Conversations for Yoga Teachers

There’s no denying that yoga helps people feel better. But what benefits come from yoga practice? In today’s episode, we look to not only a recent study to discover some of the benefits of yoga to one’s mental health but I also share how you can create sequences that are focused on improving mental health. This could be used in a clinical setting or any setting where you’re teaching people with mental health challenges and it also has utility in any class where you want to provide an environment for improved feelings of well-being. The study referenced is here: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5425577/#:~:text=Studies%20have%20shown%20that%20people,et%20al.%2C%202013. As always if you have questions, just reach out.

In Part 1 of this series, I talked about why many yoga teachers finish their training expecting to feel confident, only to find that teaching still feels harder than they expected (and takes a lot more planning time than they thought). In this episode, we shift the conversation toward what actually helps teachers feel more confident. Instead of focusing on accumulating more information or taking more trainings, confidence often grows from developing a few key teaching skills and simplifying what you focus on when you teach. In this episode, I talk about: • a clear format for cueing you can use to make things feel more natural • how teaching a Signature Sequence can dramatically reduce the stress of planning classes • why understanding movement is more useful than memorizing anatomy terms • and how shifting your mindset about your role as a teacher can change how you show up in class If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed or unsure, this episode will help you start focusing on the things that actually move the needle. I also share a short training that walks you through how to create your own Signature Sequence so you can spend less time planning classes and feel more confident teaching. You can access that here: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/how-to-create-a-signature-sequence/

Many yoga teachers complete their training expecting that confidence will naturally follow. But once they begin teaching, they often find themselves questioning their cues, second-guessing their sequences, or feeling confused about anatomy. In this episode, I talk about a pattern I’ve seen after working with many yoga teachers: the gap between completing a training and actually feeling confident leading a class. We explore some of the reasons this happens — including how many trainings emphasize accumulating knowledge rather than developing the practical teaching skills that help classes feel easier and more natural to lead. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering why teaching still feels harder than you expected, this episode will help you see that you’re not alone — and that the issue often has more to do with how teachers are trained than with your ability to teach. In Part 2, I’ll share what actually builds confidence for yoga teachers and the key things you can focus on if you want teaching to feel simpler and more grounded. I talk about a resource at the end which is my Signature Sequence video. You can get it here: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/how-to-create-a-signature-sequence/

In this episode, I’m tackling a common source of confusion in the yoga industry: when teaching methods get mistaken for anatomical/movement principles. Many yoga teachers hear cues or “rules” about certain poses — things like “don’t put your foot on the side of your knee in Tree Pose” or “you shouldn’t square your hips in Warrior 1 because that forces the hips into an uncomfortable position.” But often these statements aren’t well grounded in anatomy or movement science. Instead, they reflect a particular teacher’s style, preference, or interpretation of how a pose should be taught. Or, they might simply reflect a lack of anatomical knowledge on the part of the teacher. In this episode, I share why it’s important to distinguish between evidence-based anatomy principles and teaching methodology, and why asking “why?” is one of the most powerful tools a teacher can use when evaluating cues and alignment advice. If you’ve ever heard conflicting guidance about poses and wondered what’s actually true, this episode will help you think about anatomy, movement, and cueing with more clarity and confidence. In the episode, I also speak about how I worked with a yoga teacher to help her get clear on how she wants to teach. This happened inside the Accelerator Program. Here’s the link: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator Feel free to reach out to me on IG with any thoughts to share after you listen to the episode.

Have you ever heard a teacher say, “It takes a long time to be a good yoga teacher.” This is an embedded belief in the industry and what it leads to is teachers who feel ill-prepared, overwhelmed and lack confidence. In this episode, I’ll walk you through how to build your confidence by showing you what to focus on, exactly, in a step by step way. This episode will help you cut that feeling of overwhelm, will save you time and will help you start to feel confident. In the episode, I speak about how I can help you through one on one coaching. You’ll find the link to that here: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator Feel free to reach out to me on IG with any thoughts to share after you listen to the episode.

In this final part of a 4-part podcast series, you’ll discover more of what builds confident yoga teaching. We’ll talk about the what it takes to have a confident, empowered mindset; one that allows you to teach with a feeling of calm, roundedness and joy. This is a topic that’s rarely taught. But is so central to what it takes to not only enjoy teaching, but have it feel easy and fun. I mention my two programs in the episode and if you’re curious about how I work with yoga teachers, check them out here: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/blueprint-learning-program

In this part 3 of a 4-part podcast series, you’ll discover more of what builds confident yoga teaching. We’ll talk about the role of understanding movement and with that, understanding anatomy and how to apply it to your teaching. This tends to be the area where teachers need the most help and in this episode, you’ll discover some powerful reframes that will allow you to look at learning anatomy in a different way. I mention my two programs in the episode and if you’re curious about how I work with yoga teachers, check them out here: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/blueprint-learning-program

In this part 2 of a 4-part podcast series, you’ll discover more of what builds confident yoga teaching. It’s a combination of having a solid approach to cueing, sequencing, to understanding the fundamentals of anatomy and having a confident mindset. In today’s episode, you’ll hear about a sequencing approach that will help you feel more confident in the sequence you offer, take less time to prepare for your classes and allow you to stand out as a yoga teacher: I mention a training video that shares more on sequencing and you can get that here: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/how-to-create-a-signature-sequence/ If you’re curious about the training program I mentioned, you can check out my program here: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

In this part 1 of a 4-part podcast series, you’ll discover what builds confident yoga teaching. It’s a combination of having a solid approach to cueing, sequencing, to understanding the fundamentals of anatomy and having a confident mindset. In today’s episode, you’ll hear about a cueing approach that will help you feel more grounded and clear as you teach. I mention a training video that shares more on cueing and you can get that here: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/how-to-share-clear-yoga-cues/ If you’re curious about how I support yoga teachers, you can check out my program here: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

Do you find that you compare yourself to other yoga teachers? Maybe this comes up when you take someone else’s class or when you scroll on social media. It could even be with a yoga teacher you like but you still find yourself thinking, “Why don’t I have as many people in my class?” or “Why don’t I feel like my cues are as clear as her’s?” While this is common, it’s definitely something to look at as a sign that something’s missing. In this episode, we’ll take a look at some of the reasons you might find that you’re comparing yourself to other yoga teachers and what to do about it. There is a journal exercise in the episode so have one ready for the questions at the end. You’ll hear me mention the Yoga Anatomy Accelerator Program and you can check that out here: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator Since we talk about cueing in this episode a few times, here’s a short training video on cues: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/how-to-share-clear-yoga-cues/ I’d love to hear from you so feel free to send me a message @barebonesyoga for what came up for you as you listened.

When you started this year and had an idea of the kind of teacher you wanted to be, how does that match up to how you’re actually teaching from week to week? In this episode, we’ll talk about that realization and I’ll share a little bit about why that gap might exist. We’ll end with some reflection questions at the end so if you want, you can have a journal ready to write down your answers. Part of what we’ll discuss is about sequencing and I have a sequence training video you might be curious to check out. If so, the link is here: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/how-to-create-a-signature-sequence/

When you hear, “The more hours of training you have, the more confident you’ll feel” what comes up for you? Do you have agreement, disagreement or something in the middle? We’ll explore this belief, which is pretty common, in today’s episode and you’ll hear some stories that relate back to this and you’ll have a chance to see, at the end of the show, how you feel about it. Part of this episode includes an experiment you can try to help you figure out where you might focus when it comes to feeling more confident. Today’s show mentions my training video on cueing and you can find that here: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/how-to-share-clear-yoga-cues/ Reach out with any thoughts and revelations you had while listening. You can DM me @barebonesyoga on Instagram

With the start of the New Year, you’ll have a lot of beginners in your yoga classes. Catch this episode and find out how to help beginners without worrying about them. In the episode, I mention my training video on “How to create a Signature Sequence.” You can get that here: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/how-to-create-a-signature-sequence/ You can also find the link to the Yoga Anatomy Accelerator here: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

In this final episode of 2025, you’ll discover some powerful questions to ask yourself so that you can set things up for a massive up-level in the coming year. I also share some of what’s coming in the New Year when it comes to what I’ll be offering yoga teachers. As we close out the year, I want to thank you for being a listener! Here’s a special gift, my latest e book, filled with themes around yoga teaching and audio links to the conversations I had this year on podcasts, talking about these hot topics: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/from-the-interview-chair-e-book/

In this episode, you’ll hear an intro from me and then you’ll be directed to a conversation between two people, talking about lessons I’ve shared on other podcast episodes related to how you can build your confidence. In the spirit of full transparency, this podcast conversation is between two AI (Artificial Intelligence) generated voices but I must stress: they are ONLY generating content based on looking at my own podcast episodes. There is no information that you will hear in this episode that comes from anyone else’s content or the general internet. This episode is a product of an AI related tool called Google Notebook LM. Having said that, you will find an interview focused on sharing lessons I’ve shared on prior episodes all designed to help you build your confidence. The AI tool is just aggregating the lessons into one conversation. I’d love it if you would send me a DM on Instagram letting me know what you thought of this format. I recently wrote an e book with audio links to podcast interviews I had this year. You’ll find a host of lessons for yoga teachers in here, along with the audio links: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/from-the-interview-chair-e-book/

What does believing in yourself mean, when it comes to being a yoga teacher? In today’s episode, you’ll explore that theme and I’ll help you along by sharing a unique acronym I created ( no AI was used in the generation of this!) to help you remember the themes that are most important to believing in yourself.

Over the years, I’ve developed a teaching method that helps teachers build their confidence and skill. To help teachers learn how to do this by learning anatomy and how to apply it to their cues and sequences, I’ve created a list of terms that define the different teaching techniques. In today’s episode, I’ll walk you through some of the fundamental concepts in the Bare Bones Yoga Teaching Method so you can see what resonates with you. At the end, I share more about the Yoga Anatomy Accelerator Program. You can check it out here: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator I’m also hosting a live event for yoga teachers on 12/11/25 at 7 pm EST: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/yoga-teacher-reset/

Ever think about what you believe and how you came up with those beliefs? Many people don’t consider the beliefs they have, the things that run their life, aren’t even things they decided to believe but are more things they just picked up from someone else. In the yoga world, there are lots of beliefs that teachers think are facts but are just someone’s opinion. The idea, for instance, that if you taught a Signature Sequence, your students would get bored. This is just a belief but many teachers tell me this as if it’s a fact. Then they work with me in my program, we talk about how they can experiment with a Signature Sequence, they try it in their classes and nothing happens! They find that no one gets bored, no one walks out and in fact, the only thing that changes is that they get better at teaching the sequence! In today’s episode, I share much more about beliefs and relate it to yoga teaching. I share from Jim Murphy’s book, “Inner Excellence.” I also share an invitation to my free online event on December 11, 2025, “The Yoga Teacher Reset.” Get your spot in this exciting, inspiring event here: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/yoga-teacher-reset/

If you’ve graduated from your teacher training and haven’t started teaching yet because you’re afraid, this episode is for you. We’ll talk about the fears that teachers have, how to move past them and different ways to reframe the fear so you’re more in control. I’ll also give you some easy ways you can get started. At the end of the show, I share more about my program, The Yoga Anatomy Accelerator. If you’re ready to feel confident teaching your classes, get your spot here: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

This episode is a chance to bring your fears to the surface and discover easy ways to re-frame them, move past them and move forward so you can teach and feel confident and empowered. We cover a number of fears that are common but often not discussed so teachers live for years with these fears and just accept them as part of teaching. Nothing could be further from the truth! When you listen, you’ll find ways to dispel these fears and the beliefs that prop them up. I mention a few links in the episode and you’ll find them here: The Yoga Anatomy Accelerator Program https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator My new e book, “From the Interview Chair” https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/from-the-interview-chair-e-book/

In today’s episode, you’ll learn about the key aspects of assisting. We’ll cover both the techniques of assisting and also the mental and mindset related aspects of assisting in your classes. At the end of the episode, I share a podcast offer with you. If you’d like to take this offer, you’ll need this link: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

Have you ever thought about what beliefs you have about teaching yoga and how this impacts how you teach? Here’s a simple one: if you believe your students might get hurt in your classes, that might cause you to worry before you go into class. If you believe your students need to see you practicing, that will cause you to be the kind of teacher who practices with their class. In this episode, you’ll discover how beliefs drive behavior, the common beliefs yoga teachers have and how to move past them so that you can find your most empowering way to teach. At the end, I have a special update on the Yoga Anatomy Accelerator Program. Find out more here: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

For this episode, I did a query of Chat GPT and asked it, “What are popular questions you’re getting from yoga teachers?” I got the top 3 questions and I answer them in this episode. I start out speaking from the heart and from my passion for helping you in sharing how this month’s group is doing inside the Yoga Anatomy Accelerator Program and what’s possible for you if you enroll. The link to the program is here: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator My new e book is out! Get it here: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/from-the-interview-chair-e-book/

In this episode, we take a look at understanding the “why” behind some cues. These cues were submitted to me via comments on my social media posts by yoga teachers. I put out a call to teachers to submit cues where they’d like to understand more about why that cue might be used. For this episode, I also did an IG LIve workshop. The link to the workshop is below. Link to workshop: https://www.instagram.com/p/DP4Ata_kXBX/ Link to Yoga Anatomy Accelerator Program: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator Link to Signature Sequence video: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/how-to-create-a-signature-sequence/ Link to new e book, “From the Interview Chair: Lessons for Yoga teachers” https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/from-the-interview-chair-e-book/

Sometimes you might feel like there’s so many different aspects of teaching yoga: there’s your cues, your sequences, understanding anatomy, feeling confident, sharing philosophy, building community and maybe even building a yoga business and brand. With all these areas of focus, it’s important to know what your priority is right now, so you can create a plan of action. It’s hard to work on everything all at once and this can be stressful for you so in this episode, you’ll hear how to create an action plan that allows you to gain momentum in the direction of your vision. Here are links you’ll need for this episode: My new e book: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/from-the-interview-chair-e-book/ The Yoga Anatomy Accelerator: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

Yoga teachers use lots of common phrases when they talk about how things are going with their classes. I know because over the years, I’ve talked to hundreds of teachers and am always listening to their word choice. It’s part of what I do as a coach and it’s always interesting to me how they classify their challenges and struggles using similar phrasing. You’ll have to listen to the episode to find out more about this but in this episode, I not only give you the clues, I share the process that will allow you to move past limiting beliefs, as expressed by your word choice and instead unleash your most confident, empowered yoga teacher. For this episode, you’ll need these links: The group Accelerator Program: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator The one on one Blueprint Program: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/blueprint-learning-program The Instagram video I referred to: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPRzuATj_K9/ The anatomy test: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/mvUhA7cRp8HNwNKmMfOqnmq-f4VfDifNHmX9JHPHTQyTLXACCOke3SIkqkXqdEEC.oDT3htPBtEC-qxBt?startTime=1714942660000 Send me a DM on Instagram @barebonesyoga with any questions or thoughts after you listen.

This past week, my podcast hit a special milestone with over 2,000 people listening to the show! In this special episode, I share the details of this milestone and share how this inspired me to set a big goal for the rest of this year. Listen in and when you do, you’ll need these links: One on one Program https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/blueprint-learning-program Group Program https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator Thank you so much for listening to the show!

Are you working a full time job and teaching yoga also? For a lot of teachers I’ve talked to over the years, as well as myself when I was teaching in this model, they share their special challenges that go with this lifestyle. Yoga teachers sometimes feel that teaching “on the side” isn’t as good or as important as those who are teaching full time. Nothing could be further from the truth. And that’s what this episode is about. I cover some of the myths associated with full time teaching, discuss the steps you need to consider if you want to leave your full time job and present a case for how to approach teaching and working full time in a way that allows you to enjoy both. In the episode I share a few offers that have links associated with them. Here are the links: My virtual online yoga studio opens 10/1/25: https://barebonesyoga.com/online-studio/ The Yoga Anatomy Blueprint Learning Program: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/blueprint-learning-program The Yoga Anatomy Accelerator Program: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

When you share anatomy in your cues, do you understand the reason for the cue? Many times, teachers tell me they share the words but they don’t understand the rationale for the cue but that doesn’t stop them from sharing it. Imagine using cues that you can actually explain. It’s what I call “Understanding the WHY behind the cue” and it’s transformative. You’ll feel more confident, be able to re-word the cue if you need to and you’ll be able to answer any questions that come up. To do this you have to learn the fundamentals of anatomy. In this episode, i’ll share some actual cues with you along with the WHY behind them and we’re doing it in a “quiz” format so you’ll be able to test your knowledge. In the episode, I talk about a few links you can get in the show notes. Here are those links; The Cues Training Video https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/how-to-share-clear-yoga-cues/ The Yoga Anatomy Accelerator Program https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator The Yoga Anatomy Blueprint Learning Program https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/blueprint-learning-program

What’s your vision for how you want to teach yoga? When you close your eyes and dream about how you want to show up in your classes, what do you see? For many yoga teachers, they have a clear vision but their day to day experience doesn’t match that vision. In my work with yoga teachers in my program, I get to see what it looks like when a teacher starts teaching in a way that is more in line with how they want to show up. This is the stuff of what I call “Yoga Teacher Transformations.” In this episode, you’ll hear the stories of two yoga teachers and the transformations they experienced as well as get an action plan for how you can start to make your vision come true too. You’ll need the links below that go with this episode: The Signature Sequence training video: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/how-to-create-a-signature-sequence/ The link to the Yoga Anatomy Accelerator Program: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator The link to the Yoga Anatomy Blueprint Learning Program: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/blueprint-learning-program The link to the September book club: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/the-bare-bones-yoga-virtual-book-club/

Are you speaking to the benefits of yoga in your classes or assuming your students know what they are? In this episode, you’ll discover the benefits of yoga by looking at the medical research instead of just listening to the stories and “things yoga teachers say” that might not be backed up by science. Having said that, there are lots of benefits of yoga that might not (yet) have medical research behind them so it’s not about one being better than the other. However, there is a body of research out there now speaking to the benefits of yoga and we’ll look at some of that here. You’ll need the links to the studies: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39607489/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6451238/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8583600/ And you’ll also need links to my two programs: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/blueprint-learning-program

In this episode, you’ll discover how to save time as a yoga teacher from the weekly and monthly tasks that so many yoga teachers do. These things include prepping a new sequence every week, practicing it at home, researching anatomy questions and more. These activities, while they may seem required, are often fueled by beliefs that are perpetuated by a narrative in the yoga industry that doesn’t serve teachers teaching in a way that feels easy and fun. To find out more about my two programs I discussed in this episode, use these links: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/blueprint-learning-program

Ever look at your students knees as they practice? The knees and the feet can tell you quite a bit about what’s going on in the body. Correcting alignment at the feet and knees can allow students to feel more grounded and steady and can even lead to better knee health. In today’s episode you’ll hear about cues to several common poses and how to correct problems in alignment that show up in the feet and the knees. I also speak about the upcoming Virtual Book Club. DM me on Instagram to get on the list. This program is free. I also share with you a podcast discount for the Yoga Anatomy Accelerator Program. DM me on Instagram for the discount code for $50 off. Check out the program with the link below: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

Ever wonder about the connection between the benefits of yoga and what’s discussed in medical studies? In today’s show, you’ll learn about how a study on osteoarthritis has a connection to teaching foot and knee alignment in yoga. While this might sound like a stretch, once you listen to the episode, you’ll see what I mean. You’ll also hear about themes from the book, “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert and how they’ll be part of a Book Club I’ll be offering in the fall, 2025. Links you’ll need: https://nyulangone.org/news/study-reveals-how-small-changes-walking-technique-may-help-treat-knee-osteoarthritis https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(25)00151-1/abstract https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/blueprint-learning-program https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

Do you consider yourself an over-thinker? Over-thinkers stand in the way of their own progress and often over-think because they’re not confident in how they’re teaching their yoga classes. In this episode, you’ll hear some of the signs and symptoms of an over-thinker and discover an interesting experiment you can try to shift from being an over-thinker to being a confident decision maker! In this episode, I mention my two programs and you can find the links below: Learn one to one: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/blueprint-learning-program Learn in a group program: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

Imagine you had a step by step way to feel more confident not only in your life but when you’re teaching your classes. This is what you’ll discover when you listen to this episode. In it, you’ll discover The Confidence Practice, a 6-step framework for building your confidence, grounded in science and mindset principles. Once you listen, you can take the next step by doing the 5 Day Confidence Challenge, a self-guided experience designed to give you fun things to try every day, in service to tapping into feeling great. You can get it here: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/the-5-day-confidence-challenge/ And don’t forget to DM me as you’ll hear about at the end of the episode.

Catch this episode and you’ll walk away with solutions to problems that yoga teachers are having. These are problems I hear about from teachers all over the world and with all levels of experience. In many cases, they’re driven by the narratives in the yoga industry around different things: cueing, sequencing, student injuries and how to teach your class. These beliefs drive behaviors that lead teachers to feel frustrated, boxed in and less than confident. In this episode, you’ll hear solutions for problems like: -Fear of students getting hurt in class -Spending hours prepping for class -Feeling underpaid for classes -Being dependent on practicing with class when you really want to do the Walk and Talk -A lack of understanding of anatomy. At the end of the episode, I make you an offer and there’s an incentive included since you’re a podcast listener so listen for that. I also talk about the 5 Day Confidence Challenge which you can access here: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/the-5-day-confidence-challenge/ I also refer to my recent interview on The Inner Fire of Yoga podcast. You can listen to that here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/yoga-teaching-confidence-starts-here-anatomy-mindset/id1795863974?i=1000718213326 I talk about my group program, The Yoga Anatomy Accelerator: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator and the one on one program, The Yoga Anatomy Blueprint, link below: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/blueprint-learning-program

Do you feel like your intuition is guiding you when it comes to how you’re teaching or are you following what you were told or what others are doing? In this episode, you’ll discover ways to listen to your intuition so that you can find the most authentic, easy, confident way to teach your yoga classes. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clearer idea of the direction you want to go as a teacher, what that looks like and what your first step is to help you get there. You’ll hear about the 5 Day Confidence Challenge which you can take here: https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/the-5-day-confidence-challenge/ You’ll also hear about the Yoga Anatomy Accelerator Program, which you can check out here: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

Are you feeling overworked and underpaid or even one or the other? Catch this episode and discover how to swap that out and instead feel rewarded, balanced and valued. I heard this statement from a yoga teacher recently as a comment on my social media and I used it to query my email list to see if it resonated. I got a bunch of replies and that told me that we’ve got a problem. Feeling overworked and underpaid is self-defeating and energy sucking experience and over time, you’ll grow to resent your classes. So, instead, listen to this episode and you’ll discover how to set your own rate, how to evaluate your teaching schedule so it’s filled with rewarding opportunities and how to get all your planning time back so you drop that feeling of being overworked. At the end, I share a special offer that goes with this link: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

In today’s episode, you’ll meet Dr. Jodi Blinco. She is an educator, former yoga studio owner, entrepreneur and leader in higher education. Jodi and I have a spirited conversation about confidence, managing your energy, learning and building a life you love. Listening to this episode, you’ll hear more about: Developing your intuition Jodi’s work owning and teaching in her yoga studio outside Boston, MA Holistic practices she shares with people in a way that makes it easy to access and understand The concept of “Performative Polish” and how we can teach our classes in an authentic way Grounding practices for yoga teachers Mindfulness techniques she shares with people Her concept of “Managing your energy ROI,” or “return on investment” Using frameworks to build confidence Using systems and practices to make life easier. Learn more about Jodi below: Dr. Jodi Blinco is a visionary educator, serial entrepreneur, and pioneering leader in higher education. As the Founder of The U School and Vice President of Enrollment Management Consulting at EducationDynamics, Dr. Blinco has spent over two decades at the forefront of innovative training and coaching methods, driving student success, faculty development, and sustainable growth in higher education. With a Doctorate in Education, a Master's degree in Business, and a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Dr. Blinco's unique blend of academic expertise and business acumen has led to impactful results across various institutions. Her work emphasizes student-centered approaches, personalized learning, and strategic enrollment practices that foster engagement and retention. Dr. Blinco’s dynamic leadership style and her commitment to empowering educators through training programs have transformed how colleges and universities approach teaching, mentorship, and leadership development. Her workshops and consulting sessions go beyond traditional methods, offering actionable strategies that enhance institutional effectiveness and drive measurable outcomes. Grounded in a passion for education and innovation, Dr. Blinco’s mission is to inspire meaningful change within higher education, equipping institutions to adapt to the evolving needs of students and the workforce. Her contributions continue to shape the future of learning, fostering environments where both students and educators can thrive. Find out more and contact Dr. Blinco here: https://jodiblinco.com/ For the link to The Yoga Anatomy Accelerator Program I shared with you at the start of the episode, click here: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

When you’re teaching your yoga classes, what’s one feeling you wish you had? If you’re like a lot of yoga teachers that I talk to, you might wish you felt more confident. In this episode, you’ll find out more about how to build your confidence and how shifting your focus might just be one of the keys. Meet Divya Parekh, an ICF-credentialed executive and leadership coach who helps people connect with their “why” and tap into their confidence. You can read Divya’s full bio below. In this conversation, we talk about the concept of emotional intelligence and how it impacts learning and teaching, mindfulness and it’s impact on decreasing stress and increasing the meaning of what we’re doing, whether it’s relaxing or teaching a yoga class. She shares incredible stories of transformation from the one on one work she does with clients and we discuss the importance of working with a coach to facilitate change and foster insight and growth. We also talk about the epidemic of people comparing themselves to others, fueled by social media and she shares things you can try to decrease the pressure you might feel to keep up with what others are doing. Learn more about Divya’s background here: Divya Parekh is an ICF-credentialed executive and leadership coach (PCC) with over 20 years of global impact across academia, biopharma, and corporate leadership. Known for helping leaders and teams connect with their “Why,” Divya empowers clients—from C-suite executives to Gen Z professionals—to lead with purpose and drive meaningful transformation. Rooted in neuro-leadership and mindfulness, her coaching style blends science and storytelling to build trust, resilience, and results. She has guided thousands across 40+ countries through leadership programs that foster influence, credibility, and high performance. A trusted coach to Fortune 50 companies and startups alike, Divya is also a Forbes and CEO World contributor and author of several books on leadership, influence, and emotional intelligence. Off the clock, she mentors young women, champions ocean sustainability, and leads with a deep commitment to community impact. https://theconfidentleaders.com/icfcredentialedprogramforcoaches/ https://www.divyaparekh.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/divyaparekh/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GLjRG7sL48 https://www.instagram.com/makeyourmessageamovement/ For more information about Karen Fabian, your host: www.bareboneeyoga.com https://www.instagram.com/barebonesyoga/

When you hear the word “anatomy,” what feelings come up? If you’re like a lot of yoga teachers, you might feel nervous or you might feel a sense of pressure to “learn anatomy” when your attempts to learn it in the past haven’t given you the results or confidence you need. Enter Dr. Andrew McGonigle, a yoga teacher with over 20 years of experience in anatomy, in part because he originally thought and trained to be a physician. After having an epiphany that led him to change paths, he found that helping yoga teachers understand anatomy was both his passion and his zone of genius. When you listen to this episode, you’ll see how easy Andrew makes it to understand anatomy and we also take time to share what’s possible for you when you truly understand it. Andrew shares stories from training yoga teachers and elements of his philosophy on how to balance sharing anatomy in your teaching along with sharing other elements as well. For Andrew’s bio, see below: Andrew McGonigle has been studying anatomy for over twenty years, originally training to become a doctor and then moving away from Western medicine to become a yoga teacher, massage therapist and anatomy teacher. He combines his skills and experience to teach anatomy and physiology on Yoga Teacher Training courses internationally and runs his own Yoga Anatomy Online Course. His book Supporting Yoga Students with Common Injuries and Conditions: A Handbook for Yoga Teachers and Trainees was published in March 2021 and his most recent book The Physiology of Yoga was published in June 2022. He lives in Los Angeles with his husband. For more information visit: www.doctor-yogi.com Instagram: @doctoryogi Facebook: @doctoryogiandrew Links for Andrew: Instagram link is: https://www.instagram.com/doctoryogi/ Website: https://www.doctor-yogi.com/ Enlightened Yoga Collective membership: https://enlightenedyogacollective.com/ One final thing: If you’re ready to learn anatomy and you’d like to check out my 4 week accelerated program, see: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

There’s no denying that yoga is both a physical and mental practice. When people practice yoga, they can experience all sorts of emotions and that may come out in various ways. In this episode, Dr. Lauren Tober and I discuss various scenarios that may come up in your classes and look at them through the lens of mental health, sharing emotions and human behavior. These topics are not often discussed but they can provide an important foundation for yoga teachers when teaching classes. In this episode, Dr. Tober breaks down the components of mental health into 6 pillars, which are further explored in her book ( link below ). Highlights include the ethics of being a yoga teacher and what’s within our professional scope of practice as well as how yoga can be helpful from a therapeutic perspective. We discuss what it means to create a “safe space” for our students, how to teach a class when a student is doing their own practice ( outside of what you’re teaching ) and other scenarios that may arise. More about Dr. Lauren Tober: Dr Lauren Tober is a Clinical Psychologist, Senior Yoga Teacher and Author based in Mullumbimby, Australia. With a deep curiosity in health, healing, happiness and awakening, Lauren integrates the best of western psychology with ancient yogic wisdom, both on and off the mat. Lauren is the founder of the Yoga Psychology Institute and Mental Health Aware Yoga, the author of Mental Health Aware Yoga Yoga: A Guide for Yoga Teachers, host of the A Grateful Life Podcast and loves teaching yoga teachers about mental health, and health professionals about yoga. Her work is soulful without being new-agey. It’s evidence-based, without being clinical. It’s authentic, heartfelt and life-changing. I'll attach a couple of photos you're welcome to use to promote the episode, as well as a copy of my new book - Mental Health Aware Yoga Yoga: A Guide for Yoga Teachers. People can also download the first chapter of my book for free at www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/book. For more about Karen Fabian, visit www.barebonesyoga,.com For more about how you can learn anatomy for yoga, in an easy step by step way, check out The Yoga Anatomy Accelerator Program: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator

In my years of working with hundreds of yoga teachers inside my program, I’ve discovered there are several different teacher types. Each has their own unique set of problems but many times, they don’t see it as a problem because there’s a strong belief causing them to keep doing what they’re doing…. even when it feels hard, pressure-filled and blocks them from feeling confident. In this episode, you’ll hear about a few of these teacher types, the characteristics of each and a starter solution so the you can start to fix the problem. Don’t be surprised if this conversation triggers you a bit; sometimes, when our beliefs get challenged, we get defensive. If you are open minded, curious and looking to find your confidence as a teacher, this episode is for you. In the show, I talk about The Yoga Anatomy Accelerator Program. Here is the link: https://barebonesyoga.thinkific.com/courses/Yoga-Anatomy-Accelerator