YTT Frequently asked questions.
1. Is any prior experience needed?
No prior experience is needed to begin the SomaVia YTT. This program is designed to lay the foundation in the first 200 hours of training, and advance skills in the second 300 hours of training. The only prerequisite is a beginners mind.
2. Can I take the 200 hour portion of this training and still get a certificate?
Yes, you can begin with the first 200 hours and pause and still get your 200 Hour Teacher Training Certificate through the Yoga Alliance and well as recognition form the American Yoga Council. At this time you will be certified to teach.
3. I already have a 200 Hour Certificate, Can I take just the 300 Hour portion in order to complete my 500 Hour training?
Yes, you can begin with the 300 Hour position of this training if you already have a 200 Hour certificate that is relatable to this methodology. An assessment of knowledge and skill will be given and the option to take a few virtual courses to fill in any gaps is available. We can discuss this on your discovery call.
4.Are there any other requisites to obtaining my 500 Hour YTT Certificate besides this training?
Yes, the Yoga Alliance requires you teach a certain number of hours in addition to completing the 300 hours of advance training required to get your 500 Hour recognition. If you begin teaching after your first 200 hours of training, by the time you complete the last 300 hours you have the opportunity to complete this requirement.
5. What does “soma” or “somatic” actually mean?
“Soma” comes from the Greek word meaning “the living body as experienced from within.”
“Somatic” refers to practices that focus on internal sensation, body awareness, and movement from the inside out — rather than emphasis on external form or performance
6. What is “somatic movement”?
Somatic movement is mindful, intentional movement where you pay attention to how movement feels in your body — how your joints, muscles, breath, balance, and inner sensations respond — rather than how the movement looks or what the “end result” is.
It often involves slow, gentle motions, exploratory movement, aS these make it easier to hold your internal awareness on sensation. All movement however, can become somatic in practice by bringing your attention to it.
7. What is “functional movement”?
Functional movement refers to movement that come from the patterns we used in development; rolling, crawling, walking. thise movements translate well into everyday life as they are based on how the human body was designed and developed. these are the movements that solve our every day problems— movements that support posture, alignment, daily tasks, mobility, balance, coordination, and overall ease of living. Within a somatic framework, functional movement is done with awareness and sensitivity to your body’s needs, not simply for aesthetic or performance goals.
8. What is “breathwork” and how does “somatic breathwork” differ from other breath practices?
Breathwork means consciously engaging with your breath — how you inhale, exhale, the rhythm, depth, and awareness of breathing. Somatic breathwork emphasizes using breath as a bridge between body and mind: combining conscious breathing with attention to internal sensations, emotional release, nervous-system regulation, and embodied presence.
somatic breath-work may prioritize specific breathing patterns for performance or energy shifts if that is needed Most of us however, begin with more grounding, listening to your body, and supporting healing or nervous-system balance.
9. How does meditation fit into somatic work?
Meditation in somatic work often means cultivating mindful awareness of your body — sensations, breath, posture, internal rhythms — and using stillness or gentle movement to tune into what’s happening inside. It supports integration of mind, body, and nervous system, helping to calm stress, ease emotional tension, and deepen self-awareness.
10. What’s the difference between “somatic movement,” “somatic breathwork,” “meditation,” and “traditional yoga or exercise”?
Somatic movement emphasizes how movement feels internally, body-mind connection, nervous-system regulation, and internal awareness.
Somatic breath-work uses breath + sensation + awareness to support embodiment, emotional release, and nervous-system balance.
Meditation (in this context) invites stillness or gentle movement + internal awareness of body, breath, and mind — cultivating calm, self-awareness, and integration.
Traditional yoga does all of this an more. In modern times however, yoga has become more exercise than “yoga” and often emphasize external form, performance, strength, flexibility, or aesthetic goals. Somatic approaches shift focus from external to internal — sensation over performance.