Giving Tree Yoga
200 hr & 300 hr Teacher Training Program
Residential in Costa Rica
May 1st - 15th 2027
Become an exceptional leader in service to others
Express your interest now for 200 hr and 300 hr Residential Yoga Teacher Training in Costa Rica in May 2027. Preparation courses, workshops and mentoring begins at Giving Tree Yoga in June 2026.
Note to apply for 300 hr training you must have completed a 200 hr training course.
Why attend a 200hr or 300 hr Teacher Training Residential by Giving Tree Yoga?
Giving Tree Yoga invites you to step into your next chapter and become an exceptional leader in service to others. Come be inspired to deepen your personal practice. Deepen your knowledge and skills of teaching yoga to others. Program leader Karina Carmichael, ERYT-500, and owner of Giving Tree Yoga, has over 25 years experience of teaching yoga, and she has the expertise and skill to guide you through this inspiring and transformative course.
Participating in a 200hr or 300 hr Yoga Teacher Training program will forever change your life in ways you can’t even imagine! Get ready to nourish your mind, body and spirit and to dive deep into the heart of the practice and philosophy of yoga. This 300 hour certification program will give participants a deeper knowledge for guiding students through safe and inspiring sequences and poses, while strengthening their own practices and understanding during the course.
Through this training, you will further develop your toolbox of all aspects of yoga; including postures (asana), breath work (pranayama), meditation, anatomy, sequencing, philosophy, history, adjustments, and the business of yoga. The goal is that you will feel fully confident teaching when you graduate. But, just as importantly, you’ll go deeper: discovering who you are. What makes you unique in this world. How to be comfortable with all of the layers that make up who you are. You’ll find and develop your own voice. You’ll learn to be fully present in a yoga class, knowing that it is what will touch and inspire your students. Yogic concepts combined with authenticity, honesty, and presence will help you become the best teacher you can be. You will begin to develop the heart of a teacher. This training is for those who wish to become yoga teachers or those who simply desire the transformative experience the program offers.
200 hour Yoga Teacher Training Residential May 2027
Are you ready to take your practice to the next level?
For the first time Giving Tree Yoga is offering a residential training in the beautiful Costa Rica for the first two weeks in May 2027.
If you would like to become a 200-hour certified yoga teacher through Giving Tree Yoga's training, then we start this coming JUNE 2026 preparing and mentoring you. You will deepen your knowledge and gain confidence while connecting with the amazing Giving Tree community here in Smyrna GA before embarking on the residential training.
The training covers -
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Yoga history and philosophy including The 8 Limbs, Yoga Sutras, Chakras, 3 Gunas, Karma, 5 Koshas, lessons from The Bhagavad Gita 25+ hrs
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How to sequence a yoga class of various styles 20+ hrs
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Finding your voice and confidence as a yoga teacher 10+ hrs
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Anatomy / physiology / Alignment / adjustments 30+ hrs
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Pranayamas Bandhas and Kriyas 15+ hrs
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Meditation, Mudras and Mantra 25+ hrs
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The business of yoga 5hrs
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Prenatal yoga 10hrs (To gain knowledge if you have a pregnant student in your class)
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In person and Online classes 60+ hrs
We will look at many lineages from Sivananda, Iyengar, Vinyasa, Jivamukti, Bhakti, Yin, Restorative and more. You will be supported by Karina Carmichael (Tanmayi Radha Devi) and Abbey Brewer who both have over 25 years teaching experience and knowledge, between them you will have the support to cultivate your strengths and move forward with growing confidence and a deep passion for all things Yoga related.
300-hour Yoga Teacher Training Residential May 2027
Are you ready to take your teaching to the next level?
For the first time Giving Tree Yoga is offering a residential training in the beautiful Costa Rica for the first two weeks in May 2027.
If you would like to add 300 hours to your existing 200-hour certification as a yoga teacher, then come and join us for Giving Tree Yoga's training.
We start this coming JUNE 2026 preparing and mentoring you. You will deepen your knowledge and gain further confidence while connecting with the amazing Giving Tree community here in Smyrna GA before embarking on the residential training.
The training covers various styles of Yoga. We will look at many lineages from Sivananda, Iyengar, Vinyasa, Jivamukti, Bhakti, Yin, Restorative and more.
Modules
Trauma Informed – 20 hrs
Sivananda Inspired – 10 hrs
Chakras, Nidra, Restorative – 20 hrs
Prenatal – 20 hrs
Yin – 20 hrs
Anatomy for Yoga – 20 hrs
Extended Special Population (Adaptive yoga) – 10hrs
Dive Deeper
Pranayama
Kriyas
Mantra
Philosophy
The Stories behind the poses
Theme weaving
Myths of Yoga
Bhagavad Gita
You will be supported by Karina Carmichael (Tanmayi Radha Devi) and Abbey Brewer who both have over 25 years teaching experience and knowledge, between them you will have the support to cultivate your strengths and move forward with growing confidence and a deep passion for all things Yoga related.
Please note 100 hrs of the 300 hr training will be completed online (45 hrs live online, 55 hrs recorded) prior to the Residential training.
Click here to find out if Yoga Teacher Training is right for you
Meet Our YTT Teachers
Karina Carmichael
YTT Leader
studio owner,
E-RYT 500
Karina Stewart Carmichael, E-RYT 500, is the owner of Giving Tree Yoga Studio located in the heart of the Smyrna Market Village. Classically trained in Hatha Yoga, Karina embraces and brings influences from Iyengar, Yin, Sivananda, Karma, Raja, Mantra, and most recently completed a wonderful 500hr advanced teacher training in India in Bhakti Yoga. Originally based in Aberdeen Scotland until 2021 when marrying her American based husband brought her to reside in Atlanta, Karina ran regular classes and workshops as well as retreats both in the UK and further afield in India, Spain, Turkey and Portugal. Karina also ran Yoga teacher training courses and has qualified many yogis.
Abbey Brewer
YTT Co-Leader
E-RYT 500
Abbey Brewer is a seasoned yoga teacher, who has been actively teaching yoga since 1998. She has many certifications including E-RYT 500, RPYT, YACEP, LMT, CNMT, Comprehensive Certified Pilates Instructor (600 hours through Power Pilates, NY & additional certifications through Body Awareness Studio), certified community and family herbalist and certified aromatherapist. She is the founder and director of Georgia's first registered prenatal yoga teacher training school and has taught and apprenticed with women's health PT, Candice Goch, for over a decade. She has led the RPYT training program at Etowah Valley since 2012. She has been supporting individuals in holistic health options for over 22 years, working as a yoga teacher; neuromuscular therapist; licensed massage therapist; doula; and fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum specialist. She is experienced in abdominal detox massage & provides herbal support. In addition to her work in full spectrum health, she taught musculoskeletal anatomy, neuromuscular therapy, and rehabilitation at Rising Spirit Institute/Gwinnett College for more than 8 years. She has also designed and taught anatomy programs for both yoga and Pilates teacher training programs throughout the Metro Atlanta area. Passionate about deeper yoga explorations, Abbey has facilitated many extended yoga retreats. She has always enjoyed training teachers and is the lead instructor for Etowah Valley Yoga's 300 hour (RYT 500) program. Her goal is to mentor both students and teachers through education and movement practices so that we can all be self empowered, vibrant, and ultimately thrive.
Abbey lives in metro Atlanta with her husband, yoga teaching daughter, son and two dogs.
Program Details:
Residential at Selva Armonia in Costa Rica May 1st to 15th 2027. Preparation courses, workshops and mentoring begins at Giving Tree Yoga in June 2026.
Why is it important to attend in person?
There are training programs out there that blast you through the recommended materials, but our tried and true program prepares our graduates to lead their students safely and confidently through yoga postures so students receive a safe and beneficial yoga experience.
An on-line program just falls short of the in-person experience.
There are limited spaces for this program so early registration is recommended.
Giving Tree Yoga is a Registered Yoga School (RYS) with Yoga Alliance & American Yoga Council in the USA, as well as Yoga Alliance Professionals in the UK. These Governing Bodies designate this teacher training program as one which follows their standards. Students who complete a verified training with this school would be eligible to register with these Associations as Yoga Teachers (RYTs).
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TESTIMONIALS
The Teacher Training Program at Giving Tree Yoga was amazing, including the teachers who led the program. The overall course and instruction provided a great understanding of anatomy, philosophy and yoga as a whole. This, combined with the physical practice and instruction on asana, pranayama and meditation, I feel has provided me the foundation needed to deepen my knowledge and awareness, while giving me the tools to not just teach a class but to be a true teacher who can serve others. The teachers themselves made the difference in the program by providing so much encouragement and support, commitment, and space to simply be ourselves, ask questions and practice. It was truly an enlightening and transformational experience. I highly recommend Giving Tree Yoga as a studio, but also, if one is considering a teacher training program that is grounded in a deep understanding of anatomy and philosophy with the actual practice of yoga for a well-rounded training program. Love my Giving Tree Yoga Family! ~Melissa V.
My teacher training experience at Giving Tree Yoga exceeded my expectations. The instructors went above and beyond to prepare a 6-month course. The course was very extensive in Human Anatomy, making me realize how interested I am in the science of the human body. I felt comfortable in the learning environment. The smaller class created a more intimate and hands on learning experience where I was able to get the most out of the training. I recommend this studio's teacher training for anyone interested in teaching or wanting to deepen your knowledge of yoga. ~ Christina P.
The teacher training at Giving Tree Yoga was done both virtually and in studio because of Covid 19 and it ran incredibly smooth. The materials, books and information we received covered a wide array of topics and each lesson built onto the next in a most comprehensive way. Both lead and co instructor were knowledgeable in the topics presented and very engaging. I would definitely recommend this teacher training to anyone that wants to pursue their certification. ~ Lisa B.
Giving Tree Yoga's Teacher Training program was excellent and I highly recommend it. The program focused equally on anatomy of the body, the philosophy of yoga, and the actual poses in English and in Sanskrit. I wasn't sure going into the training if I would be teaching once I completed the training. But I had such a wonderful experience and gained so much support from my instructors that I am already starting to plan how I will teach and share this gift with the world. ~ Madeline B.
Amazing program! Christy and Melissa are incredibly knowledgable not only in the physical practice but in the entire lifestyle. We were exposed to many different practices including restorative, yin, chair yoga, etc. We thoroughly covered anatomy and the effects of yoga. This program prepares you for teaching from all aspects. I had a great experience and would recommend the program to anyone. ~ Allie L.