Thai yoga and Thai massage are used interchangeably to describe a form of body work that is a hybrid of hatha yoga, acupressure and reflexology, led by a practitioner who has been specifically trained in the technique. Thai massage has been performed for more than 2,500 years, according to an article at Spiritwinds, with the original instructions for teaching carved into stone tablets.
Method
Many people who become Thai yoga practitioners have experience in some other form of body work, although that is not necessary for certification. The training takes less time if you already have experience in traditional massage and yoga, but in general takes about 500 hours of study from an accredited school to learn the practice and get certification.
Certification
Once the coursework for Thai yoga is competed the practitioner may get certified through their school, or may get certification through the International Thai Therapists Association's Board of Examiners, according to information at Thaimassage.com. Once a practitioner becomes board certified, she may work towards master practitioner certification, which includes 10 years of experience.
Costs
The cost of learning Thai massage varies depending on the location of the school, the duration of the class and the depth of the program. It is difficult to predict what your education will cost, but many schools offer scholarships for students. An article at Selfgrowth.com reports that massage school classes can cost anywhere from $6 to $17 per credit hour, with the average falling in the range of $10 per credit hour.
Other Considerations
Thai yoga training takes a time and financial commitment. It differs from both yoga and massage in that the practitioner needs to put the client in the poses, so you need to be comfortable with helping a person into the yoga positions as well as guiding the energy work that occurs during the sessions. Thai massage has a greater level of interaction between practitioner and client than other forms of massage.
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