Nervous System & Yoga Foundations

(HyBRid online Training self-paced with the option of live sessions & Q&A June 2026)

Understanding what yoga actually does and teaching it with more precision, more care, and an honest understanding of the science

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You have been teaching the nervous system for years…do you know that?

Every time a student leaves your Yin class looking more settled and softer, their parasympathetic nervous system has most probably come online. Every time someone arrives in your vinyasa class, scattered and leaves refreshed, that is a complete nervous system arc that is working for them. Every time a breath practice shifts the room, that's co-regulation and vagal tone responding to respiratory sinus arrhythmia.

The body of science that informs us what yoga actually does has become remarkably precise, and most yoga teachers have had no structured way to understand it fully.

That gap between what you are doing and what you understand yourself to be doing is what this training is about. Because every yoga class you teach is a conversation with your students’ nervous system. And how you are in class sets the tone for how your students will respond.

Our mission;

“Not by turning yoga into medicine, we are not replacing the rich history and tradition of yoga with neuroscience. But with understanding the mechanisms behind practices that have been working for so many thousands of years, and using that understanding to teach with more intention, with more care, with more genuine skill.”
~ Deeside Yoga Institute

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Honesty about what is currently understood and what is not…

Polyvagal theory is taught in almost every nervous system yoga training today. It is also very actively debated in neuroscience, and most training doesn’t tell you that. We do. We teach PVT as a widely used and genuinely useful framework, and we're transparent because claims remain contested. We provide the language to treat it as a framework rather than a fact, and language is key.

What sets this training apart:

We name the PVT debate directly, and teach you how to hold it honestly within your own teaching
Ethics of practice and teaching is such a large part of who we are; it is woven into every module
Scope of practice and safe boundaries for all are returned to throughout
Fully self-paced, no schedule, just self-practice and integration of theory to embodied experience and teaching
Each module has practical tasks that build directly into real-life teaching
The final practicum is a deep integration of everything you have learned. You have the option to join live sessions in June to practice, discuss what you have learnt, and, most importantly, ask questions and share your own experience.

Six modules and a complete nervous System education

The ANS, polyvagal theory (and the debate around it), neuroception, and the three-state model as a working map. Classical yoga as a nervous system practice. The ethical principles that underpin everything: scope of practice, the yamas and niyamas as living professional ethics.
Task: written NS observation journal.
Fascial anatomy, mechanoreceptors, and viscoelastic response. The critical distinction between yield and collapse. Sequencing yin for regulation.
Task: record yourself teaching a 20-minute Yin sequence, with a written self-review using the NS observation framework.
Interoception, bottom-up processing, and developmental movement patterns. The ethics of somatic work: the niyamas as a framework for not interpreting, not rescuing, not projecting.
Task: record a 15-minute voice-only somatic guidance session, with a written language audit.
Three ethics case study responses.
RSA, vagal tone, CO₂ tolerance, and the Bohr effect. Six pranayama practices with NS mechanisms and contraindications. Invitational breath language.
Task: written contraindication review, then record yourself teaching a 15-minute breath sequence with a written language assessment.
Vinyasa as deliberate SNS activation. The five-phase NS arc. Reading the room. The ethics of intensity.
Task: record a 20-minute vinyasa sequence with arc narration, and complete a five-phase self-map of your recording.
Designing multi-modal classes across the full NS palette. The teacher's NS as the primary teaching instrument. Ethics closing: scope, language, cultural context, and carrying this forward.
Task: 30-minute multi-modal practicum recording + 500–800-word written synthesis (reviewed personally by Gem before the certificate is issued).

Who This Training Is For

This training is suitable if you:

Are a 200-hour trained yoga teacher
Teach Yin, Restorative, or slower practices
Are interested in working with older adults or mixed-ability groups
Want ethical clarity around nervous system language
Are moving into community or accessible teaching spaces

Hybrid Online learning

This course is delivered live online via Zoom, with the option to join in real time or follow along later through recorded sessions. All course materials, including presentations, lectures and the course manual, are held in my online platform, where you will have unlimited access throughout and after the training.

You can study at your own pace, revisit any session, and stay connected through the WhatsApp group for discussion and support throughout the course.

5 days of live training: 16th - 20th June 2026 (via Zoom)
Online Access: All sessions and presentations are recorded and available through my online platform
Community Support: WhatsApp group for questions, reflection and connection
Ongoing Access: All material remains available indefinitely
Mentoring and post-course guidance

Assessment & Certification:

Attendance at live sessions or completion of all recording are mandatory to complete the course.
Assignments must be completed within 30 days of completing the training and include a written or recorded reflection and teaching demonstration.
50 Hour Yoga Teacher Training
Counts towards the 300 Hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Pathway
Eligible for Yoga Alliance Continuing Education hours

Course Fee and Registration:

The full course fee is £450.
An early registration rate of £395 is available until 15th May 2026.
A payment plan of two instalments of £225 can be arranged.

Participants who have completed the 10 Hour Introduction to the Nervous System and Yoga receive an additional £95 reduction, which can be applied to both the standard and early registration rates. Use the code provided in your confirmation email from the 10-hour Intro when registering.

Join the April 2026 Training

Testimonial / graduate reflections

If all teachers were like Gem the world would be a much lovelier place. Her knowledge is vast and I could listen to her all day. I'm awaiting her TedTalk and podcast. Her style of teaching is the perfect balance of loving, patient, confidence building whilst also pushing you a little out of your comfort zone because it's clear her intention is for you to be the best you can be. Gem's passion for yoga, Eastern Philosophy, anatomy, and many many other topics is super inspiring. This experience felt like a loving container and I have emerged with a renewed enthusiasm for life and certainly my yoga practice with I have deeply reconnected with. Thank you Gem, I truly appreciate the energy you shared with us, this weekend was medicine...I might sneak into every training 🤍

Suzy Holiday (White Rabbit Glasgow)
Yin Yoga Immersion
I absolutely loved my Yin Training with Gem, Gem is a fantastic teacher with tons & tons of experience, which she gladly shares with so much love & respect. I was unsure about doing the whole course online, but I think it could be a more effective way to learn! I felt more focused & comfortable in my own home, and although it was online, we all got to know each other & it felt very relaxed. The course is packed with learnings, but you never felt overloaded or rushed. I feel that my own personal teaching style has evolved from doing this course as well as learning about Yin, I honestly loved it and feel so grateful for the experience.

Jules McKinnon
My experience of Yin Yoga Teacher Training with Gem was certainly not as expected. With the emergence of Covid-19 and its associated lockdown, our 50hrs moved online. I needn't have worried though. I was looking to understand the philosophy of Yin, develop my practice and improve the way I share my practice with others; I wasn't disappointed. Gem's teaching was fun, interactive and pitched correctly. She was also supportive and available for questions/counsel at any time. I learned so much and couldn't wait to share my new knowledge. I also learned a lot about myself and my own practice, through introspection and journaling. Loved it.

Fiona McGill
A beautiful teacher training experience. Gem is so knowledgeable and delivers the training with a love and passion for all things Yin. I finished the Yin Teacher Training with all the knowledge and confidence to start my own Yin teaching journey. Gem gives so much across ALL the modules, you would be mad not to do your Yin YTT with Gem, let her love of yin yoga become your new passion

Graham Munro
So many beautiful take-always. Gem’s course was well structured, a perfect balance of practice & theory. Questions & enquiry were encouraged and Gem’s ability to respond with a great depth of knowledge, experience & wisdom was evident. Her passion, accessibility & unpretentiousness made for a truly comfortable, inspiring & joyous learning environment, she gently guided us all into finding our own paths within the Yin practice which was really quite special.

Yin Yoga Immersion Trainee
Gem’s Yin Yoga Teacher Training exceeded my expectations. It covered everything I needed to know to begin sharing yin yoga with others. Gem has so much insight and wisdom and delivers this authentically with passion and precision. There was the perfect balance of Yin practice, theory and teaching, planning classes, she welcomed the group into her warm and comfortable home and cooked delicious lunches each day! This course has give me the tools and resources to confidently start teaching yin yoga. Thank Gem!!

Emma Saville (2023 Yin Teacher Training)
The training was not just about imparting knowledge but also great preparation for starting to teach yin confidently. Great ideas about how to structure classes - very pragmatic training. Encouraging you to apply your knowledge in a practical way.

Sonya McKinlay (2023 Yin Training)

FAQs

Here, you’ll find answers to commonly asked questions about the course to help you feel informed and confident about your decision to join me for this Nervous System and Yoga Foundations training.

No. You can join live or study from the recorded live trainings and pre-recorded lectures. Everything is uploaded within 24 hours of live training.
Yes. However, you will need basic yoga experience.
No. It teaches trauma informed best practices, informed awareness and regulation. It does not qualify you as a yoga therapist.
Yes. You will receive a 50 Hour CPD certificate which can be registered with Yoga Alliance and counts towards CPD hours.
Yes. You are required to complete a written reflection and a short teaching demonstration, along with a quiz at the end of each module.