The Path of Service

Winter 2025

80 Hour Shri Yoga Outreach Teacher Training ​

Two Full Weekends + Self-Paced Training


LOCATION: ​390 Pine Street, Pawtucket + Online

DATES: February  14, 15 & 16 and March 14, 15 & 16 2025

Graduation Party: Friday April 25 6 - 8 pm

Over the course of two weekends and self-paced practice, Shri Founder, Alison Bologna, trains anyone interested in being of service to practice and deliver yoga outreach programs through Shri's methodology. 

​In this training, trainees learn how to do what we do at Shri in improving community health in schools, shelters, hospitals, senior centers, veterans centers and more! This training is practical and built upon more than a decade of "real world" experience.

Because Shri is rooted in accessibility, trainees do not need to be pre-certified yoga teachers to attend this training. There are, however, pre-requisites listed below.

Part 1: Hands-On Training 

These two weekends are Online and In-Person 

Friday Nights are online only (not recorded) from 5:30 - 8:00 pm 

Saturdays and Sundays are in person ONLY from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm

Weekend One:

An Overview of Service through Shri Yoga Outreach
​Shri's Adaptive and School Projects

  • The philosophy of karma yoga and service-based outreach programs

    How social enterprise models build and sustain inclusive communities

    Shri's core values, mission and methodology

    The building blocks of the Shri Curriculum: components & class structure elements

    The importance and ability to create safe space and sound ethics in yoga outreach

    Best practices in outreach, as supported through current research and experience

  • Teaching children in: shelters, schools, hospitals and social service agencies

    The "nuts and bolts" of the Shri School Project Curriculum, K-12 + adaptive curriculum

    Sample Adaptive Project class (Saturday)

    Sample School Project class (Sunday)

    Techniques on how to develop classes that create rhythm while relieving stress and increasing focus

    Instruction of in-depth activities in community building and group mindfulness exercises developed for adolescents and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities ​

Weekend Two:

An Overview of Service through Shri Yoga Outreach
​Shri's Seniors, Recovery and Military Projects

  • The basics of trauma and how yoga can help to heal

    Mindfulness activities for students and self-care, crossing all populations

    The ethics of touch (or no touch) and sensitivity to language

    The art of safe assists and yoga nidra to create calm, compassionate classes and programs

    Delivering and measuring specific impacts + outcomes through a trauma-sensitive approach

    ​Self Care modalities and practice

  • Fundamentals of teaching Chair Yoga for adults through the Shri methodology

    The "nuts and bolts" of the Shri curriculum serving these populations

    Sample Shri Military class (Saturday)

    Sample Shri Seniors class (Sunday)​​

    Techniques on how to develop classes that create rhythm while relieving stress + increasing focus

    Testimonials to date including impact and outcome reporting

Part 2: Self-Paced Training 

This part of the Training can only be Completed after full Attendance in both Weekends 

  • The deadline for this part of the training is September 30, 2025

  • Trainees accepted into this program will have access to our private training portal

  • There are 4 parts in the portal to complete the rest of the training for certification

  1. APPRENTICE + REFLECT - observe and assist in 8 Shri outreach classes + compose 8 reflection reports 

  2. SELF STUDY - a 10-15 page paper based upon training prompts and a "call to action"

  3. SELF PRACTICE - complete 4 hours / classes of self practice in current Shri classes

  4. MENTOR - “Service in Action" mentorship, 1 hour private zoom or in-person session with Alison

MEET YOUR TRAINER

Alison Bologna

In 2010, Alison Bologna, an award-winning journalist and E-RYT yoga teacher, founded Shri with a vision of creating a space where people from all walks of life could come together to practice yoga, foster healthier and more compassionate communities, and revitalize an area that had been economically struggling since the Industrial Revolution.

Since opening its doors in downtown Pawtucket, Shri has become a cornerstone of the district, drawing hundreds of students to its classes for special events and outreach programs. Inspired by the overwhelming response, Alison launched Shri Service Corps, a nonprofit arm of the organization, in 2012. Today, under Alison's leadership, Shri serves over 8,500 students both in its studios and remotely in schools, shelters, hospitals, recovery centers, and youth clubs. Every Shri program is guided by a curriculum developed by Alison to support students both on and off the yoga mat.

Learn More Here

  • All three levels of Little Flower Yoga Kids Teacher Training with Kate Reil, hosted at Shri

    Frontiers of Trauma Treatment Training with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk and Dana Moor

    Harmonium Sound Training with Daniel Tucker

    Ashtanga Yoga with David Swenson

    Mindful Schools' Mindfulness Training

    Masters Degree, Harvard University (English | Thesis focusing on Karma Yoga)

    More than 2,000 hours of teaching experience

    Certified in Mental Health First Aid

    8-week MBSR training with Shara Plynton at Shri

OTHER VISITING FACULTY INCLUDES:

  • Kate Hawley, Robin Sousa and others!

  • Shri students and partners also visit during some Q and A panels and discussions

  • Step 1: Email a cover letter to: alison@shriyoga.org stating your background, how you heard about Shri, and why you want to take this training. Please include your vision of how communities can benefit from yoga outreach and why you want to join the Shri movement!

    Step 2: Make a $50 nonrefundable application fee here (payment portal opens in August 2024).

    Step 3: Upon receipt of the above, Alison will schedule a 10-minute phone interview!

    ​

    General Pre-Requisites:

    1. Solid time management skills.

    2. The commitment to all the dates and hours.

    3. At least two years of a consistent yoga practice.

    4. An open mind.

  • $1,260.00 for non-certified yoga teachers | PAY HERE (cc fees apply)

    $1,200.00 for 200/500-hour certified yoga instructors with proof of certification | PAY HERE (cc fees apply)

    If you’d like to avoid credit card (cc) fees, please review your policy sheet emailed to you after your phone interview for more payment options.

    Refund Policy: Stated on the official application sent after your phone interview.

    SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP | Shri Service Corps will sponsor one trainee for this training. This trainee must be dedicated to service in our local community and demonstrate a commitment after the training to volunteer with Shri in outreach-related activities | to be considered for this scholarship, email a detailed letter of intent to alison@shriyoga.org​ (use "service scholarship letter of intent" in the subject line of your email | this scholarship cannot be combined with others)

    Training Collaborations: Shri's Yoga Outreach Teacher Training program is not designed to cover material taught in a traditional 200-hour or 300-hour yoga teacher training. While we spend some time during weekend one covering yoga philosophy in terms of Shri's roots in karma yoga, Shri's training does not cover anatomy (outside of safe alignment in outreach-specific populations), subtle anatomy, sequencing for classes offered in commercial yoga studios, Sanskrit terminology and so on. This also means that while you do not need to be a registered yoga teacher (RYT) to be accepted into this outreach training, more than half of our trainees are RYTs seeking specific training for serving at-risk populations safely and effectively either with Shri or on their own.

  • Enrollment in all weekends is required because practices learned in one weekend will apply to populations covered in the weekend before and / or after. During training, you will practice everyday to experience the Shri Curriculum in action based upon the population covered. Knowledge and versatility are the keys to success in outreach, and the full weekends properly prepare you to serve the community if you decide to teach after training.

  • ​2018 Dates | October 13 + 14, November 10 + 11, December 8 + 9

    2019 Dates | October 12 & 13, November 9 & 10, December 7 & 8

    2020 + 2021 Dates | COVID-19 + Pine Street Design

    2022 Dates | February 18, 19, 20 + March 11, 12, 13

    2023 | Pine Street Construction

    2024 Dates | February 9, 10, 11 + March 8, 9, 10

Two Other Tuition Payment Options

1) Those accepted and registered by December 15, 2024 are eligible to receive an “early-bird” $50 discount on the full tuition when paid upfront by either check or Venmo; arrangements made during the application process.

2) A private payment plan can also be arranged on a case by case basis (with administrative fees) for the service. The deadline to sign up for a personalized plan is January 31, 2025.