Not all yoga teacher trainings are created equal...

Steph Cole
Jan 9
3 min read

In recent years, yoga teacher training has become increasingly accessible—and that can be a beautiful thing. More people than ever feel called to deepen their practice, study yoga seriously, and step into teaching.

But accessibility and integrity are not the same thing.

If you’ve been comparing programs, you’ve likely noticed a wide range of price points. Some trainings promise a 200-hour certification for a few hundred dollars. Others—like Lotus River Wellness—require a more meaningful investment of time, energy, and tuition.

It’s fair to ask: *Why the difference?*

This post exists to answer that honestly.

The hard truth about deeply discounted YTTs

Low-cost programs, including large online schools such as Yoga Renew, are designed for scale, not mentorship.

That doesn’t make them unethical—but it does make them fundamentally different.

When a training costs a few hundred dollars, something has to give:

Faculty access
Individual feedback
Teaching mentorship
Accountability
Curriculum depth
Student support after graduation

In most cases, students receive:

Automated quizzes
Minimal or no personalized feedback
A certificate, but little guidance on how to teach

You may finish with hours logged—but not necessarily with confidence, discernment, or readiness to hold space for others.

That is the tradeoff.

Discounted price. Discounted outcomes.

Lotus River Wellness was built to be credible, ethical, and life-changing.

We were created in direct response to what was missing in the yoga education landscape—especially for military spouses, caregivers, and those navigating complex lives.

Here is what sets LRW apart:

Education over information
1. LRW does not deliver content for passive consumption.
2. We teach how to think, observe, adapt, and teach responsibly.
3. Students are guided through:
  1. Anatomy and biomechanics with real-world application
  2. Trauma-sensitive methodology
  3. Intelligent sequencing
  4. Ethics, boundaries, and scope of practice
  5. Yoga philosophy taught with historical and cultural respect
4. This is not surface-level yoga education.
Mentorship, not mass production
1. LRW cohorts are intentionally small.
2. Students are known by name—not by email address.
3. They receive:
  1. Direct instructor feedback
  2. Teaching support
  3. Real accountability
  4. A learning environment where questions are welcomed and explored
4. This level of mentorship cannot exist in high-volume, low-cost programs. It is structurally impossible.
Built for real life—especially military life
1. LRW was designed *by* and *for* people navigating:
  1. Deployments
  2. PCS moves
  3. Caregiving responsibilities
  4. Career transitions
  5. Nervous system strain and burnout
2. Flexibility does not mean lower standards here.
3. It means **human-centered education with integrity**.
Certification is not the finish line
1. Many programs end the moment you receive your certificate.
2. LRW does not.
3. Graduates enter a broader ecosystem that includes:
  1. Continued education pathways
  2. Teaching opportunities
  3. Community support
  4. Long-term professional development
4. We care about who you become *after* the training—not just whether you completed it.

A note on cost—and value

Yes, LRW costs more than some online trainings.

That is because:

Faculty are compensated fairly
Curriculum is intentionally designed and updated
Students receive real mentorship
Standards are upheld, not diluted

Education that changes lives is not mass-produced.

And while a lower price may feel safer upfront, the real question is this: What will it cost you to finish a program and still feel unprepared to teach?

Choosing the right training is a values decision

This is not about shaming lower-cost programs.

They serve a purpose—for some people.

But Lotus River Wellness exists for those who: