The New Dharma Institute

Sugar Mountain Yoga Teacher Training

Offered through the Yoga Institute of the Berkshires
A 200-Hour Yoga Alliance–Approved Program in the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts

This comprehensive, alignment-based, and philosophy-intensive training is rooted in the rich lineage of non-dual Śaiva Tantra and modern science. Designed for both aspiring teachers and dedicated practitioners, the program honors yoga as a transformational path for householders navigating a complex, ever-changing world.

Key Features of Our Professional & Comprehensive Curriculum

• Accredited 200-Hour Curriculum aligned with Yoga Alliance standards

• Rooted in the Six Nested Layers of the Self, a Tantrik framework for embodied transformation

• Loop-and-Spiral Educational Design to ensure deep integration and retention of key teachings

• Anatomy & Physiology Series with focus on functional anatomy, nervous system regulation, and women’s reproductive health taught by a doctorate in physiology

• Extensive Study of Yoga Philosophy, including Yoga Sutras, non-dual Śaiva Tantra, and Ayurveda

• Daily Practices of Asana, Pranayama, Meditation, and Mantra, woven with neuroscience-informed sequencing and trauma-sensitive teaching methods

• Required Homework and Journaling, including a dedicated practice journal for personal growth

• Training in Accessibility, Inclusivity, and Real-World Application, including adaptive yoga and scope of practice

• Guided Practicum and Mentorship, to prepare you to teach with integrity, confidence, and compassion

• A Supportive, Intimate Learning Environment in the heart of the Berkshire Mountains

  Our Experienced Faculty

  Kat Whitney, Ed.M
  Founder + Lead Trainer
  Kat holds a Master’s in Education from Harvard University, with a background in teaching, curriculum development, and developmental neurobiology. With over 35 years of yoga practice and 25 years of teaching experience, she has served as lead teacher or core faculty on eight yoga teacher trainings. Her teaching blends neuroscience, somatics, classical yogic wisdom, and modern pedagogical precision to support embodied transformation.

  Dr. Stephen Trumble, PhD
  Guest Faculty – Anatomy & Physiology
  Stephen is a university professor with a PhD in Comparative Physiology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. With over 15 years of teaching experience at the college level and an Olympic-level track star, his work bridges biology, movement science, and evolutionary anatomy. His engaging, accessible teaching style empowers students to understand how yoga functions in real human systems — from breath and stress regulation to structural integrity and aging physiology.

  And other guest teachers and faculty as available

  Personal Experience: Our Offer to YOU

  • One of the most profound and joyful experiences of your life

  • An experience of the power of joy, celebration, and laughter in the learning process

  • An honoring of the abundance and beauty already present in your life and practice

  • Rigorous and compassionate support on your path of discovery

  • Masterful access to all the tools of yoga that are both ancient and modern, practical and profound

  • An awakening of your capacity for loving-kindness and radical compassion through self-awareness and respect for the dharma of others

  • Meaningful, lifelong friendships and a sense of true sangha

  • The discovery that your true self is a gift to all beings, a source of ananda (bliss) in the world

    Whether you intend to teach or deepen your personal practice, you will emerge with lifelong tools to navigate life skillfully, share yoga authentically, and serve others from a place of joy, clarity, and love.

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