This specialized training for certified yoga teachers will teach you how to design a healing class for cancer survivors that addresses physical conditions, offers hope and invites curiosity while giving emotional and physical support. It is for experienced yoga teachers eager to cultivate their teaching skills and gather critical informtion from OM's WCS Yoga Program teachers.

The OM yoga Woman Cancer Survivor program was started five years ago in collaboration with The Libby Ross Foundation, which provides support services for women with breast cancer.  It is the only program where the funding goes directly to the people.  We have weekly classes, annual retreats and quarterly workshops and these are overflowing!  We plan to begin offering more classes as soon as we have the teachers who can teach them.  So we designed this teacher training program to meet the need of the breast cancer survivors who are finding so much benefit in these classes this community of like minded women.

This special OM yoga Woman Cancer Survivor Teacher Training provides a unique offering for yoga teachers to become aware of the limitations imposed by breast cancer surgeries, the many life-long side effects and the vulnerabilities of cancer treatments and reconstruction.  But just as importantly as learning about breast cancer you will also learn about the warrior women in these classes; yourself and your own projections, fears, and assumptions; and how to cultivate hope, remove stigma and provide healing and benefit in yoga class.

The OM yoga Woman Cancer Survivor Teacher Training Program is in two parts, each a full weekend.  Part 1 is for experienced yoga teachers who wish to expand their teaching offering and be of help to breast cancer survivors.  Part 2 is for graduates of Part 1 who would like to be considered for teaching and assisting in the growing OM yoga Woman Cancer Survivor program, which has weekly classes, annual retreats and quarterly workshops.

Part 1

This powerful learning weekend will lay the foundation for your understanding of breast cancer and what's under the baggy t-shirts of the breast cancer survivors, physically and emotionally.   You will have the opportunity to participate in two model yoga asana classes taught by Tari Prinster, giving you first hand experience of an OM yoga Women Cancer Survivor class.  Tari will teach you about breast cancer diagnoses, treatments and long-term side effects as well as the yoga poses that offer specific benefits to people undergoing treatment for breast cancer.  In discussion groups and through writing assignments, you will explore common unrecognized fears and feelings that arise when yoga teachers who don't have cancer, work with this population.  

** At the end of Part 1 weekend, you will have gained a factual and precise understanding of the challenges of the breast cancer healing journey as well as a foundational skill set for adapting your yoga teaching to be of most healing benefit to students with breast cancer.

Part 2

This teaching and practice weekend will build on the information presented in Part 1, which is required for Part 2.  Working in groups you will learn to develop sequences and create an entire class for breast cancer survivors.  OM yoga teaching methodology will be integrated through asana classes as well as specific teaching exercises  taught by Cyndi Lee, involving language, voice, touch, rhythm and the OM yoga view of being helpful and empowering students.  You will do a lot of practice teaching, practice assisting and you will receive honest and helpful feedback. 

** At the end of Part 2 weekend, you may be invited to begin observing OM yoga Woman Cancer Survivor classes as the final step toward becoming eligible to be a Certified OM yoga Woman Cancer Survivor teacher and assistant.

Application Requirements


* Attend an OM yoga one-day teacher training immersion

*  Send in completed application with $75 deposit to OM yoga by October 3, acceptance notification by October 10

You will receive Certificate of Completion of the OM yoga Woman Cancer Survivor Teacher Training Program after successfully completing:

* an OM yoga tt immersion

* OYWCS TT Course, Part 1 and 2

*  Independent Study:  class observations and assisting

Part One Cost: $225, Part Two Cost: $225

TIMES: Friday: 6 - 9pm, Saturday 9 - 5pm, Sunday 10 - 5

OM yoga for Woman Cancer Survivors Class

OM offers FREE weekly classes for Woman Cancer Survivors, taught by Tari Prinster and Susan Herman, sponsored by OM yoga and the Libby Ross Foundation. This gentle class which offers inspiration and bonding for women with breast cancer and other cancers, includes breathing exercises, slow arm stretches, healing yoga sequences, restorative yoga and balancing work appropriate for women during and after cancer treatment.

Please join us every Tuesday from 3:45pm to 5:15.

About Tari Prinster
At age 64, Tari Prinster considers herself an example that it is never too late to begin change. Through yoga, Tari has found not only a way to reduce pain, strengthen her immune system, feel younger, stay healthy, and manage the stress of life, but also guidance through cancer recovery and a 7 year survivorship. Her student-centered classes offer the OM yoga method of vinyasa, alignment, mindfulness and compassion along with her own life experience focused on therapuetic yoga for chronic disease, pain, addiction and sports injuries. Tari is an OM yoga certified yoga teacher.

About the Libby Ross Foundation

The Libby Ross Foundation was founded in 1999 in loving memory of Elizabeth "Libby" Ross, who lost her battle with breast cancer on July 24, 1998. The Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization, started by Lori Ross and Marla Willner. Both of the founders have first hand experience with breast cancer in their families. Lori lost her mother to breast cancer in 1998 and Marla's mother is a two-time survivor of the disease. The Foundation was started to prevent other women and other families from experiencing the devastation of breast cancer by focusing on creating unique support programs and to help eradicate the disease through research and early detection.

The Foundation's enormous success has been a result of the many kindhearted people and companies that have donated money, products, services and time. We also have a very diverse group of individuals that have joined our Board of Directors, Advisory Board and Volunteer Committee.

We have personally touched thousands of women in the New York City area and are expanding our operations each year as our fundraising increases.