Yoga Therapy Opportunities and The Job Market
“What are the job opportunities for a Yoga Therapist?” is a common question that we get asked by prospective yoga therapy students. “What does the field of yoga therapy look like? What are the opportunities to work as a Yoga Therapist? And How much does a Yoga Therapist get paid?”
Traditionally, Yoga Therapists work in private practice just as other health care providers. Over the past 27 years in the field I have worked in private practice, universities, colleges, community centres, corporate fitness centres (Petro Canada, RBC Dominion Securities, Scotia Bank Head Office, Ontario Police, Waterloo Region Police Headquarters…), hospitals, physiotherapy, chiropractic, psychotherapy and massage therapy clinics, holistic health centres, hospice, cancer treatment programs, conferences and both local and destination retreat centres. Colleague and graduates of our training programs also work at prisons, shelters, public and private schools, associations and other interesting places. Yoga Therapists often have specialties within the field and clients seek them out. Many Yoga Therapists work alone as experts in yoga techniques for physical issues, mental health issues, chronic diseases, spiritual support and life stages coaching (fertility, pregnancy, postnatal…).
Yoga Therapists fees vary across regions and can depend on level of experience. Our general impression is that a Yoga Therapist pay rate is in the range of other alternative and complimentary healthcare providers. Experience and education can elevate the ability to charge more for services. In major cities, we’ve seen rates from $85-300 CDN per session. In smaller locations, the bottom of that scale is more the norm with rates dropping to the $60-75 CDN range in less affluent areas. New, inexperienced yoga therapists may make as little as $20-25 CDN per session when working in student placements at our studio or other health and wellness clinics and may often volunteer time to gain valuable experience with particular segments of the market such as addictions, suicide prevention, women who have experience partner violence, women in incarceration or returning to public life and other vulnerable populations. As a senior therapist I currently charge $180.00 for a new client in-take (60-120mins) and $120.00 per session (60min) after the initial intake session. We often offer this package for 5 sessions including the intake for $600.00. New therapists we bill at $75.00 for the intake and $50.00/session – the therapist would receive 60% of those rates. We offer an intro package for 5 sessions including intake for $250.00 The experienced therapist of 2-5 years will start at 100.00 for the intake and 75.00/ session and the package rate is 350.00.
Conferences really depends on the conference and the amount of time investment needed to prepare and present, travel and accommodations. On average I have a ½ day rate and a full day rate and multiple day rates. Some conference I teach for free, making sure to receive link back, promotional opportunities, mailing list expansion and being introduced to new clients. Other times we can earn as much as $500-1000/day.
As yoga therapy is gaining acceptance and credibility with the public and with primary and integrative healthcare providers we are seeing more job opportunities for Yoga Therapists emerge outside of private practice. We have seen Yoga Therapists from our school employed at addiction centers, hospital programs such as cancer centers and mental health departments, with chiropractors and wellness centers, with military deployed and veterans for trauma-sensitive classes, in school districts, and others. Some of them are working one-on-one and some are running classes for specific condition sets after completing their yoga therapist training.
These opportunities are usually paid hourly. We have seen all of these types of positions advertised for which is very encouraging. The fact that institutions and health care practices know to ask for a Yoga Therapist is a sign that the field in moving forward and that more and more job opportunities for Yoga Therapists are coming.
As a whole, most Yoga Therapists are entrepreneurial and self-employed. Job opportunities for Yoga Therapists are pieced together and with the addition of private clients, this constitutes the working environment. While this may seem daunting at first, it does create the ability for a Yoga Therapist to engage in very rewarding work—in a way that suits them. Many students are working in this way and describe their work schedule as working 1-3 days on site and then filling the rest with yoga therapy private practice and sometimes general yoga classes.
The most encouraging news is that our school is now receiving referral inquiries from healthcare providers for names of Yoga Therapists. These employers are having trouble filling the yoga therapy positions they have available, therefore providing more job opportunities for Yoga Therapists. This makes a lot of sense considering how much the field of yoga therapy is gaining recognition and popularity, but the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) has roughly only 6,000 Yoga Therapists holding their certification (C-IAYT).
We see this moment as a very exciting time to enter this emerging field early in its development as becoming a “profession”. We are honored to be an integral part of this new paradigm in wellness by sharing the mission to spread the availability of accessible, inclusive, trauma-sensitive, quality, practical, and ethical yoga therapy training. You have choices. If you see yourself as an entrepreneur, it is work but you can make a good income having your own business. If you prefer to work for others and not have the stressors of owning your own physical business, there are many new and emerging opportunities to work as a yoga therapist and get paid hourly and/or per contract and there are more and more jobs where you can be employed by another business to work full-time as a yoga therapist.
Are you ready to be a change-maker in the emerging field of Yoga Therapy? Apply now and start your journey on a new and exciting career path.