About Us

Established in 1996, The Yoga Studio College of Canada is Calgary’s pioneer teacher training facility. Known as the ‘home studio’ to many, it has trained over 1,000 graduates from Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan. These trainees were trained to teach in a variety of settings including corporate, health and educational facilities.

Why choose The Yoga Studio College over any other training?

  • We don’t believe in ‘crash’ trainings. Besides being too straining for the nervous system, it rushes the unique spiritual, emotional and physical unfoldment of the individual. We provide a 15 month program that is spaced comfortably to accommodate your growth, your job and your family.
  • We include a yoga pass for unlimited classes at our Yoga Studio locations for 15 months.
  • We give you a solid curriculum of 62 poses based on the Iyengar tradition and their multiple modifications to service your student’s unique needs.
  • We show you a teaching foundation that includes skill, compassion, integrity and safety.
  • We teach you precautions for problem backs, pregnancy, injuries and other physical conditions.
  • We help you find your own unique gifts and voice.
  • We provide a safe, fun environment where people of all ages and backgrounds come together to deepen their practice of yoga. They come as strangers and leave as life long friends.
  • We provide tax deductible receipts as a Government of Canada registered educational Institute (gst exempt).
  • We give you skills to compete in the marketplace, write curriculums for the specific groups you teach, and how to set up classes where you are and more…
  • We guide you on the business skills of advertising, incorporation, and being hirable.
  • Our faculty are not novices, but long term practitioners who teach and guide with skill, expertise and compassion.
  • The philosophy modules are condensed to a practical personal inquiry that makes ancient teachings relative to your life now.
  • We teach trainees the fundamentals of yoga as a therapy.
  • ‘We are all in this game with a handicap.’
  • Our book list is no nonsense. You will use these books for life long reference.
  • We provide your name to our constant stream of inquiries for employment. We get you teaching as soon as possible!
Our Faculty
Depth and Breadth of Training

  • Convenience – Training takes place at our two thriving studios in northwest Calgary , at the LRT stations
  • 30 teachers to mentor and support you through your training (they were once where you are!)
  • Credibility and expertise – dedicated faculty members who are top ranking Canadian yoga experts to inspire you and guide you
  • Learn how to create lesson plans for any class – flow, hot, beginner or restorative yoga
  • NO CRASH COURSE! Anything less than one year for a teacher training will leave you unprepared. Don’t be fooled by weekend courses.
Flexibility
  • 3 studios that accommodate our trainees for practice
  • A well structured curriculum at a sane pace of 15 months, spread out to allow you to work, raise your family and comfortably integrate your studies into daily life..
Credibility of your Certificate

  • A diploma widely recognized in Canada. We are a government endorsed, gst exempt educational institute tuition can be claimed on your taxes. 
Support Upon Graduation
  • A graduation banquet to celebrate with your peers and loved ones. Job well done!
  • Be hired by our studios or our contacts. We help you get teaching jobs.
  • Create your own job, even your own company. Val will show you how.
  • Receive ongoing support – as an alumni of The Yoga Studio College you will receive the The Yoga Studio College Newsletter and email updates which will keep you abreast of upcoming events, opportunities and success stories (your can be one of them). Alumni network informally share tips, opportunities, lessons learned to strengthen you practice, your teaching and your business.
About the Director

Valery took her first yoga class in 1975 with Friedel Khattab. She studied with Swami Radha in the 80’s and personally with BKS Iyengar in India in 1983. Rama Vernon, Father Joe Pereira and Judith Lasater are her abiding teachers. She founded the Yoga Studios and the Yoga Studio College in 1996. She was the Canadian representative for the Unity of Yoga Conferences, (1986 – 1996), which was the forerunner to the Yoga Journal conferences.
 
A teacher since 1980, Valery has observed that yoga has the ability to transform everyone who dedicates themselves to regular practice. She advises patience in finding the teacher who ‘speaks to you’ and that is a teacher who awakens your inner teacher. Valery mentors, trains and empowers trainees to ‘bloom where planted’ adding value to the community and family around them. Valery prepares trainees to meet the ever increasing demand for yoga in corporate, health, educational and clinical settings by writing curriculum that supports the environment. 

Valery guides trainees to develop their unique gifts and calling, adding a deeper dimension of self fullfilment, confidence and prosperity to their lives.

Certifications: BKS Iyengar, Khattab, YAA , Psychosynthesis, Himalayan Tradition initiate

"Val is someone who lives and teaches the art of yoga. She blends grace and precision, wisdom and fun, experience and the joy of adventure. She brings a lifetime of experience and a heart full of generosity to all she does."

Donna Martin M.A.
Founder Psoma Yoga, author, lecturer

"Val Petrich brings the only form of wisdom there is to the teaching of yoga, and that is the wisdom of a long-time personal practice and years of teaching others from her heart. She is a role model for newer teachers and a delight to her peers in the yoga community."

Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D.
Yoga teacher since 1971 and author of eight books on yoga.