Our foundational 200-hour yoga teacher training has run at our Carrboro studio (just across the town line from Chapel Hill) since 2011.
In this yoga teacher training, aka YTT, you’ll gain:
all the tools you need to lead well-balanced yoga classes and to deepen your own practice
invaluable skills for use in the yoga classroom—and you’ll find these skills apply in a variety of situations.
new layers of self-knowledge
Our program is a fine choice even if you think you have no desire to teach.
Next Session Begins Spring 2025
This seven-weekend program is led by professional educator Alexandra DeSiato, E-RYT500—herself a graduate of the program.
Our program gives you a thorough grounding in:
the philosophy and history of yoga
the yoga techniques of asana (poses), pranayama (breath work), and meditation—nuts and bolts, safe practices
anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology, from both Western and Eastern perspectives
teaching skills, from language to sequencing to modifications
how to create an inclusive classroom
Your lead teacher, Alexandra DeSiato, has:
twenty years’ experience leading college classrooms
fifteen years’ experience teaching movement, including Pilates and yoga
coauthored three books: Lifelong Yoga and Teaching Yoga Beyond the Poses, both cowritten with teacher training program director Sage Rountree, and Whole Mama Yoga, cowritten with day-one Carrboro Yoga teacher Lauren Sacks
We meet seven weekends over four months. This model allows for a deeper dive and an opportunity for self-study, plus the freshness of a compact timeline.
Dates for SPRING 2025
Weekend 1: January 24–26 Weekend 2: February 7–9 Weekend 3: February 21–23 Weekend 4: March 7–9 Weekend 5: March 21–23 Weekend 6: April 11–13 Weekend 7: April 25–27
Got a busy life? We got you!
This schedule was created for attendees who are juggling a family life while moving into a deeper experience of yoga.
In addition to these hours, you will meet five times in small groups for practice teaching. The times for these meetings will be determined by your teaching group.
Join a Free Info Session
Join Alexandra for a free information session on a Thursday evening, and stick around to take our teacher trainees’ community class at 7:30 p.m.!
In addition to attending all sessions and reading the required books, you will be expected to:
Attend at least one led class every week during the program. Not all these classes need to be taken at Carrboro Yoga, but at least half should be. You receive a free class each week as part of your enrollment.
Practice at home at least 15 minutes five days each week
Complete homework assignments: reading and viewing
required reading
Please purchase (or borrow) and read the following books.
one free class per week at Carrboro Yoga during the program
an option to upgrade to an unlimited membership that runs the duration of the program for a one-time payment of $300
free classes with Alexandra during the training
Pricing
When you are accepted, a $500 deposit, payable within a week by check or credit card, will secure your spot.
Program cost: $3500 due the first day of the training (this includes the deposit), plus $100 nonrefundable surcharge if you would like to pay the balance by credit card
Reparatory and gratitude discount: We need to get more Black, Indigenous, and Non-White people in front of yoga classrooms. Thus we offer a 25 percent discount off the full price of our yoga teacher training and our continuing education workshops for teachers for people who self-identify as part of this group.
Here are some policies to keep in mind. You’ll agree to them when you sign the YTT contract after acceptance.
Program Size
We have a minimum of six students for the program to run, and a maximum of 15. If we do not meet our minimum, you will be refunded in full.
attendance
If you must be absent, we will handle makeups case by case. Expect to complete at-home assignments and, in some cases, to pay for personal tutelage. You must complete 90 percent of the program to qualify for graduation.
Voluntary withdrawal from the program
Should you have to withdraw from the program before it begins, you’ll receive a refund, minus a $150 administrative fee, of 100 percent by two months out; 75 percent by one month out; or 50 percent by three days out. Refunds after the program begins will be in the form of a credit toward the next teacher training program cycle.
Involuntary withdrawal from the program
Should you be asked to leave the program, you will receive a prorated refund, minus a $150 administrative fee.
Application
Our program best suits mature students of any age who have at least a year of consistent practice under their belts. Beyond that, there are no prerequisites or pose requirements!
If you’re interested, the first step is to chat with Alexandra. You’ll discuss what the program offers, how that meshes with what you are looking for, and any and all other questions you have.
When I first signed up for the training, I was going through some big life changes! I had decided that I wanted to take a step back from the grind of intensive office work. I wanted to deepen my own practice, connect with my physical and spiritual body, and get certified to teach others to begin my own small side business. I wanted to pursue a path that would allow me to connect with others in-person and support others in connecting with themselves and the natural world.
I was nervous about my own physical capabilities through the training, especially since I was pregnant. What I discovered was a deep strength and confidence within myself. Being supported by Alexandra, the amazing women in the YTT training, and the remarkable teachers we had come, I felt empowered throughout the training and learned so much about the depth and robustness of yoga.
The YTT was deeply transformational to me. I imagined that there would be a lot of asana practices and while there was lots of physical practices, there was so much more! It was an intensive process but one that I found so joyful! I loved going to the studio each of the weekends. We built a strong community through the process as we all went on this remarkable journey. Alexandra created an incredible blend of new experiences, moments of reflection, and deep learning with a long list of truly inspiring guest teachers. I will be forever grateful for this training and look forward to my continued yoga journey!
—Ali
If you think YTT would enrich your life, don’t think twice. YTT is the best gift I’ve given myself and one of the most rewarding experiences of my adult life. Alexandra and all the instructors guided the YTT class through training with such grace, knowledge, encouragement, and compassion.
—Heather
Before starting Carrboro Yoga’s YTT, I knew that I loved the physical asana practice of yoga. I also had an inkling that yoga had something more to offer me spiritually. My hope was that YTT would expose me to new yogic concepts and practices that would allow me to grow my own physical practice and develop new aspects of a spiritual one. I also wanted to find out if teaching yoga was something I might enjoy.
From the beginning, Alexandra masterfully created a safe and loving space for us. This allowed my cohort to quickly bond with one another. Though teaching can be quite vulnerable, I felt encouraged and comfortable each step of the way. Each YTT weekend was intentionally and lovingly planned, and I always felt prepared to do what was asked of me. There was something magical about having entire weekends dedicated to immersing myself in something so introspective.
Now that I’ve completed the training, I have a much deeper understanding of yoga asana, philosophy, anatomy, and spirituality. I have the confidence and tools I need to grow my own practice while sharing the gift of yoga with others. I also have an amazing group of supportive yoga teachers to help me along the way. I learned so much about yoga through this training, but even more about myself.
—Kay Cee
I entered YTT a grateful woman feeling a little too untethered from myself and the sacred world around me. My biggest qualm committing to the program was certainly the time requirement. Balancing time away from home in addition to work was daunting. Ultimately, everyone in my family benefitted from YTT.
I’m not too embarrassed to admit I expected to be a “picture perfect yogi” at the culmination of YTT. My poses are sharper. I’m more excited and comfortable exploring how to make a shape more interesting. I didn’t expect to crack open my mind, my heart, my energy and challenge myself in the coolest ways. The space created felt mystical, yet profoundly grounded and safe. Like a fairy dreamy forest at dusk in the summer surrounded by beings you couldn’t help but adore. Alexandra fosters this be being Alexandra. She is the safe and grounded mystic. Her thoughtfulness regarding the curriculum and each detail, down to our paper name placards that revealed initial intention undiscovered until the closing weeks, are jaw dropping.
This entire experience has felt like a safe warm bubble to grow and learn and explore more about yoga philosophy, myself, and so so much more.
My new favorite dogma from YTT is “if you ‘hate’ something, get curious and explore that, maybe something’s there.” It feels fun and weird and cautiously wondrous to think this way. The result feels like the pinnacle of liberation. Growing feels wildly empowering, but in a gentle way. Like it was quietly waiting inside me to be discovered.
—Courtney
Before starting my yoga teacher training journey, I was searching for my purpose and how I could help those around me. After considering yoga teacher training for over a year, Carrboro Yoga’s YTT came to my attention again. The training fit my schedule, and I had a great introduction chat and meeting with Alexandra. I felt a resounding “yes” that this was the next step in my journey.
As I entered the yoga teacher training program, I felt a mix of excitement and apprehension. I was thrilled to deepen my understanding of yoga but nervous about how to show up in this new space. My struggles centered around letting go of who I thought I should be and instead embracing the journey of self-discovery that lay ahead.
Carrboro Yoga exposed me to the rich history of yoga, the different styles, and how it has evolved over the years. I could see how Alexandra and all the guest teachers’ lineages have influenced their beliefs and teaching style, which encouraged me to embrace my differences to cultivate my unique teaching style. I’m proud to be a part of Alexandra’s lineage.
Yoga teacher training has not only provided me with a new career path but has also given me a deeper understanding of who I am and what I am capable of achieving. There were moments of discomfort, but my passion and desire to become a yoga teacher and to share this practice with my community motivated me to complete the training. I’m grateful for the connections I’ve made and the lessons learned on and off the mat.
—Melissa
Before starting YTT, I was depleted in every sense of the word. I was burned out from my job and from riding the emotional rollercoaster of having a terminally ill family member. I was the lowest I’d ever been and although I consider myself to be quite resilient, I was losing hope—and hopelessness wasn’t a familiar landscape. I knew I had to connect with my body in order to help quiet my ruminating thoughts so I turned to yoga. I’ve practiced yoga in the past but my reasons for unrolling my mat were different this time. I cried a lot, but I always left class feeling more connected to my body and my breath. I needed a reminder that I was alive and breathing, I needed to be in my body. I was desperate to experience life and not just survive it. I knew I needed to dive deeper into my yoga practice.
I had a million plus one reasons why I shouldn’t sign up. I didn’t need to spend the money, I work a lot on weekends, what if I didn’t want to teach yoga after all? After a long discussion with my partner, who probably would’ve encouraged me to do almost anything he thought would help me move through the turmoil I’d been experiencing, I decided to go for it. I gave myself permission to not worry about whether I would actually become a yoga teacher but rather to be curious and present.
The process was transformative in so many ways but interestingly, I notice the most obvious changes off the mat. Choosing to take five minutes when I first open my eyes in the morning to breathe and be in my body rather than checking my emails, that’s yoga. Holding space instead of trying to offer solutions when my daughter’s feelings are hurt by others at school, that’s yoga. Choosing “good enough” over “perfect,” that’s yoga.
My yoga journey has allowed me to grow and heal in ways I didn’t expect. It was scary at times and I definitely had to go out of my comfort zone but Alexandra and all of our instructors did a stunningly beautiful job of creating a safe and welcoming classroom environment. It was truly a magical and transformative experience that I’m eternally grateful to have experienced.
—Blair
Take a Class with Our Trainees
Our current training cohort leads a community class starting in October! Come take their class, chat with them, and project where you might be during our 200-hour yoga teacher training.
We meet Thursdays, 7:30–8:30 p.m., starting October 3.
Not only is lead trainer Alexandra DeSiato a graduate of our yoga teacher training, so are several of our regular staff members. Come take a class with any or all of them, see what kind of teachers we produce, and ask anything you want to know about yoga teacher training! Look for:
Lindsey Alexander
Alexis Besosa
Alaina Godfrey
Joe-Paul Naughton-Travers
Diana Newton
Martha Pickett
LaRita Schoor
Still Have Questions?
Next Steps
When you’re ready to talk to a person, book a call with Alexandra, or come right to one of her classes. She’ll be happy to talk you through everything you need to know, and things you wouldn’t have thought to ask!
Alexandra teaches these general population classes at Carrboro Yoga:
Pilates, Mondays at 4:30 p.m.
Flow Yoga, Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m.
Sign up for any from the Sign Up button in the menu here.
And she has lots of availability across the week for you to schedule a chat.