Yoga Teacher Resource Podcast

How To Align Your Goals with Your Values (& Why It Matters)

Centering your values when you set goals can help you create a sustainable, inspiring business. In this episode, you'll hear some of the structures I use personally to move forward in my business without compromising my principles. 
 
Episode Highlights: 
03:01 Finding the Sweet Spot: Logic & Intuition in Goal Setting
06:03 Why Knowing Your Values is Key for Choosing the right Goals
7:01 Values Check In Ritual
11:53 Goal Setting Step-by-step
12:33 Stuck in a Rut? Try This Unexpected Brainstorming Trick
14:15 From Dream to Reality: Scheduling Your Goals for Success
17:39 Goal-Setting Inspiration: Real-World Examples to Get You Started
24:19 How to Evaluate & Refine Your Goals
 
Links & Resources
 
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group 
Sign up for Mado's email list and get a free download of 100 yoga class themes
 
Book Recommendations
The Artist’s Way
The 12 Week Year
 
Tag @yoga.teacher.resource on Instagram to celebrate your accomplishments!

Self-Doubt and Impostor Syndrome

This episode from 2019 was inspired by a facebook post I made on the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group. I was having my own moment of doubt and decided to share in order to help normalize the experience for other teachers. The response was overwhelming! That post has gotten the most comments in the group so far. It made me realize that there is a need for yoga teachers to hear that they are not alone when they doubt and to understand where the doubt comes from and what to do about it. 
Highlights
Why self-doubt is getting more and more prevalent among yoga teachers
The positive aspects of impostor syndrome
What to focus on in your teaching during moments of doubt
My personal process for self-care when I experience doubt

Yoga: Anticolonial Philosophy with Dr. Shyam Ranganathan

Yoga is a system of moral philosophy that has long been overlooked by Western scholars and appropriated by the fitness industry. Dr. Shyam Ranganathan, author of Yoga: Anticolonial Philosophy provides context for the dissonance between modern yoga and its roots. We discuss how to frame yoga practice authentically, how philosophy is the unifying force between varied practices, and why decolonization requires embracing discomfort.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:00 Yoga and personal agency
05:53 The role of philosophy in understanding yoga
09:52 Challenges and rewards of yoga practice
15:34 The problem of modern yoga
22:15 Defining colonialism, philosophy, and ethics
26:12 Understanding Yoga: Capital Y vs. Small Y
28:27 Why embracing dissonance is key for decolonization
29:14 Philosophy's role in decolonization
31:26 The physical and emotional impact of philosophy
40:53 Teaching yoga in a capitalist society
46:32 Conclusion and further resources
 
 
EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
Yoga Philosophy
Book: Yoga: Anticolonial Philosophy
Yoga: Anticolonial Philosophy Study Group
Follow Dr. Shyam Ranganathan on Instagram @yogaphilosophy_com
Follow Dr. Shyam Ranganathan on Facebook
LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource 
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Learn more about the Impact Club
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

How to Maintain Your Personal Practice as a Yoga Teacher

Many yoga teachers struggle to maintain their personal practice once they start teaching. In this episode, I explore the challenges yoga teachers face in maintaining their personal practice after transitioning into teaching. Consistent personal practice is crucial for embodied knowledge, confidence, and self-care. We all face obstacles to staying consistent like time management, life changes, and even burnout. Tune in to hear my perspective on how to overcome those obstacles and develop a sustainable personal yoga practice that nourishes your teaching and your life.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:00 Why many yoga teachers struggle to maintain their personal practice
01:05 Why a personal practice is essential for yoga teachers
02:18 Defining a personal practice
03:29 Benefits of a personal practice for yoga teachers
05:42 What a personal practice looks like
11:14 Overcoming obstacles to a consistent practice
14:32 Motivation and discipline
17:16 Adapting your practice to life changes
18:21 Evolving with your practice
LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource 
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Learn more about the Impact Club
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Suffering and our True Nature with Michelle Cassandra Johnson

Michelle Cassandra Johnson explores the kleshas—the five afflictions that cause suffering—within the framework of modern challenges ranging from racial injustice to climate change. Through personal stories, insights on yoga philosophy, and practical advice, Michelle offers a roadmap for understanding and addressing the root causes of suffering both individually and collectively. This conversation will inspire yoga practitioners and activists alike to engage deeply with their practice and strive for personal and social transformation.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:00 Introduction to the kleshas
2:10 Levity as sustenance for deep work
04:45 Why Michelle chose to write about the kleshas
06:55 A primer on the kleshas
14:36 How the kleshas confront our assumptions
16:32 Pain and the kleshas
24:35 The kleshas and social change
42:14 Teaching the kleshas in yoga
 
 
EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
Michelle Cassandra Johnson
Book: Illuminating Our True Nature
Illuminating Our True Nature Book Club
Illuminating Our True Nature Course: The Five Afflictions
Illuminating Our True Nature Gathering and Practice
Follow Michelle on Instagram @skillinaction
LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource 
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Learn more about the Impact Club
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Yoga Teacher Q&A: Common Teaching Challenges

In this Q&A style episode, I answer listener questions sent via social media and my website. Topics include managing expectations as a substitute instructor, creating body awareness in beginners, discomfort in studying anatomy, and building a sustainable business with corporate and private clients. Listen in to hear my thoughts on how much to explain your teaching style when you substitute teach, the best ways to help beginners, and how to build a clientele from the ground up. 
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:00 Introduction to the Q&A format
01:20 What to do when you substitute for classes that are very different from how you teach.
04:53 The best way to support new students who have been mostly sedentary
10:09 How to handle physical reactions to studying anatomy
14:54 How to build a clientele of private and corporate clients
23:57 How to encourage clients to commit to weekly or bi-weekly sessions
28:31 Conclusion and call for more questions
LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource 
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Learn more about the Impact Club
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Inside Anatomy Bites with Dr. Libby Hinsley

Peek behind the curtain of Anatomy Bites - the easiest and most enjoyable way for yoga teachers to learn anatomy. In this unusual episode, you’ll hear the audio portion of a live Q&A session led by Dr. Libby Hinsley, physical therapist and yoga teacher. Anatomy Bites is a 36-module program designed to give yoga teachers a solid foundation in anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics. You’ll also hear the story of how Anatomy Bites came to be and learn about what it’s like to be a member.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:00 The birth of Anatomy Bites
04:16 Dynamic vs. static movements for strengthening
06:41 The relationship between the low back and glutes in backbends
11:50 Foot and knee alignment in backbends
22:24 Foot placement in wide leg forward fold
30:20 Does it matter which side you roll towards in savasana?
33:41 Concentric vs eccentric movement
38:11 Torn labrum & chronic pain
52:11 Noise in neck movement
53:11 Spinal issues in yoga classes
01:06:14 Rounding the spine for older adults
01:10:51 Nerve sensations in Yin Yoga
01:13:27 Understanding fascia and its impact on movement
01:15:48 What to do with the shoulder blades in forearm plank
01:19:16 What it’s like inside Anatomy Bites
 
 
EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
Libby Hinsley
Anatomy Bites
Anatomy Bites - Embodied Anatomy
Follow Libby on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt
LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource 
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Learn more about the Impact Club
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Yoga Therapy and the Power of Community with Marsha Banks-Harold

Marsha Banks-Harold is a yoga therapist who specializes in working with people impacted by trauma and/or living with special needs. In this inspiring conversation, she describes her journey from overworked engineer to yoga teacher and eventually a yoga therapist, studio owner, and founder of a non-profit. We dive into the differences between yoga teacher and yoga therapist, the importance of family and community, and her advice for yoga teachers with big dreams who are holding themselves back with self-doubt.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
03:06 Marsha Banks-Harold: engineer, yoga therapist, studio owner, and non-profit founder
04:21 How Marsha discovered yoga & decided to become a teacher
08:48 First teaching experience: adapting to students' needs
12:15 Differences between yoga teaching and yoga therapy
20:06 Building a vision: studio, school, and nonprofit
27:10 Obstacles in her path & how yoga helped
29:56 Family and community as a superpower
34:15 Why it’s important to share your vision
38:36 Marsha’s advice for yoga teachers struggling with doubt
EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
PIES Fitness Yoga Studio
Follow Marsha Banks-Harold on Instagram @marshadbanksharold
Contact Marsha: piesfitness@gmail.com or 703-887-9574 
LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource 
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Learn more about the Impact Club
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

The Seat of the Teacher with Shawna Emerick [On-Air Coaching Call]

What does it mean to take the seat of the teacher? Shawna Emerick is an experienced yoga teacher who finds herself feeling like a beginner again as she takes on a new mindfulness meditation certification program. In this relatable discussion, we talk about the very real discomfort that comes with teaching yoga - and how the fact that it never fully goes away is a good thing. Other topics explored include; intuitive and deliberate modes of thinking, the relationship between renunciation and boundaries, and the differences between being a teacher and being a mentor.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
02:10 The Role of a Teacher
03:57 Intuition vs. Deliberation
07:06 Why we need to slow down to speed up
14:22 Does teaching involve renunciation
22:03 How people pleasing harms both teachers and students
25:43 The difference between teaching and mentorship
31:02 The relationship between mentorship and therapy
34:47 Why discomfort as a teacher is not the problem
EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
Shawna Emerick
Follow Shawna on Instagram @shawnashakti
Listen to Shawna’s previous episode: How to Overcome Fear & Doubt
LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource 
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Learn more about the Impact Club
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Yoga Alliance Standards with Kathy Humphrys

Yoga Alliance standards have changed again! In this episode, Kathy Humphrys describes the evolution and impact of Yoga Alliance standards, particularly the recent changes in training requirements. She also provides practical advice for yoga teachers aiming to become registered trainers with Yoga Alliance and shares strategies for successfully creating and delivering high-quality yoga training programs.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
01:10 Kathy’s journey from teacher to teacher trainer
04:08 Why Kathy decided to license Standards
08:08 Yoga Alliance classroom hours - what they mean and how they impact teacher trainings
12:54 Lead trainer requirements
15:38 What it takes to register a school with Yoga Alliance
18:00 Do these new standards help improve the quality of YTTs?
26:08 Immersions vs teacher trainings
29:19 The future of yoga teacher trainings
36:42 The Yoga Alliance Core Competencies
EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
Ambassador Yoga
Follow Ambassador Yoga on Instagram @yogatrainer.fasttrack
Yoga Alliance
LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource 
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Learn more about the Impact Club
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe