Yoga Nidra
Practitioner Certification
Become a Certified Yoga Nidra Practitioner
40-Hour Online Yoga Nidra Certification
Learn the foundations, science, methodology, facilitation, and professional application of Yoga Nidra — sometimes called Yoga Nidra teacher training — through a comprehensive self-paced certification designed to prepare you to confidently create and guide your own Yoga Nidra experiences.
100% Online | Self-Paced | Lifetime Access | $400
No previous Yoga Nidra teaching experience required.
Learn More Than How to Read a Yoga Nidra Script
Yoga Nidra is often described as "yogic sleep," but the practice extends far beyond simply lying down and listening to a guided relaxation.
Becoming a skilled Yoga Nidra practitioner requires understanding the practice itself.
Why does Yoga Nidra follow a particular progression?
What is the purpose of rotation of consciousness?
Where do Sankalpa, breath awareness, visualization, silence, and sensory awareness fit?
How do you guide someone without rushing, over-directing, or filling every moment with words?
And eventually, how do you move beyond someone else's script and create a Yoga Nidra experience of your own?
The Yoga Nidra Practitioner Certification from New England Bodywork & Wellness Academy was created to bring these pieces together.
You'll explore Yoga Nidra from its traditional yogic foundations through contemporary understandings of the nervous system, sleep, consciousness, attention, and deep rest. Then you'll learn how to put that knowledge into practice through facilitation, original script development, adaptation, ethics, and hands-on practicum experience.
By graduation, the goal isn't simply for you to know more about Yoga Nidra.
It's for you to know how to practice it, create it, and confidently guide it.
What Is Yoga Nidra?
Yoga Nidra is a guided meditative practice traditionally associated with deep relaxation and an inward movement of awareness.
Often translated as "yogic sleep," Yoga Nidra invites the practitioner into a state of rest while maintaining an element of conscious awareness.
A practice may incorporate systematic body awareness, breath awareness, Sankalpa or inner resolve, sensations, opposites, visualization, silence, and a gradual return to external awareness.
Today, Yoga Nidra is practiced in yoga studios, meditation spaces, wellness practices, retreats, private sessions, group classes, and virtual settings.
While contemporary research continues to explore Yoga Nidra and related mind-body practices, Yoga Nidra has become increasingly recognized as an accessible practice for supporting rest, relaxation, self-awareness, reflection, and overall well-being.
This Training May Be Right for You If...
You want to develop a deeper personal understanding of Yoga Nidra.
You are a yoga or meditation teacher who would like to add Yoga Nidra to your professional offerings.
You are a massage therapist, bodyworker, Reiki or energy practitioner, wellness practitioner, coach, doula, sleep professional, or other qualified professional interested in incorporating Yoga Nidra appropriately into your work.
You already guide meditation or relaxation practices and want more formal education in Yoga Nidra.
You want to learn how to write your own Yoga Nidra scripts rather than relying entirely on scripts written by others.
You want to facilitate private Yoga Nidra sessions, groups, classes, workshops, virtual experiences, or wellness events.
Or you simply feel drawn to the practice and want a comprehensive professional training that begins with the foundations.
You do not need to be a yoga teacher to enroll.
Your ability to use Yoga Nidra professionally may depend on your existing credentials, local requirements, professional scope, and liability insurance. Students are responsible for practicing within the laws and professional requirements applicable to them.
What You'll Be Prepared to Do
By the completion of your training, you will have studied how to:
✓ Explain Yoga Nidra and its traditional foundations
✓ Understand the role of Pratyahara, the Panchamaya Kosha model, Sankalpa, rotation of consciousness, breath awareness, visualization, and other foundational concepts
✓ Discuss basic nervous-system, relaxation, sleep, brain-wave, attention, and neuroplasticity concepts responsibly
✓ Understand the structure and progression of a Yoga Nidra experience
✓ Prepare participants for a Yoga Nidra session
✓ Create a comfortable and supportive practice environment
✓ Use voice, pacing, silence, and language intentionally
✓ Facilitate Yoga Nidra for individuals and groups
✓ Guide Yoga Nidra virtually
✓ Develop original Yoga Nidra scripts
✓ Adapt practices for different intentions, settings, and participant needs
✓ Apply trauma-aware principles including choice, agency, and predictability
✓ Recognize professional boundaries and scope-of-practice considerations
✓ Develop private sessions, classes, workshops, and other appropriate Yoga Nidra offerings
✓ Integrate Yoga Nidra into an existing wellness practice when appropriate
Most importantly, you will have practiced these skills before earning your certification.
A 40-Hour Yoga Nidra Certification
Built Around Practice
Watching videos can teach you about Yoga Nidra.
Becoming a practitioner requires more.
That's why this certification combines education with personal practice, original script development, facilitated sessions, reflection, participant feedback, and assessment.
Your 40-hour training includes:
8 Comprehensive Training Modules 48 Core Lessons 10 Documented Personal Yoga Nidra Practices 3 Original Yoga Nidra Scripts 3 Facilitated Practicum Sessions Participant Feedback Professional Practitioner Reflection Module Assessments Final Certification Examination Downloadable Practitioner Resource Library Yoga Nidra Starter Script Library Lifetime Course Access
Your Yoga Nidra Certification Curriculum
-
Module 1: Foundations & Traditions of Yoga Nidra
Begin with the practice itself.
Explore what Yoga Nidra is, its history and evolution, its relationship to the yogic tradition, Pratyahara, the Panchamaya Kosha model, and the differences between Yoga Nidra, meditation, relaxation, hypnosis, and sleep.
You'll Study: What Is Yoga Nidra? · History & Evolution of Yoga Nidra · Yoga Nidra Within the Yogic Tradition · Pratyahara: Turning Awareness Inward · The Panchamaya Kosha Model · Yoga Nidra, Meditation, Relaxation, Hypnosis & Sleep · Contemporary Applications of Yoga Nidra
-
Module 2: The Science of Yoga Nidra & Deep Rest
Explore contemporary science relevant to understanding rest, awareness, and the mind-body experience while learning to distinguish established evidence from claims that extend beyond the research.
You'll Study: The Brain & Nervous System · Stress, Arousal & the Relaxation Response · Brain Waves & States of Consciousness · Sleep Science & Yoga Nidra · Interoception, Proprioception & Body Awareness · Attention, Memory & Neuroplasticity · What Does the Research Actually Say?
-
Module 3: The Yoga Nidra Journey
Go inside the methodology.
Learn how the individual components of Yoga Nidra work together to create a complete experience and why sequencing matters.
You'll Study: Architecture of a Yoga Nidra Practice · Preparation & Internalization · Sankalpa: Intention & Inner Resolve · Rotation of Consciousness · Breath Awareness · Feelings, Sensations & Opposites · Visualization, Symbols & Chidakasha · Silence, Witness Awareness & Deepening · Sankalpa, Externalization & Return
Your required personal Yoga Nidra practice begins within this portion of the training.
-
Module 4: The Art of Facilitating Yoga Nidra
Knowing the sequence is one thing.
Guiding another person through it is another.
Develop the practical facilitation skills that allow a Yoga Nidra experience to feel clear, spacious, comfortable, and professionally guided.
You'll Study: The Role & Presence of the Practitioner · Preparing the Participant & Environment · Positioning, Props & Accessibility · Developing Your Authentic Practitioner Voice · Pacing, Rhythm & the Power of Silence · Language, Cueing & Choice · Navigating Common Participant Experiences · Individual, Group & Virtual Facilitation
Practical Assignment: Facilitate an introductory Yoga Nidra experience.
-
Module 5: The Art of Creating Yoga Nidra
Learn to create the practice, not just read it.
This is where your training moves from following Yoga Nidra to creating it.
You'll learn how to take the methodology you've studied and turn it into an original experience with thoughtful sequencing, language, imagery, timing, transitions, and intention.
You'll Study: Anatomy of a Yoga Nidra Script · Intention, Audience & Purpose · Writing for the Spoken Voice · Building the Practice · Creating Imagery & Visualization · Choice-Based & Inclusive Script Writing · Timing Different Practice Lengths · Editing, Recording & Refining Your Script
Your Script Portfolio — you'll create three original Yoga Nidra practices:
10–15 Minute Practice
20–30 Minute Practice
30–45 Minute Complete Yoga Nidra
You graduate with Yoga Nidra practices you created yourself.
-
Module 6: Applied & Specialized Yoga Nidra
There is no single script that fits every participant, setting, or intention.
Learn how to thoughtfully adapt Yoga Nidra while maintaining the integrity and foundational principles of the practice.
You'll Study: Principles of Adaptation · Yoga Nidra for Deep Rest & Restoration · Yoga Nidra for Stress Support & Grounding · Yoga Nidra for Evening & Sleep Support · Yoga Nidra for Self-Reflection & Sankalpa · Yoga Nidra for Creativity & Possibility · Short-Form Yoga Nidra · Extended & Immersive Yoga Nidra · Individualization & Accessibility
Applied Assignment: Develop two practices for different purposes or participant experiences.
-
Module 7: Trauma Awareness, Ethics & Scope of Practice
Professional practice requires more than good technique.
Learn how choice, agency, consent, boundaries, professional scope, documentation, and responsible communication contribute to thoughtful Yoga Nidra facilitation.
You'll Study: Foundations of Trauma-Aware Facilitation · Choice, Agency & Predictability · Responding to Emotional Experiences · Ethics & Professional Boundaries · Informed Consent · Scope of Practice · Considerations, Modifications & Referrals · Documentation, Privacy & Ethical Marketing
Assessment: Ethics & Scope Scenario Assessment
This module teaches trauma-aware principles for wellness practitioners. It does not qualify graduates to diagnose or treat trauma or provide psychotherapy or other licensed mental health services.
-
Module 8: Professional Practice & Integration
Bring your training together and explore what Yoga Nidra can look like within real professional practice.
You'll Study: The Complete Yoga Nidra Client Experience · Private Yoga Nidra Sessions · Groups, Classes & Workshops · Virtual Yoga Nidra · Integrating Yoga Nidra Into an Existing Profession · Creating a Standalone Yoga Nidra Offering · Pricing & Professional Presentation · Developing Your Practitioner Identity · Continuing Education & Professional Development
You Won't Graduate Based on Video Completion Alone
Certification should represent demonstrated learning.
To earn your Yoga Nidra Practitioner Certification, you will complete:
10 Personal Yoga Nidra Practices Experience the practice yourself and document what you notice about the experience, language, sequencing, pacing, and facilitation.
3 Original Yoga Nidra Scripts Develop short, standard, and full-length practices of your own.
3 Facilitated Yoga Nidra Sessions Practice guiding consenting adult participants and begin developing real facilitation experience. At least one session must be a complete 30+ minute Yoga Nidra practice.
Participant Feedback Receive structured feedback from practice participants.
Practitioner Reflection Reflect on your planning, presence, facilitation, participant response, strengths, and areas for continued development.
Final Certification Examination Demonstrate your understanding through knowledge-based and practical scenario questions covering the complete program.
Your Practitioner Resource Library
You don't have to build your professional resources from scratch.
Your training includes downloadable tools you can return to throughout the program and after graduation.
Learning & Practice Resources
Yoga Nidra Practitioner Workbook · Personal Practice Journal · Yoga Nidra Terminology & Reference Guide · Panchamaya Kosha Reference · Yoga Nidra Sequence Reference · Nervous System Reference · Research & Continuing Education Resources
Facilitation Resources
Session Planning Worksheet · Facilitation Log · Voice & Pacing Practice Guide · Participant Feedback Form · Practitioner Reflection Form · Private Session Template · Group Session Planning Template · Virtual Session Checklist
Professional Resources
Participant Intake Form · Informed Consent Template · Session Documentation Template · Scope of Practice Guide · Professional Ethics Guide
Script Development Resources
Yoga Nidra Script-Writing Workbook · Script Planner · Sankalpa Exploration Worksheet · Imagery Development Worksheet · Script Review Checklist
Starter Yoga Nidra Script Library
You'll also receive a collection of NEBWA-developed Yoga Nidra scripts representing different practice lengths, structures, and applications.
Use them for study, personal practice, inspiration, and appropriate professional facilitation while developing your own voice.
Why Study Yoga Nidra With NEBWA?
Professional Education for the Way Wellness Practitioners Actually Work
New England Bodywork & Wellness Academy provides professional development and certification programs designed for practitioners who want education they can integrate into real-world wellness work.
Our approach brings together foundational knowledge, practical application, professional responsibility, and scope awareness.
We believe certification should mean more than accessing course materials.
That's why this program asks you to learn, experience, create, practice, reflect, and demonstrate competency.
The goal isn't to make every graduate sound the same.
It's to give you the foundation to develop a Yoga Nidra practice that is informed, responsible, and authentically yours.
Online Yoga Nidra Training That Fits Into Your Life
Your certification is 100% online and self-paced.
There are no scheduled class times.
Work through the training from home and progress through the curriculum at a pace that allows you to actually absorb and practice what you're learning.
You'll receive lifetime access, so your training remains available after certification for continued review and professional reference.
Your Training Includes: Approx 40 Hours of Professional Training · 8 Comprehensive Modules · 40+ Core Lessons · Self-Paced Online Learning · Lifetime Access · Downloadable Practitioner Resources · Yoga Nidra Script Library · Personal Practice Experience · Script-Writing Practicum · Facilitation Practicum · Assessments · Final Certification Examination · Yoga Nidra Practitioner Certification Upon Successful Completion
About Your Instructor
Gloria Young, D.C.Ed., LMT, BCHHP
Educator, Somatic Trauma Practitioner & Founder of the New England Bodywork & Wellness Academy
Dr. Gloria Young is a Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, Licensed Massage Therapist, and Somatic Trauma Practitioner, and the founder of NEBWA — a leading academy specializing in bodywork, nervous-system awareness, and whole-person wellness education.
With a D.C.Ed. and a multidisciplinary background spanning bodywork, holistic health, and trauma-aware practice, Gloria brings a rare depth and clarity to the study and teaching of Yoga Nidra — bridging its traditional yogic roots with a grounded understanding of the nervous system, rest, and the body's capacity for restoration.
Her work blends:
traditional Yoga Nidra methodology
nervous-system literacy
trauma-aware facilitation
holistic bodywork principles
voice, presence, and script development
and real-world, accessible teaching strategies
Gloria has trained hundreds of professionals across the wellness, bodywork, birth, and coaching fields. She is known for her grounded teaching style, her ability to simplify complex mind-body concepts, and her belief that deep rest is a skill worth teaching well.
The Yoga Nidra Practitioner Certification was designed from Gloria's own blend of expertise: the tradition and structure of Yoga Nidra, the science of the nervous system and rest, and the practical facilitation skills practitioners need to guide others ethically, confidently, and effectively.
Your Investment
Yoga Nidra Practitioner Certification
pRE ENROLL NOW. Access Begins oCTOBER 10, 2026
PAY IN FULL: $400 USD
3 MONTH PAYMENT PLAN: $145.00 USD
6 MONTH PAYMENT PLAN: $79 USD
One investment gives you access to the complete online certification program and practitioner resources.
100% Online | Self-Paced | Lifetime Access | 40-Hour Professional Training | Certification Upon Successful Completion
Ready to Begin?
Move beyond simply following Yoga Nidra. Learn to understand the practice, experience it for yourself, create original Yoga Nidra sessions, and develop the skills to confidently guide others.
New England Bodywork & Wellness Academy provides private professional development and certification programs. Completion of this program does not confer licensure, medical or mental health credentials, Yoga Alliance registration, or authorization to practice outside a graduate's existing professional scope.
WHAT graduates are saying
"What stayed with me most was how restorative the whole experience felt — not just the content, but the way it was held. The instructors broke down the science behind Yoga Nidra in a way that finally made it click for me. If you want to offer a practice that actually heals, I can't recommend this enough."
— Dominic W.
"This certification taught me how to slow down and reconnect — and then how to hand that stillness to my own students. It struck a rare balance between theory, hands-on practice, and real accessibility. I walked away better as a teacher, and honestly, better as a person."
— Sharon A.
"I came in new to Yoga Nidra and left feeling completely confident. The material was clear and beautifully paced, never overwhelming. I'm already weaving guided rest into my classes, and I can see the shift in how my students respond."
— Leslie F.
FAQ’s
-
A Yoga Nidra certification is professional training in the foundations, methodology, practice, and facilitation of Yoga Nidra. The NEBWA Yoga Nidra Practitioner Certification includes approx 40 hours of training across traditional foundations, contemporary science, Yoga Nidra methodology, facilitation, original script development, applied practice, trauma awareness, ethics, professional scope, and practicum experience.
-
Yes. The NEBWA Yoga Nidra Practitioner Certification is completed online through self-paced study, experiential practice, assignments, script development, facilitated practicum sessions, assessments, and a final certification examination.
-
The program is designed as an approx 40-hour professional training. Because it is self-paced, the amount of calendar time you take to complete the certification depends on your schedule and how you choose to space your coursework and practice requirements.
-
No. You do not need to be a registered yoga teacher to enroll in the NEBWA Yoga Nidra Practitioner Certification. The program may be appropriate for yoga and meditation teachers, massage therapists, bodyworkers, wellness practitioners, coaches, doulas, sleep professionals, Reiki and energy practitioners, and others interested in developing professional Yoga Nidra facilitation skills.
Professional use of your training should always remain within your existing qualifications, applicable laws, insurance requirements, and professional scope.
-
No. New England Bodywork & Wellness Academy's Yoga Nidra Practitioner Certification is a private professional certification issued by NEBWA. It is not a Yoga Alliance credential and does not include Yoga Alliance continuing education credits.
-
Terminology varies between schools. Some programs use Yoga Nidra teacher training, while NEBWA uses Yoga Nidra Practitioner Certification because the training is designed for a broader range of wellness professionals, not exclusively yoga teachers.
Students learn how to understand, create, adapt, and facilitate Yoga Nidra in appropriate private, group, wellness, and virtual settings.
-
Yes. Original script development is a significant part of the certification. Students learn how to structure a practice, write for the spoken voice, create imagery, develop transitions, use choice-based language, determine timing, and refine their work.
You will create three original Yoga Nidra scripts as part of your certification requirements.
-
Yes. Students complete three facilitated Yoga Nidra sessions with consenting adults, including at least one full practice of 30 minutes or longer.
This practicum allows you to apply what you've learned before earning certification.
-
Yes. Your practitioner resource library includes NEBWA-developed Yoga Nidra scripts representing different practice lengths and applications, along with script-development resources to help you create your own.
-
Yoga Nidra is commonly practiced to support relaxation, rest, self-awareness, and general well-being, and the certification explores practices designed around stress support, grounding, evening relaxation, and sleep-supportive routines.
The program does not train students to diagnose or treat insomnia, trauma, anxiety disorders, or other medical or mental health conditions unless they separately hold the professional credentials required to do so.
-
Yes. Students who successfully complete the curriculum, required practice experiences, assignments, original script portfolio, facilitated practicum, assessments, and final examination receive a Yoga Nidra Practitioner Certification from New England Bodywork & Wellness Academy.
YOUR PATH AS A YOGA NIDRA PRACTITIONER STARTS HERE
You've read the science, the methodology, the modules — but a certification like this isn't really about information. It's about becoming someone who can hold a room in silence and know exactly what to do with it.
By the end, you won't just understand Yoga Nidra. You'll have your own scripts, your own voice, and real experience guiding others into rest that actually lands in the body.
Your path opens the moment you choose to begin.
