650-Hour Ayurveda Health Counselor Certification

Turn your passion into a profession

For more than 20 years, the Kripalu School of Ayurveda has been a leader in professional Ayurvedic certification, helping students align with the rhythms of nature and the body to support health, vitality, and joy. Through this Ayurvedic Health Counselor Certification, you’ll build the knowledge, practical tools, and confidence to work with clients using Ayurvedic diet and lifestyle practices. This in-depth clinical training is designed to prepare you for direct work with individuals, supporting them in finding greater balance, wholeness, and ease.

Why Kripalu

Choosing Kripalu means entering a respected and expanding field of integrative health with the backing of an institution that has taught Ayurveda for over two decades. The program combines traditional wisdom with modern application, equipping you to guide clients with clarity, confidence, and credibility. Whether you want to begin a new path in holistic health or deepen an existing practice, this training offers the professional skills, clinical experience, and nationally recognized education needed to make a meaningful difference.

How It Works

The 650-hour certification is completed in two parts: the 200-Hour Foundations of Ayurveda and the 450-Hour Clinical Training in Ayurveda. Completing both trainings earns Kripalu certification as a 650-hour Ayurvedic Health Counselor (AHC) and qualifies you to sit for NAMA’s national AHC exam.

What You Will Learn

• Build a deeper understanding of Ayurvedic anatomy and physiology, with a focus on tissues and channels to strengthen your clinical expertise.
• Learn how to assess digestive capacity, design personalized food plans, and support healthy digestion so food can become lasting energy for body and mind.
• Guide clients in aligning daily routines with natural circadian rhythms to encourage health, vitality, and emotional well-being.
• Gain mentorship and supervised practicum experience that develops your consultation skills and builds confidence in Ayurvedic health sessions.
• Learn to identify the root causes of imbalance through Ayurvedic clinical evaluation and support clients in moving toward lasting health.
• Explore the properties, actions, and uses of medicinal herbs within Ayurveda, and create personalized herbal recommendations that support digestive and nervous system health.
• Understand how the gunas of the mind affect emotional balance and how Ayurveda can nourish mental health and resilience, including when to refer clients to mental health specialists.
• Discover how meditation and breathing practices can reduce stress and strengthen emotional resilience, with practical techniques for guiding clients in mindfulness and breathwork.

650-Hour Trainings

Part 1: Foundations of Ayurveda

Hybrid | Kripalu Schools Training | Scholarships

Dates: Sep 11, 2026 - Dec 13, 2026

Instructors: Kate O'Donnell, Erin Casperson, Rosy Mann

Part 2: Clinical Training in Ayurveda

Hybrid | Kripalu Schools Training | Scholarships

Dates: Sep 11, 2026 - Dec 13, 2026

Instructors: Erin Casperson, Kate O'Donnell, Rosy Mann

Discover if this training is for you

Join one of our free online information sessions to connect with Kripalu School of Ayurveda faculty and learn more about the trainings.

FAQ's

• Are there pre-requisites? Yes. The 200-hour Foundations of Ayurveda course is required. For programs completed outside of Kripalu, Director approval of transcripts is required for acceptance into the Ayurvedic Health Counselor program.
• Are there any scholarships? A limited number of scholarships are available for select Kripalu Schools Trainings. If scholarships are available, accepted students will receive a link to the scholarship eligibility form in their acceptance email.
• What do scholarships cover? Partial scholarships are available for select trainings. On-campus scholarships cover 50% of the total cost, including tuition and dorm housing. Hybrid scholarships cover 40% of the total cost, including tuition and dorm housing. Online scholarships cover 30% of total tuition. If you choose non-dorm housing, you are responsible for the full housing cost.
• Is there required pre-reading? Yes. In addition to the complimentary manual, required texts include the listed Ayurveda books, the Astanga Hrdayam three-volume set, the Advanced Pulse Reading eCourse, and the Pranayama for Restoring Vitality Audio Course.
• Will there be any homework? Yes. Homework includes reading, integration sheets, quiz and exam preparation, and experiential assignments with written reflections. All work is submitted electronically through the online learning platform, and staff provide feedback on all assignments.
• Is there a written final exam? Yes. Students also earn certification as a 650-hour Ayurvedic Health Counselor (AHC) upon graduation and are qualified to sit for NAMA’s national AHC exam.
• What course materials are provided? Students receive a course manual.
• What is the attendance policy? On campus, 100% attendance is required. For the online format, 100% attendance is required unless prior approval has been granted by Kripalu staff. Trainings are intended to be completed live, with cameras on.
• Is there a graduation ceremony? Graduation takes place on the final day of training and is open only to program participants.