The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 105: Insurance for Yoga Teachers with Beth McVeigh Description: As a yoga teacher or yoga studio owner, do you have insurance that protects you if a lawsuit arises? How much coverage is enough? Beth McVeigh, a specialist in liability insurance for yoga instructors and yoga studio owners, joins Shannon in the last episode of the 5-part mini-series, Yoga Studio Business 101, to shed light on the topic of insurance. Beth McVeigh is the Manager of the Commercial Lines Complementary Health Department at Lackner McLennan Insurance, the largest provider of insurance to yoga instructors and yoga teachers in Canada. They specialize in liability insurance, cover a wide range of yoga modalities, and have 25 years of experience serving the yoga community. Protecting yourself financially is just as important as serving your audience and catering to their needs. That's where insurance comes in, but it can be confusing! Beth answers questions relating to the amount of coverage needed, waiver forms, the requirements to apply for insurance and much more. She also has some tips on how best to protect your yoga business and yourself from potential lawsuits that may come up years later. Whether you're wondering if you need insurance for your business, or if you're looking to improve your coverage, after this episode, you'll definitely have a better understanding of the kinds of insurance you need and should have. Key Takeaways: [3:47] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Beth McVeigh. [5:21] What is Beth's role as Manager of the Commercial Lines Complementary Health Department at Lackner McLennan, and how is it relevant to yoga teachers? [8:00] Beth shares more about how she got into the yoga space in the insurance world. [10:03] How much insurance do yoga teachers really need? [11:54] Shannon and Beth discuss waiver forms - do yoga teachers need them, and how do they work? [17:36] How soon after completing their training should a new yoga teacher get an insurance policy into place? [18:31] What do yoga teachers need to get insurance? [18:59] Do yoga teachers need to be part of a larger organization in order to be insured? [19:25] What else should new teachers be aware of when it comes to getting insurance? [20:07] There are three main types of yoga business owners - the yoga teacher, the yoga studio owner, and the traveling yoga teacher. Beth explains the different types of policies available to cater to them. [23:56] Shannon shares her experience with insurance coverage and teaching yoga in her home. [25:58] Beth and Shannon clarify some other questions related to renting studio spaces, traveling abroad, event cancellation and disability insurance. [29:54] What's the difference between an occurrence-based policy and a claims-based policy? [32:44] What are some other aspects for yoga teachers to consider in order to better protect themselves? [36:09] Whose responsibility is it in a situation where the teacher has done his / her due diligence and given appropriate instructions, but the student doesn't heed them and gets injured as a result? [38:48] Beth shares more about the prices and coverage for some of the policies for yoga teachers. [40:49] Shannon and Beth discuss some instances and examples of scenarios that could take place that might give rise to a claim. [43:00] Does the scope of practice of yoga teachers play in at all with insurance? [46:26] There has been a lot of discussion in the yoga world around touch. Beth shares her perspectives on the topic. [49:30] For yoga teachers in Canada who are looking for insurance or need more information, check out the Lackner McLennan website. [50:49] What are Beth's thoughts on sharing yoga online? [53:48] How does insurance change if you are a yoga therapist or if you're certified with the Yoga Therapy Association? [55:07] Shannon shares her key takeaway - it's important to take a look at your own insurance and make sure it covers you for everything you need. Links: Lackner McLennan Queen Street Yoga The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 015: Consent Cards and Hands-On Assists with Molly Kitchen Yoga Show Gathering The Yoga Conference and Show, Toronto March 2019 Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019 5 Day Content Challenge Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from this episode: "We've tried to make insurance as fun and painless as possible because nobody likes to have to purchase insurance." "Unfortunately, in the world that we live in today, people do sue." "When it comes down to a claim, and you are drawn into a lawsuit, the more detail you have, the more you have written down and the more that you can show, the more the chances are that you're going to be exempted from it." "We know that a lot of claims will come about years from the time of the incident." "It doesn't matter how small the class is, or if you're only teaching part-time, you're still exposin

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 104: Legal Answers for Your Yoga Business with Saerin Ally Cho Description: Should your yoga business be an LLC? Do you need to trademark your business name? What kind of permits and licenses do you need to legally run your yoga business? Saerin Ally Cho, founder of Love Light Law joins Shannon in the fourth episode of the 5-part mini-series, Yoga Studio Business 101, to talk about all things legal. Saerin is a lawyer and yoga teacher, who combined her love for the two disciplines into her company, Love Light Law. Her mission is to help yoga teachers and wellness entrepreneurs do what they love and share their light by protecting their businesses with the law on their side. On this episode, Saerin and Shannon tackle some of the confusing and complicated (but extremely important!) legal aspects of running a yoga business. From the type of business entity you should have, to legal responsibility for your students - they discuss it all. If you've ever struggled with figuring out taxes or wondered about your liability as a yoga instructor, or even just needed help with the practical aspects of legally establishing and managing your business, this is a must listen. Key Takeaways: [2:15] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Saerin Ally Cho. [5:00] Saerin is a lawyer and a yoga teacher. Which came first in her journey? How did motherhood lead her to become a yoga teacher? [7:00] Should yoga teachers have an LLC? Saerin explains more about what that means, and the different business entities that are available as options for yoga teachers. [11:52] Shannon's business is a sole proprietorship. Saerin explains what that means from a tax and legal standpoint. [13:51] How does Saerin determine if someone should start an LLC? She illustrates with a few examples of people at different points in their lives and careers. [16:56] What are some tips and tricks for determining what your business name should be? What are some of the considerations when it comes to choosing a name for your business? [20:21] Shannon and Saerin discuss some of the trademarking issues that come up in the yoga space. [21:08] If you're in the US, you can "obtain an EIN from the IRS". Saerin explains what that means. [24:34] Getting legit with required licenses and permits. Saerin talks through some of the paperwork you may need to run your yoga business - be careful, this varies according to local laws! [26:41] Shannon and Saerin delve a little deeper into what legal requirements there are when it comes to teaching in a public space or in your home. [29:56] Hands-on assists can be a bit of a tricky situation in yoga classes. Find out what's allowed in your jurisdiction, as this may differ! [31:47] If a student openly disregards the teacher's instructions and then suffers some sort of injury, whose legal responsibility is it? [33:03] What is an example of gross negligence? [34:34] How much information should you get about the student on your intake and waiver forms? [38:22] Do get your free download of Saerin's checklist to ensure that the different aspects of your yoga business are considered. [40:43] Get in touch with Saerin via her website. [42:00] Shannon shares her biggest takeaways from her interview with Saerin. Do you have any other legal questions? Leave a comment! Links: Saerin Ally Cho Love Light Law Love Light Law on Facebook Love Light Law on Instagram Checklist download Free waiver form US Patent and Trademark Office - Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) Namechk.com Small Business Administration Website (USA) The Yoga Conference and Show, Toronto March 2019 Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from this episode: "I took a good look at what I enjoyed doing before I became a mother, and decided to dive deep into that, and that was yoga." "Coming into a business, and yoga is definitely a business even if you're teaching part-time or full-time, you're going to think about what is the right legal entity structure best for me." "The legal entity structure, in general, creates a wall between your personal assets and liabilities on one side, and professional assets and liabilities on the other." "A yoga teacher coming out of a yoga teacher training 200 might not have legally the same level of standard duty of care that's the same as someone who's been teaching for 20 years and is a yoga therapist." "When you look at it from a legal standpoint, you look at all the facts. Who are these people, and what should they have known?"

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 103: Hiring and Nurturing Your Team with Shelli Warren Description: Do you have a team supporting you in your business? Are you thinking about hiring, because some parts of your business seem just too overwhelming? Do you need help in hiring, building, and nurturing your team? Shelli Warren, Team and Leadership Coach, joins Shannon in the third episode of the 5-part mini-series, Yoga Studio Business 101, to share more about what it takes to build a successful team as you grow your business. As the Chief People Officer at BizChix, host of the Stacking Your Team podcast, and leadership and team-building expert, Shelli draws on her years of corporate experience to help business owners grow their teams alongside their businesses. You can't grow a business without a strong team to support you. But when is the right time to start hiring, and who do you hire? How do you ensure your employees are happy? Shelli shares her expertise about the process of hiring - from knowing which position to hire for and creating a compelling job description, to how to find and hire employees who are the right fit for your organization. She also gives tips on cultivating a strong team, and speaks to the importance of team meetings. Whether you're thinking about hiring your first team member, or you have a team supporting you in your business, this episode has lots of insights into leadership and team building that are sure to make an impact on your business. Key Takeaways: [6:00] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Shelli Warren. [9:23] What is the first step you should take when you think you need to hire someone in your business? [15:20] It important to come to center and get grounded, rather than staying too long in your own head space, before making any decisions about your business. [17:24] Shelli describes her time leading large teams at Procter & Gamble, and how that honed her people development skills. [19:54] What are some of Shelli's tips for hiring? She speaks to the adage of "hire slow, fire fast". [22:35] What does it take to write a compelling job description? [25:33] Why is it so important to have a job description that reflects the mission, values and culture of your organization? [28:20] Shelli explains more about having built-in triggers in the application process to weed out people who are not a good fit. [33:03] How can you create a compelling job description for a task or role that you yourself dislike and do not enjoy? [38:50] How can you nurture your team? How often should you have a team meeting to manage the team? [44:31] Shannon and Shelli discuss some of the logistics of running team meetings. [49:07] What is the best way to check in with your team to ensure that things are going well? [52:44] What are some ways to check in with virtual team members or other team members you may not see as often? [58:35] Shelli shares a tip for getting more feedback from clients, and how to cultivate these clients into raving fans. [1:04:42] Do check out Shelli's Stacking Your Team podcast and get your free hiring resource bundle by visiting her website. [1:07:23] Shannon shares some of her key takeaways. What were your biggest learning points? Shannon would love to hear from you. Links: The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 101: What I Learned as a Yoga Studio Manager with Shannon Crow The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Ep 102 Yoga Studio: Mission Statements & Core Values with Steve Hart Shelli Warren Work with Shelli Warren - Strategy Session Shelli Warren on Instagram BizChix Free Hiring Resources Stacking Your Team Podcast Episode 10: Lessons from Our Best Bosses (Featuring BizChix Community Members) Zoom Loom Stacking Your Team Podcast The Yoga Conference and Show, Toronto March 2019 Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from this episode: "Really stop and think 'Why am I feeling like I need to hire?'" "What would give me the most relief and the most joy to stop doing right now?" "We hire to free our minds and ourselves up to be able to do the work that we are intended to do." "Oftentimes, it's all anyone is looking for - it's to be seen and heard." "Thing that you really dislike doing, others jump up out of bed to go and do. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes." "That's when that whole level of respect for one another is really going to elevate, because they start to know each other as people." "The premise of that, for you, is to open up the conversation for them, and your job is to listen."

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 102 Yoga Studio: Mission Statements & Core Values with Steve Hart Description: What does your yoga business stand for? Who are you serving? And what do you hope to achieve? Steve Hart, founder of Riffs Studio, joins Shannon in the second of this 5-part mini-series, Yoga Studio Business 101, to share more, not just about mission statements and core values, but also pricing, memberships, marketing and the business of running a successful yoga business. Steve Hart started Riffs Studio, a unique music and yoga studio in 2012, and offers a full-service yoga program with beginner to advanced classes in a variety of disciplines, with live music. Steve didn't always have it all figured out - he shares some of his struggles in finding a structure that worked, and why having his mission statement and core values made the journey all the easier. Shannon and Steve dive into the nitty gritty details of what it takes to build and run a successful yoga business - from establishing a membership system that works to managing teachers and paying them fairly, from marketing techniques and strategies to the importance of ensuring the team buys into the core values and mission of the business - they talk about it all. Whether you're a yoga studio owner or a yoga teacher working with yoga studios, this episode will shed some light on the intricacies of running a yoga business, and how to bring the different aspects of your yoga business in alignment with each other. Key Takeaways: [6:17] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Steve Hart. [8:08] Where did Steve's yoga journey begin? [12:15] Steve explains more about how yoga was a part of his music store when he first started out, and how it has evolved since. [13:25] What shifted for Steve that brought everything about his music and yoga studio into alignment? [17:12] What systems did Steve have in place and what did he shift to that had the biggest impact on his business? [18:43] How does the membership system work in Steve's studio? He takes us through the process of going from new student to studio member. [21:36] How does Steve ensure that his membership model for the yoga studio is profitable for the business? [24:10] What does Steve pay his yoga teachers as their flat rate per class? [26:09] How many teachers work at Steve's studio, and how many classes does the studio offer? Steve elaborates on the schedule he runs. [27:22] When did Steve decide to add in the idea of a well-defined mission statement and core values to the running of his yoga studio business? [29:29] How does Steve convey his mission statement and core values to new hires as he on-boards them? [30:25] Steve shares more about how he conducts the quarterly review of the core values and mission statement with his team. [32:05] What does Steve's team look like now, and how has it grown from when he first opened? [34:31] What are Steve's mission statement and core values? [35:54] What were some of the key things Steve has learned along the way in his journey as a yoga studio owner? [38:25] Good marketing is key to spreading the word about the good service that you provide. [39:26] Where should yoga business owners start investing, in terms of marketing? What has the marketing that has been the most helpful for Steve's studio. [42:45] Steve explains why it is important to surround yourself with different types of people. [44:37] Steve works with yoga teachers and yoga studios in a consultant's role. He elaborates more on what he does how it aligns with his mission. [45:34] Get in touch with Steve via email to find out more about his work and how he can help you in your yoga business. [46:21] Steve leaves us with some final advice. [47:59] What do you think that you could use from this interview in your own yoga business? Shannon shares her biggest takeaways from this interview. Links: The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 101: What I Learned as a Yoga Studio Manager with Shannon Crow Email Steve Hart Riffs Studio Happy-U Yoga The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, by Stephen R. Covey The Zappos Experience: 5 Principles to Inspire, Engage, and WOW, by Joseph A. Michelli Built from Scratch: How a Couple of Regular Guys Grew The Home Depot from Nothing to $30 Billion, by Bernie Marcus & Arthur Blank Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, by Simon Sinek The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 097: Focusing In On Your Niche [Consultation Call] with Susan Hopkinson Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose, by Tony Hsieh The Yoga Conference and Show, Toronto March 2019 Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from this episode: "My first impression of yoga was actually pretty negative. I didn't really like it all that much!" "I fell in love with yoga and I saw the impact that it h

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 101: What I Learned as a Yoga Studio Manager with Shannon Crow Description: What does it really take to run a successful yoga studio business? Join Shannon in the first of this 5-part mini-series, Yoga Studio Business 101, to find out more about the different aspects of building and running a yoga studio business. Shannon shares what she has learned as a yoga studio manager, and in the next four episodes, brings on four other experts to share more about creating a mission statement, hiring and training a team, the legal aspects and insurance aspects of running a yoga studio business. Shannon has had years of experience as a teacher working at yoga studios, and as a manager ensuring the smooth running of yoga studios, before she moved into the consulting space. On this episode, she shares her six biggest takeaways from her time managing for yoga studios: Setting prices with confidence. Registered sessions vs drop-in classes. Why consistent communication is important. Paying attention to numbers and data. Focusing on community over competition. The teachers are the brand. If you are the owner of a yoga studio, or dream of becoming one someday, or if you're an independent yoga teacher who wants to build a yoga business - there are lots of great insights for you in this mini-series! Key Takeaways: [2:13] This is the first of a 5-part mini-series, Yoga Studio Business 101. [7:21] Shannon has learned a lot about running a yoga studio business by working at and managing for yoga studios. [9:35] How can you set prices with confidence? Why is that so important for a yoga studio? Shannon breaks down the money mindset issues behind setting prices. [14:50] Shannon shares some strategies to build your confidence in setting your prices. [22:01] Consider doing registered sessions instead of drop-in classes. It's all about the commitment that comes with it. [24:30] Regular, consistent communication matters. Why? [27:18] Attention to the numbers and the data is powerful. What kind of data do you need, and how can it help you run a better yoga business? [30:51] Always value community over competition. Shannon shares some insights about the fear that drives competition, and how to overcome it. [34:08] Yoga teachers are the brand of the yoga studio. Shannon illustrates why, with a personal anecdote of how one of her yoga studios went from zero profit to profitable overnight. [39:43] Connect with Shannon and other yoga teachers at various events and training sessions coming up. Links: The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 100: Cultivating a Community of Professional Peers with Linda Sparrowe Tone Yoga Studio in Owen Sound The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 011: Setting Prices and Defining Your Value as a Yoga Teacher with Tracey Eccleston The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 042: Money Mindset with Geraldine Carter Productivity Straight Talk Podcast with Amber De La Garza Episode 079 - Nipping Avoidance In The Bud: A Coaching Session With Shannon Crow The Yoga Conference and Show, Toronto March 2019 Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from this episode: "Everything hinges on that teacher. The teacher needs to make enough money so that they can continue to sustain those yoga classes." "The sustainability of a yoga business really hinges on if we can maintain those professional relationships and maintain our hires of yoga teachers." "Lowering the price and having a good deal isn't always what gives us value." "What is holding you back with your prices and your confidence around setting prices?" "Your ideal yoga students know your value." "Regular, consistent communication matters." "Your personality is really your brand, and students connect to teachers."

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 100: Cultivating a Community of Professional Peers with Linda Sparrowe Description: How can we, as yoga teachers, build and maintain a professional peer community? Whether it's taking ownership of our yoga, overcoming isolation, or dealing with the competition we feel as yoga teachers - we have all faced these challenges. Linda Sparrow shares some of her insights about these difficult and uncomfortable topics. Linda Sparrowe is a writer, editor, speaker and mentor in the holistic healing arena, who has over 20 years of experience. She is the former editor-in-chief of Yoga International and editor of Yoga Journal, as well as the author of several books and contributor to various online offerings in the yoga space. She teaches vinyasa yoga and yin yoga classes and workshops nationwide. What does it take to cultivate a community of professional peers among yoga teachers? Shannon and Linda tackle some of the issues impacting our community of yoga professionals, including social media scolding in the yoga community, making yoga accessible through language, dealing with Impostor Syndrome and supporting others within the community. If you believe that yoga is all about the connections you make, or if you're struggling with the idea of building a community while keeping your voice, or if you're feeling isolated as a yoga professional, this episode is just what you need to hear. Key Takeaways: [2:40] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Linda Sparrowe. [4:30] What first brought Linda to yoga? [7:34] Yoga can help people feel more connected to themselves, even when they don't set it as an intention for their practice. [8:37] Linda often feels that she doesn't know enough. [9:27] Linda explains what drove her to discuss the 8 limbs in relation to the concept of having a community of professional peers. [13:08] When the community engages in social media scolding, we are not honoring the teachings of yoga. [15:16] Linda shares some examples of how we have deviated from the teachings of yoga. [20:12] Linda explores the idea of sympathetic joy, and that feelings are not mutually exclusive. [23:15] What is the difference between feelings and emotions? [24:20] We don't have a community that is predisposed to connect, and not judge. [25:58] What would Linda suggest for yoga teachers to do to build that supportive community and get together? [26:53] How does Linda address the concerns of yoga teachers who view each other as competition? [31:09] Why is fierce competition and lack of community so prevalent among yoga teachers? [35:05] Shannon and Linda discuss their own struggles with wanting to push for their way of teaching. [38:29] Yoga should never be about getting better - it's about uncovering the beauty of your soul. [41:51] Shannon voices her challenge in standing with what she believes in but at the same time not tearing others down or going against yoga principles. Linda shares some insights to this difficult question. [49:53] How does Linda deal with situations where she disagrees with the teachings of other yoga teachers? [50:59] How can we build community and still have a voice? [53:54] Community in an unhealthy way looks like a cult. How can yoga teachers be mindful in the way they build community? [58:49] What does Linda suggest for yoga teachers who are feeling isolated and that they're not part of a community? [1:02:47] What is the bigger picture of building a supportive peer community of yoga professionals? [1:06:30] Shannon has a question for you - what can we do as yoga teachers? How can we build community? Links: Linda Sparrowe Linda Sparrowe on Instagram Linda Sparrowe on Facebook Yoga International Yoga Journal YogaAnytime YogaUOnline Jill Minye Kira Sloane Angela Farmer The Yoga Conference and Show, Toronto March 2019 Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from this episode: "I actually hated yoga the first time I took it." "One of the reasons that I am so committed to yoga as a holistic practice is because I came at it from a meditative practice." "I just don't know how to practice what I don't live." "What is it that we are doing as a collective that is causing such pain and such separation and such a rift in the trust that our students have put in us?" "How can we come together, not to scold one another and have a whole set of rules...but how can we support each other even those people who have caused the suffering?" "We're not even honoring what it means to be connected. We're not even honoring that your suffering is mine, and my joy is yours. We're not honoring that." "In order to rise up, what's happening is that we're squashing other people down." "Just concentrate on your game. Just concentrate on your gifts. What is it that you are giving your students?" "We don't have a community that is predisposed to connect, and predisposed to not judge." "You

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 099: Branding Your Yoga Website with Kali Edwards Description: Have you been wanting to design and launch a professional website for your yoga business but don't know where to start? Perhaps you are struggling with clarifying and communicating your brand and message on your website. Kali Edwards, founder of June Mango LLC, is just the expert you need to hear from about how to establish and showcase your brand on your website. Kali has always had the urge to create. She pursued Fine Arts in college, then had a career as an agency art director. Today, she runs her own business working with entrepreneurs to create gorgeous branding and website designs. With her Go Live in 5 Process, she helps business owners design and launch their websites in 5 days (or less). When it comes to branding, designing a website and conveying your message, the key is to focus on your audience. Kali shares more insights about the different aspects to consider when creating your website, and how you can plan and create copy for your website. If you have been struggling with setting up a website for your business, or if you're thinking about rebranding or updating your website - this episode is a must-listen. Kali has so many tips and strategies that you can implement immediately, and a special resource for listeners! Key Takeaways: [3:22] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Kali Edwards. [4:57] What got Kali started on her journey of websites and branding? [6:14] Kali speaks to her experience of feeling constricted in her previous job with regard to being able to pursue her creative flow. [7:50] What does Kali's work space look like? [9:06] Shannon and Kali discuss how her own website clearly reflects her personality and brand in the design and messaging. [10:40] Where would Kali suggest people start when it comes to planning out their website? [12:53] One of the things people struggle with most with their website is the copy, and talking about themselves. [14:32] Kali explains why it's so important for you to know who your ideal clients are, and to get super specific with the details. [16:19] Explaining how you can help people is not bragging. [18:45] How can people clarify their message and brand? Kali shares a short fill-in-the-blank exercise that can help. [22:03] What other aspects really stump people when it comes to branding? [24:45] How does Kali approach rebranding and updating websites? [27:25] Why is a minimalist, condensed approach better? [31:05] In terms of images, more important than the colors themselves, is the vibe that the visuals convey. [33:29] What services does Kali offer her clients? [34:16] Get in touch with Kali via her website or Instagram. [35:04] Kali has some final words for people who are feeling stuck in their branding. [36:06] Shannon shares some of her key takeaways - which of Kali's tips are you going to be putting into action? Share your thoughts in the comments. Links: Kali Edwards June Mango Design Kali Edwards on Instagram Kali's Special Resource for Listeners The Yoga Conference and Show, Toronto March 2019 Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from this episode: "Everybody has kind of a drive that really motivates them to even get up in the morning, and mine has always been beauty." "Less is more. You can be really clear and concise at the same time." "I always like to think of gathering content as the first piece of the puzzle." "Who is it exactly that you are trying to attract?" "People need to know that you're the expert in what you do, in order to trust you." "You have control over how your audience moves through your site." "Especially when it comes to websites, they're really a living, breathing thing. So websites really should be getting updated pretty often." "You don't have to necessarily start over because you've shifted a little bit." "Thinking about that emotional connection that your yoga expertise has with your clients - that's really going to be the key to helping you put all the pieces of the puzzle together."

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 098: Many Layers of Fascia with Gil Hedley Description: How often have we said that we can't do certain movements because of old age? What if that's not a result of old age, but "fuzz" - a by-product of not enough movement in our bodies? Gil Hedley of The Fuzz Speech fame joins Shannon to bring the concepts of fascia, anatomy, movement and scar tissue to a whole new light. Gil is a Rolfer, an author, and a strong proponent of encouraging somanauts to explore Inner Space a.k.a. the wonders of the human form. He became a Certified Rolfer at the Rolf Institute in Boulder, CO in the early '90s, and has also studied massage and tai chi. He has since developed an integral approach to the study of human anatomy, and published a number of books including The Integral Anatomy Series. Our bodies receive a lot of flak for not being perfect or adhering to societal standards - Gil encourages us to approach our bodies from a place of appreciation and fascination instead. Whether it's fat cells, scar tissue or any other perceived imperfection in our bodies, approaching it with appreciation is the key to understanding what's going on inside our bodies. Gil takes us through the three different layers of fascia, the key role of movement, massage, and grounding in our well-being, and why scar tissue is good and beneficial, in this incredibly enlightening episode. If you've ever wondered about the human form or movement or just need a push to appreciate your body more, this episode is sure to be an eye-opener. Key Takeaways: [5:06] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Gil Hedley. [6:09] What started Gil's journey into fascia and understanding the human body? [6:47] What does the word "somanaut" mean? [8:47] How does Gil wish people understood fascia? [11:53] There's nothing wrong with noticing differences, but it must be done with the heart to remain connected. [13:53] Gil explains more about the superficial layer of fascia, not just thinking about it in the head space, but also integrating the heart space. [17:47] How are intuition and superficial fascia related? [23:06] Gil dives into the next level of fascia - the perifascia. [29:36] What are some methods that can help reintroduce slipperiness between tissues? [34:21] How does grounding help fascia? [36:17] What is the third layer of fascia - deep fascia? [38:09] What happens to fascia when there is an injury? [40:30] What can be done to heal scar tissue and improve the fascia? [43:58] What are some of Gil's questions about fascia that remain unanswered? [45:31] Shannon and Gil discuss the need to balance between movement and relaxation. [49:15] What does massage offer the body that movement can't? [52:02] Our bodies tend to fall into certain limiting movements. How can you invite new movement into your life? [55:39] Check out more of Gil's videos and courses on his website. [56:31] Shannon shares her key takeaways and would love for you to do the same. Links: Gil Hedley Gil Hedley: Fascia and Stretching: The Fuzz Speech Emilie Conrad - Founder of Continuum Rolfing The Yoga Conference and Show, Toronto March 2019 Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from this episode: "A somanaut is someone who navigates the body, who sails the inner seas." "For movers, fascia is key. If you, I feel, have no conception of what's going on inside your body, it's a little trickier to embody what's going on inside your body." "You've got one body, many textures, differential movement, without any separation." "I always invite people when they're wanting to learn about the gift of the body, to start with a place of appreciation." "Our superficial fascia, we can approach it from a place of appreciation." "Scars are good. Scars are a blessing. Scars represent our healing function." "If you want to move differently, you have to move out differently."

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 097: Focusing In On Your Niche [Consultation Call] with Susan Hopkinson Description: Do you have trouble finding your niche and communicating your unique offering as a yoga teacher to your audience? The niche work that you do in your business is an ongoing process, and it can be difficult to clarify that in your messaging. On this consultation call, Shannon guides Susan Hopkinson through some of her struggles in this area. Susan Hopkinson is a writer, mother, and yoga therapist. She started practicing yoga in 1985 and became a yoga teacher in 1998. As a yoga therapist who has studied with teachers from all over the world, including Europe, India and North America, Susan believes in teaching people, not poses. On top of writing and teaching yoga, she also offers retreats in both Europe and India. With such a wide array of services, Susan grapples communicating her niche to her audience. After teaching group classes for over 20 years, she finds her calling in teaching more 1:1 yoga therapy, but isn't sure of how to convey that to her students. Shannon helps Susan identify some key strategies that will help her focus more on her niche - from updating her website to content creation for her newsletter, to becoming more active on social media. This episode is full of great tips on how to effectively market your niche to your audience, and to make sure that people know about your unique offering as a yoga teacher. Whether you're looking for ideas on how best to clarify your message or strategies for sharing content on different channels, this episode is sure to give you some ideas. Key Takeaways: [4:40] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Susan Hopkinson. [6:29] Who does Susan work with, and what kind of work does she do with them? [8:51] How would Susan define the work that she does? [11:14] Susan explains more about her move away from group yoga classes to more individualized attention to the student. [12:26] How is Susan finding students to work within her niche? [14:53] Susan struggles with the guilt of not teaching group classes anymore. Shannon and Susan walk through her difficulties overcoming that guilt, and how best to tackle that. [19:34] Susan's website does not immediately showcase her key value proposition. Shannon has some ideas on how she can niche down. [22:12] What questions was Susan being asked in relation to the 1:1 work she wants to offer? Shannon and Susan discuss how that could fuel the content she was creating in her newsletter. [26:09] Susan shares how she is using her newsletter to drive traffic to her website through the content she creates. [29:08] How is Susan sharing content on social media channels? Shannon gives Susan some "homework" to up her game on social media. [34:53] Susan and Shannon work through her calendar to create a more cohesive calendar that makes sense to her work style, commitments, and financial needs. [40:20] Susan and Shannon talk through Susan's clientele and brainstorm ideas on booking clients, and some mindset issues associated with that. [45:30] Susan touches on her challenge with offering yoga therapy - that if you're doing your job, the client will not be coming back. [50:24] You need to create original content for social media. Shannon shares some ideas for creating original content with Susan. [53:44] Video gets higher engagement than anything. Susan and Shannon work through if this medium would be a good fit for her. [55:30] Shannon has some advice for Susan on picking the right season for each of her offerings. [59:29] Get in touch with Susan via her website to book a session. [1:01:33] Shannon suggests some activities you can try if you're looking to niche down and clarify your offering. Links: Susan Hopkinson, Inspiration Yoga Susan Hopkinson on Facebook Susan Hopkinson on Instagram Inspiration Facebook Page NamasteLight MailChimp Calendly The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 086: Live Video for Yoga Teachers with Ian Gray The Yoga Conference and Show, Toronto March 2019 Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from this episode: "90% of the time, I'm not working with postural yoga. I'm working with yoga around mindset, around focus, around working with mudra, working with mantra, working with all the different aspects of yoga that are a little bit more obscure nowadays." - Susan "I get a lot of people coming that are the wrong people." - Susan "We want to know immediately when we get to your homepage who you work for, and what you offer them." - Shannon "Most of the time, it's that people have no idea what you do offer." - Shannon "I try to keep my business in line with my yoga." - Susan "The way I look at it is if you have repeat clients, it's because you're not doing your job. So it's kind of like you put yourself out of your own market." - Susan "Video gets higher engagement than anything." - S

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 096: How to Create a Yoga Practice Habit with Matt Kowald Description: How can you form a yoga practice habit? Do you want to do more in your yoga practice but find it hard to form a routine around it? Perhaps you've formed an unwanted habit you'd like to remove. Matt Kowald, co-author and co-founder of Yogis Journal, joins Shannon to discuss what it takes to create and maintain a yoga practice habit. Matt is a varsity wrestler originally from Australia who now lives in Canada. His athletic life sparked an interest into habits, routines and journaling, and he began his yoga practice in 2013. Matt is a personal trainer and yoga teacher who has studied exercise, sport and rehabilitation science, and is currently studying kinesiology at Brock University. The Yogis Journal is a beautiful journal rooted in the 8 limbs, with the intention of helping people create meaningful rituals and habits around yoga. Matt and Shannon dive into the intricacies of what it takes to form and maintain routines and habits, particularly around your yoga practice. Matt also has some great insights about self-love, following through on goals, and the science behind it all. If you have been wanting to add in a new habit, or if you help yoga students with their at-home yoga practice, this episode is full of incredible tips and tricks. Stay tuned to the end of the episode to find out about the amazing offer Matt has for listeners, and Shannon has a gift for three lucky listeners as well! Key Takeaways: [4:16] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Matt Kowald. [6:01] Shannon shares her experiences using the Yogis Journal in her yoga practice. [8:59] What got Matt interested in the work of helping people with their habits around yoga? [9:58] Matt is from Australia but moved to Canada. What brought him to Canada? [10:59] What got Matt into yoga? [11:32] How did Matt carve out the time for all his activities, university and designing the Yogis Journal? [12:40] Coffee is a trigger for Matt to be more creative in the morning. How does that work? [13:59] How can we build a habit of doing yoga daily? Matt explains the idea behind hot and cold triggers. [17:04] What is Matt's suggestion for overcoming habits that have been formed that aren't very positive? [20:27] What are Matt's thoughts on using a reward system as a motivator? [21:51] The most important part is setting up a small step. Shannon and Matt discuss why even a small step in the right direction is a good thing. [24:05] How can we cope with our perfectionist tendencies, or when we fall away from our daily practice? [26:17] In terms of daily practice, how long does it take to form a habit? [29:07] What's the best time of day to set up a habit? [30:32] What is the best way to approach incorporating a yoga habit in our lives? [32:11] Shannon and Matt talk through some of her own struggles with maintaining a daily yoga practice. [34:32] What other tips has Matt learned through the years about forming habits? [36:14] What is Matt's advice to people who feel that they want to make all the changes, all at once? [39:12] Everyone sets goals for the New Year, but hardly anyone follows through on them. How can we come back to starting our habits again? [42:12] What motivated Matt to create the Yogis Journal? [45:47] Matt explains how he uses his own Yogis Journal as a trigger for himself. [47:45] What other advice does Matt have for yoga teachers struggling with their practice or helping others set up their own practice? [49:30] Check out Yogis Journal at the website, and do email Matt if you have any questions. [50:33] Share your thoughts about this episode, your struggles with your personal practice and any other key takeaways with Shannon. [53:31] Shannon is giving away three Yogis Journals - find out how you can participate in this giveaway! Links: Yogi's Journal (Use code TCYT20 to get 20% off from Dec 24 - Jan 2) Yogis Journal on Instagram Email Matt Kowald Yogis Journal Team: Matt Kowald, Laura Jaypalan, Jess Taylor 6 Week Group Program for Yoga Teacher Entrepreneurs with Shannon Crow The Yoga Conference and Show, Toronto March 2019 Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from this episode: "Using the Yogis Journal is just a really fast way to be intentional and mindful about my day." - Shannon "I initially discovered yoga trying to obviously become flexible for martial arts and wrestling, because it's really hard on your body, so yoga was that perfect... yin to yang." - Matt "That's what a habit is. It's just a behavior that becomes automatic, and then we do that so that we can do other tasks, more complex." - Matt "A hot trigger is something that reminds you to do the behavior when you need to do it." - Matt "The biggest thing is to come from a place of self-love." - Matt "If you want to make it a habit, consistency is important. Consistenc

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 095: Making a CEO Business Plan with Shannon Crow Description: Do you feel like the CEO of your yoga business now? If you don't, you're not alone. It is easy to get caught up in doing the "Worker Bee" activities and lose focus of the "Queen Bee" activities you should be doing to keep your business going and growing. On this episode, Shannon shares some things she has been doing in her own business over the past few weeks in terms of planning. Taking time off to align her vision with what she really loves to do, and her core values has helped her in her business. She has some insights and tips that will help you look at your business with intention, and mindfully. Shannon takes you through the steps in this CEO planning process that can help you plan for the future, both personally and professionally. She guides you through each step, from meditation to setting goals, and how these steps relate to your yoga business. This episode is for anyone who feels like they have a million and one ideas and directions they would like to go in, all at the same time, or anyone who always says 'YES' to commitments but struggles to fit that into their actual schedule. If you're looking to plan a better year, a better month, or are just assessing the state of your business at the end of the year, this episode will definitely make an impact on you. Key Takeaways: [6:22] Shannon gives a shout out to Schedulicity. [7:03] Do you feel like the CEO of your yoga business right now? Do you feel like the "Queen Bee" or the "Worker Bee" in your business? [8:09] Shannon gives thanks to a few people who have influenced the work that she has done over the years. [9:20] Your inner teacher is the best guide for you. Connect with your inner teacher, however you need to do it. [10:41] Shannon shares a personal story about how simple CEO planning can be, and how effective it is when added to your routine. [13:50] Shannon shares her steps for CEO planning. [15:10] Step 1: Meditate. Notice the thoughts that are coming in. [17:28] Step 2: Practice free-flow writing. Don't restrict your thoughts and let them all flow out. [20:06] Step 3: Become a scientist and analyse the data. [22:29] Step 4: Create a Santosha page and another page that is the opposite of a Santosha page. [25:48] Step 5: Write out your 4 areas of importance. [29:33] Step 6: Focus on one thing. [31:58] Step 7: Set measurable goals, systems, and habits. [37:27] Share your own discoveries with this exercise with Shannon, and let her know if you would like to know about more systems! Links: North Dakota Yoga Conference Insight Timer The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Ep 073: 8 Limbs of Yoga [Part 1] with Shannon Crow The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Ep 074: 8 Limbs of Yoga [Part 2] with Jennie Lee The Art of Charm Podcast Episode 483 - Pat Flynn | Will It Fly? Consultation with Shannon Crow The One Thing, by Gary Keller Content Creation 5-Day Challenge for Yoga Teachers Matt Kowald, The Yogi's Journal 6 Week Group Program for Yoga Teacher Entrepreneurs with Shannon Crow The Yoga Conference and Show, Toronto March 2019 Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from Shannon Crow: "I've learned that when I take some CEO time where I create a plan for my yoga business, it makes a huge difference." "Your inner teacher is the best guide for you." "Your inner teacher knows what you need and what your yoga business needs." "Let's just really acknowledge that this kind of work takes some bravery. We're digging in and we're uncovering things, and sometimes it's the tough work." "How were you a rock star in 2018?"

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Ep 94: Instagram Content Strategy and Stories with Tyler McCall Description: Are you on Instagram? How are you using Instagram as a yoga teacher to market and grow your yoga business with intention? Tyler McCall, social media marketer, strategist, and coach for creatives joins Shannon on this episode to tell you how you can be using Instagram to generate profit, not just popularity, in your business. Tyler has 10 years of experience working as a community organizer and also in the non-profit marketing and management world. He shifted into focusing on Instagram in 2015, and has since coached hundreds of entrepreneurs, and managed dozens of Instagram accounts. We sometimes over-complicate things and get so caught up in collecting likes and followers, that we forget that we should be focusing on generating profit, not popularity, with Instagram. Tyler helps to demystify Instagram and shares how you too can become a rock star at using Instagram to tell captivating stories, build relationships and convert followers to fans, and make a profit. If you're struggling with knowing how to use Instagram as a tool to grow your yoga business, here's a tip: it's all about being intentional. Find out more about creating an Instagram content strategy with intention with Tyler! Key Takeaways: [4:35] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Tyler McCall. [6:13] How did Tyler get started in creating strategy for Instagram? [9:56] Tyler always puts text over his Instagram stories. Why does he do that? [13:14] What is a content strategy on Instagram? [15:10] Tyler takes us through creating a strategy. [17:24] Shannon and Tyler discuss an example of how to apply this strategy for yoga teachers. [20:25] How can yoga teachers approach Instagram stories? Tyler shares two questions that can help guide your process. [26:34] What is Tyler's advice to people who are worried about not being "perfect" for an Instagram story? [28:57] Tyler has a tip on how to create a good story. [31:05] How many parts of a story should you post? [33:15] The general rule for Instagram is to answer all DMs. How can you manage that? [36:00] Shannon shares her experience with someone who did a video reply to her DM. Tyler speaks to why the different modes of communication on Instagram can help you grow your business. [38:00] Tyler doesn't encourage people to outsource Instagram. Why not? [39:55] Shannon and Tyler discuss sharing other people's posts or content on your own Instagram page. [41:18] How does Tyler work with clients and how can you find out more about him? [43:40] Tyler shares some final do's and don'ts for Instagram. [47:00] Shannon shares her key takeaways and would love for you to do the same - leave a comment in the Show Notes, or start a conversation in the Facebook group! Links: Tyler McCall Tyler McCall on Instagram The Follower to Fan Society The Follower to Fan Society Facebook Group FreeInstagramClass.com Instagram Roadmap 6 Week Group Program for Yoga Teacher Entrepreneurs with Shannon Crow The Yoga Conference and Show, Toronto March 2019 Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from Tyler McCall: "A lot of us who are marketing online are not creating fully accessible content for people who consume content differently." "What I found is that by adding captions to the screen, I'm able to maintain a higher retention rate because ... nearly half of Instagram stories users are not watching with the sound on." "It all starts with a complete understanding of who you're trying to attract on Instagram." "If you are using Instagram as a business owner, the goal is profitability." "The goal is not popularity, the goal is to have a profitable business." "You are the secret ingredient to your success in business and online in your marketing." "Your job is to pay attention to your people and what they want to hear from you." "Show up. Show up as you." "Don't let your dashes turn into dots!" "That responding [to DMs] is so important, because that's really where you build the trust and build that relationship with your followers."

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Ep 093: How to Build a Home Studio with Jo Stewart and Rane Bowen Description: Have you thought of building a home-based studio? What does it really take to get a home yoga studio up and running? What are the challenges you might face, and the biggest pros? Jo Stewart and Rane Bowen are yoga teachers who not only had a home studio, but also built a new one, and on this episode, they reveal the nitty, gritty details of what it takes. Jo has been teaching yoga for over ten years, and has completed over 2000 hours of teacher training. Rane is a newer yoga teacher, who got into teaching yoga after being diagnosed with stomach cancer and having his stomach removed in 2015. Rane is originally from New Zealand, but moved to Australia, where he and Jo live, teach yoga and host a podcast together. Jo and Rane share their experiences in setting up their first home studio, and their process in recently building a new one. They dive into how they engage their followers on social media, and how they showcase their studio to generate publicity and grow their business. From the financial aspect of running a home studio, to the props you need, and even the challenges that come with setting boundaries - Jo, Rane and Shannon examine the intricacies of a yoga home studio. If you've ever wondered about how to build and maintain not only a yoga studio but also your own personal yoga practice, this episode with Jo and Rane is sure to give you some deep insights and actionable steps. Key Takeaways: [5:19] Shannon introduces her guests for this episode - Jo Stewart and Rane Bowen [7:02] What got Jo and Rane started in yoga? What was their first yoga class like? [10:01] What led Jo and Rane to start the podcast? [12:21] Why did Jo and Rane decide to open a yoga studio? [13:17] Jo talks about their journey of opening their yoga studio, and now recently re-doing the space. [15:31] Jo shares some of her fears, concerns and joys around starting from scratch to rebuild the home studio. [18:03] What are the challenges of having your own space vs teaching at other spaces? [21:03] How many people can Jo and Rane's home space accommodate? [21:41] What are some of the big pros of having your own space? [23:50] Jo speaks to the financial aspects of setting up and running a home studio. [25:57] Rane shares more about his other gigs in addition to teaching yoga. [29:13] What are some of the things that really make a good space? [34:02] What are some of the essential props necessary for a home studio? [36:41] How many other teachers use the space? [38:57] Jo highlights some of her success with print advertising and getting the word out about the studio. [43:00] Shannon and Jo walk through the process from a students' perspective. [44:07] What are some policies or rules they've had to establish for their space? [47:02] How does Jo keep in touch with students in between classes? [48:24] One-on-one vs. group classes. Jo breaks down the makeup of the classes she teaches. [49:47] What do Jo and Rane see in the future for their business? [52:42] What advice do Jo and Rane have for other people who are working together as couples? [55:31] Jo and Rane share some advice for yoga teachers. [57:39] What are some things that help in their own practice? [59:42] Jo and Rane leave us with some final thoughts for teachers who are doubting themselves or feeling isolated. [1:04:12] Get in touch with Jo and Rane via their website, Facebook group, and on social media! [1:04:51] Shannon would love to hear from you - do reach out to connect with her virtually or in person! Links: Jo Stewart and Rane Bowen The Flow Artists Podcast The Flow Artists Podcast Community Facebook Group Garden of Yoga Garden of Yoga on Facebook Jo Stewart on Instagram @gardenofyoga The Flow Artists Podcast Episode 1: I'm a Yoga Teacher, Now What? The Flow Artists Podcast Episode 35: One Year On - Now What? The Roll Model, by Jill Miller The Flow Artists Podcast Episode 14: Leigh Blashki - Non-Duality, Authenticity and Practicality 6 Week Group Program for Yoga Teacher Entrepreneurs with Shannon Crow The Yoga Conference and Show, Toronto March 2019 Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019 Content Creation 5-Day Challenge for Yoga Teachers Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from this episode: "Yoga just kinda got me out of that tortured artist paradigm. It really helped me creatively, but also just mentally and emotionally - I just got so many benefits from it." - Jo "I never liked the idea of signing a lease, and having a whole lot of financial pressure on me as new business was growing, so always just made sense to me to do it at home!" - Jo "You don't want to leave all of your promotion and stuff till the end. Get started early! Share your vision, share your ideas!" - Jo "If you are not putting a load of energy into your home space, you don't often get a lot of people coming." - Jo "It's a

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Ep 92: Accessible Yoga Language with Kesse, Chantel and Katie As yoga teachers, we'd all like to reach as many people as possible with our practice and share yoga with them. However, what we may not realize is that we may be inadvertently be excluding or even offending people - through something as simple (but powerful) as our language. I met Chantel Ehler, Katie Juelson and Kesse Hodge at the Accessible Yoga Conference in Toronto last summer. I immediately knew they would be the best people to have a discussion about accessible yoga language, and delve into some uncomfortable areas surrounding the topic. Language can be a very powerful tool for empowering people, but it can also instill fear, be hurtful, or downright offensive. My three guests share insights about the kind of language it takes to create safe spaces for people to be vulnerable. We touch on topics like using gendered pronouns, inclusive rather than exclusive language, and how to ask people about what they're going through and build relationships with them. We're all going to make mistakes along the way. Even I had some fear around doing this episode, and sharing some of my vulnerable experiences. The key is to remember that every interaction is an opportunity to learn and grow. If you've ever struggled with presenting yoga with accessible language, or worried about offending someone because of something you've said, this episode is going to be such an eye-opener. About the Guests: Chantel, founder of Amara Vidya Yoga in Ontario, Canada, began teaching yoga in 2002, and was the location manager for the Accessible Yoga Conference in June 2018. Katie has been a yoga teacher for 5 years, and currently works with Canada's National Para-soccer team and with other community programs. She focuses on sharing yoga with people who have cognitive and developmental disabilities. Chantel and Katie also recently co-founded Yoga Service and Accessibility Canada. Kesse is a self-professed fat, atheist, agender, spoonie (person living with chronic illness/ pain) who specializes in teaching adaptive, mix-level yoga to all humans. They are the founder of Change Yoga, the Director of Inclusion and Communications at Rooted Yoga, and have over 15 years of experience in the field. Key Takeaways: [5:00] Shannon introduces her three guests for this episode - Chantel Ehler, Katie Juelson, and Kesse Hodge. [8:08] Language is very important in empowering students. What kind of language is not as empowering, unhelpful or downright offensive? Chantel shares her thoughts. [11:19] Katie addresses language that is empowering vs not so helpful in the area of disability. [12:46] Shannon shares a personal anecdote from her experience with a paraplegic in her class. [13:33] Katie gives some tips on the cues that can be used in a yoga class. [15:25] Kesse gives their take on how every opportunity interacting with students is an opportunity to learn and to grow. [19:29] Emotional safety is a crucial part of creating a safe space for your yoga students. Kesse elaborates more on that idea, sharing some personal anecdotes. [25:20] Language can exclude people who may benefit from whatever is being offered, be it yoga, or assistance, or anything else- being conscious, deliberate and inclusive can help with this. [29:26] What are the after-effects of the damage that is inadvertently done through language, and how can they be addressed? [34:25] Katie raises the importance of community relationships in the healing journey. [00:36:30] Shannon and Katie discuss the issues with saying that people with disabilities are inspiring. [39:45] What's the deal with using gendered pronouns to refer to people? Kesse and Chantel share their thoughts on how best to approach this. [49:25] Asking is the best way to educate yourself. Is it ever offensive to ask about disability, or what someone is going through, or even what pronoun they prefer? [55:14] Listeners, we'd love to hear your experiences and how you've learned to change something you say. [56:40] What were some of Shannon's key takeaways from this discussion? We'd love for you to hear yours too - share them in the show notes! [59:40] Shannon has a special bonus for you! Links: Chantel Ehler Katie Juelson Kesse Hodge, Change.Yoga Accessible Yoga Conference Amara Vidya Yoga Yoga Service and Accessibility Canada Rooted Yoga Genderbread Information Sickboy Podcast The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 003: Trauma Training For Every Yoga Teacher with Margaret Howard The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 068: Trauma-Sensitive Yoga with Amy Hoare The Yoga Conference and Show, Toronto March 2019 Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019 Content Creation 5-Day Challenge for Yoga Teachers Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from this episode: "Someone's going to find something offensive in anything." - Chantel "Where I think the disconnect is, is

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Ep 091: 100 Conversations with Yoga Teachers with Mado Hesselink Description: What would it be like to talk to 100 yoga teachers and find out what their challenges are, and what they've learned so far? When Mado Hesselink decided she wanted to increase the work she was doing with yoga teachers, she did just that and personally interviewed 100 yoga teachers - this episode is all about what she learned from those conversations. Mado has been teaching yoga since 2005, and training yoga teachers since 2010. She is the creator of Yoga Teacher Resource, and teaches at yoga teacher trainings around the southeastern US. After some big life changes, Mado felt the need to change things up in her business. Her discussion with her Fairy Godmother Business Coach helped her find her niche, create a lead magnet, and inspired her 100-Conversations project. As yoga teachers, we may all feel our struggles and challenges are individual, and we are alone in our experiences. Mado's conversations with yoga teachers young and old, full-time and part-time, and from all walks of life revealed certain similarities. From the pressures of being a yoga teacher, to finding the delicate balance between your own personal yoga practice vs teaching yoga, to the challenges facing entrepreneurs in the yoga space - Shannon and Mado discuss it all. If you've ever wondered what wisdom and insight you could get from talking to 100 other yoga teachers, wonder no more. Mado's done the legwork so you don't have to - just sit back and enjoy the great nuggets in this episode. Key Takeaways: [5:44] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Mado Hesselink. [6:36] What inspired Mado to start working on the project of talking to 100 yoga teachers? She shares how her Fairy Godmother Business Coach helped her along her journey of finding her niche. [9:39] Mado reveals how she applied the concept of a lead magnet to her business and some tips for you to do the same! [13:27] Why did Mado decide to talk to 100 yoga teachers? [15:40] What made Mado pick the number 100? [16:07] How did Mado spread the word about her project, and how did she select the yoga teachers she would connect with? [18:59] How did Mado pick the questions she asked the yoga teachers? [23:24] Mado shares some of the responses she received that surprised, intrigued and stuck with her. [30:02] What are Mado's suggestions for someone considering taking a 200-hr? [31:07] From her conversations, what are some of the takeaways that have impacted Mado as a yoga teacher? [34:51] How can yoga teachers market yoga better? [39:15] Yoga teachers care so much and put so much pressure on themselves to inspire and challenge their students. Mado and Shannon discuss this in relation to drop-in classes vs. registered sessions. [43:35] Mado highlights the tension that exists between yoga studio owner, yoga teacher and yoga student. [48:41] Get in touch with Mado via her website to get access to her podcast, 100 Yoga Class Themes download and other resources! [49:14] Shannon wraps up with her key takeaways from this episode. Links: Mado Hesselink, Yoga Teacher Resource The Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group 100 Yoga Class Themes Yoga Teacher Resource Podcast Yoga Teacher Resource Podcast Episode 6: How to succeed as a yoga teacher by focusing on cooperation over competition with Shannon Crow The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 088: Creating Professional Yoga Videos with Kira Sloane Map to connect with other yoga teachers The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 085: A Discussion About Hands-On Assists with Amanda Kingsmith Yoga Teacher Resource Podcast Episode 8: [Reality Check] Teaching yoga full time vs part time. The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 061: Too Many Yoga Teachers with Kimma Stark Accessible Yoga Conference, Toronto The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 090: Teaching Baby & Me Yoga with Shannon Crow One-on-One Coaching with Mado Hesselink One-on-One Consultation with Shannon Crow The Yoga Conference and Show, Toronto March 2019 Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from Mado Hesselink: "Who do you feel most energized when you're teaching?" "They can look at their content that they already have out there and see what's really resonating with people." "I just want to get a sense of what is out there. What are the concerns, what are the dreams? What's the environment, the content that people are teaching in, to help me figure out how I can be of service." "The happiest yoga teachers that I spoke with are not trying to make a living teaching." "For me, the inherent conflicts and the murkiness of being an entrepreneur in the yoga space is actually really exciting, and keeps me more engaged." "I learn best through teaching." "As popular as yoga is, there is still a lot of misinformation about what yoga is." "I want us to do a better j

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Ep 090: Teaching Baby and Me Yoga with Shannon Crow Description: How can a yoga niche help to grow a profitable and sustainable yoga business? In this episode, Shannon shares about a popular area of yoga - Baby and Me yoga, and how this can be a niche to build your yoga business. Very often, postnatal parents are wanting to get back to yoga and bring baby along, but adult yoga classes aren't the right place for them. Having crawling / crying / curious babies in the room, new parents adjusting to new routines, and parents developing that bond with their babies - these are all things that play into the flow and rhythm of a yoga class. Baby and Me yoga classes are designed to take all these and more into consideration. Shannon shares how she structured her classes and the different elements she incorporates into her classes, keeping both baby and parent in mind. She also highlights other considerations when it comes to Baby and Me yoga, including timing of classes, the spaces in which you conduct these classes, and why she chose the name "Baby and Me yoga" instead of other variations out there. This episode is perfect for anyone who teaches prenatal or postnatal students and for people who want to find their yoga niche. Key Takeaways: [6:34] How did Shannon get into teaching Baby and Me yoga? [8:37] Why does Shannon call her class "Baby and Me" yoga? Shannon shares some insight into her personal journey as a new mom. [12:12] What might you see in a student that is coming to a yoga class postnatally? [16:20] Shannon shares a little about maternity leave, and why supporting new parents is so important. [20:11] Timing is also important when it comes to Baby and Me yoga. When can new parents start coming to Baby and Me yoga? [22:04] Where will you be teaching Baby and Me yoga? [23:32] Baby and Me yoga is very different from traditional yoga classes with adults. Shannon has some tips and tricks for you. [28:32] If you'd like to learn more about the elements Shannon includes in her Baby and Me yoga class, you can attend the MamaNuture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training or check out the Online Course that goes into more detail about this. [29:20] What are the 8 elements that Shannon includes in Baby and Me yoga? [30:19] Shannon dives into the element of songs and sounds. [32:54] Shannon's second element is infant massage. How does that tie into Baby and Me yoga? [36:03] Element #3 is musical movement. Music is as important as movement in a child's development. [39:20] Shannon incorporates sign language in her Baby and Me yoga classes. She has some tips on how best to do it. [44:21] #5: Baby poses - the key to this is to really follow baby's lead. [47:55] Community time is another element of Shannon's Baby and Me yoga classes. She highlights why this is an important part of the class. [50:39] The next element is independent practice, and how that helps parents reconnect with themselves. [51:54] Baby and me breath is the final element. Shannon shares an example of a practice she uses. [55:00] Shannon ends with her final insights about yoga and how it can help parents and babies. [57:46] What is your one takeaway from this episode about teaching to postnatal parents? Share your thoughts! Links: Mama Nurture Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Online Course on Baby and Me Yoga The Genius of Natural Childhood, by Sally Goddard Blythe Itsy Bitsy Yoga, by Helen Garabedian Baby Om: Yoga for Mothers and Babies by Laura Staton and Sarah Perron Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from Shannon Crow: "Your baby doesn't come with an owner's manual, and you have to figure out what that little human needs." "Sometimes we're feeling shame or ashamed of what we need as parents when it comes to work." "Be careful about judging, others for sure, but also yourself." "Touch between parent and baby is another form of communication. It's a really clear and concrete way to express love." "This Baby and Me yoga class is a really great place to practice and learn together." "You're not only dealing with parents, you're also dealing with what baby needs." "Baby and me yoga offers parents a gentle practice to reconnect with body and breath. In this time, they can bond with baby, and also connect to other parents."

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Ep 089: Yoga for Stress Management with Courtney Butler-Robinson Description: You can't deny it - we live in a stressful world. Everyone knows yoga is useful when it comes to stress management, but Courtney Butler-Robinson has focused her practice exclusively around dealing with stress and more specifically, heart health. Courtney has had a long and illustrious career in the field of yoga. She's been practicing for nearly 40 years, training yoga teachers for 20, and a certified yoga therapist for over 10 years (including being one of the first yoga therapists to be recognized by the International Association of Yoga Therapists). She is the owner and director of Balance Yoga and Wellness, a registered yoga school, and works as a stress management specialist, particularly in relation to reversing heart disease. Stress is something everyone deals with, but Courtney highlights its connection to heart disease, and how her part in Dr. Dean Ornish's lifestyle medicine practice is helping to heal patients. She provides insight into how yoga can be a part of the medical world, and why love, support, gratitude, and joy are some of the key ingredients to a long and healthy life. If you've always wondered how to reach the medical world through your yoga teaching, or how to incorporate stress management in your yoga training, this episode is definitely one you need hear. Key Takeaways: [1:04] One lucky listener stands a chance to win a prize this week! [3:45] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Courtney Butler-Robinson. [6:15] How did Courtney's yoga journey start? When did she get into yoga, and what brought her to it? [7:39] What pushed Courtney to start working in yoga for stress management? [9:49] Courtney shares a little about the work that Dr. Dean Ornish does. [12:31] How is Courtney's class different from the average yoga class in its approach towards stress management? [16:03] Courtney describes a typical day in the life of one of her clients. [17:45] What are some of the most common issues people are dealing with when they come to see Courtney? [20:16] What does a "prescription" entail? Courtney outlines some of the differences between her current work and her work in private practice. [22:33] Courtney gives some recommendations when it comes to keeping your heart healthy. [25:25] Courtney highlights the importance of gratitude in heart health. [28:06] What has Courtney learned through her 10 years of training teachers? [31:19] How can yoga teachers move into the medical side of things? [33:49] Courtney has some advice for yoga teachers with students looking to improve their heart health or reduce stress in their lives. [35:58] Shannon and Courtney discuss whether overall stress and anxiety levels are going up in society. [41:16] Find out more about Courtney, the work she does and more through her website, and on social media. [42:12] Courtney's book, The Mud and the Lotus, is a guide and a workbook for yoga teachers. [48:58] Shannon shares how she connected with Courtney, and how you can use this method to connect with others. [53:10] What is your biggest takeaway from this episode? Shannon would love to hear from you! Links: The Mud and the Lotus, by Courtney Butler-Robinson Courtney Butler-Robinson on Facebook Courtney Butler-Robinson on Instagram Courtney Butler-Robinson on YouTube Balance Yoga and Wellness The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Ep 088: Creating Professional Yoga Videos with Kira Sloane Dr. Baxter Bell Larry Payne Dr. Dean Ornish - Lifestyle Medicine Learn more about Relaxation Response Learn more about Oxytocin and the Heart Learn more about the Elizabeth Blackburn Studies Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes from Courtney Butler-Robinson: "When I started teaching, it was because of illness." "I work in the field of lifestyle medicine." "We actually reverse disease without any kind of major medical intervention. It's diet, exercise, yoga, meditation and love and support." "The point of stress management yoga is to keep the body in a relaxation response from beginning to end." "Movement helps to increase artery flexibility. It helps reduce lymphatic congestion in your system. ... Keep moving!" "What I've learned personally is... that my inner wisdom knows better than listening to everything." "I care more about your heart for service than your headstand." "I would just encourage people to find who you are as a yoga teacher, and to be that. And to have confidence in that, because there are the people out there that need what you have to offer." "With the 9 weeks of the program, depression rates are down 60%." "Taking care of yourself, and loving yourself and being kind to yourself, is more a matter of quality of life... than it is about whether you live or die."

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 088: Creating Professional Yoga Videos with Kira Sloane Description: Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could connect with your yoga students in the comfort of their own home? With Yoga Anytime, Kira Sloane not only teaches yoga online but also helps other yoga teachers share their yoga online. Kira was drawn to teaching yoga from her very first savasana. After being diagnosed with endometriosis in 1995, she turned to yoga to find relief for her pain and immediately wanted to share the sense of well-being she experienced with others. Today, Kira works for yoga to spread the healing she has experienced in her own practice by making videos and offering online yoga courses. Videos are a great tool for reaching a large audience, but all that can backfire if your videos are not professional and well done. Kira reveals what she has learned from creating over 2000 yoga videos - from what kind of clothing works for the camera, to how to focus on your viewer beyond the lens, and why doing yoga on videos is ultimately all about connection and relationships, both with your audience and yourself. Whether you're already a veteran at making yoga videos, or a newbie to the scene, you're sure to get some great tips and insights about what it takes to make a truly great, professional yoga video. To see all of the links and notes for this episode (including timestamps) - visit https://www.theconnectedyogateacher.com/88

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Ep 087: Yoga for Fertility with Beth Heller The journey of infertility is a difficult one. Beth Heller joins Shannon on this episode to share her own story and experiences with infertility, and how that led her to become the co-founder and co-director of Pulling Down the Moon. Beth is a mother and a yoga teacher whose niche and passion is yoga for fertility. She has a degree in human nutrition and spent 4 years working as a nutrition researcher. She found her way to yoga while going through high stress, infertility, a miscarriage, and the stillbirth of her daughter at 38 weeks. In these experiences, she found the true value of yoga and wanted to share how yoga helped her regain her period and get pregnant, and how it held and supported her through loss. In 2002, Beth founded Pulling Down the Moon with Tami Quinn, where she now teaches yoga in classes and one-on-one instruction, with a focus on yoga for fertility, prenatal yoga, and yoga to people at the age and stage of pregnancy. She is also a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Beth shares her insight about how yoga helps improve fertility, and how she has helped women through their fertility journey in her practice, particularly by creating a supportive space in her studio. Shannon and Beth also discuss the benefits of online classes in breaking down barriers for some people, and how yoga teachers can fully support women or couples going through loss, miscarriage or fertility difficulties. An open, honest and heartfelt conversation, this episode great for any yoga teacher working with people dealing with fertility, and pregnancy, and interested in finding out more about discovering your niche in yoga. To see all of the links and notes for this episode (including timestamps) - visit https://www.theconnectedyogateacher.com/87

Live video is taking the online world by storm, and it's not a trend is going away soon. How can yoga teachers get on board and harness the power of video? Ian Gray of Seriously Social has tips, strategies, and advice on how you can use live video as a yoga teacher to share video content. Ian is a man of many talents. Not only is he an international speaker, trainer, teacher, web developer and consultant who specializes in live video, he is also a husband, father of two, professional singer and self-professed geek. Through his company Seriously Social, and his weekly Facebook Live video show, The Free Range Social Show, Ian helps business owners and entrepreneurs use live video to build and expand their businesses. Doing a live video can seem incredibly scary, but feeling nervous is a very natural response. Ian shares some of his own personal experiences getting started with live video, and his strategies to get over your fear. He also reveals the three main barriers people have when it comes to doing live video, and how you can break through them. He explains why consistency and having a group to lean on for support can make all the difference in getting on board with live video. Ian also breaks down the different live video platforms, and how they can be used to reach your target audience. If you're interested in sharing video content but aren't sure how to get started, this episode is just for you. To see all of the links and notes for this episode (including timestamps) - visit theconnectedyogateacher.com/86

085: A Discussion About Hands-On Assists with Amanda Kingsmith and Shannon Crow Do you offer your students hands-on assists or adjustments or do you steer clear of touch in a yoga class? Amanda Kingsmith invited Shannon back on the M.B.OM podcast to talk about hands-on assists (sometimes called adjustments). Amanda is a yoga teacher with a business studies background. She works 1:1 with yoga teachers and hosts two podcasts - one about travel and the other for yoga teachers. She is an enthusiastic world traveler when she is not at home in Alberta, Canada. Click here to see our full show notes page.

084: Yoga for Scoliosis with Christine Jaureguiberry Christine Jaureguiberry has niched down over the years as a yoga teacher. She now works mostly with individuals who have scoliosis. This is fueled by her own love of yoga. At the age of five, Christine was diagnosed with structural scoliosis. Her parents first put her in ballet. As she grew, she stayed active, but in her teen years, her pain started to increase. Christine spent a lot of time visiting physiotherapists, osteopaths and chiropractors. She wanted them to "fix" her, but instead found that the effects from the treatments wouldn't last long After Christine's first yoga class (a Sivananda class in 2004), she noticed that she felt much better. Yoga made Christine feel better and she finally felt like she was in control of her own well-being. It was after becoming a mother of two that Christine decided the timing was right to take her yoga teacher training. Now Christine works mainly with individuals who are experiencing back pain, scoliosis or other back-related conditions. She loves to empower people so they can live pain-free. She teaches alignment and posture, bearing in mind the unique bodies and shapes. Christine makes yoga accessible to everyone. 5:34 - Meet Christine Jaureguiberry, who was diagnosed with structural scoliosis at the age of five. Christine shares her journey to yoga and how that motivated her to become a yoga teacher. 11:03 - What might a yoga student with scoliosis look like in a yoga class? Adam's Forward Bend: a technique to determine if someone has scoliosis 12:20 - Definition of scoliosis: Scoliosis is a lateral (side-to-side) curve in the spine, usually combined with a rotation of the vertebrae. 14:18 - Difference between structural scoliosis versus functional scoliosis "80 - 90% of people have some sort of functional scoliosis" - Christine Jaureguiberry 16:08 - Christine shares how she is one of the 70% of individuals with an idiopathic cause (meaning the cause of her scoliosis is not known). 17:16 - Why it is important to diagnose scoliosis in children and teens. In most countries, it is rare to have scoliosis screening, but Christine was lucky to be living in Germany where screening was done. 18:48 - As yoga teachers, diagnosing scoliosis (or anything) is out of our scope of practice, but Christine shares how if we are teaching children's yoga - we can tell parents if we notice something that could be checked by their healthcare provider 20:09 - How diagnosis before puberty can actually correct scoliosis 21:15 - Yoga poses, considerations, and cues that Christine offers to students who are dealing with scoliosis. She talks about how she gradually works with a framework that offers poses involve: Releasing Lengthening Derotation Strengthening 24:30 - Study by Dr. Loren Fishman on side plank for scoliosis and how you may get students in your classes referring to this study 25:44 - Christine shares how she feels about adjustments (hands-on assists) when working with students with scoliosis and how she sustained an injury from one in her yoga teacher training. 32:38 - How a yoga teacher can guide students with scoliosis, who may not know what is "straight", "centre" or "balanced" in their body 33:10 - Poses that Christine has removed to her own yoga practice (shoulder stand) 34:50 - Things to consider when someone has spinal fusion or Herrington rods (*Herrington rods are not done now, but students over 35 years old may have them) 36:36 - Why lying on the back may not be comfortable for those who have scoliosis and how to modify for comfort "Go with the sensations that your student is feeling, rather than what you think looks straight or even." - Christine Jaureguiberry 38:45 - How Christine feels about 1:1 versus group classes and how she prefers to work with individuals with scoliosis 40:03 - What Christine wishes all yoga teachers knew when working with yoga students who have scoliosis "It's not about the pose, it's about how you practice the pose." - Christine Jaureguiberry 41:55 - How to work 1:1 with Christine (yoga students and teachers) Christine's Facebook Group: Yoga for Scoliosis Community (for both students with scoliosis and yoga teachers working with students who have scoliosis) Christine's website - Work 1:1 with Christine - online or in-person (yoga or mentorship) If you would like to offer a birthday gift to Shannon: Share a favourite podcast episode Leave a review on iTunes Leave a review on The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook page Christine's online course for yoga teachers -- Introduction to Teaching Yoga for Scoliosis: How to teach yoga safely for students with scoliosis 10% discount code for Christine's course (for our podcast listeners) Episode 29: Creating Your About Me Page with Trevor Parks [Consultation Call] The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Apply for the Online Group Program for Yoga Teachers Book a Consultation Call with Shannon Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

083: Instagram for Yoga Teachers with Daniel McIntire As a yoga teacher have you thought about creating an Instagram account? Do you already have an Instagram presence and wonder if you're on the right path? Have you thought about creating a separate account for your yoga business? Today's guest, Daniel McIntire, the founder of Influncrrs helps to answer these and many more questions about Instagram. Daniel McIntire knew yoga was right for him the first time he tried it. It took him over 3 years to consider teaching but when he did his 200 YTT it was another great fit. He began by teaching part-time and expanded into full-time teaching when he quit his corporate job in 2016. He taught several classes a week to sustain a living but found in time that he was getting burnt out. Daniel has happily found a place for yoga in his life- as a hobby. He has found his current niche as the creator and owner of Influncrrs by following his passion for incorporating his yoga practice into his online presence. As he expanded his skills in this area, he was able to help others market events on Snapchat and Instagram. Daniel came to realize that he felt most passionate about and excelled in guiding clients through expanding their business through Instagram. When working with his clients focuses on a couple of key goals 1) to increase traffic to their Instagram account and 2) encourage public engagement and feedback. Daniel shares many gems including the importance of quality over quantity when it comes to posting, the value of public engagement in the comments section, and his 3 key components to a good post. 7:05 Daniel's yoga journey 12:00 How Daniel started sharing his yoga on Instagram and then turning that into a career 16:35 How often Daniel recommends posting- quality over quantity 19:55 How Daniel prepares his Instagram posts- gives himself 30 minutes in a quiet space and reflects on the subject of the post 21:45 Daniel on captions and the opportunity it affords to connect with your words, along with your photo 22:25 The Importance of interacting with your audience by replying to comments- Daniel checks in daily 23:20 Shannon asks Daniel whether she should have a personal account and a separate business account 27:35 Daniel on Instagram Stories and cautions putting out too many stories and how they can be beneficial for showing another side of yourself 30:55 Shannon asks for advice on engaging her followers with her podcast-related posts 34:00 Daniel's helps his client to draw out what they have to offer and talks about the importance of clients creating their own content 34:55 On Daniel's realization that engagement is more valuable than followers 35:25 How Daniel helps his clients 1) get traffic to their account 2) get more engagement with their content (such as a free e-book) which helps clients create a list of leads, discover their niche, and develop a long-term strategy 37:25 Daniel's feeling that there is so much misinformation about social media engagement and that it is simpler than is perceived 39:35 The best way to connect with Daniel and request a free week of consultation 42:30 Linktree- allows you to share more than one link on Instagram 43:30 Shannon's wrap-up and key takeaways Links Daniel on Instagram @dmacyoga Daniel's Business on Instagram @nfluncrrs Daniel's partner Courtney on Instagram @courtrandyoga Shannon's Instagram Account @shannon_crow_yoga Influncrrs E-Guide: Win on Instagram Fuel Yoga Workouts in Portland, OR The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Follow The Connected Teacher on YouTube Book a Consultation Call with Shannon To Contact our virtual assistant Samantha Scott for website design help and more: Tech Crazy Va: Website Design, System Efficiencies & Virtual Assistant Services 7-Steps to Link Schedulicity to your Instagram account Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

082: Yoga and Fibromyalgia with Pamela Crane We are so grateful to welcome Pamela Crane, a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapist (IAYT) who is currently working towards her Masters in Yoga Therapy at Maryland University of Integrative Health. She is a Yoga Alliance 200 RYT, a Reiki 1 and 2 practitioner, and a member of the National Dance Education Association (NDEO). On today's episode, Shannon asks Pamela to speak to her experience with Fibromyalgia- as a sufferer and as a yoga therapist. As a lifelong dancer, Pamela was devastated when the pain of Fibromyalgia changed her life. In addition to the condition, she dealt with chronic pain, anxiety, and depression for years and credits yoga as a major factor in her path toward healing. Pamela wants to share the benefits of yoga with others and as a yoga therapist has worked with those suffering from Fibromyalgia, dancers, and most recently those who work in corporate environments by providing workshops on stress reduction. Pamela and Shannon discuss Pamela's personal experience with this condition, how to balance the yin and yang of physical activity, how yoga teachers can support their students with Fibromyalgia and much more. 6:50 Pamela's first yoga class 9:10 Pamela describes how yoga "saved her life" 12:35 How Fibromyalgia wasn't understood until the later 2000s and suffers previous to this time weren't validated and made to feel it was psychological 13:05 Pamela's definition of Fibromyalgia and her experience with the condition 17:10 How Pamela has been able to manage her pain 19:20 Pamela expands on how it feels to suffer from the condition and the sufferer's relationship to pain 20:40 How practicing gratitude and forgiveness has helped Pamela 22:00 Practicing mindfulness and meditation 22:55 How to support a new student who suffers from Fibromyalgia and the importance of keeping in mind that yoga teachers can't diagnose or treat people, rather support the student to find their own healing 25:35 How meditation, restorative yoga, or yin vs. yang might not be the answer for every sufferer will work- listen to the individual 26:55 How aerobic activity can benefit those with Fibromyalgia, the importance of not pushing too hard and how yoga can facilitate those activities 29:10 Pamela's personal experience with finding balance with physical activities 33:50 As a yoga teacher when planning classes "less is more" and checking in with students after class (even a day or two later) 35:45 What Pamela likes to include in her yoga classes: constructive rest, sitali and viloma breath, loving-kindness meditation 42:15 Pamela's work as a yoga therapist for stress management workshops in corporate settings 43:55 On Pamela's love of helping those who may not believe yoga is right for them and guiding them towards a style that may work 45:30 Pamela's belief that stress, in her own case, was a major factor in developing Fibromyalgia 47:20 When Pamela will receive her Masters in Yoga Therapy from Maryland University of Integrative Health and her advice on choosing a school if you aspire to become a yoga therapist 50:40 How to reach Pamela and her work with clients online and in-person 53:00 Shannon's closing thoughts and key takeaways, including her own experience with "less is more" Links Pamela's Website: Crane Yoga Therapy Jump-start your 2019: 6-Week Group Program for Yoga Entrepreneurs Metta Meditation by Shannon Crow The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Book a Consultation Call with Shannon Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

081: Set-Up to Teach Private Yoga [Consultation Call] with Stephanie Brunson Do you or have you considered teaching private yoga classes as a way to set up or grow a yoga business? If so, this episode is for you! Shannon shares a consultation call with the kind permission of Stephanie Brunson. Stephanie has been teaching yoga for 10 years and has recently come to the realization that teaching students one-on-one is a viable option for her. She is excited at the prospect of changing focus but is asking where to start with her new endeavor. Stephanie turned to The Connect Yoga Teacher Facebook group and asked: Can anyone help me with setting up in home yoga lessons? I have been teaching now for almost 10 years and have recently been asked to teach private sessions. I don't even know where to begin. Liability, waivers, session goals sheets, session pricing? Packages or partner lessons? Any help or advice is appreciated. With her experience as a consultant to yoga teachers and teaching private yoga classes Shannon guides Stephanie through some key considerations along with some of the benefits, she has found teaching one-on-one. Shannon also sends Stephanie off with some concrete steps as she moves toward her goals. 10:20 Stephanie's question to The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Group 11:10 Stephanie's struggle to set her prices and to articulate what she is offering 11:50 The mindset around private yoga versus other one-on-one teaching situations (such as piano lessons) and the benefit of teaching private yoga classes 17:40 Your first session with your client- bring a liability and waiver form to help with intake and asking your client to do some movement for assessment (while avoiding diagnosing conditions) 21:40 Thinking about working with a client as part of their team (even if their team hasn't been established yet) and on keeping clear boundaries with your scope of practice 26:20 Asking your client what their goals are and on meeting them where they are and keeping track of their progress 28:30 Designing package rates 30:35 Shannon walks Stephanie through what to consider when setting her rates 34:05 Considering safety and liability issues when going to your client's home or holding the session in your home 35:55 Considering prices for a session with 2 or more people (semi-private) 37:00 Marketing and advertising and the benefit of word-of-mouth 39:50 Creating social media posts that address potential clients fears and special needs or perhaps offering specialized services (such as couples yoga or yoga for back pain) 44:15 Stephanie asks about online one-on-one sessions 46:30 Stephanie considers good places to advertise to target her audience 48:40 Scheduling your clients and organizing your schedule and thinking ahead to create seasonal specials 51:15 Stephanie's realization that there is a market for private yoga 52:00 The joy Shannon has found working with clients one-on-one 52:55 Shannon sets up Stephanie's first steps for advertising and guidance with growing her private yoga business 56:00 Shannon's key takeaways: Teaching one-one is easier than teaching to a group Feedback and modifications happen easily when teaching one-on-one Work one-on-one with a yoga mentor so that you have experience as the student Bring a waiver form Ask questions: Do they have any conditions? How does it affect them (symptoms) Their stress levels- at work and at home Pain levels on a scale from 1-10 Ask clients to do some movements to assess Make sure to have a notepad Consider yourself part of a health-care team (work in your scope of practice) and create a list so you are able to refer your client to specialists Empower your client to create yoga goals Consider your prices and the possibility of offering packages Location- in your space or your client's or somewhere else Marketing and advertising through social media, websites and more Create your private yoga schedule Consider niching down to provide specialized services Pick one actionable item and share with Shannon. It can be something from the list or something else that works for you. Links Group Program for Yoga Teachers Shannon on Instagram The Connected Yoga Teacher Editable Student Waiver Form The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Follow The Connected Teacher on YouTube Book a Consultation Call with Shannon Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training September 22nd and 23rd, 2018 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

080: Yoga and Endometriosis [Part 2] with Dustienne Miller In part 2 of our 2-part series on endometriosis, Shannon asked yoga teacher and physical therapist Dustienne Miller to share her knowledge and experience working with clients with this chronic illness. Dustienne feels strongly endometriosis is underdiagnosed and that there is much more to be understood in this area of women's health. It is now recognized that 1 in 10 women struggle with this chronic illness. Dustienne also wants all women to trust their intuition when determining the severity of their pain and to know that period pain should never be debilitating. Dustienne began studying to become a physiotherapist in 1994 and began practicing yoga while doing musical theater in New York City as a way to warm up. She continued practicing yoga at home and decided to pursue yoga teacher training at Kripalu. Dustienne came to realize as a yoga teacher and a physiotherapist specializing in pelvic health, that these disciplines complemented each other beautifully. She began to integrate yoga into physical therapy home programs and saw the difference yoga made to her clients suffering from endometriosis. Dustienne details for us how pranayama and asana can ease the symptoms of endometriosis. She describes the connection between pranayama and the pelvic floor and her way of leading clients through asana in a progressive fashion to minimize overextending themselves. 6:20 Dustienne's yoga and physical therapy journey 8:50 Dustienne describes endometriosis 10:40 Symptoms of endometriosis 12:20 What Dustienne has heard from her clients suffering from endometriosis 13:20 Are the endo flare-ups in sync with the menstrual cycle? 15:40 Pain management- the importance of teaching strategies in order to allow sufferers to have ownership over managing the flares How yoga can benefit those with endometriosis: 16:25 Pranayama- a daily practice can help with the prominence of the parasympathetic nervous system to be more dominant which can lessen the pain 17:30 Relationship between pranayama and the pelvic floor and the importance of lengthening the spine to optimize the pranayama-pelvic floor connection 20:55 Asana- a gentle yoga program can mobilize the tissues and the muscles that are attaching to both the pelvis and the thorax 22:15 Yoga poses to approach with caution extensions and cause rebound pain 24:40 Is there a pain level where one should avoid asana and Dustienne's hope that students will feel that for themselves 27:40 The benefit of child's pose, goddess pose, banana pose, standing half-moon, supine twist (to help with rotation through the spine) and their variations 32:55 Dustienne's love for restorative yoga, that it is "real" yoga 33:55 Additional advice from Dustienne and on reconditioning the body to have a different response to pain to help lessen it (softening the belly, table pose letting belly hang) 36:05 Other treatments Dustienne recommends for endometriosis 38:20 How endometriosis can be diagnosed and how treatment options are evolving as research into this illness expands 40:25 Misconceptions around endometriosis, how raising awareness is helping e.g. through social media campaign #1in10 42:10 Importance of listening to intuition- don't push yourself 42:55 Shannon's closing thoughts and wrap-up and on "curating your team" Links Dustienne's summary page of resources Dustienne's website: Your Pace Yoga Related TCYT Episodes: 079: Yoga and Endometriosis [Part 1] with Kimberly Castello 007: Breath and Pelvic Health with Trista Zinn 008: Core Breath and Pelvic Health with Kim Vopni 009: Kegels, Mula Bandha, and Pelvic Health with Shelly Prosko 033: A New Perspective on Diastasis Recti with Sinead Dufour 073: The 8 Limbs of Yoga [Part 1] with Shannon Crow 074: The 8 Limbs of Yoga [Part 2] with Jennie Lee Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training September 22nd and 23rd, 2018 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

079: Yoga and Endometriosis with Kimberly Castello [Part 1] In part 1 of a 2-part series on endometriosis, we welcome Kimberly Castello, a certified Yoga Therapist who completed her Clinical Internship with the Simms Mann Venice Family Clinic in Los Angeles, California. Kimberly specializes in developing chronic pain management programs for individuals, hospitals, and clinics. Kimberly tried yoga when a friend recommended it to her, knowing that as a dancer she had a love for movement. She shares that she fell in love with yoga as soon as she hit the mat and soon after pursued yoga teacher training. Her curiosity and devotion to yoga have only grown stronger and her passion for teaching has been enhanced through her life experiences. At the age of 27, Kimberly fell ill, finding herself plagued by fatigue. She also had bladder issues and persistent pelvic pain. Kimberly describes how she and the many doctors she saw were stumped by her symptoms. Eventually, asking to be tested for mononucleosis (with the results coming back positive), she believed that to be the answer to her mysterious symptoms. Nonetheless, the severity of her symptoms continued and worsened. Kimberly describes the grueling process that eventually led to being diagnosed with Endometriosis many years later. Kimberly generously shares her experience in order to bring awareness and validate other women's experience with this crippling disorder. Endometriosis has been long been overlooked and is far more common than was believed. There has been very little research done in this area of women's health, with doctors writing the symptoms off as menstrual pain with the attitude of "suck it up". Kimberly defines the condition, how it is a lifelong struggle and her approach to managing what she describes as an autoimmune disease. She also openly shares the grief, depression, and isolation she encountered while coping with the diagnosis that shifted the course of her life. 6:20 Shannon defines endometriosis 8:30 Kimberly's yoga journey 10:00 Kimberley's mysterious illness 16:50 Kimberley's surgery for endometriosis and her decision to pass on medication that would have put her into early menopause 18:00 The connection between mononucleosis and endometriosis and how endometriosis is an autoimmune disease 19:10 How Kimberley defines endometriosis and the symptoms that accompany the condition 21:50 The lack of education around endometriosis and developments in this area 23:15 Kimberley's long road to being diagnosed with endometriosis 25:10 How endometriosis feels 27:25 Kimberley describes some symptoms she experienced and how it can begin and progress differently in every woman 30:00 Kimberley's experience with weight gain as a symptom of endometriosis and her struggle to accept this change in her body 31:25 Accepting that this systemic illness would affect her for the rest of her life and that she'd have to "work 10 times harder than the average person works to do the simplest things" and the struggle to process the grief 32:45 How Kimberley is coping with the illness now and what has she found helpful in managing the disorder e.g. diet, focusing on what she can do rather than what she can't do, managing her expectations 37:35 The importance of practicing restorative yoga 38:50 Kimberly's choice to share her story 40:20 Helping herself and others find acceptance that their life won't look the way they imagined 41:55 Kimberly on finding acceptance, patience, and kindness for herself through yoga 43:55 Kimberly's advice on coping for those who have been newly diagnosed 46:00 Suggested poses and breathing practices for symptom relief Legs on a chair (restorative pose) Therapeutic Pranayama (going with natural breath) Reclined Butterfly (restorative and supported) 49:10 "What can you do to give yourself what you need in the moment?" How this advice to her students has begun to spill over into Kimberly's life and how it applies to those with endometriosis 52:20 Kimberly explains "endo belly" 54:40 Kimberly's decision to wean herself off medications (under the guidance of a doctor) and eating, breath work and yoga for her body and the importance of taking time to rest when she's tired 59:25 Can restorative yoga help to prevent inflammation when brought on by stress and the benefit of "self-talk" 1:02:50 Keeping things in balance- in life and in our yoga practice 1:04:00 What services Kimberly offers and her philosophy of "meeting people where they are" 1:06:00 Shannon's wrap-up and key takeaways Links Kimberly's Email: [email protected] Kimberly's Website: Kimberly Castello Yoga Kimberly Castello Yoga on Facebook The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Follow The Connected Teacher on Youtube Book a Consultation Call with Shannon Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training September 22nd and 23rd, 2018 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

078: Creating an Online Studio with Brea Johnson Brea Johnson has over 16 years of yoga teaching under her belt and has recently ventured into the world of online teaching. Finding herself tired of the class grind she refined what and how she teaches and in doing, so she was able to define her niche. In shifting her focus, she also found herself turning to a more sustainable approach to yoga by bringing in movement education and research to enhance her yoga teaching. This approach has attracted an international audience which inspired Brea to offer online classes and teacher trainings. With an open and authentic spirit, Brea shares her experience with creating and offering online content. She shares how teaching in this format works for her lifestyle and how she loves being able to dive deeper into teaching and being able to cover more details through her online offerings that she isn't able to cover in her weekly class. There are, of course, many challenges. Shannon also shares her experience with her online offerings and dispels the myth that online teaching can provide a comfortable passive income when it is, in fact, an ongoing process. Brea and Shannon also discuss online platforms to host your videos, equipment suggestions, and Brea's method of offering online memberships. An episode filled with great advice, Brea sums it up best: "The first step is to be bold enough to put yourself out there." 5:30 What moved Brea to teach online 7:20 What led Brea to define her niche and her " yoga existential crisis" 11:20 What Brea found the most challenging aspect of offering online classes 12:40 How Brea's online class membership works; library of classes, filters to help students find a class that works for them e.g. focused on a certain area of the body, energy level 15:50 On how she found the perfect time to shift her focus 17:00 How often Brea adds new classes to her online collection 19:15 The choice to hire professionals to film DIY and Brea's experience filming the classes herself and equipment she uses 21:00 Brea's suggestion on choosing a wireless mic 24:00 Other video making advice; the camera, lighting, shooting the video 30:10 Brea's editing process and the editing program she uses 31:35 Brea's approach to keeping in touch with her clients and offering classes and on her choice to teach without notes 32:55 Which platform Brea uses to host her classes online 35:35 Brea's online YTT offering and the importance of teaching movement teacher trainings 42:35 On Brea's rebellious nature 43:20 Shannon and Brea discuss the accessibility of online classes and trainings such as reaching an international audience, and focusing on "How can I provide online classes?" rather than simply "Can it be done?" 46:15 How to reach Brea and access her free content and how pleased she is when those access her free online content 48:30 The importance of seeing a diversity of ages in our yoga teachers in online content 53:05 Shannon's final thoughts and her experience putting herself out there online, feeling vulnerable, and her advice to you if you're thinking of offering online courses Links Email Brea: [email protected] Brea's Website: Heart and Bones Yoga Hearts and Bones Yoga on Instagram Hearts and Bones on Facebook Shannon's Facebook Live Video The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Follow The Connected Teacher on YouTube Book a Consultation Call with Shannon Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training September 22nd and 23rd, 2018 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

077: Interstitial Cystitis (Painful Bladder Syndrome) with Helena Spears Shannon met Helena Spears through a discussion in The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook group about interstitial cystitis. Upon graduating from her 200-hour yoga teacher training, Helena turned her focus towards teaching chronic pain informed yoga as well as yoga for pelvic health. Shannon asked Helena on as a guest to share her first-hand experience with interstitial cystitis and persistent pain and the many benefits of practicing yoga in regard to pain management. As a teen, Helena was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis (IC) and in her 20s, through a cliff jumping incident, she developed chronic back pain. The back pain evolved into Fibromyalgia and Ankylosing Spondylitis (an inflammatory arthritis that attacks the spine). Helena describes how she turned to yoga for chronic pain management but soon found the benefits were limited within the confines of a traditional yoga practice. She shares this experience and her perseverance in pursuing her own yoga path on her website: "It was in my early 30s that I discovered how powerful yoga can be in managing pain; the emotional, spiritual and physical. I decided to pursue my yoga teacher training out of frustration and curiosity. I was frustrated that "regular" yoga practice seemed to flare my Fibromyalgia, yet I knew that yoga could be the key to helping heal my overactive nervous system and dialing down my pain. Since completing my yoga teacher training, my practice has deepened in a way I never thought possible. The emotional healing and guidance I have received from studying sutras and yogic philosophy inform my life and practice every day. Through meditation, I have learned to tap into the calm part of my soul, pranayama allows me to quickly tap into that inner calm" Helena candidly shares her experience with Interstitial Cystitis, the anger she encountered while coping with her persistent pain, the importance she places on the mind/body connection, and the sutras that are guiding her along her journey. 7:30 Helena's yoga journey 10:40 Helena describes her chronic pain 12:30 The definition of Interstitial Cystitis (from the IC Network website) 13:25 5 different types of IC (listed in The Connected Yoga Teacher Interstitial Cystitis (Painful Bladder Syndrome) PDF) 16:35 No one-size-fits-all treatment for IC 17:30 Helena's take on the term "Painful Bladder Syndrome" as an alternative to Interstitial Cystitis 18:55 Helena's IC symptoms 19:45 Helena's experience with the mind/body connection in relation to persistent pain 21:35 The benefit of yoga in nurturing Helena's mind/body relationship and the activities Helena has given up due to pain and stress 25:35 Helena's yoga practice 27:05 The benefits Helena has found using Muse headbands 32:50 Helena's interest in pursuing Yoga for Pelvic Health and taking Pain Care Yoga- Teacher Training and Learning with Tianne 34:40 How Helena wants to empower her yoga students and how she's always learning as a teacher 36:30 How Helena feels the spiritual aspect of yoga, such as the Yoga Sutra has helped her cope with chronic pain- Ahimsa (compassion for self) and Aparigraha (non-attachment) and Brahmacharya (dedication to practice) are guiding principles in her life 39:55 Anger and chronic pain- how Helena identified and worked on her anger and the importance of acceptance 42:25 What Helena would say to someone suffering from persistent pain 45:30 Helena's concern for men who feel like they can't convey their pain which is toxic for pain management 46:00 The emotional component of persistent pain and the importance of treating the mind, body and soul 48:35 How best to reach Helena Links To enter to win a Muse Headband leave a comment below these shownotes :) Helena's Website: Helena Spears Yoga The Pelvic Health Podcast PDF: Interstitial Cystitis (Painful Bladder Syndrome) Website: The IC Network Definition of Interstitial Cystitis on The IC Network website: "An unpleasant sensation (pain, pressure, discomfort) perceived to be related to the urinary bladder, associated with lower urinary tract symptoms of more than six weeks duration, in the absence of infection or other identifiable causes." Shelly Prosko's Website: Physio Yoga Pain Care Yoga- Teacher Training and Learning with Tianne The 10 Step Approach to Living with Pain Webinar (scroll down the page a bit to see video and links to handouts) Book: When The Body Says No by Gabor Maté (chapter 1 available for no charge) The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Follow The Connected Teacher on Youtube Book a Consultation Call with Shannon Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

076: Designing A Yoga Teacher Training with Rachel Scott Think back to your first 200-hour yoga teacher training. What was it like? Did it fit your learning style? What do you wish was included? If you've given these questions some thought perhaps designing and teaching yoga teacher training is a path for you. Shannon came across Rachel Scott in a serendipitous-like fashion. Rachel had shared photos on the Pixabay (a free image-sharing site), and Shannon used one for her online 5-Day Content Creation Challenge. Noticing that Rachel was a yoga teacher, Shannon clicked on the link to Rachel's site. Discovering that Rachel did consultation work with yoga teachers interested in designing their own YTT, (a topic Shannon wanted to cover on the show), Shannon took the opportunity to invite Rachel on the podcast as a guest. Rachel is an educational designer and teacher whose mission is to support yoga teachers and studios to create their own excellently crafted and delivered teacher trainings. She has worked in education for nearly twenty years and led the Teachers College at one of Canada's largest yoga studios for more than seven. The author of two yoga books, she hosts an award-winning blog and has contributed to several publications. Rachel has a BA from Columbia University, Masters of Science in Instructional Design and Learning Technology. She describes herself as "part nerd, part creative artist", believing in elevating strengths, laughing out loud, and taking a few deep breaths. With warmth and wisdom, Shannon and Rachel discuss the pros and cons of designing a yoga teacher course, how to determine if this path is right for you, teaching and planning strategies and much more. As always, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. What would you like to see included in a yoga teacher training? Have you given thought to teaching one? 11:30 How Rachel become interested in helping yoga teachers create their own yoga YTT and her process of becoming a consultant 17:45 Rachel's perspective on creating online yoga content with good intentions (versus income-focused) 19:05 Rachel's approach to guiding teachers through designing a YTT 22:00 How do yoga teachers know if they're ready to create a yoga teacher training, the qualities of a good teacher and defining where strengths and interest lies 26:00 How to test the waters to help you decide if you would like to teach a YTT and considering training for becoming a good teacher 28:05 "One of the reasons to teach is to learn" -don't feel pressured to go into teaching "knowing all" 30:00 Helping students learn versus telling students what you know and Rachel's first time leading a YTT and learning the significance of this "creating an environment where people can make mistakes" a practice and actively learning instead of students sitting and listening 33:10 Is there a downside of designing a YTT and pitfalls to avoid 36:35 Considerations to help you determine what to charge for your YTT 41:20 How much content can students manage to process in a day and strategies that can help 44:40 Rachel's thoughts on improving YTTs she has attended- finding a way to give feedback to students, some form of accountability, clarity in what students will learn from a course 49:10 The services Rachel provides and how to work with her 53:15 Shannon's wrap up and final thoughts on offering yoga teacher trainings Links Contact Rachel for a free 15-minute consultation call: Rachel's email: [email protected] Rachel's Website: Rachel Yoga Rachel on Facebook Rachel on Instagram The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Follow The Connected Teacher on YouTube Book a Consultation Call with Shannon The Connected Yoga Teacher 5-Day Content Creation Challenge Relevant TCYT Episodes: 052: Create Your Online Course with Janelle Allen 061: Too Many Yoga Teachers with Kimma Stark Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

075: Yoga for Pelvic Girdle Pain with Dr. Sinead Dufour Shannon is pleased to have Dr. Sinead Dufour as her first returning guest to discuss pelvic girdle pain. Sinead has been a practicing physiotherapist for about 15 years, with a PhD in Primary Health Care. Her extensive studies also include training in obstetrics and urogynecology. She is a professor in the Health and Science department at McMaster University and is the Director of Pelvic Health at The Womb. Pelvic girdle pain develops in pregnancy or postnatally. It's pain that develops below the rib line and travels below the gluteal fold. 75% of women have pelvic girdle pain in their second pregnancy and 20% have continuous pelvic girdle pain postnatal. Shannon and Dr. Sinead Dufour discuss how our understanding of pelvic girdle pain has evolved, the misconceptions that make treating the pain difficult, and what yoga teachers can do to help their students experiencing pelvic pain. Dr. Sinead discusses how important it is for women to trust their pelvis by recognizing its strength and directing signals of safety, reassurance, and resilience to help prevent the pain and reduce fear of giving birth. 9:35 What is pelvic girdle pain? 14:45 What do we now know about the effect of pregnancy hormones in causing laxity of the pelvis and how that understanding has evolved; central mechanism versus mechanical factors 20:15 How we can talk to our yoga students about their pelvic girdle pain; pelvic sensitivity does not mean lack of strength of the pelvic region, the effect of asymmetrical movement, misconceptions and outdated information 22:25 The problem with misconceptions around pelvic health in pregnancy; creates increased fear around giving birth, can actually cause more pain if the woman feels compelled to clench her pelvis believing it to be weak 26:45 How new research has informed the way Dr. Sinead Dufour treats her patients with pelvic girdle pain and how it can inform the way yoga teachers can help students 29:40 Previous pregnancy as a risk factor but not a determining factor, higher risk if there's been a trauma in the first pregnancy 32:05 Understanding that the mechanics isn't the driver of the pain but it is relevant, and the mechanics is something they can have control over- don't be afraid of movement, be mindful, some movement is good to avoid 33:15 Movements for those with pelvic girdle pain (and those to avoid) 38:10 Study of the effect of high cortisol and the importance of education around these findings and the application to yoga 40:00 Importance of language around pelvic girdle pain using "sensitive pelvis" instead of "falling apart" or "dysfunctional" and the misconception of engaging the pelvis to remedy the pain 42:50 Incidents of long-term pelvic girdle pain (20% of women) indicates the current approach needs to incorporate new research and deconstruct long-held beliefs 46:25 Hypertonic pelvis and taking care around doing exercises such as kegels 48:50 The importance of referring students to a pelvic floor physiotherapist- even before pregnancy to "reset" the pelvis, build trust in the body, empowerment in knowledge 53:40 Do men experience pelvic girdle pain? 56:15 The benefit of therapy in pregnancy and postnatally- is it appropriate to refer a student to a therapist? 58:40 Dr. Sinead's preference for the term "motor control exercises" instead of "stability exercises" 1:02:44 How to reach Dr. Sinead Dufour 1:03:15 Shannon's wrap-up and key takeaways Links Email Dr. Sinead Dufour: [email protected] Website: The Womb Find a Canadian Pelvic Health Specialist PDF: Dr. Sinead Dufour's Postpartum Movement Tips PDF: Dr. Sinead Dufour's Study: Association between lumbopelvic pain and pelvic floor dysfunction in women: A cross sectional study. Pelvic Symmetry Sequence by Shannon Crow Relevant TCYT Episodes: 007: Breath and Pelvic Health with Trisha Zinn 008: Core Breath and Pelvic Health with Kim Vopni 009: Kegals, Mula Banda and Pelvic Health with Shelly Prosko 033: A New Perspective on Diastasis Recti with Dr. Sinead Dufour The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Group Book a Consultation Call with Shannon Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

074: The 8 Limbs [Part 2] with Jennie Lee On last week's episode Shannon gave us an overview of The 8 Limbs and on today's episode, Shannon takes a deeper look with guest Jennie Lee author of True Yoga: Practicing with the Yoga Sutras for Happiness & Spiritual Fulfillment. Jennie Lee is a yoga therapist, teacher, speaker and writer who specializes in Classical Yoga, Meditation and Mindful Wellness. Shannon met Jennie through a post on The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Group. Group members highly recommended Jennie's book as a fresh look at the 8 limbs and one they use to inform their teaching and personal practice. It is Jennie's belief that the 8-fold path is fundamental for yoga teachers to understand and wrote the book with the intention of building a bridge between the classical texts of yoga and what we're seeing in the yoga practice today. She wanted to make the eight limbs accessible to yoga teachers and students using layman terms with practical applications to everyday life. Jennie opens up about her life challenges and how The 8 Limbs have helped her navigate the hardest times, how she applies it to her work as a yoga therapist, and her new book Breathing Love: Meditation in Action. 7:35 Jennie Lee's yoga journey 10:15 What is Spiritual Psychology? 11:40 Shannon asks Jennie what inspired her to write a book that explores the yoga sutras in depth 15:05 Jennie Lee takes a look at Saucha (found within the Niyamas) and how the principle can be applied to in our everyday lives 18:30 The last 4 sutras: Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi- their similarities and differences 20:55 Is it possible for humans to experience Samadhi and Jennie Lee's caution around trying to reach this state 24:00 The emphasis put on Asana by 20th Century Western culture 26:10 How can a yoga teacher bring the 8 Limbs into their classes 28:35 The meaning Isvara pranidhana has brought to Jennie's life, especially when going through difficult times and the benefit of surrendering to the power that is greater than you (for Jennie it is Love) 32:05 The challenge Jennie Lee has found in practising Pratyahara and how "unplugging" is key 34:40 Tapas- considering doing less instead of more 38:00 Dhyana (meditation) and how Jennie has made this an everyday practice and that "not enough time" isn't a good excuse 42:10 How the 8 Limbs inform Jennie's yoga therapy practice 43:45 How to connect with Jennie 44:30 Jennie's new book: Breathing Love: Meditation in Action 46:45 Shannon's final thoughts and invitation to join her for Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training September 22nd and 23rd, 2018 Links Jennie's Website: Jennie Lee Yoga Therapy Jennie Lee's Books: True Yoga: Practicing with the Yoga Sutras for Happiness & Spiritual Fulfillment (2016) Breathing Love: Meditation in Action (2018) There is one copy of each book available to win. To enter, click here and leave a comment at the bottom of the show notes about what The 8 Limbs mean to you. The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Follow The Connected Teacher on Youtube Book a Consultation Call with Shannon Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training September 22nd and 23rd, 2018 To Contact our virtual assistant Samantha Scott for website design help and more: Tech Crazy Va: Website Design, System Efficiencies & Virtual Assistant Services Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

073: 8 Limbs of Yoga (Part 1) with Shannon Crow Shannon is excited to share the meaning the 8 Limbs of Yoga has brought to her life. Derived from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, this eight-fold path provides guidelines for living a meaningful and purposeful life. The eight components focus on morals, ethics, and self-discipline. Shannon was introduced to the 8 Limbs when she took a yoga teacher training. She began studying the guidelines in depth 5 or 6 years ago and continues her study to this day. Shannon felt pulled to apply these philosophical principles into her teaching and everyday life. The importance of the eight-fold path felt especially grounding when Shannon began working with clients in a physiotherapy office. Her new focus caused Shannon to ask exactly what was her scope of practice. She wondered if she was leaning towards working as a physiotherapist. Shannon determined through inner work and self-study (Svadhyaya) that her scope of practice encompassed anything grounded in The Eight Limbs of Yoga, including helping her clients find movement so they can sit in meditation. Shannon names and describes the 8 Limbs of Yoga and offers an outline for applying the principles to your teaching and personal life. A lot of the exercises include journaling work but it that isn't your favourite medium feel free to think or meditate on the challenges and outcome of your experience. As always, Shannon doesn't want you to feel overwhelmed by taking on all the challenges at once. Perhaps work on the one that calls to you in particular. Please share any insights gained through inquiry or your own take on the 8 Limbs of Yoga and what they have brought to your life. 8:48 Shannon's overview of the 8 Limbs of Yoga 12:20 How Shannon has applied the Eight Limbs in her work as a yoga teacher and in determining her scope of practice 14:00 Using language keeping Ahimsa (nonviolence) in mind, for example, say "You have a knee that needs extra care and attention" instead of "You have a bad knee" 15:05 Giving credit to teachers you have learned from is one form of putting Asteya (non-stealing) into practice 16:25 Asking your student how their movements feel, how their body feels differently from one day to the other, and one side to the other encourages inquiry and empowers your students to put Svadhyaya (the study of self) into practice 18:20 Reminder that Asanas are 1/16th of the 8 Limbs and the importance of this for Shannon's student who was limited in movement after she broke her knee 19:35 Shannon's "homework assignment" to help you incorporate the Eight Limbs into your own life: 21:05 1. Yama Ahimsa Chose to do something to demonstrate self-love today and in your journal write your name, draw a picture and draw a heart around it Satya Tell someone a positive truth about another person today and write about your experience with this Asteya Find a quote that speaks to you today, write it down with the author's name and then research 3 things about them Brahmacharya Set a boundary for the moderation of your energy in some way today. Write it as though it is already so. For example, "I am shutting off all screens by 8 pm to allow time to settle and encourage sleep." Aparigraha Notice if you are tempted to label something as "mine" and try to change the wording, e.g. instead of my yoga students or my children use their names 25:45 2. Niyama Saucha Choose something to clean today and feel this is a sacred ritual instead of a job on the to-do list. Draw or take a picture of the before and after. Santosa Write about a life experience that was challenging at the time that you are now content with and grateful for. How might you have acted differently if you knew what you know now? Tapas Choose something that you'd like to do for the next 40 days and use your willpower to help achieve your goal. Write it down and tell a supportive friend about your goal. Svadhyaya Look over past journal entries and reflect on it, add notes or add anything you've learned about yourself. If you don't have a journal you can start one and look back after some time has passed. Isvara pranidhana Write one of the following words in your journal and write or doodle around it: surrender, devotion, dedication or faith 31:15 3. Asana Create an asana or yoga pose that you have never seen or done, give it a name and draw it out 32:15 4. Pranayama Set a timer for three minutes and sit comfortably, choose a pranayama practice and write down how you feel afterwards 33:25 5. Pratyahara Write down 5 character traits you'd like to exhibit even in the chaotic and stress of everyday life. Sit in meditation for 5 minutes visualizing embodying these traits. 34:40 6. Dharana Light a candle and sit in meditation focusing on the light of the candle for 3-5 minutes. Notice as much detail as you can about the candle and draw a picture of the candle or jot down some words following the meditation. 35:15 7. Dhyana Set aside a few minutes to walk in nature, in silence. Notice al

072: Email and Content Strategy (Consultation Call) with Kristen Boyle On today's episode, Shannon shares a consultation call with client Kristen Boyle, a yoga teacher from Denver, Colorado. This episode is ideal for any yoga teacher that has thought about growing their yoga business. Kristen has been teaching alignment based yoga in a studio setting for over 10 years. She is a Thai Yoga Massage Therapist, a Yoga Therapist in training, and leads 200-hour yoga teacher trainings and 85-hour prenatal yoga teacher trainings. In addition to all that great work, Kristen has been moving away from studio teaching and focusing on her personal yoga business, including private yoga sessions, workshops (online and in person) with a particular focus on continuing education for yoga teachers. Through this consultation call with Shannon, Kristen reveals that her top priority is to grow her yoga business by reaching out to a larger audience. Shannon poses many important questions to help narrow down the focus of Kristen's offerings and together they brainstorm the best way to reach those who would benefit from her services. Other topics covered in the call are: the best way to present content and advertise your services (including email campaigns), considerations if you're thinking about creating a webinar and the importance of being consistent with the output of your content. 4:41 Kristen's yoga journey and the evolution of her business 6:35 What Kristen considers to be her biggest business challenge and where she feels she should direct her focus to increase her revenue stream 9:55 What offering Kristen would like to focus on 11:55 Shannon discusses email service providers like MailChimp and the benefit of professional guidance 13:20 Focusing on content creation after determining your niche and your unique way of providing your services 17:20 Considerations when deciding whether or not to continue in-person teaching as your online content grows 18:20 Shannon suggests how to choose topics to focus on in your online offerings 19:50 Kristen's decision to concentrate on calls versus webinars 20:45 Kristen's Business of Yoga Facebook Group and the challenge of inspiring the group members to post 24:20 Shannon describes the importance of creating your "Lead Magnet" which speaks to the struggle your audience is facing 25:00 The value of creating your email flow before you have people opt-in- decide how often you want to send emails and have newsletters prepared ahead of time 26:10 Providing an option for a client to replay a video if they miss the session along with privacy and storage issues 29:10 Webinar considerations: the importance of being straightforward when offering a webinar, considering another term for webinar, and determining the number of emails you want to send out before and after the webinar 32:45 Creating content by determining where your comfort level lies e.g. through videos, pictures, text, etc. 34:00 If unsure where you shine make a commitment to use one content medium, such as video, for a certain period of time 35:35 Shannon and Kristen brainstorm content Kristen can offer through commonly asked questions from newly certified yoga teachers 38:30 Sharing information through emails- one tip at a time 40:15 Building up your website by adding content 41:20 Putting aside time for content creation and the importance of being consistent with your offerings e.g. once-a-month 46:05 Asking yourself how your offering will pay you and determining your rates 49:25 Making it as easy as possible for potential clients to work with you 51:45 Offering levels of content- free versus paying membership content 58:50 Shannon's final thoughts and wrap-up Links Kristen's Email: [email protected] Kristen's Indie Flow Yoga Website Kristen's FB Group: The Business of Yoga Facebook Group Fizzle.Co- Training, Coaching, Support and Community Relevant TCYT Episodes: 016: Five Pages to Include on Your Yoga Website with Shannon Crow 020: Six Online Tools for Your Yoga Business with Shannon Crow 045: Creating Content with Shannon Crow Book a Consultation Call with Shannon 5-Day Content Creation Challenge The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Follow The Connected Teacher on Youtube To Contact Sam, The Connected Yoga Teacher's Virtual Assistant for email set up help and all other tech-related services: Tech Crazy Va: Website Design, System Efficiencies & Virtual Assistant Services Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

071: Using Research to Inform Your Yoga with Ariana Rabinovich Ariana Robinovich is a yoga teacher and Movement Specialist based in New York City. She is the founder of Yoga Research and Beyond which makes research accessible and helps teachers translate research into practice. Ariana also teaches students one-on-one and in group classes, offers Continuing Education courses for fitness professionals, hosts her podcasts and co-wrote a book series called Exposing Yoga Myths. In this episode Shannon and Ariana discuss the value of research informed teaching. Ariana's Yoga Research and Beyond membership site is a database of reviews about individual studies which are relevant to yoga teachers and Movement Educators. Ariana describes the reviews as Cliff Notes for the research study. The goal of the site is to take complex subjects and translate them into simple terms without the jargon, creating a bridge between science and application. Ariana talks to Shannon about finding meaning in these research studies and using them as a tool to inspire you and inform your teaching. Ariana wants to be clear that these studies do not provide black-and-white answers and that they should not be taken in without asking questions. Ariana goes on to describe the complicated nature of analyzing data. For example, if a study sees the overall improvement in the health of a research study group practicing yoga it may be difficult to ascertain the cause. As yoga is a practice that taps into the mind/body connection, the improvement may be due to factors such as breathing, meditation, the physicality or the particular style of yoga. Initial findings can spark future research studies. Ariana is adamant that she doesn't want to see yoga teachers becoming overwhelmed by the information. Yoga research is, as Ariana describes it: "an add-on and untapped resource." The big goal of yoga research is to help yoga teachers get a clearer understanding of how yoga can help their clients and to determine how yoga can fit into alternative health care. 4:50 Ariana's yoga journey 9:05 What led Ariana to create her podcast Yoga & Beyond: The Yoga and Movement Science Podcast and the restructuring of her podcast 15:10 Ariana's Yoga Research and Beyond membership site is a database of reviews about individual studies which are relevant to yoga teachers and movement educators 20:05 The opportunity to dialogue with other members in the comment thread in individual articles of members-only Facebook group, sharing questions and intimidation around that- no question is a dumb question 22:45 The complex nature of analyzing research and applying results to the practice 29:20 Examples of yoga research studies and questions to ask yourself when reading the research 32:20 How research informed Ariana's teaching head and shoulder stands in group classes 34:00 How research changed Ariana's view on alignment and flexibility 39:00 How Ariana incorporates strengthening into her yoga classes 43:20 Ariana expands on alignment- when it is most important to be aware 46:00 When research conflicts with yoga teacher training 49:35 What Ariana wishes was included in YTT 53:30 The importance of collaborating with other health practitioners 54:25 Other research resources and advice on taking in new information 58:45 Identifying the bias in studies 1:01:20 Shannon's final thoughts Links Ariana's Website Ariana on Instagram Yoga Research and Beyond Instagram Yoga Research and Beyond Website **Membership discount for Yoga Research and Beyond Website: One-year membership for $79 instead of the regular price of $99. Enter the code CONNECTED18 at checkout. Yoga Research and Beyond on Facebook Book: Exposing Yoga Myths by Ariana Rabinovich PubMed.Gov: US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health

070: Teaching Yoga for Seniors: Is Age Nothing but a Number? with Shannon Crow On today's solo episode Shannon shares her experience with posting a question on The Yoga and Movement Research Group on Facebook where she asked: Who is teaching yoga for students who are 50+ and what are you calling it? A general All Levels or Gentle Yoga are not what we are looking for. Instead something new and fun. Also, to clarify -- I am looking for a name that isn't offensive (such as yoga for seniors would be). Shannon was asking on behalf of a client who had been approached by a group of 50+ women requesting their own yoga class without mentioning the term "senior". The question set off an intense debate resulting in over 500 responses in the thread. It was certainly a hot button issue with words like "ageist" and "offensive" being scattered throughout the responses. A very interesting conversation developed and many asked if a class geared towards seniors was even necessary. A significant number of responses were something like "just call it yoga." Many important points were discussed, bringing in a wealth of insight. Through this thread we were able to compile a list of possible class names that were shared by respondents with great humour and wisdom. Other important considerations pulled from the thread included defining "senior", the gift of teaching older adults, and marketing considerations. Shannon is grateful for the insight she gained from this passionate debate. Aging in the context of yoga is a topic that clearly needs to be explored. What is your opinion about yoga for seniors? Has this episode sparked any insights? Do you have any class names to add to the list? We would love to hear from you. 10:20 Shannon's post that sparked the debate 15:10 Compiling and sharing the wealth of responses 17:30 How to we define senior? 18:25 Yoga teachers that are firmly against senior specific classes 21:25 Yogini Flame on ageism and her own view of aging 25:25 Yoga students that want to be grouped by age 28:00 The beauty of teaching older adults 29:45 Marketing considerations 31:35 List of class name suggestions 33:35 Shannon's final thoughts and gratitude for the insightful conversation Links Yoga for Seniors article (written by Laura Cameron) Shannon's Seniors Yoga Question: Facebook Post and Thread Austin Ince's Website: Shanti Power Yoga Flame's Facebook Group: Yogis and Yoginis Louise Bloom on Tumblr: Bloom Yoga Coaching Autumn Anderson's Facebook Page: Wellness for Busy Women The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Follow The Connected Teacher on Youtube Book a Consultation Call with Shannon Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training with Shannon Yoga Anytime Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

069: Yoga with Pelvic Organ Prolapse with Dr. Sarah Duvall After meeting physiotherapist Dr. Sarah Duvall through a webinar, Shannon knew that Sarah, through her expertise and passion for pelvic health, would make a great guest for an episode of The Connected Yoga Teacher, complimenting the series of episodes on pelvic health (links below). In addition to her work as a physiotherapist who specializes in helping women recover from pelvic health issues, Sarah has experienced first-hand how emotionally and physically draining it can be to suffer from pelvic health issues when, following the birth of her child, she was diagnosed with Pelvic Organ Prolapse. Sarah mainly works with women, specifically athletes and mothers, who need help with pelvic health issues including Diastasis and Pelvic Organ Prolapse. She was tired of seeing injuries that were entirely preventable; prolapse that worsens after birth, abdominal separation that just didn't heal, and back pain from women lifting their infants. Dr. Sarah Duvall's goal is to help women exercise better. She sees many trying to back into shape after having a baby through jumps, crunches, sit ups, and other physically damaging workouts that impact both the abdominal muscles and pelvic floor. Sarah wants to empower women to build strength without getting hurt. She runs online courses for moms who are recovering from pregnancy and childbirth as well as those tailored to professionals who are working with pre and postnatal students. Sarah defines Pelvic Organ Prolapse, the importance of breath awareness in relation to pelvic health, prolapse prevention, and advice for yoga teachers on how to support and accommodate those with prolapse. 4:30 Sarah's journey to becoming a Pelvic Health Specialist 5:40 Sarah defines Pelvic Organ Prolapse 8:20 Breath and pelvic health 14:00 Using your sitz bone to check-in with your breath and pelvic floor (a good exercise to teach your students) 18:10 Who is most susceptible to Pelvic Organ Prolapse 23:00 What it feels like to have Pelvic Organ Prolapse 25:40 Different types of prolapse 26:30 Other breath practices Sarah recommends for teaching yoga, including breathing through transitions 30:45 How yoga teachers can help students in class who've been diagnosed with prolapse 33:55 Is breath holding damaging to pelvic health and the importance of giving women hope they can resume their physical activities 37:00 Sarah's personal experience with Pelvic Organ Prolapse; the challenge of healing, relapses, and the emotional impact the diagnosis and treatment 43:15 Other considerations when you have a student with prolapse 44:05 How to recognize if you're straining or bearing down through kinesthetic awareness and the importance of checking in throughout the yoga class 47:15 What Sarah wants to tell yoga teachers and those teachers who are dealing with Pelvic Organ Prolapse themselves 48:15 How to get in touch with Sarah and her other offerings 49:20 Shannon's key takeaways Links Email: [email protected] Sarah's Website: Core Exercise Solutions Course for Healthcare Professionals Courses for Moms: Pre and Post Natal Pelvic Health Care Dr. Sarah Ellis Duvall on Facebook Core Exercise Solutions Youtube Channel Printable PDF about Pelvic Organ Prolapse Relevant TCYT Episodes: 007: Breath and Pelvic Health with Trista Zinn 008: Core Breath and Pelvic Health with Kim Vopni 009: Kegels, Mula Bandha, and Pelvic Health with Shelly Prosko 033: A New Perspective on Diastasis Recti with Sinead Dufour The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Book a Consultation Call with Shannon Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training with Shannon Crow Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

068: Trauma-Sensitive Yoga with Amy Hoare Today's episode opens up a difficult but important issue in the yoga world; the abuse of power. Shannon has invited Trauma Treatment Specialist Amy Hoare who has recently completed her 300-hour at the Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga program. Amy conducted a survey as part of her final project which focused on hands-on-assists, power dynamics, and abuse in yoga. Amy began her yoga practice with the intention of working through trauma and decided to become a yoga teacher for her own healing. Amy took her YTT at Karma Teachers in Vancouver, BC, finding the program focused a lot on transformation and healing. Karma Teachers is a not-for-profit community-based program focused on working through trauma. Amy compiled data for a survey she created about the abuse of power in yoga classes. There were 146 respondents (all of whom have participated in a yoga class), answering a series of questions that would help Amy unearth the overt and subtle abuses of power. Amy notes that there is an inherent power dynamic between the student and teacher- especially in guru settings. Amy shares that her intention was not to shame or cause division but rather to help her identify power imbalances so she could shed light on this for students and teachers. Shannon and Amy discuss the oftentimes unsettling results. Amy also shares how her training and final project have influenced how she now teaches, defines terms such as complex trauma and trauma-sensitivity training, and gives tips on how you incorporate a trauma-informed perspective into your teaching. 5:45 Amy's yoga journey 8:30 Amy's understanding of trauma as she's grown in experience and education 9:10 Complex Trauma- a trauma that is repeated (a duration element to it) Always relational- always happens in relationship and therefore trauma is healed in relationship 10:35 Background on the survey 13:55 Survey question: Have you been physically abused by your yoga teacher (11.6%) 16:15 Survey question: have you been verbally abused by a yoga teacher? (24%) 18:45 Survey question: Have you ever found your yoga teacher value your experience over yours? (68%) 20:10 How the study influenced Amy's teaching 22:25 Amy's choice to back away from public classes and her focus moving forward in the trauma-sensitive yoga field. 25:15 How Amy's language has shifted in and out of yoga classes e.g. asking vs. telling Question for yoga teachers: Is there a possibility to be more aware of subtleties like language, cueing, and offering hands-on-assists? 31:25 Working within the scope of your practice to help students and the benefit of therapy in conjunction with yoga classes 34:40 Authentic connection and its relation to attachment theory; facilitator is doing the movement with the student and how that can create an authentic connection with a healthy attachment 35:45 How Amy practices non-attachment in her teaching by not being attached to a rigid idea of the form- the point is a shared authentic experience, the practice of making choices and bringing in interoceptive awareness, all of which is based on trauma theory, attachment theory, and neuroscience 39:00 Interoception in trauma-sensitive and trauma-informed classes, normalizing "feeling nothing", avoid telling students what they need to feel and what the pose should look like 41:40 Functional movement vs. precise poses 43:45 Answers to hands-on-assists questions influenced the biggest change in Amy's teaching: Have you received a physical assists or adjustments without being asked (65%) Have you ever felt pressured to receive a yoga assist adjustment even when consent was given (37%) 46:20 Survey question: Have you noticed that certain advanced poses or forms are valued as more spiritual than other forms by your teachers through statements such as "go deeper"? (66%) This response relates back to attachment to the form or that we need to take people somewhere in particular 47:30 What Amy wants to say to yoga teachers about the results of the survey and moving forward 52:40 Shannon's closing thoughts and key takeaways Terms Interoception: Interoception is our ability to "internally-sense"; such as the feelings of hunger, feeling the need for a "bio-break", feeling our heart racing, or feeling ourselves getting anxious. Interoception can be compromised by negative conditioning. This conditioning can come in the form of verbal cues "only babies cry" resulting in a shame in expressing deep pain with tears. Other verbal cues such as "you're not sick, you're just faking it" resulting in a conditioned distrust of our somatic symptoms. It can also be compromised due to trauma and toxic stress. The good news is through contemplative somatic and cognitive techniques such as meditation, mindfulness, and yoga (contemplative movement) we can improve our connection with what is going on inside ourselves! From the article: Interoception: Our Felt Sense from Trauma Recover Yoga.Com Complex Trauma: Complex post

067: Yoga for Every Body with Amber Karnes If you've ever wondered how to make your yoga classes more inclusive to those with larger bodies, our guest Amber Karnes, founder of Body Positive Yoga, has an abundance of insight. She's a ruckus maker, yoga asana teacher (E-RYT 200), social justice advocate, and a lifelong student of her body. Her commitment to inclusive, adaptive yoga practice empowers thousands of diverse practitioners around the globe. Amber was hooked after her first yoga class. She noticed that the negative self-talk that overwhelmed her at times subsided after her first yoga class. She became curious about this effect and went back to repeat the "experiment". Amber noticed she felt grounded and calm in her body for the first time. The physical aspect mattered to Amber but the internal regulation and tools yoga provided were especially powerful. She found the practice to be immensely helpful in her struggle with depression and anxiety, finding a peace of mind that kept her coming back. Amber decided to take a yoga teacher training 7 years into her own practice to deepen her personal practice and learn "the rest of yoga" outside just the poses. She had no plans to teach but after immersing herself into the program she saw the need to provide space for women who felt their bodies were all wrong for yoga. Amber has been now been teaching for over 15 years. Amber feels that it is important to recognize that there are systems of oppression, such as the patriarchy and racism, that try to take away a woman's power. The pressure women feel to conform their bodies to a narrow societal standard distracts women so "we can't do amazing things like change the world and make art or help people that really need a voice, that we can stand up and use our voice to help support and uplift them." Amber wants to emphasize that women need to feel that it's NEVER their body that's the problem. If a student struggles with a pose their body is not to blame. There is incredible power in offering modifications and props and being aware of the languaging around cues. She also offers that teachers are "there for our students and hold space for inquiry to allow the processing of emotion behind the desire to change the body." Amber offers workshops, retreats, courses (including Yoga for All Teacher Training with Dianne Bondy) through Body Positive Yoga. Amber is the creator of the Body Positive Clubhouse, an online community dedicated to building unshakable confidence and living out loud. 3:45 Amber's first yoga class 8:15 How yoga teachers can be aware and respond if students express dissatisfaction with their body Good Principles to Bring into the Classes: 9:55 1) The Body is Never the Problem- It's the asana that's the problem NOT the body, employ modifications or props 11:05 2) Languaging- Embodied or positive physical experience vs. striving and achieving, remove the hierarchy of language avoid saying "full expression of the pose" 12:10 Misconceptions around props: that they're a crutch or cheat, that if you use them you're not as good as the other students. Teachers have the opportunity to remove this stigma and help students see props as positive or neutral. 13:15 Progressive teaching- giving students the opportunity to stay in pose or progress, for example: Start in Table Top Feet behind, rest toes behind mat Lift leg at hip Lift arm Offer the student the opportunity to stay at that level or progress, depending on their level of comfort. 16:00 Shannon and her client's experience with coming to the mat to check in. Amber calls it "neutral ground", a place where she avoids body criticism or shaming with a focus on inquiry and emotional exploration. 17:20 Body neutrality- it's okay to feel neutral about your body without the pressure to love your body and aligns with practicing non-attachment 20:25 Advice for teaching bigger bodies when you don't live in a larger body and how specialized training is very helpful 26:05 Marketing for classes for larger bodies or all bodies 32:50 Yoga images in yoga marketing- including photos featuring a variety of bodies, ethnicities, abilities, etc. will attract a more diversity 35:25 Modifications, props, and cuing: it shouldn't be assumed that any pose it basic for anyone. Questions to ask yourself: What is the point of the pose? How can you make poses more accessible to your students? Can we change the orientation of the pose or change the relationship to gravity? Sometimes it's something as small as adding blocks under the hands, using the wall or chair, etc. A lot of students don't have body awareness coming into yoga- you can help them move into over time 41:20 Two steps to help students with larger bodies: 1) Widen- Feet two fists width or maybe wider (width of the mat) automatically puts students in a better position which helps them access their breath, avoid feeling compressed or pinched, bodies are more flexible than the body can often express 2) Move stuff out of the way-

066: Online Scheduling Tool for Yoga Teachers with Jane Crites When Shannon began The Connected Yoga Teacher podcast she had a vision to create a safe and supportive community for yoga teachers along with great content shared on a weekly basis. Shannon didn't have immediate plans to find a sponsor but knew that the podcast's sponsor would have to offer services that she herself used and about which she could speak passionately. Shannon also felt strongly that she wanted the service to be relevant to yoga teachers. Schedulicity, an online booking application and scheduling tool that Shannon has used since 2011, checked all the boxes. Through a consultation call with her business coach Natalie Eckdahl of BizChix, she was encouraged to create a plan to monetize The Connected Yoga Teacher podcast. Shannon realized that she needed to focus on marketing and sponsorship as those elements would make the longevity of the podcast possible. Today's guest is Schedulicity's Jane Crites, VP of Product. Jane began working for the company in 2007. Shannon and Jane talk about Jane's love of yoga, upcoming enhancements to their services, the power of scheduling and more. Jane does the work that lights her up in a position that allows her to problem-solve with customers. Jane has been instrumental in putting energy towards marketing to yoga teachers and studios as well as focusing on how Schedulicity's services can benefit yoga entrepreneurs. Jane lives in Bozeman, Montana (also Schedulicity's headquarters), and describes the winter landscape as a frozen tundra but she wouldn't have it any other way. She has a variety of interests including yoga (sometimes hot yoga in the winter ☀), software development languages, has a whole foods plant-based culinary/nutrition certification and is excited to design and create a permaculture food forest in her front yard. 2:20 How Schedulicity became The Connected Yoga Teacher's sponsor 5:00 Shannon's journey to monetizing the podcast 7:15 About Jane Crites from Schedulicity 9:50 The origin of Schedulicity 10:10 Jane's experience working with Schedulicity 12:25 How Schedulicity is able to offer services for free 15:00 Is Jane finding an increase of yoga teacher and studio users? 16:05 How Schedulicity can serve new yoga teachers 17:55 Upcoming plans for Schedulicity enhancements like "Fill My Class" and community-based cross-promotional opportunities 21:25 How Jane and the Schedulicity team implement customer suggestions- including Shannon's :) 24:40 Creating your client database to help with marketing your classes 25:20 Jane's yoga journey and interest in yoga teacher training 28:40 Other Schedulicity RockStars' passion for yoga 29:55 Jane's advice for those thinking of trying Schedulicity 32:15 Shannon's key takeaways about the power of scheduling your one-on-ones and more 35:55 Exciting MamaNurture Teacher Training news! Links Jane's email: [email protected] Jane on LinkedIn Schedulicity Website Schedulicity on Facebook The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Follow The Connected Teacher on Youtube Book a Consultation Call with Shannon MamaNurture Teacher Training Relevant Podcast Episodes: 020: Six Online Tools for Your Yoga Business with Shannon Crow 054: Launching a Podcast and Facebook Group with Shannon Crow BizChix Podcast: 235: How I Monetize My Podcast and Platform BizChix Podcast: 306: 7 Ways to Monetize a Podcast Live Podcast Interview Video with Jane Crites & Shannon Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

065: Create Your Ideal Schedule with Shannon Crow Shannon was inspired to create an episode to answer a question she is frequently asked: How does she do it all? Shannon is the first to say she has a packed schedule and that fitting everything in can certainly be a challenge. Over the years, working as an entrepreneur, Shannon has learned many tips and tricks and they're always evolving to help her create and implement her ideal schedule. There are many questions asked, tools you can use, and further reading and resources that are mentioned in today's episode, but, don't feel you have to take everything on. As Shannon says, pick just one thing to start; maybe something that would make the biggest impact or would be the easiest to incorporate into your life and work on that. Integrate that one thing and if you have that down you can return to this episode for another tool or resource. In our busy world scheduling to use your time in an optimal way is quite a challenge. Remember not to be too hard on yourself- no one has this down to a science but a few tweaks in your planning might make a world of difference. We'd love to hear if you've tried any of these techniques or if have any of your own suggestions. What do you find works for you? 6:05 When are you working and when do you have time off? What do you want to do with your time off? What fills you up that is not work-related? 7:55 Look at that daily work schedule- when are you working, when are your breaks and when are you ending your day? Think about your ideal work week, month, and year. Where you are now vs. where are we headed. 10:10 Appointments with yourself are necessary to fuel you. When you're scheduling time off do you stick to it? Distractions from family, other work, etc interfering? Move your appointment with yourself somewhere else on the calendar. 12:15 The best time of day for you to teach? Do you feel like you have to work when it is convenient for the studio or students? You might be surprised by the turn out when you choose your best time. 14:45 What is your ideal yoga class? 1:1 or group classes? How many classes per week? What would this look like if money wasn't a factor? 16:10 Scheduling software- helps you clarify when you can book in classes or one-on-one appointments, your breaks, time between appointments so people can come and go without rushing **Limited time vs. Lack of time: reframing language around your schedule so you aren't perceiving that there is never enough time** 20:15 Money Mindset- how much do you need to teach to make ends meet? What is your hourly rate? 21:20 Time Blocking- daily, weekly, and monthly Shannon's Week: MONDAY - Content Creation TUESDAY - Yoga WEDNESDAY - Podcast Day THURSDAY - Consultation Calls FRIDAY - Catch up day - podcast ready for Monday 26:00 Time blocking helps prevent Decision Fatigue 26:35 Ideally spend 15 minutes a day to wrap-up your day Review your day - put the to-do items on your calendar that came up during the day Mind Dump - if there is a tornado of thoughts and to-dos write them all down and see what needs to be added to your calendar Prioritize and Plan for tomorrow - put the high priority tasks on your calendar for the next day and perhaps going further into your week or month 29:35 List things you are spending your time doing. What are the things you enjoy doing? What are the things you find yourself avoiding? It may reveal if you're losing time doing activities that aren't a priority. 30:40 Blocking out time for a specific task such as a workshop- you may need to block out time every day for a week for example, but the idea is that you're putting some boundaries around the time you spend so it doesn't get away from you 31:30 Time blocking specific to yoga teachers: Personal Practice- 8-Limb focused (not just asana) Marketing - can include talking about what you do, email, social media, public speaking, newspaper advertisements, posters, business cards, videos and more Yoga offerings - workshops, classes, 1:1, retreats, online videos, blog posts **Don't forget to include your travel and set up time** Learning - yoga teacher training, reading, studying, videos, courses, yoga teacher training **Small regular drips of information are better than a flood of information, especially if your schedule is already packed ** Planning and Preparation of Yoga offerings Other - Add what you'd like here such as accounting and email 37:00 Self-study (SVADHYAYA) to determine how you best work- Are you an introvert or extrovert? How do you best start off your work day? How does your energy tend to unfold throughout the day? 39:30 "Eat Your Frog First" and "The One Thing"- What is the one thing that needs to get done? If you're feeling overwhelmed pick just one thing that you are going to get done today and make the goal achievable, measurable, and specific 43:50 Ask what is the one thing that will help me generate income for my yoga business at the beginning of the day or the end of the day and

064: Getting Hired by a Yoga Studio with Kristen Sweeney Have you completed your yoga teacher training and are preparing yourself to look for employment? Shannon and Kristen Sweeney have your back with clear steps to getting hired by a yoga studio that, most importantly, is the right fit for you. It's the best gift you can give yourself, the studio, and your students. Kristen Sweeney remembers the first yoga class that lit her up. She was a working as a dancer in Las Vegas, Nevada and tried a Bikram Hot Yoga class. She was "sweaty, drenched, exhausted, hooked, and exhilarated." Later, as an actor living in New York city, she found yoga to be grounding, gave her a refuge and a sense of safety at a time when her life was hectic, outward facing, and approval seeking. Kristen reached a point in her life when she wanted to find work that felt rewarding on a daily basis. That led her to teach yoga and share her insights on her blog. Finding a strong connection between herself and yoga teachers through her posts, she wondered if there was something more to explore. Kristen niched down further to create her business Edge of the Mat and is now a business coach for yoga teachers. On today's episode, you will be guided through the steps to find the teaching job that is right for you. The steps will take you through a process to determine where you'd like to teach, how to approach the studio, what to expect when you audition and much more. Kristen has also kindly shared the PDF The Yogi's Guide to Teaching at a New Studio for when you've landed the job. You've got this and we wish you all the best in finding the work that lights you up! 07:30 How Kristen's yoga journey began 10:55 What led Kristen to write her blog Edge of the Mat and how she expanded it into a business 14:20 Was there a gradual realization or a light bulb moment that led her to clearly define her niche 16:50 Step-by-step process to approach studios 17:10 Step 1: Discern which studios you want to approach If you research to find the studios that fit with you, you are more likely to get the job Important to be able to approach a variety of studios, gyms and community centers- are they close and easy to commute to? Does the community vibe match your style of teaching What is your ideal class size? What do you want in the experience of teaching? What studios fit you? Where would I like to work- be choosy and shift that mindset from desperation to personal choice Take a variety of classes at the locations to find a good fit 22:35 Step 2: Approach the teacher of the class you've been taking and approach them with a 2 to 3 sentence 'pitch' or introduction including: Thanking them for class and what you liked about it What you love about the studio and community Asking who would you connect with to set up an audition Leave resumé and consider including your resumé on your website 26:05 Step 3: Planning and Preparing for the audition 30:25 What to do if you don't hear back from the studio Follow up- email Show up in person and take one of their classes Don't take it personally if you don't hear back, studios get many emails Sometimes it takes quite a while for to hear back- even months! Worth checking in a few months later (in person) to see if a spot has opened up Don't take it too personally and letting it breathe for a while 33:50 Tips and tricks for teachers auditioning Prepare :) Detailed sequence planning Create class arc even if it's a short audition In a Round Robin, situation be prepared to change up your plan depending on your place in the class Structure gives you freedom Prepare yourself for your professional best- externally and internally so you show up as your best, most confident self 38:30 Step 4: Feedback 1:1 time with the studio manager Be open to feedback Feel free to engage and ask questions about the feedback so you can evolve as a yoga teacher Step 5: Follow Up Auditioner will hopefully let you know what the next steps are (repeat the instructions to make sure it's clear and follow up) 41:05 Step 6: Yes, no or Maybe What is the next step if you get a "thanks but no thanks" Possible reasons: Missing self-awareness that misidentified the place as the right fit for you (move on) Studio felt as though you're not a good fit or that you're not quite ready skill-wise to join (check in again in the future) 43:30 Coming from a place of personal choice instead of a place of desperation 44:05 How you can work with Kristen 45:20 Shannon's wrap-up and action steps Links Email: [email protected] Kristen's Website: Edge of the Mat Edge of the Mat Facebook Group Kristen on Instagram PDF gift from Kristen: Yogi's Guide to Teaching at a New Studio The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Follow The Connected Teacher on Youtube Book a Consultation Call with Shannon Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

063: Secrets of Successful Full-Time Yoga Teachers with Ashley Zuberi Ashley Zuberi has been a full-time yoga teacher for three years and acknowledges it has been a struggle. While considering her own challenges, Ashley became curious about the struggles of her fellow teachers. Recognizing there are several variables that affect how successfully one can teach yoga full-time, Ashley created a set of questions that she could pose to other yoga teachers. Ashley's questionnaire was aimed at those who worked independently as a yoga teacher and earned 70% or more of their income from teaching yoga. Most of the respondents were female and living in North America though some answers came from China, Australia, and England. She wanted to get a sense from a group of teachers what it looks like to teach yoga full-time. Ashley's hope was to uncover patterns, tips, and tricks that could be shared across the yoga community on the whole The answers revealed much that surprised Ashley. For example, she found that 32% of the respondents are able to make a living by teaching alone, which was happily more than she expected. Ashley also discovered that the teachers worked an average 42 hours per week and that regardless of the hours spent working (between 20-80 hours per week,) most respondents felt they worked too much. Other revelations were around income, teacher burnout, mindset, (how you describe your job and market yourself, for example) and yoga community connection (or disconnection). Ashley began her yoga journey by following a class on DVD and later attended classes at her local gym based on the recommendation of a friend. This enhanced her life in on several levels including physically, socially, and spiritually. The first yoga teacher training she attended was a 200-hour Power Vinyasa training from Jason Bowman and Derise Diatta at CorePower Yoga Boulder in 2011. Since then has expanded her knowledge by taking a variety of trainings. She loves to weave philosophy into her teaching which includes group classes, private yoga sessions, workshops, and yoga teacher trainings. In addition, she provides yoga teacher mentorship. 5:45 How Shannon structures her Consultation Calls 8:50 Ashley's yoga journey 9:50 Ashley's yoga teacher project - 53 logistically challenging 11:25 The difference between the yoga industry and other industry in regard to "set paths" and a measure of growth and success 13:20 Interview process and how Ashley chose her interviewees 14:25 Ashley's key takeaways from the data collected 18:30 What yoga teachers found to be their biggest challenges 20:35 Their experience with yoga teacher burnout and anxiety around "never knowing enough" 22:30 How Ashley compiled her data 23:30 Mindset of yoga teacher influenced their answers- do you consider yourself a yoga teacher or small business owner 24:15 The reality of working for yourself 26:20 Successful yoga teachers and innovative marketing 28:20 What the interviews revealed about the marketing mindset, Ashley's personal experience with marketing and the importance of building relationships 30:45 What Ashley took from the data and applied to her yoga business- Ashley's decision to scale back from her online presence Smart Passive Income vs. Smart Active Income 34:20 Responses to the question "Do you feel supported?" 39:25 How the lack of support felt within the yoga community can be addressed 41:05 The struggle to commit to a personal practice and perhaps re-defining what that means to you 43:20 What Ashley wishes yoga teachers would know after doing these interviews 44:50 Balancing family and a yoga career and how the yoga community can help support this 48:40 How to connect with Ashley 51:30 Average yoga teacher income from respondents and how the mindset for making a living as a yoga teacher is a viable option for full-time work from teaching has evolved over time 55:15 Shannon's closing thoughts on the issues brought forward by Ashley's report such as creating a supportive community in your area Links Ashley's Website To Access the downloadable PDF "The State of Teaching Yoga Full time" click on "Download the Report" button on Ashley's homepage Email: [email protected] Ashley on Facebook Ashley on Instagram Article: Calling All Full Time Teachers by Ashley Zuberi Article: The Evolution of Yoga Teaching by Ashley Zuberi Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Yoga is a practice that asks us to look at ourselves and our lives so we can choose to live in alignment with our true values. The practice offers freedom, safety, and non-judgment to do this inner work. Embarking on this path is both an individual journey as well as a journey within our community and the world." ~Ashley Josephine Zuberi

062: Buteyko Breathing with Steve Donald When Shannon heard about Buteyko breathing she became curious and reached out to Steve Donald, one of the first Buteyko teachers in Canada. Steve had struggled with asthma throughout his life, and it worsened as he grew older. He tried raw diets and supplements and some improvement was made but not sustained. In looking for an answer an internet search led him to learn about The Buteyko Method. Impressed with the extent Buteyko helped him with his chronic condition Steve trained to teach Buteyko in 2006. He is the founding member of the Buteyko Breathing Educators Association ( BBEA) 2010 and was elected as BBEA president and board chair in 2016. Steve has been asked to speak to various groups, including yoga teachers and is preparing to hold teacher trainings in the Buteyko Method in the near future. Buteyko is based on the concept that we breathe an excessive amount of air and it negatively impacts the function of our bodily systems. It is known as an asthma, sleep apnea and anxiety treatment; however, it is effective in treating a wide range of chronic health issues, as well as being good for general health and wellbeing. Shannon and Steve discuss breath and the Buteyko method including what happens on a physiological level when we take a deep breath, how much air we should optimally be taking in per minute, and why Steve highly recommends nose breathing (even when engaging in physically demanding activities such as running). Shannon also asks Steve how the Buteyko Method can co-exist with yoga. 11:50 What led Steve to discover the Buteyko method 14:00 How much time does it take to incorporate the breathing exercises into your life 15:35 The theory behind Buteyko 17:00 Steve's process to incorporate Buteyko into his life despite his skepticism 19:40 Other alternative health attempts made by Steve to relieve his asthma symptoms 20:55 How to incorporate Buteyko breathing into your life and how much work is needed in order to maintain the benefits 22:20 Steve's experience as one of the first Buteyko teachers in Canada 23:20 Difference between yogic and Buteyko breathing and the possibility of incorporating Buteyko breathing with yoga 26:05 The culture of "take a deep breath" and what happens on a physiological level when you take in too much breath 30:00 How understanding respiratory physiology informs the understanding of blood pH and the effectiveness of Buteyko 33:50 How much a healthy adult should be breathing and how much those with chronic conditions breathe (liters per minute) 35:50 What Steve wants to share with yoga teachers 38:05 Why Steve believes large volume breathing isn't beneficial and the effect it has on those with asthma and anxiety 40:10 Nose breathing versus mouth breathing 44:40 A great yoga cue for breathing through the nose 45:35 What distinguishes Buteyko breathing from regular breathing 47:35 How to work with Steve and upcoming Buteyko trainings 51:45 Shannon's closing thoughts on breath Links Steve's Website: Buteyko Toronto Buteyko Toronto on Facebook Buteyko Breathing Educators Association Further Reading: Buteyko and Breathing PDF: The Health Benefits of Nose Breathing by Dr. Alan Ruth Article: 28 Reasons to Nose Breathe by Lisa Bowen Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

061: Too Many Yoga Teachers? with Kimma Stark When Shannon read Kimma Stark's thought-provoking blog post: What the World Needs Now is NOT ANOTHER YOGA TEACHER, she knew she wanted her on The Connected Yoga Teacher to share her perspective. Kimma, with great love and respect for those who own and/or manage yoga studios, questions the churning out of yoga teachers through the yoga studios who provide trainings in order to make ends meet. With Kimma's experience managing four different studios she knows how difficult it is to create a business model that will ensure a studio's financial success. What she questions is the effect these trainings can have on the industry, the teachers and the students. Shannon and Kimma also discuss the limitations of a 200-hour yoga teacher training, yogi trainings versus YTTs, the importance of always learning and finding inspiration as an established yoga teacher, embodying your teachings and much more. For Kimma, teaching yoga is her full-time profession and says it has been "most rewarding, challenging, and meaningful work she has ever done." She was intrigued by yoga from her very first experience, trying a hot yoga class in 2000. She moved on toward traditional formats and began teaching in 2008. Her teachings are grounded in yoga philosophy, anatomy and physiology. She teaches private and group classes in Gentle Flow Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, Restorative, Prenatal, and Kids Yoga classes along with Thai Massage in Cascais, Portugal. She has an Essential Elements retreat planned in Portugal for June 2018. 9:40 Kimma's early experience with yoga 13:30 Kimma's first teacher trainings 15:30 Kimma's early career in the high-paced corporate world of marketing and advertising 17:10 What led Kimma to write her article: What the World Needs Now is NOT ANOTHER YOGA TEACHER 20:20 Kimma's experience as studio manager and the business model of offering yoga teacher trainings as a way to make ends meet 22:45 Alternate trainings such as yogi trainings for those interested in delving into yoga but not necessarily teaching and the pressure to teach coming out of your first YTT 26:05 Kimma's move to Portugal and travels to Thailand and how teaching yoga can be a nomadic lifestyle 29:45 On continually learning and evolving as a yoga teacher and how students can sense when yoga teachers are embodying the yoga they teach 31:18 What 200-hour YTT Kimma would recommend 33:12 Other considerations when choosing a yoga teacher training and approaching yoga with an understanding of the light and dark (the yin and yang) 35:00 Why Kimma feels a 200-hour YTT is not enough 37:30 What would Kimma tell aspiring yoga teachers who have obstacles, such as distance and time, about taking a yoga teacher training and why Kimma has a concern with online training when starting out 39:44 The effect of studios offering yoga teacher trainings to make ends meet instead of offering unique teachings and the idea that teaching yoga is a service 44:30 Kimma's advice to teachers wanting to teach full-time 46:28 How to contact Kimma and her upcoming retreats 49:18 Shannon's closing thoughts and key takeaways Links Flowing Lotus Website Flowing Lotus Yoga on Facebook Kimma Stark's Resumé Kimma's article: What the World Needs Now is NOT ANOTHER YOGA TEACHER Frog Lotus International Yoga Teacher Training Programs Fiverr- Freelance Services The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Follow The Connected Teacher on Youtube Book a Consultation Call with Shannon Accessible Yoga Conference in Toronto June 22nd-24th, 2018 Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

018: Accessible Yoga with Sarah Helt There has been a growing movement focused on making yoga accessible to all that has caught Shannon's attention. On today's episode Shannon has invited Sarah Helt, an Ambassador from the Accessible Yoga organization, to share her insight on this topic. Sarah speaks with great thoughtfulness about what led her to teach yoga with a concentration on accessibility, on how to make yoga classes more available to those with disabilities, and the upcoming Accessible Yoga Conference. Sarah was introduced to working with persons with disabilities through an apprenticeship program with senior Iyengar teacher Gabriel Halpern. This work became a great source of inspiration and led to her creation of NeuroYoga; an accessible style of teaching yoga and meditation geared toward persons with disabilities relating to the spinal cord and nervous system. Sarah Helt is the Lead Teacher of Hot 8 Yoga, the Director of Communications and Marketing for Accessible Yoga along with her role as an Ambassador. 4:25 Shannon's reflections on making yoga accessible to all 13:30 What to expect at The Accessible Yoga Conference 15:50 What led Sarah to practice yoga and become involved in Accessible Yoga organization 18:15 How Sarah began to notice a link between yoga and pain management 18:55 How Sarah found her niche, her "soul work" 20:35 Sarah reflects on the journey leading to her to work with persons with disabilities and if looking back there's anything she would do differently 22:15 On not letting fear hold you back from modifying poses for those with disabilities and on taking your time to build your successes 23:55 On why there's a separate conference for accessible yoga 26:55 Yoga Accessibility Conference resource guide points to how meticulously those with disabilities have to plan to move in the world 29:30 Sarah sums up the Accessible Yoga Conference 30:40 What Sarah would like yoga teachers to incorporate into their classes to make them more accessible? 33:30 Sarah's involvement in the Accessible Yoga Conference and how to get in touch with the organization 34:40 About the Accessible Yoga Ambassador program 38:10 Shannon's closing thoughts and key takeaways- when are teachers ready to teach one-on-one and how to make yoga classes more accessible Links Accessible Yoga Email: [email protected] Sarah Helt's Email: [email protected] Accessible Yoga Website Accessible Yoga on Facebook Accessible Yoga on Instagram Accessible Yoga on Twitter Sick Boy Podcast Accessible Yoga Conference in Toronto June 22nd- 24th The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Follow The Connected Teacher on Youtube Book a Consultation Call with Shannon Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training Mama Nurture Teacher Training (RPYT) Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity Quotes "I think it's really unfair that marginalized persons, such as those with disabilities, have to shoulder the burden to make society accept them." ~Sarah Helt "Unification will serve our world, as a whole." ~Sarah Helt

059: Marketing and Promoting a Yoga Teacher Training with Ashley Hagen [Consultation Call] Today's episode is a consultation call between Shannon and Ashley Hagan, who is preparing to co-teach her second 200-hour yoga teacher training course. Ashley is a full-time yoga teacher with a background in graphic design. She has been the lead instructor at a yoga studio for 4 years and has come to the realization that she wants to build her own yoga business by hosting trainings, retreats and more. Ashley loves taking yoga teacher trainings and pulls from them to inspire her to teach in her own way. Shannon coaches Ashley by asking her to reflect on the first 200-hour yoga teacher training she led, how Ashley and her teaching partner Dave split the work, why Ashley wanted to create her own course and more. Shannon advises Ashley on marketing her course as it's Ashley's top priority to fill the spaces available. She also leads Ashley to distill her course and who she and her co-teacher Dave are down to the essence, as well as envisioning their ideal student in order to market the training. Shannon also asks Ashley to consider what makes her teaching unique, what defines her course over the many other 200-hour yoga teacher trainings and the importance of taking a stand on what she wants to include in the content of the course. 02:40 How a consultation call with Shannon works 07:25 What Ashley finds to be the most challenging aspect of her yoga business 08:10 Ashley's previous experience with leading a yoga teacher training 08:30 Working with a partner and splitting the work 11:10 When her teacher training starts and the style of training 11:35 What motivated Ashley to create her own teacher training 12:45 Feedback Ashley received from her previous teacher training and challenges she encountered 14:35 What unique offerings Ashley feels she brings to her trainings 16:00 Shannon asks Ashley to reflect on yoga teacher trainings she's taken and how she would like to teach aspects of the course differently 17:45 Ashley describes Budokon and what she draws from the practice 19:30 Shannon asks Ashley to consider her interest in Sanskrit and yoga philosophy as a strength and perhaps incorporating it into her teacher trainings 21:25 Shannon suggests Ashley incorporates developing yoga teacher confidence into the course and advice on getting yoga teacher jobs 22:05 What Ashley finds to be the biggest challenge in attracting yoga students to her training 22:55 Shannon's sticky note method to visualize, in a concrete way, how many students you need to fill your course and how to accomplish that 24:00 Shannon asks Ashley if she has a mailing list and if she has a method to reach out to that list regularly, in a personal way 27:00 What Ashley believes to be her target audience and is advised to market keeping this in mind 28:40 Reaching out to yoga teachers that may have students who are interested in YTT and considering incentives for those who refer students to the training 33:25 Using video to introduce yourself and your partner to tell your background story and using Facebook Live to preview part of the course 37:20 Making a plan to post on social media and sending out emails, including some course content or relating it back to activities in your life 42:55 Establishing what makes you unique is key to elevator and escalator pitches- Your One Thing, THE strategy, the essence of your yoga teacher training 45:40 Highlighting the relationship between you and your co-teacher and the way you work together can make students feel confident about taking your course Taking a stand on the YTT that you want to teach and letting students know that the 200-hour yoga teacher training is just a start 52:00 Shannon and Ashley discuss where and how Ashley is going to market next 56:25 Shannon's closing thoughts Links Ashley's Website- Ashes Yoga Yoga with Ashley on Youtube Article: Budokon, made in America, mixes yoga with martial arts on reuters.com MamaNurture Website Relevant Podcast Episodes: Sticky Note Method- 049: Grow Your Yoga Student Base [Part 1] with Shannon Crow 002: Reconnect With Your Yoga Practice with Nina Andic [Consultation Call] 018: Get Creative with Your Yoga Cues [Consultation Call] with Brittany Alred 029: Creating Your About Me Page with Trevor Parks [Consultation Call] 040: Grow Your Audience with a 5-Day Challenge with Patricia Fasciotti [Consultation Call]

058: Confidence & Self-Promotion with Julie Zuzek Julie Zuzek's passion for entrepreneurship is profound. As she says: "It is the most intense form of personal growth that you will ever go through." As the founder of The Corporate Yogi, she has certainly found her calling; coaching yoga teachers as they navigate the often daunting world of entrepreneurship. Julie has the experience to back-up her teachings, she began in the corporate world and worked there for 15 years before deciding to completely change focus and attend a yoga teacher training in the UK in 2009. Yoga teacher training then led her to the world of entrepreneurship and she founded her business in 2011. Julie thought that running a business would be easy enough but reflects that it is 'the hardest and smartest' thing she's ever done. She learned the hard way that she'd have to work extremely hard- just like everybody else. She wants you to learn from her mistakes and brings with her a refreshingly honest and open view on entrepreneurship. In her podcast Conscious Business with the Corporate Yogi, she doesn't 'sugar coat things' but does share gems to help yoga entrepreneurs gain confidence. On today's episode Shannon and Julie discuss how to gain confidence to self-promote, (a much-asked question in The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Group), taking on challenges one-step-at-a-time, letting comparisons go, and much more. 05:35 Shannon follows her own advice on how to gain registrants for her course 12:50 Julie's yoga journey 14:10 Entrepreneurship is the most intense form of personal growth that you will ever go through 15:10 Julie's advice on how to navigate "growth hangovers" 17:50 How Julie defines conscious business- really being aware of who you are and focusing on personal growth and relationships 19:50 How Julie weaves eastern and western philosophy into her teachings 21:50 How does it look when a yoga teacher is lacking confidence? 24:10 Imposter syndrome- everyone deals with this at various points in our lives "Your challenges will always up-level relative to your ability to handle it" 27:05 Julie's advice on how yoga teachers gain confidence- ask what it takes to take the first step forward in a way that makes you feel safe "Confidence comes from taking action" 29:55 Being comfortable and confident with silence gives your students the opportunity to really communicate with their body 30:55 Letting go of comparisons to others to find your unique style 34:25 Faking it 'til you make it? 36:25 Ask and trust your students, having a beginner's mindset 38:00 How confidence is connected to marketing and self-promotion "Self-promotion is a muscle we need to build" 39:50 Meta-skill: asking permission in an authentic way 43:05 Stay connected to your "Big Why" "At the end of the day your self-promotion isn't about you, it's about putting yourself out there so you can share your gifts, your purpose, heal others." 44:35 The wonderful feeling of finding your niche and taking a leap in a direction to see if it fits for you 46:10 How to connect with Julie through Business Coaching, Conscious Business Mastermind Coaching, Retreat Leadership Training or her podcast Conscious Business with The Corporate Yogi 48:45 Shannon's closing thoughts Another wonderful thing that Julie said a few times "Get out of your head and into your heart." -when it comes to building confidence when teaching Links The Corporate Yoga Website RetreatU Website The Corporate Yogi on Facebook The Corporate Yogi on Instagram The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Follow The Connected Teacher on Youtube Book a Consultation Call with Shannon Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training Mama Nurture Teacher Training (RPYT) Toronto Yoga Conference April 12th-15th Accessible Yoga Conference in Toronto June 22nd-24th, 2018 To contact Samantha Scott for Website or VA work: Tech Crazy VA Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

057: Feng Shui Your Yoga Space with Marina V. Umali Shannon has invited designer Marina Umali to the show to answer some of the questions asked by many of you in The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook group about setting up your yoga spaces. Marina is a New York State certified interior designer and Feng Shui practitioner. She studied architecture at Parsons School of Design and Interior Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She also practices yoga and has had the opportunity to visit many yoga studios. Shannon and Marina discuss setting up your at-home or studio space keeping direction, colours, fabric choices, lighting and more in mind. Marina also shares with us when and how to clear the energy of objects and spaces for a more peaceful practice and how yin energy can be expressed through design choices you make. Marina's work is a blend of striking design and practical functionality and the power of intention and good energy flow. She believes that deep, lasting improvements to your environment create deep, lasting improvements in your life. Most recently, Marina became certified as a cruelty-free designer. 08:30 Marina's journey to becoming an interior designer 11:10 Marina's top Feng Shui tips: 1) no clutter 2) command position 13:50 Tips for clearing your clutter 14:45 Is there any direction that we should we be facing? 16:40 The relationship between Feng Shui and windows 17:35 Colours for yoga spaces 19:50 Organizing your yoga space within a room with various functions 21:10 Other Feng Shui tips: 1) room in the back of house with yin energy 2) natural materials, soothing colours 3) options for lighting 22:20 Marina's recent cruelty-free certification 24:15 Feng Shui fabric suggestions 25:10 Tips on creating an altar space and clearing objects of past energy 27:55 Clearing your yoga space before practicing (at home or before teaching your class) 29:25 Clearing our minds before practicing yoga 31:35 Feng Shui for your electronics 33:30 Energy around your bed- the effect of books and storage 36:55 Marina's experience with energy in yoga spaces she's visited 37:45 A few more tips from Marina 1) use green cleaning products 2) paint with low VOCs 3) use inspirational quotes or graphics in your space 38:45 The energy of mirrors in yoga studios 39:30 How to work with Marina 40:35 Shannon's final thoughts and her big takeaway Marina's Website Marina V Design Studio on Facebook Marina V Design Studio on Instagram Blog Post: How to Solve Health Problems with Feng Shui by Marina Umali Accessible Yoga Conference in Toronto June 22nd-24th, 2018 Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training Mama Nurture Teacher Training (RPYT) Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

056: Yoga and Menopause with Leslie Kazadi Today Shannon has invited Leslie Kazadi to talk about yoga and menopause. There can be a lot of shyness around discussing the profound physical, emotional and mental changes that menopause can bring. Leslie opens up about her own experience with menopause in a very honest way and how it led her to take it on as a special area of interest in relation to her yoga teachings. There have been studies that have shown a promising correlation between yoga and the reduction of common menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep and mood disturbances, stress, and muscle and joint pain. Leslie discusses these and other symptoms while revealing the increased health risks that accompany menopause. Also discussed is how yoga teachers can make their students more comfortable and what women experiencing menopausal symptoms need in their yoga practice. Leslie has a wealth of education and experience to draw on. She is certified as yoga a therapist by the International Association of Yoga Therapists as well as a certified in massage and Thai massage therapist. Leslie also had the opportunity to study in India with the masters of Ashtanga and Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois and BKS Iyengar which inspired her to take yoga teacher training in 2001. Leslie has worked with adults of all ages with complex medical conditions. She is passionate about making yoga accessible to all including those with injuries and older adults. She feels working with those who "don't think they can do yoga" especially fulfilling. Leslie believes in teaching in an approachable way that includes laughter and lightheartedness and holds the belief that truly being present is the greatest healer. 7:20 Leslie's yoga journey 10:30 Why Leslie wanted to work with people that weren't typically drawn to yoga and her interest in anatomy 12:35 How Leslie came to turn her attention to yoga and menopause 13:55 The reluctance of women to talk about menopause, the disappointment felt by ageing 16:00 Leslie's experience with menopause, common symptoms 19:10 Empower yourself with the knowledge to choose your yoga practice- when entering menopause your risk of heart attacks and osteoporosis skyrockets, digestive issues such as GERD and acid reflux 19:55 Outward changes that go along with menopause that are difficult for many to talk about or accept such as changes in the skin (such as elasticity), decreased muscle tone, weight gain -can be hard for yoga teachers whose physicality is on display 21:25 How you can help students experiencing menopausal symptoms more comfortable 23:45 What style of yoga is helpful for women going through menopause, a focus on strength and relaxation and on their participation in class but not being singled out 26:20 How yoga helps achieve a good night's sleep, allowing yourself to schedule an extra hour of sleep (even temporarily) 28:30 Those who struggle with ageing and how this causes unnecessary pain 34:10 "The gift of ageing" and practising gratitude, how yoga philosophy can support this 37:05 The positive aspects of menopause: "Live the life you want to live now" 39:00 The importance of being authentic with your students, letting them know that you accept them as they are, and knowing you influence young women who are bombarded with messages about beauty 41:50 How to work with Leslie Kazadi and her passion for making sure yoga is accessible for all 44:25 Shannon and Leslie reflect on yoga teacher trainings 46:50 Shannon's closing thoughts and takeaways (and a preview of upcoming episodes!) Links Leslie's website- Alchemy Yoga Therapy Leslie on Instagram Leslie Kazadi Yoga Therapy on Facebook Leslie on Twitter Yogis Anonymous What is GERD? Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)- from WebMD Mind-body therapies for menopausal symptoms: a systematic review- A 2010 review of 21 papers from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health The Connected Teacher Facebook Group Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training Mama Nurture Teacher Training (RPYT) Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity