unlimited monthly membership throughout the duration of the training

  • Ongoing access to recorded Anatomy & Physiology modules

  • Immersive training experience with morning meditation, pranayama and asana practice every weekend

  • Learning materials to integrate content outside the studio, including Google Classroom, podcasts, videos & more!

  • Comprehensive and interactive handbook 

  • Regular check-ins and office hours with the teaching team throughout the training

  • A focal point on the study of deep self-inquiry

  • For YTTs only:

    • An 8 week post-training mentorship

    • A lifetime 10% continuing education program discount

    • A Vinyasa sequencing structure worksheet with example sequences

    • Individualized constructive feedback during practice teach sessions and public graduation classes

  • “The opportunity to deepen my practice during the Yoga Student Training was truly life changing. I am particularly grateful for the openness to learn about yoga beyond asanas with its historical and contemporary complexities. Tizzy and Christina created a beautiful space where we all embarked on a journey to get to know ourselves deeper and in community. By the end, I not only knew myself better, but also I found more compassion, self acceptance and the best of all, new friends. Gracias!“

    Carolina, 2023 Yoga Student Training Graduate

  • “Under the guidance of knowledgeable and compassionate Christina and Tizzy, I gained a deeper awareness of my practice and developed the skills necessary to share the profound benefits of yoga with others. The emphasis on mindfulness, self-reflection and integration of yogic principles into everyday life set this training apart. "

    Jackie, 2023 Yoga Teacher Training Graduate

  • “When I first stepped my feet into Portland Yoga Collective everything changed in my life, I really wasn’t open with people or listening to people’s opinions, but when I put my feet in yoga I feel new, I got a new family and new friends. Everyone was nice and friendly with me.”

    Nyemba, 2023 Yoga Teacher Training Graduate

  • “The fact that the training is co-led is dynamic, and has a dream team guest instructors. As soon as we began it felt like...this is where I'm supposed to be. The syllabus holds diversity, equity and inclusion; an immersion of yogic philosophy; physiology, etc. The progression has a natural flow. I'm keeping all of this. Always.”

    Lance, 2023 Yoga Teacher Training Graduate

  • “Without exaggeration, signing up for PYC’s YTT was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. What I thought would be a dive into yoga history, philosophy, anatomy, training technique, etc. turned out to be that and so, so much more; this training encouraged (and at times challenged) me to go inward and make contact with myself in a way that felt meaningful and supported by my teachers and fellow students. "

    Grace, 2023 Yoga Teacher Training Graduate

  • “Portland Yoga Collective's YTT has been expansive, informative, and given me another pathway to deepen a practice I love. A social justice lens was applied throughout this training as we explored the physical practice, the history of yoga and the current cultural significance. I hold the PYC community close to my heart and being able to spend so much time in the studio learning from Tizzy and Christina has been deeply nourishing, grounding, and supportive!"

    Amelia, 2023 Yoga Teacher Training Graduate

  • "The Yoga Student Training was the best gift I gave myself in 2023. I was looking for an opportunity to prioritize self discovery and to deepen my yoga practice both on and off the mat. YST provided this for me, and more. I wrapped up the 8 weeks with a greater understanding of the complex origins of yoga and colonialism, anatomy and poses, and philosophy beyond the asana practice, as well as a better understanding of what I want my yoga practice to look like at this point in my life. I felt that Christina and Tizzy created a precious container for every student to feel held and heard, which was wonderful. Overall, I loved the experience of being involved in a deep-dive yoga training that wasn’t centered solely around teaching!"

    Nina, 2023 Yoga Student Training Graduate

FAQs

  • The YST is for any student interested in learning more about what the practice of yoga has to offer beyond the mat. Many folks sign up for a traditional 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) with the goal to cultivate a greater depth of understanding in their practice rather than to teach. With this insight, we are excited to offer a training for students who want to dive into all of the profound knowledge and study that a YTT provides, without forcing students to absorb material like “the business of yoga” that is not relevant to their interests or pursuits.

  • The YST is for students who are looking to deepen their yoga practice and understand more about what yoga means beyond a 60-min class. Students will receive a certificate signifying they’ve completed 150-hours of study. Students will not be certified to teach yoga after the completion of the YST training; to do so they will need to complete the remaining 50-hours, totaling to 200-hours of study, after which they will receive a Yoga Teacher Training certificate.

    The additional 50 hours of study to complete the 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training will cover teaching methodology, sequencing and other modules integral to the Vinyasa teaching practice; therefore students who are interested in teaching yoga classes must register for the 200-hr YTT. Graduates will receive 8 weeks of post-training mentorship at no additional charge.

  • We consciously made the decision to not register our Yoga Teacher Training with Yoga Alliance. Yoga Alliance is not a credentialing or licensing organization, has low minimum program standards that are primarily focused on asana-based practices and little to no oversight to ensure standards are upheld. Additionally, it isn’t a requirement to be registered with Yoga Alliance in order to teach yoga; we do not require our staff to be registered with Yoga Alliance.

  • The 150-hr Yoga Student Training (YST) investment is:

    • $2,000 investment for unlimited monthly members

    • $2,250 for non-members – this includes an unlimited monthly membership for the duration of the training

    The 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) investment is:

    • $2,600 investment for unlimited monthly members

    • $2,850 for non-members – this includes an unlimited monthly membership for the duration of the training

    We require a non-refundable $500 deposit to reserve your spot. Payment plans are available; please email jess@portlandyogacollective.com to discuss options.

    We are excited to offer full and partial scholarships. Learn more here. Sign up for our newsletter (scroll to the bottom of our website to sign up!) to make sure you get all our program updates.

  • All YST/YTT trainees must attend the first weekend.

    We strongly encourage all YST/YTT trainees to not miss a session. The best course of action is to plan ahead to make sure you can attend every weekend! The nature of our training is to create a nourishing container for deep self-study; missing a section disrupts your own learning continuity and creates a rupture in the group. If you know you have an existing obligation during a session, please let us know ahead of time so we can make arrangements for you to make up those hours. We understand emergencies happen and in these cases will work with students to make up for missed hours.

    Students in the 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training may not miss more than 15 hours — the equivalent of one Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday — to graduate. Students will be required to make up missed content and sessions at an additional cost in order to receive a certificate of completion.

    Students in the 150-hr Yoga Student Training may not miss more than 10 hours — the equivalent of one Saturday & Sunday. For students considering taking the 50 additional hours to complete the 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training at PYC in the future, all YST hours must be completed. In order to receive a certificate of completion, students will be required to make up missed content and sessions at an additional cost.

  • Please visit our team page to learn more about our talented teachers who are dedicating their knowledge and expertise to this training.

  • We believe the best teachers are students. Our trainings are open to all students of yoga.

  • We will meet in-person every Wednesday evening and Saturday & Sunday during the daytime at the studio, with additional learning happening outside of the studio. Our curriculum is designed to accommodate different learning styles, including hands-on, experiential, discussion-based, pre-recorded videos, personal reflection, partner & group work and more.

  • All students who are interested in joining the YST/YTT must fill out our registration form. This is designed for us to get to know you as well as providing you a with more in depth outline of what to expect during training. Once the form is complete, students may put down a deposit for the training.

  • We’d love to hear them! Please email jess@portlandyogacollective.com.

Ready to sign up? Go ahead and register for the 150-hour Yoga Student Training or 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training below!

Still have questions? We’d love to hear them! Email jess@portlandyogacollective.com.

Photography by Leah’s Lens Photography