Healing Yoga for Cancer
Teacher Training

Healing Yoga for Cancer Survivorship

January 29th - May 25th, 2024

This yoga therapy course with Cheryl Fenner Brown, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, YACEP is designed for yoga teachers and healthcare practitioners wishing to help cancer patients and survivors use ancient yoga practices to improve immunity, reduce cancer side-effects, and build holistic wellness.

In this course you will learn:

  • About cancer biology, how and why cancer happens, and the link between stress, inflammation, and immunity.

  • About traditional Western medical, complementary, and alternative cancer treatments and how side effects impact patients’ well-being.

  • The theory and practice of yoga protocols for managing cancer treatment side effects (pain, insomnia, lymphedema, digestive distress, cognitive fog, anxiety, depression, neuropathy, and cancer-related fatigue).

  • How to adapt common practices for patients in active treatment, what is safe, and what should be avoided.

  • Somatic movement therapies that enhance lymphatic flow to boost functional and physical well-being.

  • The practical application of adaptive, chair, and restorative asana for patients in treatment and beyond.

  • How cancer impacts the subtle body, including the koshas, the vayus, and the chakras.

  • About the powerful practice of mudra and how it helps manage cancer's physical and emotional side effects.

  • Safe pranayama practices for cooling the body, calming the nervous system, and promoting awareness.

  • The brain science behind how Yoga Nidra promotes healing at the deepest levels.

  • The art of writing your own customized Yoga Nidra meditations.

  • How to guide students through intention setting and transforming intentions into personal Sanskrit mantras.

  • The power of sound practices, bija mantras, and japa mala meditation.

  • How to adapt the yoga for cancer protocols for individual sessions and group yoga classes.

  • To build confidence around supporting emotional processing when it arises in your students and to protect your boundaries while working with this population.

  • How to effectively teach and assist cancer patients through group case studies and patient practicum.

Healing Yoga for Cancer Teacher Training (50 Hours)

$975

This training is broken up into modules described below.

A separately priced 10 Hour On-Demand Yoga Nidra module is also available as an add on for

Those who complete Healing Yoga for Cancer training, along with the Yoga Nidra module will earn 60 hours through YA and IAYT,

Have a question? Email us at teachertraining@8limbsyoga.com

In Cheryl’s own words….

Modular Curriculum

  • 6 Hours - Livestream

    This introductory session covers the biology of cancer as well as and how traditional, complementary, and alternative treatments impact patients’ health. Learn how stress impacts the immune system and how yoga can help; plus, how to adapt common practices for patients in active treatment, what is safe and what should be avoided. Explore the basic yoga protocol used in the Healing Yoga for Cancer Survivorship research study including asana, mudra, pranayama, guided relaxation, and sound.

    • Monday, January 29, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

    • Monday, February 5, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

    • Monday, February 12, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

  • 10 Hours - Livestream

    Learn how to adapt common asanas for both cancer patients and survivors. Take a deep dive into restorative and chair yoga, as well as somatic movement therapies that boost immunity. Learn specific protocols that reduce cancer treatment side-effects such as lymphedema, pain, insomnia, anxiety, depression, digestive distress, neuropathy, and cancer-related fatigue. Practice customizing asana protocols with group case studies.

    • Saturday, February 24, 12:00-2:00 pm + 3:00-5:00 pm EST

    • Monday, February 26, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

    • Monday, March 4, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

    • Monday, March 11, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

  • 10 Hours - Livestream

    Learn the powerful art of mudras and how they elicit positive changes in the physical, emotional, mental and wisdom bodies. Learn how to create your own personalized mudras, and explore specific mudra protocols to promote immune health, and manage anxiety, depression, pain, insomnia, lymphedema, neuropathy, cancer-related fatigue, and digestive distress. Learn how to combine mudra with asana, pranayama, chanting, and meditation to promote deeper awareness and healing. Practice customizing mudra protocols with group case study work.

    • Saturday, March 16, 12:00-2:00 pm + 3:00-5:00 pm EST

    • Monday, March 18, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

    • Monday, March 25, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

    • Monday, April 1, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

    • ​Monday, April 8, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

  • 10 Hours - Livestream

    Online pre-requisite includes a review of yoga philosophy and the difference between Samkhya and Vedanta views; an introduction to the subtle body including prana, nadis, vayus, koshas, doshas, sound, and the chakras; and learn how to view cancer through the lens of the subtle body. Learn the science behind pranayama and how to guide patients through practices during treatment and beyond. Experience specific pranayama protocols to manage anxiety, depression, pain, insomnia, lymphedema, neuropathy, cancer-related fatigue, cognitive fog, and digestive distress. Cultivate the power of using intention and the sound practices of chanting, bija mantra, and japa mala to enhance meditative states. Learn how to guide clients in creating personalized Sanskrit mantras. Group case study work will help you apply your knowledge and customize breath, sound, and intention protocols.

    • Saturday, April 13, 12:00-2:00 pm + 3:00-5:00 pm EST

    • Monday, April 15, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

    • Monday, April 22, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

  • Yoga Nidra is a style of guided meditation that leads practitioners through a first-person experience of their body, breath, emotions, and imagination in a completely non-judgmental and compassionate way. Anyone can learn to write and teach from their own Yoga Nidra meditations with this 10-hour online Yoga Nidra Training chock full of video lectures, audio practices, written homework exercises and 7 hours of bonus content that will stoke your creative writing fires. By the end of the course, you will have written your very own Yoga Nidra meditation and have the tools and understanding to write more scripts.

    $295 - Billed Separately

    10-hour On-Demand Yoga Nidra

  • 8 Hours - Livestream

    In this module, Cheryl will show you how to combine all the practices covered in the training by teaching one class that highlights each side effect we are tracking. This is an invaluable part of the training that enables you to experience how asana, mudra, pranayama, sound, and intention combine to create safe and effective experiences for your students and clients.

    • Monday, April 29, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

    • Monday, May 6, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

    • Monday, May 13, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

    • Monday, May 20, 3:00-5:00 pm EST

  • Includes: an observed one-on-one session with your client (schedule TBD)

    Are you ready to apply your yoga for cancer knowledge to real-world teaching scenarios? This practicum is an opportunity to work one-on-one with cancer patients and survivors under supervision. Learn how to protect your boundaries while working with this population and how to support emotional processing when it arises. Tips on effectively teaching and assisting cancer patients, observing and practicing the client assessment process. Customize yoga protocols that meet your client's needs by meeting asana, mudra, pranayama, sound, intention, and yoga nidra. Practice teaching your protocols and receive feedback from your peers in a safe and supportive environment.

    • Saturday, May 25, 12:00-2:00 pm + 3:00-5:00 pm EST

    • Observed one-on-one session with your client (schedule TBD)

    • Final projects due Sunday, June 30, 2024

Yoga Alliance Categories for 50-Hour Healing Yoga for Cancer Training:

  • Techniques, Training & Practice = 20

  • Anatomy & Physiology = 7

  • Teaching Methodology = 9

  • Philosophy, Ethics & Lifestyle = 4

  • Practicum = 10

Cheryl Fenner Brown, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, YACEP, is an Integrative Yoga Therapist and Senior Teacher whose mission is to help you learn practical self-care through ancient yoga techniques. Classes are slow, mindful, and full of opportunities to connect to your inner knowing - but they will also stretch your limits compassionately. Experience the benefits of movement, mudra, conscious breath, and mindful relaxation. Cheryl specializes in working with older adults and cancer patients and teaches teachers to serve these populations nationwide.

Learn more about Cheryl

  • "Thank you Cheryl for this incredible course. I am coming away feeling very resourced and ready to start serving those living with cancer. The depth of the insights, wisdom, and skills you share are way beyond what I was expecting and of value to all communities I serve. Your energy, support, and grace through the whole program is wonderful too. Most grateful I found this. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn how they can best support those living with cancer or any other (life) challenging condition."

    Trish D. - 2023

  • "This was a great class to learn about how the different aspects of yoga can be used therapeutically with cancer patients. I found the course very informative, and provided me with the tools to create a treatment plan for my patients."

    Heidi S. - 2023

  • "Cheryl is a very thorough and well-researched teacher. She knows her stuff and presents it in an easy to follow and easy to understand manner. I loved training with Cheryl and look forward to more trainings with her."

    Vrinda A. - 2023

  • "This training is excellent! Cheryl is a good teacher who is very well prepared and always finds time to answer questions and check-in with how the students are doing. This course is very inclusive and covers all aspects of yoga and how to use them with cancer patients. who are going through treatment and in recovery. The manual contains extensive materials for all the modules and is great for reference"

    Ellen A. - 2023

  • "I was thoroughly impressed with the training and learned so much. I feel confident I can help make a difference in others' lives."

    Sheila H. - 2023