2026 dates

Weekend one: Saturday 26th September - Sunday 27th September 2026, 9.30am - 5.30pm

Weekend two: Saturday 24th October - Sunday 24th October, 9.30am - 5.30pm

VENUE: 

The Chantry Community and Arts Centre, 52 Castle Street, Thornbury, Bristol, BS35 1HB (The Buckingham Room)

Price

Full price - £565

Early bird - £525 (end Monday 2nd March 2026)

About the course

An increasing popular form of yoga practice, Restorative Yoga is accessible, effective and timely. A poll by the Mental Health Foundation in 2018 showed that in that year, 74% of people have felt so stressed they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope. Since that we have lived through a global pandemic, and potentially seen a big increase of stress, anxiety and depression within our communities and perhaps in our own lives. 

Whilst stress is not always a negative thing, an overload of stress can lead to a variety of health problems, including altering our behaviour and affecting our psychological well-being. It is becoming increasingly important for yoga teachers (and those working in a therapeutic setting with others) to understand the role of the body in the experience of stress.  

Restorative Yoga is a powerful tool which is accessible to all. Drawing its roots from Iyengar yoga, with an emphasis on props, alignment and technique, it has been shown to heal the impact of chronic stress, as well as:

• Support back pain, headaches, digestive and menstrual issues and breathing problems

• Enhance recovery from illness

• Create a quieter mind and better self-awareness, which in turn creates the ability to respond and not react

• Balance anxiety and lift depression, calming the mind and energising the body 

  
  

This course will be limited to 12 students to allow for intimacy of learning and connection. The focus of this course is making you a confident and creative teacher and so there will be focus on you learning to prepare, plan, and teach your fellow students.

This course is open to yoga teachers with a minimum of a 200hr certificate - it’s OK if you are brand new to teaching, or if you have had a break from teaching.

Syllabus

In this course we will explore the philosophy, technique, practicalities and benefits of Restorative Yoga including:

• The physiology of stress: the stress response

• Looking at two stress responses: fight-flight-freeze-fawn and tend-and-befriend

• A very brief history of stress

• A spiritual perspective on stress and fear

• How restorative yoga reduces the impact of stress

• The conditions that Restorative Yoga supports, including chronic fatigue, burnout, chronic pain and mental tension and more

• Restorative yoga as a gateway to mediation 

• How to incorporate yoga philosophy, namely looking at pratyahara, dhyana and samadhi 

• Reflecting on energetic anatomy, namely chakras, koshas, prana and nadis

• Restorative Yoga asana

• How to teach - practical considerations and contraindications  including length of time in postures, sequencing, the use of equipment (or lack thereof) and teaching online

• Experience teaching your fellow students and being taught by them 

• The use of adjustments

• Creating a relaxing environment 

• Language, adjustments and trauma sensitivity

• How to incorporate Restorative Yoga into a Hatha-based class 

• Whether pranayama helpful or harmful in a restorative yoga class

• The use of silence in class

• What to do with students who are unable to settle 

• Giving and receiving healthy and useful feedback 

Why study with Mel?

I have been studying and practising restorative yoga since 2013. In this time it has been a regular part of my practice and has supported me in healing from fatigue, grief, burnout and anxiety and depression. In 2020 I wrote my first book, Rest Is Radical, inspired by my experiences of teaching and practicing both restorative yoga and yoga nidra. I aim to teach in a way that is practical, non-dogmatic, grounded and yet rooted in the spirituality of yoga. I work therapeutically with clients and groups in one-to-one settings, as well as classes, workshops and retreats, and I look forward to sharing you with you the skills, creativity, confidence and joy of teaching restorative yoga to others.

Who this course is for:

• Certified yoga teachers looking to begin to teach restorative yoga and expand their understanding of the practice and to teach it

  
  

Homework

This course requires you to spend 8 hours of your own time planning two restorative classes and teaching at least one. You will be required to submit both class plans, and a reflection on how the taught class went.

A note on health

Please be sure that you are safe and well before committing to this course. You are responsible for your own safety and wellbeing. This is an educational, not therapeutic space.

What is included in the price

• Comprehensive manual and workbook of approx 90 pages including space for your own reflection

• 32 hours of teaching time with an emphasis on teaching

• Accreditation from Yoga Alliance

• Option to join yoga teachers’ support group at discounted rate

  
  

Not included:

• Transport and accommodation

• Any takeaway food/coffees you choose to buy

  
  

Certification

This course is certified through Yoga Alliance Professionals. You will receive by email a certificate of training from Mel Skinner Yoga, recognised by the Yoga Alliance. Full attendance and completion of homework is necessary to receive certification.

Preparation - suggested (not essential) reading

• Rest Is Radical - Mel Skinner

• The Breathing Book - Donna Farhi

• Relax and Renew - Judith Hanson Lasater

  
  

Equipment

Ideally you will already have: a yoga bolster, yoga blocksx2, yoga bricksx2, yoga strap/belt, eye pillow and 2 blankets

However I appreciate this is not always possible. I will provide some equipment for the training, but if you do have your own, please do bring it with you.