Back Care & Mental Wellbeing 2026

Open to all qualified yoga teachers, this postgraduate Dru Back Care and Mental Wellbeing Course will provide you with an in-depth training based on the latest research in crucial topics facing all yoga teachers today.  You’ll learn how to confidently address wellbeing issues centred around back pain, anxiety, depression and other mental health concerns.

Revolutionise the way you teach your current yoga classes!

Equip yourself to be a highly effective yoga teacher in a health care, work place or local community setting enabling you to respond to whatever opportunities are available in your area. Feel confident to start teaching in business or other workplace settings.

This is Yoga Australia Approved Professional Development 50 Hour Course

You’ll receive the training you need to offer easy-to-apply yoga approaches to these conditions, giving you the capability to work in collaboration with health professionals, corporate settings and any yoga class environment. We provide you with a Trauma Aware approach to teaching yoga.

This course was developed in the UK by our Dru senior tutors who are part of the UK national workgroup setting standards for the UKs Social Prescribing model so you’ll be aligned with the most up to date, research backed practices for yoga teachers.

Here in Australia many workplaces are now required to have comprehensive wellbeing policies resulting in an increase in demand for Wellbeing programs. This course places you in a strong and confident position to be able to offer workplace programs.

About

What this course will give you...

• Confidence to address wellbeing issues centred around back pain, anxiety, depression, panic attacks and other mental health concerns

• In-depth training based on the latest research in crucial topics facing all yoga teachers today

• Extensive and progressive yoga programmes on which to base your back care and mental health and wellbeing classes

• A trauma-aware and compassionate teaching approach to working with health issues (Trauma Aware Yoga - see definition below)

• Insights into the latest research on the many functions of the vagus nerve, musculofascial relase and the psoas muscle

• New approaches breathing and relaxation techniques

• Practical application of the latest research around the many functions of the vagus nerve will give you a much greater understanding of the human relaxation response

• You’ll dive into the nuances of myofascial stretching, gradual muscle strengthening and healthy breathing.

What is the structure and dates of this course?

• Undertake preparatory activities ready for Weekend 1: 5 - 15th May 2026 on our Dru Learning Hub

• Weekend 1 - 16/17 - May Back Care Focus 9.30am - 4.00pm

• Run a 6 - 8 week Back Care Program guided by your tutor. Write up & submit case study by 23 July

• Weekend 2: 25/26 July - Mental/Emotional Wellbeing Focus 9.30 am -4.00pm

• Final 2 hour workshop: 9 August 2026 10am - 12

   

What is included

• 22 Hours of live online interactive teaching (and recorded replays of these sessions)

• An additional 10 hours of downloadable teaching sessions that you can study in your own time

• Tutor-guided small groups that will help you deepen your understanding of the material, based on case studies and medical and yoga topics

• A comprehensive 50-page manual – including teaching plans, medical guidelines and background research

Resources: Dru Learning Hub

You will have access to the Back Care & Mental Wellbeing Course on our Dru Learning Hub - your online learning portal with all your course information and resources including:

• Course Handbook

• Extra Handouts

• Assessment and assignment information

• Recordings of all sessions from each module - accessible for one year after course completion.

• Pre-course work and extra video lessons to watch

Who can do this course?

This is a post graduate course for Yoga Teachers of any tradition who have completed a minimum 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training.

Accreditation pathways for Yoga Teachers from all traditions

Gain 50 hours CPD. This course is accredited with Yoga Australia as a 50 Hour Approved Professional Development post graduate yoga training.

Dru Australia specialises in post graduate Yoga & Meditation teacher training with pathways accredited to take you forward in becoming a Level 1, 2 or 3 YA qualified Yoga Teacher. We collaborate with Yoga Australia to help you to up-skill and progress your professional development.

This course is a wonderful pathway for any 200 Hr trained yoga teachers of any tradition wanting to gain their 350 Hr qualification through Dru Australia and/or through Yoga Australia.

It is also great for those teachers wishing to obtain their subsequent Level 2 & 3 Yoga teacher accreditation with Yoga Australia.

Meet your Tutors

Your tutors pictured are Ruth Gent (Course manager) Frani Wilde, Julie Beynon (course co-ordinator) and Sue Cleaver.

Also joining us as tutors are Ada Giaquinto, Aileen Emery and Karen Custance.

Course Cost & Payments Options

Early Bird $1195 Register for $195

Standard: $1395 Register for $395

Early Bird closes 16 March 2026

Payment Plans

Once you have registered you will receive an email with a link to either pay the remainder of your course payment up front or set up a 2 month payment plan:

Option 1: Pay remainder $1000

Option 2: 2 X monthly payments of $500

Cancellation Policy

Participants who withdraw from an event they have registered for up to two months prior to the start date may receive a full refund (minus a 2.5% service fee) or may transfer their payment to another course or event, or to the purchase of Dru products.   

Participants who withdraw from an event up to 14 days before the start date may receive a 50% refund (minus a 2.5% service fee) or may transfer 50% of their payment to another course or event, or to the purchase of Dru products.

In the event of cancellation within 7 days or withdrawal once an event has begun Dru Australasia will not provide a refund or transfer.

What is Trauma Aware Yoga?

Within the emerging world of using yoga to address emotional pain, "trauma aware yoga" introduces you to an awareness of how someone with trauma might need an attitude of care, invitation and respect for their personal space. It helps you notice the signs someone with trauma might express and the thresholds that indicate you should refer them on for further help. It's important to be aware that this is very different from "trauma sensitive" or "trauma informed" yoga, which explore ways to help someone with trauma and are beyond the scope of this course. In this course, "trauma aware yoga" enables you to be a sensitive, kind yoga teacher