Mindfulness,
SEL, and Yoga
Teacher Training

Enhance Your and Your Students’ Well-Being and Social-Emotional Learning





Apply Now To Get Started

The world’s only Mindfulness, SEL, and Yoga Teacher Training created by educators for educators

Please fill out the short form below to apply and connect with one of our Educator Development Advisors. On your call, you’ll explore funding options, learn more about the training, and get answers to any questions you have!

Tuition: $2,999 $1,999 with our $1,000 Educator Discount ($199.90/mo payment plans available!)





Learning Outcomes

Learn how to support your own mental and physical health as a busy educator, gain transformative social-emotional learning and mindfulness tools to integrate seamlessly into your classroom, and become certified to teach yoga to young people and adults.

Enhance Your Well-Being

Enhance your own physical, mental, and emotional well-being by cultivating a yoga and meditation practice

Teach Yoga & Meditation

Teach trauma-informed, accessible yoga classes and meditation practices to adults and young people

Facilitate SEL Strategies

Integrate researched-based and CASEL aligned social-emotional learning practices into your instruction

Lead Wellness Workshops

Design and facilitate wellness workshops and professional development for your school, district, or organization

Build Lasting Community

Join a community of educators and leaders using wellness as a vehicle for healing and social change

Enhance Your Well-Being

Enhance your own physical, mental, and emotional well-being by cultivating a yoga and meditation practice

Teach Yoga & Meditation

Teach trauma-informed, accessible yoga classes and meditation practices to adults and young people

Facilitate SEL Strategies

Integrate researched-based and CASEL aligned social-emotional learning practices into your instruction

Lead Wellness Workshops

Design and facilitate wellness workshops and professional development for your school, district, or organization

Build Lasting Community

Join a community of educators and leaders using wellness as a vehicle for healing and social change





Certifications & Credits

200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification (CYT 200)

 

Gold-standard international yoga teacher certification that enables you to register through Yoga Alliance (RYT-200)

Social-Emotional Learning Facilitator Certification (SEL*F)

 

Qualifies you to lead SEL, mindfulness, and wellness practices, workshops, and programs in your school, district, or organization

Work Toward a Post-Graduate Certificate & Master’s Degree

 

This training can be applied toward a Post-Graduate Certificate or Master’s Degree.

Cohort Dates

Choose Your Start Date

Weekly Wed/Thurs Training [Zoom]

 

June 12 & 13
June 26 & 27
July 10 & 11
July 17 & 18
July 24 & 25
July 31 & Aug 1

 

9-3 PT • 10-4 MT • 11-5 CT • 12-6 ET

Weekly Mon/Tues Training [Zoom]

 

July 1 & 2
July 8 & 9
July 15 & 16
July 22 & 23
July 29 & 30
August 5 & 6

 

9-3 PT • 10-4 MT • 11-5 CT • 12-6 ET

Monthly Weekend Training [Zoom]

 

October 19 & 20
November 16 & 17
December 7 & 8
January 4 & 5, 2025
February 1 & 2, 2025
March 1 & 2, 2025

 

9-3 PT • 10-4 MT • 11-5 CT • 12-6 ET

Weekly Wed/Thurs Training [Zoom]

 

June 12 & 13
June 26 & 27
July 10 & 11
July 17 & 18
July 24 & 25
July 31 & Aug 1

 

9-3 PT • 10-4 MT • 11-5 CT • 12-6 ET

Weekly Mon/Tues Training [Zoom]

 

July 1 & 2
July 8 & 9
July 15 & 16
July 22 & 23
July 29 & 30
August 5 & 6

 

9-3 PT • 10-4 MT • 11-5 CT • 12-6 ET

Monthly Weekend Training [Zoom]

 

October 19 & 20
November 16 & 17
December 7 & 8
January 4 & 5, 2025
February 1 & 2, 2025
March 1 & 2, 2025

 

9-3 PT • 10-4 MT • 11-5 CT • 12-6 ET





Join a Nationwide Movement of Educators

Over 15,000 educators have become certified through this training, driving Breathe For Change’s positive impact on the lives, learning, and well-being of 20 million students around the world.

Our Curriculum & Research

Our research-backed curriculum brings a unique blend of neuroscience, mindfulness, somatic healing, yoga, psychology, and social emotional learning. Our curriculum has been utilized by over 100,000 educators to support 5,000,000+ learners–and its benefits have been verified by research from Harvard, California State, and Tulane Universities.

Core Content Areas of this Training

Social-Emotional Learning & Facilitation

Facilitate social-emotional learning practices and workshops

Mindfulness & Meditation

Deepen your connection to your breath, body, emotions, and thoughts

Mindful Movement / Asana

Practice and teach the physical practice of yoga for your community

Philosophy & Social Change

Learn and honor the history of yoga and embody its ethical principles

Anatomy

Form a deeper understanding and appreciation of the power of your body

Backed by Science & Research

Breathe For Change programs meet ESSA Level III Promising research standards.

Protect mental health

A study conducted by Harvard found our programs can play a protective role in maintaining mental health.

Improve educator well-being and student behaviors

A study conducted by Learn Platform found that our programs reduced educator-reported stress and burnout, while improving global health, SEL, self-efficacy, and challenging student behaviors.

Support student SEL and academic outcomes

Dr. Ilana’s Nankin’s dissertation revealed the critical connection between educator well-being and student social-emotional and academic outcomes.

Improve focus and attention

A study conducted by the California State University of Fullerton found our programs can improve focus and attention.

Reduce stress and burnout

A study conducted by a Ph.D. candidate at the Stanford Mind-Body Lab found reduced teacher stress and burnout and enhanced efficacy.

Improve symptoms of anxiety

A randomized controlled study conducted by Tulane University found that our programs may improve symptoms of anxiety among students.

Protect mental health

A study conducted by Harvard found our programs can play a protective role in maintaining mental health.

Improve educator well-being and student behaviors

A study conducted by Learn Platform found that our programs reduced educator-reported stress and burnout, while improving global health, SEL, self-efficacy, and challenging student behaviors.

Support student SEL and academic outcomes

Dr. Ilana’s Nankin’s dissertation revealed the critical connection between educator well-being and student social-emotional and academic outcomes.

Improve focus and attention

A study conducted by the California State University of Fullerton found our programs can improve focus and attention.

Reduce stress and burnout

A study conducted by a Ph.D. candidate at the Stanford Mind-Body Lab found reduced teacher stress and burnout and enhanced efficacy.

Improve symptoms of anxiety

A randomized controlled study conducted by Tulane University found that our programs may improve symptoms of anxiety among students.





How to Fund Your Training

Claim your educator discount. 

We offer $1,000 off for every educator to make our training accessible to as many educators as possible.

Use our interest-free payment plan.

We offer interest-free payment plans at $199.90/month.

Access school funding.

Utilize your district’s ESSER and other federal funds to bring Breathe For Change to your school or district.

Create a DonorsChoose project.

Many Breathe For Change graduates have successfully funded their teacher training through a DonorsChoose project.

This training can go toward your Post-Graduate Certificate and/or Master’s Degree

Earn a Post-Graduate Certificate of Education in Mindfulness, SEL, and Yoga

Completing this training will make you eligible to earn our Certificate, worth 15 credits (30 ECTS.)

Pursue Your Master’s of Education in Transformative Teaching and Leadership

Completing this training will complete Module 1 of our Master’s program upon accreditation.

Learn more about our Master’s Degree and accreditation process here.





 Meet Your Training Team

Ilana Nankin, Ph.D.

Founder & CEO

San Francisco, CA

Michelle Cordero, MFA

Head Trainer

Oakland, CA

Shatera Weaver

Professional Development Lead

Baltimore, MD

Brie Walker, M.S.

Lead Trainer

New York, NY

Rabia Meghani

Lead Trainer

Austin, TX

Iz Siliato Bailey

Community Operations Manager

Bedford, MA

Steph Lindsey

Product Manager

Denver, CO

Andrea F Kulas

Production Lead

Chicago, IL

Kirsten Rogers

Meditation Trainer

Los Angeles, CA

Felipe Gonzalez

Philosophy Trainer

New York, NY

Pamela Alles

Middle School Teacher

Ilana Nankin, Ph.D.

Founder & CEO

San Francisco, CA

Michelle Cordero, MFA

Head Trainer

Oakland, CA

Shatera Weaver

Professional Development Lead

Baltimore, MD

Brie Walker, M.S.

Lead Trainer

New York, NY

Rabia Meghani

Lead Trainer

Austin, TX

Iz Siliato Bailey

Community Operations Manager

Bedford, MA

Steph Lindsey

Product Manager

Denver, CO

Andrea F Kulas

Production Lead

Chicago, IL

Kirsten Rogers

Meditation Trainer

Los Angeles, CA

Felipe Gonzalez

Philosophy Trainer

New York, NY

Pamela Alles

Middle School Teacher

Ilana Nankin, Ph.D.

Founder & CEO

San Francisco, CA

Dr. Ilana Nankin—the Founder & CEO of Breathe For Change—is an award-winning entrepreneur, teacher educator, and former public school teacher committed to using wellness as a vehicle for healing and social change. Ilana earned degrees in both psychology and education at UC Berkeley, and received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at University of Wisconsin. Her dissertation revealed the critical connection between educator well-being and student learning, and the positive impact that wellness and social-emotional learning can have on teachers and students’ lives. Inspired by her research, Ilana founded Breathe For Change, a movement on a mission to enhance the health and well-being of educators, students, and entire communities. Breathe For Change offers the world’s only 200-hour Mindfulness, SEL, and Yoga Teacher Training specifically for educators, and provides wellness and SEL professional development for schools, districts, and organizations. Since 2015, Breathe For Change has certified 10,000+ educators through their 200-hour training, who are now positively impacting the lives and well-being of over 2,000,000 students around the country.

Michelle Cordero, MFA

Head Trainer

Oakland, CA

Michelle Cordero, Breathe For Change’s Head Trainer, has devoted the last 3 decades to deepening her connection to and sharing the powerful practice of yoga with the world. Michelle has led retreats, workshops, and teacher trainings internationally, and was voted “Best Yoga Teacher of the East Bay” by Oakland Magazine. She is certified at the highest level with the Yoga Alliance E-RYT 500 & YACEP credentials.

Michelle’s greatest passion is inspiring educators to teach yoga in an inclusive and accessible way. She teaches with a sense of humor, curiosity and compassion. Michelle’s classes are inclusive, gender affirming, trauma-informed and uniquely tailored to meet the needs of each student regardless of experience, age, gender, or body shape.Michelle has contributed greatly to the development of Breathe For Change’s 200-hour Training, 300-hour Training, Professional Development offerings, and Educator Collective events.

Michelle has her Master’s Degree, a certificate in Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy and is a Certified Wellness Coach and Craniosacral Work practitioner, and has trained with the Trauma Center’s Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TC-TSY) program and the Trauma Informed Resilience Oriented Approach (TIRO). She also completed a 75-hour Skill in Action training with Michelle C Johnson, focused on the intersection of Yoga and Social Justice. Michelle is inspired and honored to be guiding you along your yoga teaching journey.

Shatera Weaver

Professional Development Lead

Baltimore, MD

Shatera is a Special Educator and Breathe for Change graduate who’s love for yoga stemmed from her struggles with Sickle Cell Anemia. Shatera was born with a disease that impacts the red blood cells’ ability to carry and transfer oxygen efficiently. This has meant a frayed relationship with her body and physical activities throughout childhood into adulthood. Years ago, Shatera discovered asana through classes offered at a local gym, stating that “It was the only class I could complete without feeling inadequate or embarrassed. In fact, I left those classes feeling centered and emboldened.”

Grateful for this resource, she’s become devoted to sharing it with others. Especially after Shatera noticed that she was often the only one that looked like her in the gyms and studios she practiced in. This encouraged Shatera to earn her RYT200 from B4C in 2018, with the aim of helping more Black folx to meet on the mat – inviting their minds and bodies to reunite, as she’s been blessed to experience. Since then, Shatera began teaching asana and meditation classes, and implementing wellness practices into her curriculum and structures as Dean of Culture at a 6-12 NYC public school, and within her day to day life and interpersonal relationships.

Now, Shatera has reached RYT500, and serves as a curriculum designer for schools and after school programs all over the nation that challenge the current inadequate and inequitable status quo of the traditional education system. She offers services that rise from the intersection of wellness and education at byShatera.com

Brie Walker, M.S.

Lead Trainer

New York, NY

Brie is a self described lover of life. She truly believes there is no better way to honor the gift of life than to maximize your potential mentally, spiritually and physically. This is what led her to her the yoga practice and continues to keep her coming back to her mat. At the core of all of her values is equity. She believes that we, all, each being, deserves the opportunity to be our biggest and brightest selves and maximize our capability and fulfill our true purpose. Her mindfulness practice has pushed her professionally in the areas of educational activism and social awareness, because at the core of the practice is the deep awareness. Brie has been in the field of education since 2010. While volunteering during her undergraduate years at Spelman College was inspired to become an education. She developed a passion and understanding for working with students with disabilities. This prompted her to apply to the New York City Teaching fellows to pursue her master’s in Special Education at Hunter College. It didn’t take long for her to realize that the demands of working in a school were not only impacting her, but her colleagues and students, as well. The demands of education drew her to the yoga practice. In July 2017, she chose to deepen her practice by pursuing her RYT-200 Certification. She now shares mindfulness techniques with people of all ages and currently is a lead trainer at Breathe for Change.

Rabia Meghani

Lead Trainer

Austin, TX

Rabia Meghani (she/her) is a Medical Researcher, Behavioral Therapist, Educator, Yoga Therapist and a student of Kathak. Rabia’s formal education is in public health, epidemiology and education. Merging her knowledge of disease and education with the ancient science of Yoga and Ayurveda, Rabia aims to make these practices accessible to the masses while honoring the roots of the science. Her passion lies in integrating yoga and mindfulness in K-12 and higher education spaces.

Rabia uses her knowledge of yoga, ayurveda and mindfulness to help those experiencing physical and emotional ailments. When it comes to healing, Rabia believes that one size does not fit all. This is why she works on the full person and caters her practices to each and every individual. Currently Rabia is working on creating mindfulness and yoga tools to be made accessible in K-12 and higher education settings. Her hope is to lobby for systemic change to make these nervous system healing modalities accessible to all. To learn more about Rabia, please visit www.rabiameghani.com

Iz Siliato Bailey

Community Operations Manager

Bedford, MA

Izzi has been practicing yoga in various spaces since 2008, and has always worked within the realms of education and service. While living in Denver, CO, she worked as an Early Childhood Lead Teacher, completed a Master’s Degree in Education and Human Development, participated in over 500 hours of Yoga Teacher Training with The River Yoga, supported her first Breathe for Change 200-hour training, and led weekly classes in deep stretch meditation, candlelight vinyasa, and power vinyasa. Izzi is now living in Massachusetts, and – alongside her work with B4C – she is a Lecturer in Human Development and Family Relationships, teaching online undergraduate courses for the University of Colorado Denver’s School of Education and Human Development. In addition to all of the inspiring B4C trainers she has worked with, her mentors in yogic training and practice include Dr. Christa Kuberry (Yoga Alliance Vice President of Standards), Christen Bakken (let it be Meaning Full), Anthony Davis (Shapeshift Wellness), Steph Winsor (stephwinsor.com), Kady Lafferty (Yoga Alliance Director of Standards; Big Booty Yoga), and Samy Mattei (Yoga Mattei)

Kirsten Rogers

Meditation Trainer

Los Angeles, CA

Kirsten Rogers is a meditation trainer and proud member of the Breathe for Change team. She became a yoga teacher in 2017 with the intention of sharing this practice with people of color and communities that have historically had little exposure and access to yoga. She is a co-creator of Black to Yoga, an organization with the mission of making yoga and wellness more accessible for Black people. Kirsten has deepened her practice and understanding of yoga through trainings in trauma informed yoga, non-violent communication & meditation and yoga for teens. She is honored and grateful to share this indiginous practice and explore healthful ways to feed the mind, body & soul.





15,000 Graduates LOVE Breathe For Change

“My experience was amazing, from start to the finish. I gained so many tools, asanas, and meditation practices I can use personally, professionally and with-in my community. I was able to transform myself into an agent for change within my school district and community. I was hired as a Social Emotional Learning Practitioner with my district for the upcoming school year and I owe my success to the Breathe For Change Training!”

— Yvonne, Middle School Teacher

“Breathe For Change is heart work and heart connection. Through learning about my breath and how to more strongly care for my body, my relationship with myself, my loved ones and my community has grown. It is clear that the many pieces of how we can incorporate yoga into our lives is justice work. I am so grateful to have been a part of this training. It is a blessing I will continue to experience and incorporate into my life.”

— Chera, Special Ed Teacher

“Breathe For Change helped make my dream of bringing about community change possible. Not only was I able to transform myself to be a better teacher for my students, but I was able to transform myself to be a better person for me and my loved ones. With this new found knowledge, I will be introducing a yoga, meditation, and SELF club for students, their families, and the staff thanks to this amazing program.”

— Jacqueline, Elementary School Teacher

“During my time with Breathe For Change, I have profoundly expanded my skills and my knowledge of yoga and mindfulness, which I am applying in my professional teaching career, personal growth, and daily living. This new increase in deeper happiness, contentment, and groundedness that I am experiencing is extending into my relationships and the world around me.”

— Christine, Substitute Teacher

“Breathe For Change filled my bucket… Your new sense of presence, self-compassion, and gratitude, will spread a bright light towards all the people you love and come into contact with. Educators will leave refreshed, and feel like a first year teacher on their first day. This program is the best gift you can give to yourself, your family, friends, and your community.”

— Lauren, Title 1 School Counselor

“Being a part of Breathe For Change will continue to provide me with the tools and support system necessary to bring about changes in the way that schools proactively teach and reinforce positive behavior, as well as encourage community building, student engagement, self-awareness, self-confidence, and self-expression.”

— Wendy, School Counselor