Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers

Hosted by Monica Bright

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Episodes

130

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-US

About the show

The podcast for yoga teachers centered around important conversations for yoga teachers to discuss, reflect, and implement. From class planning to business strategy, these conversations help yoga teachers build the business that will help keep them teaching long-term and with a sustainable income.

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60 recent

June 15, 202618 min

Ep 129: Should Chaturangas Be in Every Vinyasa Class?

Chaturanga is one of the most repeated movements in vinyasa yoga, and one of the most commonly practiced by students without having the foundational capacity to support it. For yoga teachers, understanding what chaturanga actually demands of the wrists and shoulder joint, and recognizing when students are not ready to practice it in a way that supports their bodies, is essential knowledge for teaching safe, effective vinyasa classes. This episode challenges the assumption that you should teach chaturanga in every flow, answers the question "Why?", and offers you alternatives to use with the real range of students who come to a typical vinyasa class.Challenging The Assumption That You Should Always Teach ChaturangaThe Makeup of Students In Your Classes Why the Wrists MatterWhy the Shoulder Joint Is the Bigger ConcernWhat to Offer InsteadFree Resource10 Chaturanga Variations - Download the free 10 Chaturanga Variations video series for a complete toolkit of modifications and alternatives you can offer any student in any vinyasa class.Related Episodes: Why Traditional Restorative Yoga Isn't for EveryoneHow to Teach Students Body Awareness in YogaClick HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the showYouTube: Yoga with Monica BrightFreebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different InjuriesLet's connect:Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

June 8, 202619 min

Ep 128: Yin Yoga and Labral Tears

Many yoga teachers think of yin yoga as a universally gentle practice, but for students with hip labral tears, the deep hip flexion and sustained holds that define the yoga practice can be genuinely problematic. Understanding the difference between yin yoga and restorative yoga, why the hip labrum is vulnerable to certain kinds of loading, and what alternatives you can offer your students is the kind of practical anatomy knowledge that changes how you teach. This episode gives yoga teachers a clear foundation for working more safely and thoughtfully with students who have hip labral tears. Well cover:Yin Yoga vs. Restorative Yoga: Why the Distinction MattersWhat a Hip Labral Tear Is and Why It Matters in Yoga Why Yin Yoga's Deep Hip Poses Can Be ProblematicWhat to Help Students Look Out For Four Alternatives That WorkGo DeeperTeaching Students with Injuries Mentorship - The hip, labral tears, movement considerations, and practical sequencing strategies are covered in depth inside the Teaching Students with Injuries Mentorship. Your real students, real scenarios, and real supportNot sure if it's the right fit? Book a strategy call.Book a Strategy CallRelated Episodes:Why Traditional Restorative Yoga Isn't for EveryoneHow to Teach Students Body Awareness in YogaClick HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the showYouTube: Yoga with Monica BrightFreebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different InjuriesLet's connect:Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

June 1, 202619 min

Ep 127: Why Traditional Restorative Yoga Isn't for Everyone

As yoga teachers, we were initially trained to think of restorative yoga as the gentle, accessible option, the class option to send students who are struggling. But for students managing anxiety or chronic pain, traditional restorative practice can be challenging, and sometimes counterproductive. Understanding why certain nervous systems resist stillness, and what to offer when they do, is one of the most practical skills you can develop. This episode challenges the assumption that restorative yoga is universally calming and gives you concrete alternatives to use with students whose nervous systems need a different approach.You'll learn:Why Restorative Yoga Doesn't Always Regulate the Nervous SystemWhat Happens with Students in Chronic PainWhere Teachers Get It WrongFive Alternatives That Actually WorkWant to Go Deeper on the Nervous System?Teaching Students with Injuries MentorshipNot sure if the mentorship is right for you right now? Book a strategy call, and we can talk through it together.Book a Strategy CallClick HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the showYouTube: Yoga with Monica BrightFreebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different InjuriesLet's connect:Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

May 25, 202620 min

Ep 126: How to Teach Your Students Body Awareness

Teaching body awareness in yoga is one of the most underused skills a teacher can develop, and one of the most impactful things you can offer your students. This episode makes the case for why this skill deserves a central place in how you teach, and gives you concrete tools to bring it into your classes, starting with your very next class.This episode includes:Why Saying "Listen to Your Body" Isn't Enough Why Teaching Body Awareness Matters for Your Students Why Body Awareness Matters for You as a TeacherPractical Ways to Teach Body AwarenessWhat Students Experience When You Teach This WayResources Mentioned:Sequencing Made Easy - a clear, practical framework for building classes that are accessible and well-structured. Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the showYouTube: Yoga with Monica BrightFreebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different InjuriesLet's connect:Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

May 18, 202619 min

Ep 125: Sequencing: Why Less Is More

If you think you need to have creative sequences that are wildly different every week to retain students, or that the creative demonstrates a teaching skill, then this episode is for you! In this episode, I will directly challenge this belief. If you have ever felt anxious about being too repetitive or wondered whether your regular students are getting bored, this conversation is going to give you a different way to think about what your sequencing is actually doing for the students in your classes.What I'll cover:Why Cognitive Load Matters in Yoga ClassWhat I've Observed Teaching Mixed-Level ClassesWhy Students Come to Yoga Three Alternatives to Consider Instead of Writing New Sequences Week After WeekResources Mentioned:Sequencing Made Easy - a clear, practical framework for building classes that are accessible and well-structured. Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the showYouTube: Yoga with Monica BrightFreebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different InjuriesLet's connect:Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

May 11, 202629 min

Ep 124: Teaching Yoga to Aging Students

Many yoga teachers can feel uncertain about how to serve older students effectively. Students in their sixties, seventies, and eighties have different considerations than younger students (i.e. reduced range of motion, changing balance, concerns about bone density, addressing multiple chronic conditions, and slower recovery times). But aging is not decline, and older adults aren't necessarily fragile. They're people who are capable of growth, adaptation, and would benefit immensely from a meaningful yoga practice. Learn to understand what changes with aging, what concerns older students face, and how to teach this population thoughtfully. This episode breaks down everything yoga teachers need to know about working with aging bodies, from physical changes to emotional context to practical modifications to class formats that work well.I'll cover:The Physical Changes That Affect Yoga Practice as Bodies AgeWhat Older Students Are Actually Dealing WithHow to Approach Teaching Older Adults ThoughtfullySpecific Modifications and Teaching ConsiderationsClass Formats That Work Well for Older AdultsWhat Older Adults Actually Need from TeachersTeaching older adults is meaningful work because you are helping these students maintain independence, stay connected to their bodies in a culture claiming they're past their prime, create community, and experience joy and purpose in movement.Resources Mentioned:Teaching Students with Injuries Mentorship - Six-month program with real students, real-time application, ongoing support covering anatomy, pain science, injuries, nervous system, recovery strategies, and sequencingDesigning Transformative Workshops - Create workshops for specific populations, including older adults, market them, and deliver them thoroughly with confidence.Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the showYouTube: Yoga with Monica BrightFreebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different InjuriesLet's connect:Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

May 4, 202626 min

Ep 123: Great! You’re Not A Physical Therapist, Now What?

Saying you're not a physical therapist is one of the most limiting beliefs among yoga teachers, and it keeps you from working with students who have injuries. Believing this creates an environment where you're unnecessarily apologizing and using disclaimers, and diminishes the incredible value you offer. It's true, you're not a physical therapist, and that's exactly why your students need you. Physical therapy and yoga teaching are different roles with different scopes, and both are equally valuable and necessary. Understanding this distinction empowers you to confidently serve your students. In this episode, I'll dismantle the limiting belief, reframe your role, and show you why your classes are exactly what students recovering from injuries or living with chronic pain desperately need. I'll cover: What Physical Therapy Is and Is Not What Yoga Teachers Offer That PTs Don'tHow The Roles Are Different and Both MatterWhy Yoga Serves Students With Chronic PainWhy Collaboration with PTs MattersWhat Is Actually in Your ScopeReframing How You Respond to Students with InjuriesI want you to start owning that you're a yoga teacher, and here's the value I can bring to students with pain and recovering from injuries.Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the showYouTube: Yoga with Monica BrightFreebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different InjuriesLet's connect:Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

April 27, 202623 min

Ep 122: Herniated Discs? How To Teach Students Who Have Them

Ever had a student tell you they have a herniated disc? They sound serious and can make you feel fearful that you might do something to "make it worse." But students with disc issues can practice yoga safely when you understand what herniated discs actually are, which movements require your thoughtful consideration, and how different styles of yoga can help to support healing. This episode breaks down how to teach students with herniated discs, from the initial conversation (gathering important information) through practical modifications to understanding when slower, more restorative practices might be exactly what these students need.I'll cover: Understanding Herniated Discs from an Anatomy & Pain Science PerspectiveWhat Questions to Ask Which Will Inform Your TeachingMovement Considerations Different Yoga Styles as Therapeutic Options Practical Modifications for Common PosesUsing Language That Reduces Nervous System Threat When to Refer to Medical ProfessionalsTeaching students with herniated discs requires understanding pain science, thoughtful modification, awareness of different practice styles, and clear scope boundaries, but it's completely within your capacity as a yoga teacher.Resources Mentioned:Sequencing for Different Injuries (FREE) - How to structure classes for students with different injuriesTeaching Students with Injuries Mentorship - Six-month program with real students, real-time application, ongoing support covering anatomy, pain science, injuries, nervous system, recovery strategies, and sequencingClick HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the showYouTube: Yoga with Monica BrightFreebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different InjuriesLet's connect:Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

April 20, 202626 min

Ep 121: How To Find The Best Continuing Education

The continuing education landscape for yoga teachers can be overwhelming. There are countless trainings promising to teach you about a subject that you're interested in. However, the problem isn't that you haven't taken enough of them, it's that most continuing education focuses on giving you more information instead of helping you apply what you already know and what you're learning in the training. Information accumulation doesn't create confidence; applying that information does. This episode breaks down what actually matters when investing in continuing education (using working with injured students as an example), what to look for when evaluating trainings you're interested in, and how to invest your time and money wisely.Information Overload in Continuing EducationWhat Actually Matters in Continuing Education for InjuriesWhat Actually Transforms Your TeachingRed Flags in Continuing Education OfferingsInvesting Wisely in Continuing EducationRecommendations Based on Where You AreThe best continuing education doesn't just add to your knowledge base; it transforms what you can actually do when you take that learning back to your classes.Resources Mentioned:Teaching Students with Injuries Mentorship - Six-month program with real students, real-time application, ongoing support covering anatomy, pain science, injuries, nervous system, recovery strategies, and sequencingDesigning Transformative Workshops - Learn to structure workshops, create transformative educational content, and deliver workshops by planning for them effectively. Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the showYouTube: Yoga with Monica BrightFreebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different InjuriesLet's connect:Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

April 13, 202624 min

Ep 120: Poses That Trigger Hip Discomfort & How to Modify Them Safely

Hip pain is one of the most common complaints yoga teachers hear from students, but knowing how to modify thoughtfully for students experiencing hip discomfort can feel overwhelming. Certain poses like Pigeon, low lunges, Warriors, wide-legged forward folds, deep squats, and seated cross-legged positions frequently trigger hip sensitivity. Learn to understand why hips can be so reactive in yoga practice, which specific movements tend to create discomfort, and how to offer intelligent modifications will help you support students with hip pain. This episode breaks down the common poses that trigger hip discomfort and gives you practical modification strategies you can use immediately. Listen & learn:Why Students Feel Pain In Their Hips In YogaCommon Yoga Poses That Trigger Hip PainPractical Modifications for Hip-Opening PosesLanguage That Reduces Nervous System ThreatThe Difference Between Flexibility vs. Structure vs. PainHow To Build Capacity Through ExposureWhen to Refer Students to Medical ProfessionalsHip pain is common in yoga students, but with thoughtful modifications and language that reduces threat, you can create safe environments for students to explore hip movement and rebuild capacity.Resources Mentioned:Half Pigeon Pose: Avoiding Pain & Injury (FREE) - Why Pigeon is challenging, what's happening in the hip, modification optionsSequencing for Students with Injuries (FREE) - Structure classes for students with different pain typesTeaching Students with Injuries Mentorship Real-time support for your studentsClick HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the showYouTube: Yoga with Monica BrightFreebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different InjuriesLet's connect:Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

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