How Do I Become A Certified Ayurveda Health Professional? Which Course Should I Take?

Written by John Immel, Asheville, NCAt Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda, we offer several professional Ayurveda certifications. All of our courses give you the ability to legally see clients after graduation.

Ayurveda Health Counselor Certification

The Ayurveda Health Counselor certification (AHC) is a 2 year program covering all the fundamental principles for the practice of Ayurveda. In year 1 you will be immersed in Ayurveda's medicinal principles and theory. Clinical application of these principles begins right away in the first week.

In year 2, students will apply year 1 principles with an even greater focus on Ayurveda's diagnostic methods and application in a clinical setting, learning all the tools you need to work independently with clients.

This course builds your knowledge from the ground up and is often the first course students take in Ayurveda. As we are a state licensed college, you can begin seeing clients immediately after graduation without any further testing or certification.

Ayurvedic Digestive Health Coach Certification

The Mastering Ayurvedic Digestion & Nutrition (MID) course is the most advanced certification course in Ayurvedic digestive health & wellness. This 500 hour, 12 month program is for those who want specialized knowledge of Ayurvedic nutrition and its approach to gastroenterology / digestive tract pathology. This course has very little overlap with the fundamentals course. It is typically taken by someone in the health & wellness profession (medical doctor, nurse, yoga teacher, massage, mental health professional), or who has prior professional training in Ayurveda.

Where the Ayurveda Health Counselor course provides breadth, the Ayurvedic Digestion & Nutrition course provides depth and specialization in digestive disorders. This depth makes the course very practical for students who want to quickly increase the number of clients in their practice.

Ayurvedic Herbalist Certification

The Ayurvedic Herbalist - Advanced Strategies, Formulas, & Pharmacology (CAH) course is the most advanced course in Ayurvedic herbal treatments available. This program will give you unparalleled training in clinical herbal strategies from Ayurveda, Chinese, and Greek Medicine (the roots of Western herbalism). This 500 hour, 12 month program is for those seeking clinical mastery of herbs. It is typically taken after the health counselor certification course, by those seeking Ayurveda Practitioner level certification, or by those who are already herbalists.

Panchakarma / Ayurvedic Spa & Marma Point Certification

The Panchakarma Cleanse Specialist: Ayurvedic Spa, Panchakarma Cleansing, & Advanced Clinical Skills (PKS) course is the an advanced course giving you the practical skills to create a serene Ayurvedic spa, Panchakarma cleanse or retreat center. The course includes a deep dive into marma point therapy and advanced disease from the ancient Ayurvedic texts. You will also learn to decode western medical tests and nutraceuticals with Ayurvedic wisdom. This course is typically taken after the herb course, by those who have received Ayurveda training at another school, or who is already practicing as as a clinician, herbalist, or in TCM, and has been using Ayurveda for a few years.

Ayurvedic Practitioner Level Certification

Students who complete an Ayurveda Health Counselor Level certification may seek certification at the Ayurveda Practitioner level by completing the following:

• Year 1 - Ayurvedic Herbalist - Advanced Strategies, Formulas, & Pharmacology (CAH) course - See above
• Year 2-3 - Panchakarma Cleanse Specialist / Marma & Ayurvedic Spa (PKS) - A 2 year comprehensive course in Panchakarma, Ayurvedic spa, Marma therapy, Nutraceuticals, Sanskrit, & the Ancient texts.
• 50 supervised clinical encounters each program including 25 paying clients. Counselors will be compensated while they fulfill the requirements of this section.

Which Certification is Right for You?

In many cases, students wish to take all of our certification programs, as there is very little overlap between them. The question then becomes, which is the right course to study first? Many students start with the AHC course. These students want to start their studies with a solid foundation in Ayurvedic theory. After building this foundation, graduates develop a specialized knowledge base in digestion and herbs with MID and CAH.

Other students want to get right to the center of Ayurvedic digestion and nutrition, and choose to specialize with the MID first. They then go on to expand their knowledge base to the rest of the body with the AHC program. A solid argument can be made in both directions, and only you can choose the option that is right for you.

Still unsure? Text our director, John, at 828-785-8213 with your question and a time you are available to talk.