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TitreDateDurée
Stress Management for High Achievers: Community Conversations with Katharina Claeys20 Nov 202500:52:02

High achievers in business, sport, and life in general can benefit hugely from yoga practice. However, the very traits that lead to success in their field can bring up unique challenges when brought to the mat.

Today, host Katja speaks with Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist Katharina Claeys about teaching yoga to high achievers. Katharina is an educator, speaker, and consultant with a focus on building resilience and nervous system regulation, as well as women's health.

Listen to this episode to learn why setting realistic expectations, being flexible in your teaching approach, and managing the moments of transition into class are so important when working with high achievers.

—

Show Notes:
  • Traits of high achievers on and off the mat [2:47]
  • Which high achievers seek yoga for support? [6:29]
  • Establish "the why" and set clear expectations [10:27]
  • Working with perfectionism and over-efforting [15:26]
  • Be ready with a range of techniques [17:19]
  • Doorway affirmations, tapping into physical senses [27:05]
  • Work with the person, not the profession [31:49]
  • Match your student's energy [34:17]
  • Tips for teachers: self-care, scheduling, community, mentors [40:28]
  • Get started teaching yoga to high achievers [45:22]

—

Links Mentioned:

Katharina Claeys | Instagram | LinkedIn

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-150.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

 

Who is Yoga Teacher Training For? Bonus Short13 Nov 202500:15:16

A major barrier for many people interested in yoga teacher training is the assumption that it is only for certain kinds of people—whether that's deep and spiritual, energetic and outgoing, irresistibly charismatic, or highly skilled at yoga postures.

In this short excerpt from Episode 103, Teacher Training Myths, host Rachel and fellow teacher trainer Dana Diament share that the truth is that teaching yoga is as much about holding space for students to be themselves as it is about instructing yoga poses and practices.

They also share details of the Yoga Medicine Online 200-hour Teacher Training 2026 intake and a deep discount available right now.

—

Show Notes:
  • Myths about who YTT is for [2:12]
  • Find your own voice, range, and teaching style [4:12]
  • Learning to communicate with groups, as yourself [10:10]
  • Teaching as holding space [13:00]

—

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-149.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Game-Changing Hands-On Assists: Teachers' Series17 Jul 202500:40:19

Today hosts Tiffany and Rachel dive into the muddy waters of hands-on assists. We discuss their complicated history, the different types of hands-on assists, and debate their pros and cons. We also talk about the importance of clear communication and consent, and alternatives you could employ instead. Listen in to hear how truly game-changing assists might be the ones that students find their way to on their own.

—

Show Notes:
  • Differing attitudes toward hands-on assists over time [1:11]
  • The case for hands-on assists, different types, asking for consent [4:13]
  • Can a teacher know how a student feels by looking at them? [10:57]
  • The same assists don't work for every teacher [15:12]
  • The case against hands-on assists [16:19]
  • Potential for injury [18:27]
  • Overriding students' body autonomy [22:03]
  • Alternatives to hands-on assists: language, demonstrations [26:53]
  • Is touch within a yoga teacher's scope of practice? [29:51]
  • Physical adjustment might disrupt students' internal experience [31:27]
  • Final takeaways [36:13]

—

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-140.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Stronger After Surgery: Community Conversations with Alice Blunden10 Nov 202200:58:12

Today's guest Alice Blunden is a prime example of the cautionary phrase: you can't always judge a book by its cover. Alice is a therapeutic specialist and primary school teacher who was born with an undiagnosed case of hip dysplasia. She says she sees her lifestyle as a consequence of simply needing to do the things she required to live a fulfilling life. That includes modifying her yoga practice to suit her body's needs since her diagnosis and subsequent surgeries. In this episode, host Rachel speaks with Alice about the power of curiosity and specific challenges that arise for people with hidden illnesses. They also discuss how leaning into the theme of acceptance helps with the recovery process.

Listen to this episode to learn about Alice's personalized practice, which she has dubbed "physiyoga", along with helpful tips for keeping focus and consciously cultivating self-compassion during recovery from an injury.

Show Notes:

  • Alice's experience with injury [3:34]
  • Defining hip dysplasia [9:00]
  • Living with hip dysplasia [9:40]
  • Emotions while healing from surgery [20:03]
  • Yoga practice adjustments while healing from injury [26:25]
  • Helpful practices for managing pain [33:21]
  • Consciously cultivating self-compassion with an injury [37:03]
  • Tips for keeping focus during recovery from an injury [47:50]
  • Final thoughts from Alice [52:58]

Links Mentioned:

Instagram | Alice Louise Yoga | Yoga Medicine Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-50.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Epigenetics, Mental Health & Yoga: Expert Insights with Valerie Knopik PhD03 Nov 202200:50:31

Our biology certainly influences our health and behavior, but the environment can also have a significant impact on our health and well-being. Thanks to the fascinating field of epigenetics, we now understand that factors like our nutrition, movement habits, stress levels, and feelings of emotional connection can affect the way our genes are expressed. So today host Rachel dips her toes into the world of science to discuss epigenetics, mental health, and yoga with guest Valerie Knopik.

Valerie has a PhD in Psychology and postdoctoral training in Psychiatric and Genetic Epidemiology. Active in mental health research, Valerie has a deep interest in how our internal biology and our external environment (including yoga, mindfulness, and meditation) can interact to positively change our mental health landscape.

In this episode, Valerie helps us understand how our genes alone don't determine our physical or mental health, what kind of environmental factors affect our epigenome, and how various yoga practices can make us more resilient to the environmental stressors we inevitably face.

Show Notes:

  • What got Valerie interested in science and biological psychology [3:28]
  • Genetics versus epigenetics, how our "environment gets under the skin" [7:04]
  • Defining epigenetics [11:23]
  • Interrelating factors that influence our epigenetics [15:39]
  • The varied roles yoga practice can play [21:19]
  • What research says about the benefits of movement on our epigenome [23:22]
  • Overlaps between the concepts of epigenetics and neural plasticity [29:59]
  • The importance of supporting mental health; how yoga can help [31:43]
  • Yoga practices for burnout [39:34]
  • Valerie's key takeaways [43:57]

Links Mentioned:

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Yoga Medicine Online Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-49.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Research Roundup: Female Hormones27 Oct 202201:00:24

Today hosts Katja and Tiffany discuss the empowerment that comes with an understanding of female hormones and their fluctuation through the menstrual cycle. Yoga encourages this deeper personal investigation and can also provide support and relief to the body as it moves through the phases of the menstrual cycle and life. In this episode, Katja and Tiffany talk about the various factors that affect the menstrual cycle, how this cycle affects our physical and cognitive function, and what happens during each phase.

Listen in to learn about how female hormones influence our muscles and fascial tissues, how yoga can provide relief for menstrual discomfort, and why education surrounding this topic is sorely lacking and yet, so valuable.

Show Notes:

  • The status quo of the discussion around female hormones [2:15]
  • The period as start of the cycle [7:00]
  • Yoga relief and exercises for menstrual cramps [10:30]
  • What happens during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle [13:11]
  • How follicles produce estrogen [15:54]
  • Implications of the higher estrogen phase for muscle tissue [17:54]
  • Female reproductive hormones and fascial tissues [20:15]
  • The menstrual cycle and cognitive function [27:15]
  • Life phases when cycle tracking can be tricky [28:15]
  • What happens around ovulation [33:33]
  • Overview of the second part of the cycle [37:10]
  • TCM, sports science and the menstrual cycle [40:27]
  • Why progesterone is a brilliant hormone [44:46]
  • Education surrounding the menstrual cycle [48:09]
  • Exercises for hormonal shifts [54:50]

Links Mentioned:

Facebook | Instagram | Kalamana Yoga | YM Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-48.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Expert Insights: Concussion Care with Dr. Daya Grant20 Oct 202200:46:56

Concussions are very different for different people, which makes them easily missed, misunderstood, or misdiagnosed. Today, host Rachel talks with Dr. Daya Grant about concussions and how yoga practices can support the recovery process.

Dr. Grant is a certified mental performance consultant, neuroscientist, and yoga teacher. In this episode, she outlines what injuries can cause concussions, how they are diagnosed, the wide range of physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms that can be experienced, and – most importantly – how yoga can help.

Listen to this episode to learn which yoga practices help at each stage of recovery, tips for teaching students post-concussion, and general contraindications to bear in mind.

Show Notes:

  • What ignited Daya's interest in concussions [3:03]
  • What is a concussion and what causes it [5:50]
  • An "invisible illness": the challenge of diagnosis [8:00]
  • Somatic symptoms of concussion [12:09]
  • Emotional symptoms of concussion [13:19]
  • Cognitive symptoms of concussion [14:36]
  • Daya's personal experience of concussion [15:25]
  • Gradual return to activity after concussion; when yoga can help [19:05]
  • Returning to group yoga classes after concussion [22:02]
  • Breath work during concussion recovery [24:28]
  • The value of Yoga Nidra and Restorative yoga to support healing [26:06]
  • General contraindications for yoga during concussion recovery [28:16]
  • Approaching balance poses with humility [30:25]
  • The importance of minimal, simple cueing [31:09]
  • Tips for teaching one-on-one yoga during concussion recovery [32:37]
  • Why it's difficult to predict concussion healing timetables [35:16]
  • Key takeaways and common misunderstandings about concussions [40:01]
  • Maximizing our potential to heal from repeat concussions [42:23]

Links Mentioned:

Instagram | Daya Grant

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-47.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Expert Insights: Addiction Recovery & Yoga with Lara Ederer13 Oct 202200:53:05

Today we discuss a topic that affects many people in our communities whether we know it or not. Host Rachel speaks with Lara Ederer, a yoga teacher, Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist, and Chemical Dependency Professional with both personal and professional experience with addiction.

In this episode, Lara talks with Rachel about how she defines addiction, what withdrawal and recovery can look and feel like, how yoga contributed to her own sobriety, and the many ways it can support the recovery of others.

Listen to this episode to explore how yoga can ignite a student's awareness of and appreciation for their body, perhaps for the first time, as well as the importance of a supportive group environment, the potential for symbolism and storytelling to plant powerful philosophical seeds, and other advice on how to incorporate yoga and meditation practices into addiction recovery.


Show Notes:

  • Lara's background in yoga and addiction recovery [3:10]
  • Difficulty defining the scope of this growing problem [4:56]
  • Recent changes in addiction perception [7:30]
  • Defining addiction [8:51]
  • Potential withdrawal symptoms [11:26]
  • The role of yoga in Lara's recovery [15:11]
  • Social support is key in the recovery process [20:24]
  • Yoga can interrupt – even replace – the urge to use addictive substances [23:09]
  • Tips for teaching yoga to those in addiction recovery [29:41]
  • Advice on teaching meditation during recovery [36:02]
  • Incorporating yoga philosophy into recovery [39:12]
  • Sprinkling seeds of philosophy: the power of symbolism and story [41:53]
  • Boundaries matter when teaching in recovery settings [44.40]
  • Suggestions to address financial barriers to yoga for people in recovery [45:25]

Links Mentioned:

Instagram | Lara Ederer Yoga | YM Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-46.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

 

Community Conversations: Conscious Parenting with Dana Diament06 Oct 202200:56:38

One of the foundational principles of yoga practice is to bring mindfulness to everything we do. Today host Rachel speaks with Yoga Medicine teacher, studio owner, and mother Dana Diament about bringing that awareness into the crucial relationship between parent and child through the practice of conscious parenting.

In this episode, Dana shares her experience of learning to parent with more self-awareness, how it's never too late to try a new approach, the importance of "repair" when interactions don't go as planned, and the many overlaps between the yoga journey and the parenting journey.

You don't have to be a parent to benefit from this episode, which, at its core, is about learning how to build kinder, more patient relationships with others, as well as with ourselves.


Show Notes:

  • Dana's introduction to mindfulness through journalling [4:04]
  • Children as a mirror of unconscious scripts [6:35]
  • A key difference between parenting and other close relationships [10:40]
  • Defining conscious parenting [12:45]
  • Dealing with external expectation and pressure as a parent [16:22]
  • An example of conscious parenting [17:20]
  • It's never too late for "repair" when interactions don't go to plan [20:48]
  • Tools for kids to recognize and resolve agitation [25:01]
  • Application to other relationships [29:40]
  • "SMILE": techniques to connect with children [33:20]
  • Our primary relationship, with ourself [37:05]
  • Relevant themes from yoga philosophy [38:21]
  • Separating the parent's identity and expectations from the child's [46:55]
  • Dana's takeaways [51:15]

Links Mentioned:

Facebook | Instagram | Lennox Yoga | YM Online Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-45.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Expert Insights: Eat Breathe Thrive - Yoga and Eating Disorders with Chelsea Roff29 Sep 202201:08:29

Messages around "clean" eating and ideal body shape or size are ubiquitous, even in the yoga world, with potentially devastating impact for those who experience disordered eating.

Today host Rachel speaks with Chelsea Roff, who found her way to yoga early in her recovery from a serious eating disorder. Chelsea went on to become a scientific researcher and yoga teacher, eventually bringing her skills and experience together to become the Founder and Director of Eat Breathe Thrive: a non-profit organization aiming to prevent and help people recover from eating disorders.

Today Chelsea shares her definition of eating disorders and describes the wide range of people who can experience them. We discuss the process of redefining your relationship with food, debunk the myth that there is a single way that a healthy body should look, and unpack how yoga practice can help us learn how to truly feel what we feel.

Listen in to learn what constitutes disordered eating and how yoga can help with both prevention and recovery.

Show Notes:

  • Chelsea's professional background in scientific research [4:20]
  • Chelsea's own recovery from an eating disorder [7:43]
  • The start of Chelsea's relationship with yoga [9:58]
  • Pivoting from researcher to yoga teacher [12:08]
  • Defining disordered eating on a spectrum [16:13]
  • Eating disorder recovery and yoga [20:51]
  • The learned skill of interoception [25:44]
  • Appreciating the body for more than its appearance [28:24]
  • Regulating our internal state [30:48]
  • Lessons from yoga philosophy [37:17]
  • An unorthodox start for the non-profit Eat Breathe Thrive [41:27]
  • The power of sharing our stories [49:38]
  • Advice for yoga teachers working within our scope on eating disorders [51:11]
  • Yoga as a double-edged sword in eating disorder recovery [55:40]
  • A final takeaway from Chelsea: celebrate impermanence [1:02:06]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-44.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Research Roundup: Pitfalls of Mindfulness Research22 Sep 202200:47:55

There is so much research and information out there about mindfulness, so today hosts Tiffany and Katja tackle this big and important topic from a different angle. In this episode, the pair takes a critical lens and unpacks the pitfalls of mindfulness research. Tiffany and Katja discuss how mindfulness is defined in the research, why self-selection of study participants may be of importance, and what the field of Contemplative Neuroscience is all about. They also touch on contraindications and adverse events of mindful meditation, as well as considerations surrounding mindfulness practices and mental health.

Listen in to learn more about both the important takeaways and the challenges of recent mindfulness research.

Show Notes:

  • The background of mindfulness research [3:06]
  • The challenge of defining mindfulness [6:26]
  • MBSR as intervention for many research studies [13:05]
  • Unpacking social desirability and self-selection in mindfulness research [18:42]
  • Are we asking the right questions? Validity in mindfulness research [21:56]
  • On Contemplative Neuroscience and fMRI [23:55]
  • Contraindications of mindfulness practices [27:55]
  • Adverse events of mindful meditation [33:23]
  • Idea of capacity building & titration [37:55]
  • Mindfulness research takeaways [42:24]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-43.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Boundaries as Self-Care with Yely Staley15 Sep 202200:56:42

Self-care is much deeper than the "massages and bubble baths" trope. Today host Rachel learns from guest Yely Staley that setting clear and healthy boundaries is a foundational part of true self-care, especially for those of us who care for others.

Yely figured out the need for regular commitment to self-care the hard way — by experiencing repeated bouts of burnout while working in the corporate world as an attorney, and even after pivoting to become a yoga teacher and studio owner. In this episode, Yely shares how her experience taught her to appreciate simple, daily self-care practices, and how setting boundaries over the past two years has transformed her life.

Listen in to hear Yely share her tips for overcoming guilt around saying no, the value of teaching people how to treat you, and why she is so touched by Hispanic Heritage Month.

Show Notes:

  • Yely's background [3:40]
  • A surprising pathway from attorney to yoga studio owner [7:13]
  • Redefining self-care [13:48]
  • Self-care tools for burnout prevention [15:51]
  • Managing guilt around taking time for self-care [18:30]
  • Why we sometimes struggle to set healthy boundaries [21:08]
  • Setting and communicating personal boundaries proactively [24:31]
  • Two kinds of boundaries to set [28:24]
  • Benefits of setting healthy boundaries [34:06]
  • Communicating boundaries decisively requires non-attachment to outcome [36:10]
  • Daily self-reflection or spiritual practice is key [43:57]
  • Self-care as an avenue to authenticity rather than toxic positivity [46:08]
  • Reflecting on Hispanic Heritage Month [52:37]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-42.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Community Conversations: The Hidden Benefits of Yin Yoga with Shannon Stephens08 Sep 202200:56:38

We have mentioned Yin yoga in previous episodes of this podcast within the context of flexibility and fascial health. Today host Rachel talks with yoga teacher and educator Shannon Stephens about the more hidden or secret benefits of Yin yoga that can transform our lives.

In this episode, Shannon shares how the Yin practice creates the quiet space and time lacking in modern life — inviting us to get to know ourselves, recalibrating our senses to more subtle settings, and forcing us to sit and stay with whatever comes up, including boredom.

Listen in as Shannon explores the many ways Yin can teach us how to respond rather than react — both in yoga and in our daily lives.

Show Notes:

  • Shannon's early experience with Yin replenishing depletion [3:30]
  • An observer's seat for changing sensation [5:50]
  • Sharpening our inner awareness [8:30]
  • Teaching interoception with open-ended questions [12:26]
  • The "Goldilocks zone" of sitting in conversation with discomfort [16:09]
  • Highlighting the individual nature of a Yin practice [19:12]
  • The magic ingredient of time and the power to stay [22:42]
  • Holding space for surrender [26:25]
  • A gateway to and container for meditation [28:42]
  • Tactile experience of impermanence [30:12]
  • Feeling the subtle body: TCM meridian lines and elements [32:11]
  • Opening to self-care and self-compassion [36:52]
  • Yin as a connecting force [39:29]
  • Finding sacredness in the mundane and the privilege of boredom [43:19]
  • Learning to respond rather than react [47:42]
  • Final thoughts and favorite YMO practices from Shannon [51:42]

Links Mentioned:

Facebook | Instagram | This Land Yoga | YM Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-41.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Experiencing Menopause - Research Roundup03 Jul 202500:59:54

There are still plenty of questions about the experience of the transitional phases of our lives. Today, hosts Tiffany and Katja discuss recent research that seeks to shed light on the menopausal transition. Experience of menopause is highly variable from person to person, so in this episode, we explore common symptom clusters identified in the research as well as the phenomenon of "not feeling like myself" in perimenopause. We also talk about how midlife can pose a challenge to one's self-image and discuss how fatigue and emotional volatility may impact a woman's day-to-day in this phase of life.

—

Show Notes:
  • Background on menopause and perimenopause [2:50]
  • Symptoms of peri- and postmenopause [14:41]
  • Symptoms that show up in all stages of menopause [27:19]
  • The phenomenon of "not feeling like myself" in perimenopause [29:22]
  • Symptoms related to not feeling like yourself [38:20]
  • The role of fatigue [45:17]
  • New sensations of emotional volatility [46:38]

—

Links Mentioned:

Facebook | Instagram | Kalamana Yoga | Yoga Medicine® Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-139.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Lessons Learned Inverted with Amelia Schrader28 Jul 202200:55:09

The image of a handstand or forearm stand on the beach is such a stereotype in modern postural yoga that it's almost easy to forget that these poses have a real power and potency to them.

Today host Rachel talks with Amelia Schrader about what she has learned from her long-standing inversion practice. Amelia is a yoga teacher and educator with a Bachelor of Health Science and a background in Naturopathy. After getting a taste of inversions in gymnastics as a child, she was humbled by relearning these poses as an adult.

In this episode, Amelia shares the many reasons why she harbors such a strong love for inversions. She talks about her favorite techniques for strengthening hands and forearms, tips for preventing yoga wrist injuries, as well as what inversions have taught her about lateral thoracic breathing and the 360-degree nature of the core.

Listen in to hear the physical and mental lessons Amelia has learned from her patient practice in inversions, as well as the inner confidence and strength that she gained along the way.

Show Notes:

  • Finding centre in a period of life transition [3:55]
  • COVID-19 as a nudge from the universe [7:09]
  • The challenge of going slowly, not addressing uncertainty with busyness [11:25]
  • A practice of patience: learning handstands and forearm stands as an adult [13:48]
  • Preventing yoga wrist injuries [19:28]
  • Techniques to awaken weight-bearing hands and forearms [24:01]
  • Lateral thoracic breathing: accessing the breath while the core is engaged [27:19]
  • Yoga poses to access lateral thoracic breathing [32:13]
  • Building core strength and overcoming back and sacroiliac pain [34:56]
  • Gaining confidence from inversions leads to courage in real life [41:56]
  • "Enjoy the journey": takeaway messages from Amelia [47:24]
  • Amelia's upcoming inversion classes on Yoga Medicine Online [50:23]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-40.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

MFR Applications & Research21 Jul 202201:10:43

Today hosts Tiffany and Katja are focusing in on myofascial release (MFR) applications and the current MFR research. In this episode, we talk about what the research suggests at this time regarding the duration and frequency of MFR, the speed and intensity of its application, and ways of combining MFR with yoga and other stretches for both athletes and non-athletes alike. As always, keep in mind that, with the application of MFR, there are plenty of individual variables to consider from person to person, so this episode is more of a general overview than a personalized plan.

Listen in to learn about tips for athletes, recommended tools for MFR, and some of the intricacies of current MFR research.

Show Notes:

  • What is SMFR [1:48]
  • Duration and frequency of MFR [2:45]
  • Effects of MFR on pain are transient, yet cumulative [6:03]
  • MFR duration and range of motion [8:28]
  • MFR duration and sports performance [12:02]
  • Looking at study protocols matters [14:50]
  • MFR, tissue stiffness, and blood perfusion [16:22]
  • Rolling fast or rolling slowly? [20:00]
  • Review on the chronic effects of rolling [24:57]
  • Recommended intensity for MFR [26:08]
  • Tools for MFR [35:14]
  • Benefits of vibrating tools for MFR [44:33]
  • Combining movement and stretching with MFR [50:23]
  • Individual exploration matters [1:05:19]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-39.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Yoga and Medication with Dr Mariya Farooqi Pharm.D.14 Jul 202200:55:50

Optimal health sometimes requires the support of both western science and other interventions — like diet and lifestyle changes and mindfulness practices including yoga.

Today's guest is perfectly placed to talk about both sides of the equation. Dr. Mariya Farooqi is a clinical pharmacist, functional medicine specialist, and registered yoga teacher. Along with her initial work as a nutritionist, these experiences have shaped her philosophy of "food and movement first, drugs second".

In this episode, Dr. Farooqi speaks with host Rachel about how common medications can interact with our yoga practice, offering her advice as a pharmacist on how we might manage common side effects by tailoring what, when and how we practice. She shares her thoughts on pain management, unpacks the vital link between gut health and overall health, and explores how even small changes to our diet, routine, movement, and mindfulness practices can have far-reaching impacts. She also talks about more personal experiences, like that of completing yoga teacher training as a Muslim woman, and the personal meaning the work of the Yoga Medicine Seva Foundation holds for her.

Show Notes:

  • Early perceptions of yoga from a Muslim Indian family background [2:45]
  • Challenges and growth opportunities: yoga teacher training as a Muslim woman [9:08]
  • The growth of Mariya's interest in functional medicine [15:04]
  • Strengths and weaknesses of western medicine for chronic illness [20:20]
  • Complexities in discussing medication in the context of yoga practice [25:05]
  • Relevant potential side-effects of common medications:
    • Anti-depressants [26:20]
    • Lithium [28.18]
    • Diuretics (water pills) [29:27]
    • Sleep medications [30:05]
    • Allergy medications [31:58]
    • Anti-anxiety medications [32:22]
    • Antibiotics [33:05]
  • A pharmacist's advice for yoga teachers working with students one-on-one [34:00]
  • Approaches to pain management [37:44]
  • Medications can affect gut health [41:18]
  • Actions steps for people whose medication is affecting gut health [46:00]
  • The wide-reaching impact of regulating the central nervous system [47:55]
  • The Seva Foundation's work has personal meaning to Mariya [50:03]

Links Mentioned:

Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | PharmToTable

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-38.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Lead with Heart: Yoga as Service with Amanda Bonfiglio Cunningham07 Jul 202200:57:38

Compassion and service are at the heart of yoga philosophy. Many of us see overwhelming inequities in the world today and want to help, but don't know where or how to start.

Today's guest on the podcast would have us simply "start, by starting". Host Rachel talks with the Yoga Medicine Seva Foundation Director, and a Sisters of the Planet Ambassador with Oxfam America, Amanda Bonfiglio Cunningham. As well as being a yoga instructor, Amanda has a Bachelor's degree in Marketing and a Master's in Teaching, but it was her years of traveling the world that inspired her life's work.

In this episode, we discuss the Seva Foundation's mission to combat human trafficking by empowering women and children through all kinds of education, be it formal, vocational, or practical.

Listen in to learn how to create space to process the secondary trauma that can come with service work, and why it pays to focus on the ripple effect you can create through small acts rather than trying to change the world.

Show Notes:

  • The start of Amanda's passion for travel: 10 years on a boat [2:52]
  • How travel ignites compassion [5:31]
  • Yoga as Amanda's stabilizing anchor [10:35]
  • "Moving back to land" [13:25]
  • Open a yoga studio in search of expansion and connection [16:01]
  • Finding Yoga Medicine and the first Seva trip to India [17:50]
  • Yoga Medicine Seva Foundation's mission [20:32]
  • Making space to process secondary trauma in order to take action [24:03]
  • Life-changing impacts from education [32:46]
  • Human trafficking's mind-boggling scope [37:47]
  • The ripple effect of changing just one life [39:23]
  • "Start by starting": the work of Her Future Coalition and the Seva Foundation [43:05]
  • How service work changes us [47:46]
  • Ways to get involved with the Seva Foundation [52:30]

Links Mentioned:

Instagram | Her Future Coalition | Yoga Medicine Seva | Amanda B Cunningham

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-37.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Shoulder IQ: What, Why & How30 Jun 202201:07:54

Our shoulders are something of an underdog, but just because the joints and muscles of the shoulders are less familiar than those of the hips or spine doesn't mean they are less important. These under-appreciated joints have massive impact on our yoga practices and beyond.

Today hosts Tiffany and Rachel talk about the importance of the shoulders and share favorite practices for both mobility and stability. They explore how shoulder work can be key to unpacking neck and upper back issues, plus improving posture and breathing. They even discuss the more subtle impact of shoulders on confidence and self-esteem.

Listen in to learn how we can all benefit from being more aware of our shoulders, and more skillful in how we use them in yoga and daily life.

Show Notes:

  • The overall importance of the shoulder [3:22]
  • The challenge of learning to stabilize the shoulders for weight-bearing [5:29]
  • Shoulder work as a "side door" to neck and upper-back issues [8:15]
  • The impact of shoulder strength and mobility for older adults [16:20]
  • Shoulders: self-esteem, self-worth, emotion and connection [17:58]
  • Biomechanical impacts of the shoulders on breathing [22:09]
  • "Shoulders back and down" is not the answer for these mobile joints [25:12]
  • The nuanced issue of posture [29:05]
  • Curiosity around limited or challenging movements or positions [32:48]
  • How the shoulder shows up in yoga practice [36:33]
  • Chaturanga Dandasana: pros and cons, variations and alternatives [39:05]
  • Using the shoulders to create the "heart-opening" of backbends [48:35]
  • Favorite tools for active shoulder mobility [53:04]
  • Passive shoulder mobility work, including MFR and Yin [55:19]
  • Favorite shoulder strength and stability options [57:45]
  • Final considerations and key takeaways [1:02:23]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-36.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Fascia & the Autonomic Nervous System23 Jun 202201:01:17

Today hosts Tiffany and Katja continue the discussion on fascia and more specifically how our fascia is connected to the autonomic nervous system. This relationship reminds us that movement has a profound effect on our minds and emotions and that the inverse is also true. In this discussion, Tiffany and Katja explain different pathways how the fascial system is related to the autonomic nervous system. They share more reasons to incorporate some myofascial release work into our yoga practice and elaborate why working with the abdomen can have a powerful effect on the whole autonomic nervous system. They also discuss how stress may relate to low back pain and how the fascia may be influenced by major depressive disorder.

Listen in to learn about the relationship between fascia and the autonomic nervous system, why myofascial release is so valuable, and ways to engage your autonomic nervous system through yoga.

Show Notes:

  • What is the autonomic nervous system [1:46]
  • How is fascia connected to the autonomic nervous system (ANS) [3:32]
  • The importance of fascia as sensory organ [7:47]
  • How Ruffini endings relate to the ANS [9:08]
  • Sense of relaxation after MFR or yoga [11:16]
  • Influence of interstitial receptors on the ANS [14:53]
  • Does any kind of yoga influence Ruffini and interstitial receptors? [16:01]
  • Different types of bodywork and the ANS [18:01]
  • Working with the abdomen, advocating for abdominal massage [19:07]
  • Interstitial receptors and local fluid dynamics [24:19]
  • Vagal innervation [25:52]
  • The thoracolumbar fascia: innervation, low back pain, and stress [32:17]
  • Inflammation and sympathetic innervation [37:36]
  • Areas of the body that affect the sympathetic nervous system [40:20]
  • Changes in fascial tone – fascial contractility under stress [41:57]
  • The relationship between depression disorders and fascial stiffness [48:59]
  • Ph levels, their potential effect on fascial tonicity, and breath work [51:11]

Links Mentioned:

Facebook | Instagram | Kalamana Yoga | YM Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-35.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Live YOUR Life with Kathryn Budig. Bravery, Balance, Body Positivity and Celebrating Pride Month!16 Jun 202200:56:10

Many of us feel the weight of others' expectations to look, speak, or feel a certain way. But perhaps if we were able to be more fully ourselves, as yoga teachers we could then create spaces that welcome our students to do the same.

Today's episode is a warm and heartfelt conversation between Tiffany and long-time friend, Kathryn Budig. Kathryn is a shining example of following her own compass in work and in life. Building on almost two decades as an internationally recognized yoga teacher, author, and podcaster, Kathryn has created a unique online community that celebrates shared passions for yoga and meditation, inclusion and representation, rituals, recipes, and diving deep into a great book.

Tiffany and Kathryn explore how things can change through the course of a long friendship—like our definition of success, the nature of our physical practice, and our ever-changing relationship with our bodies. The conversation dives into the nuance behind hashtags like "body positivity" and "self love", celebrates the value of wisdom over short-term relevance, and weighs the pros and cons of social media given its power as a tool to reach marginalized communities.

Reflecting on Pride month, Kathryn shares her thoughts on queer representation in yoga and reminds us of the power of stepping outside our comfort zone into curiosity.

Show Notes:

  • What it means to truly create community in the yoga world [03:11]
  • Releasing external metrics to craft a personal definition of success [06:09]
  • Reinvention in the face of others' expectations [11:25]
  • Celebrating wisdom versus the pressure to "stay relevant" [14:01]
  • Pros and cons of the Covid era for yoga teachers [18:25]
  • The evolution of Kathryn's yoga practice [21:44]
  • Complex conversations around body positivity in yoga [24:04]
  • The illusion of constant "self love" [33:38]
  • Loving and hating social media [37:14]
  • Queer representation matters [41:20]
  • What Pride Month means to Kathryn [46:20]
  • Being an ally to the LGBTQ+ community [50:01]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-34.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Age Well with Yoga with Mark Hunter Dip. RM.09 Jun 202200:59:35

Today's guest Mark Hunter took a long road to teaching yoga, including almost 3 decades of working in (and instructing) massage and remedial therapy. He has been passionate about fascia since long before it was mainstream. He shares this passion with his students, many of whom are over 60 years old, in group classes, one-on-ones, and senior's balance sessions.

Whether you've thought about it or not, we are all aging. So in this episode, Mark and host Rachel explore what we can learn about aging from working with older adults. Mark shares his key areas for focus, including soft-tissue mobility, balance and coordination, and better breathing. He also reminds us of the (perhaps underestimated) power of using community and camaraderie to give students the courage to explore new challenges and new movement patterns.

Listen in as Mark shares what he has learned about himself while working with older adults and how that shapes the wellness practices he prioritizes today.

Show Notes:

  • Mark Hunter's back story [3:22]
  • Learning from "the godfather of fascia" Dr. Robert Schleip [7:09]
  • Shifting from massage therapist and yoga student to teacher [8:25]
  • Grappling with the philosophical side of yoga [11:24]
  • Bringing a therapeutic approach to teaching [13:18]
  • Breaking down stereotypes of older yoga students [17:45]
  • Key areas of focus when teaching older students [20:56]
  • How our fascia changes as we age [23:32]
  • Fun ways to challenge coordination in yoga classes for older students [28:26]
  • Relating balance work to real-life obstacles to prevent falls [30:40]
  • Cognitive ability is associated with one-legged balance in mid and later life [33:17]
  • The importance of community connection as we age [36:09]
  • Breath mechanics, the relationship with posture, and application during life stressors [38:27]
  • Breathing with ease: the three pillars of breath and noticing the pause [46:24]
  • Lessons learned from working with older adults: the power of "little and often" [50:16]
  • Bringing yoga into daily life by emphasizing functionality over form [53:25]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-33.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Harness Your Potential, Yoga for Athletes with Jenni Tarma & Alison Heilig02 Jun 202201:19:34

How do we as yoga instructors help athletes train to stay healthy, durable, resilient, and at peak performance? Tiffany chats on these big questions with two coaches and Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialists - Jenni Tarma and Alison Heilig. Jenni is a Yoga Medicine Online instructor, endurance athlete, and CrossFit trainer who works with weight lifters and athletes at all skill levels. Alison is an accomplished ultra-marathon runner and weightlifter as well as a strength and endurance coach and certified running coach, corrective exercise specialist, and certified nutritional coach. In this episode, we discuss flexibility versus stiffness, recovery, cross-training, myofascial release for athletes, and our favorite takeaways for athletes and their trainers and yoga teachers.

Listen in to learn yoga tips for athletes and yoga teachers, why many athletes often struggle with yoga and how to use that as an asset, and how to redefine what recovery looks like for athletes.

Show Notes:

  • Flexibility misconceptions among athletes [5:31]
  • Why athletes often struggle with yoga [7:13]
  • Flexibility issues versus poor mobility issues [11:02]
  • Benefits of yoga classes aimed at athletes [13:27]
  • Yoga as a recovery modality for athletes [19:05]
  • Tips for teaching yoga to athletes [23:58]
  • Redefining what recovery looks like for athletes [29:33]
  • Using myofascial release with yoga for athletes [31:23]
  • Cross training benefits for athletes [46:32]
  • Takeaways for yoga teachers and athletes [56:20]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-32.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

The Power of Intention with Diane Malaspina PhD26 May 202200:55:22

Today we explore the concept of intention—one of the core principles of what we do at Yoga Medicine. Most of us have a general understanding of what it is and why it is important, especially given the mindfulness we bring to yoga practice, but haven't considered in detail how we form intentions or their potential to change outcomes.

To help us unpack the theory and practice of intention in more detail, host Rachel talks to returning guest, Diane Malaspina Ph.D. As well as teaching yoga, Diane has a B.S. in Psychology, a Master's degree in Education, and a Ph.D. in educational and developmental psychology. Diane calls on her backgrounds in both science and yoga to explore the involvement of the brain in intention, as well as celebrate the more subtle role of the heart.

Listen in to hear how intention primes the brain for better pattern recognition, as well as the role dopamine plays in marking behaviors that get us closer to our aims. You'll also hear how you might be trying too hard to create and hold fast to your intentions, how to harness the Default Mode Network to support a more receptive state in which deeper purpose can emerge, and how a vivid sensory and emotional understanding of your intentions makes them far more potent.

Show Notes:

  • Defining intention [4:09]
  • How intention primes the brain for pattern recognition [7:01]
  • Therapeutic intention: can intention change outcomes? [11:46]
  • Practicing purpose: the relationship between intention and dopamine [16:17]
  • How the Default Mode Network can create space for intentions to emerge [21:03]
  • Ultradian rhythms and making time for intentional breaks [25:42]
  • Using your visual field to reset your state of focus [30:01]
  • Prior intention can prime us for faster and stronger action [31:26]
  • Yoga philosophy, the purpose of yoga practice, and heart-centered intention [34:14]
  • Harnessing senses and emotions to craft more potent intentions [41:36]
  • What we can learn from athletes about the power of intention [45:25]
  • Using questions and curiosity to form intention [50:27]
  • Diane's "MacGyver Method" to harness the Default Mode Network [51:58]

Links Mentioned:

Facebook | Instagram | Diane Malaspina | YM Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-31.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Yoga During Pregnancy: Community Conversations with Allie Geer19 Jun 202500:50:33

Today's episode dives into the vital topic of yoga during pregnancy and beyond. Host Rachel connects with Allie Geer, a Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist and Biodynamic Cranial Sacral Therapist whose specialties include pre- and post-natal yoga.

In this episode, we discuss what it looks like to create space for both mother and baby in yoga classes, plus the impact of changes in circulation, centre of gravity, and soft tissue laxity.

Listen in to learn what to keep in mind when practicing yoga during and after pregnancy, the vital importance of community, and how teachers can help pregnant and postpartum students feel welcome and supported in class.

—

Show Notes:
  • Practicing group yoga classes while pregnant [3:50]
  • A key question: is this creating space for me and baby? [5:22]
  • How to recruit extra support from props, walls, or teacher [6:47]
  • Heated & fast-moving flows [8:25]
  • Centre of gravity changes and standing balance [10:45]
  • Relaxin and increased ligamentous flexibility [11:27]
  • Lying on your back; implications for the vena cava [16:01]
  • The importance of community [21:06]
  • Breath work, bandhas, and upper body strength [24:51]
  • Yoga postpartum [29:56]
  • Planning a dedicated postpartum class [34:42]
  • Practicing group classes postpartum [40:04]
  • Working with diastasis recti; favorite deep core practices [42:17]
  • Final takeaways and resources [47:30]

—

Links Mentioned:

Instagram | Allie Geer Flow | Yoga Medicine® Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-138.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Trauma Informed Yoga with Dr. Ann Bortz19 May 202200:42:00

Nowadays the phrase "trauma informed yoga" is familiar to most of us. But if you've heard the term and assume it doesn't represent the students you teach or practice alongside, you may be surprised to hear in this episode that up to 90% of adults will experience a traumatic event in their lives.

Today's guest, Dr. Ann Bortz, is a licensed clinical psychologist with almost 30 years in the field. Host Rachel speaks with Dr. Bortz about her specialty working with those who are impacted by trauma. She explains how yoga gave her the tools to help recognize and respond to what she was encountering with her patients and realized that it could also be a helpful tool for them, too.

Listen in to learn what trauma is, who it most commonly affects, how it changes the brain and body, and which yoga practices can help.

Show Notes:

  • Dr Ann Bortz' professional background and introduction to yoga practice [3:01]
  • The catalyst for becoming a yoga teacher [5:40]
  • Traumatic stress versus general life stress [8:16]
  • The new phenomenon of pandemic-related trauma [10:00]
  • Trauma in pandemic first responders [14:00]
  • How trauma changes the brain and body [16:06]
  • Polyvagal theory and the lesser known "Freeze Response" [18:07]
  • The impact of mindfulness on varied stress states [21:48]
  • Breath practices for trauma informed yoga [24:08]
  • The quality of movement is more impactful than the pose we choose [24:56]
  • Quiet and stillness can be triggering for students with unresolved trauma [26:19]
  • Student self-agency can be healing, bringing the thinking brain back online [27:43]
  • Playing music in trauma informed yoga sessions [33:10]
  • Authenticity is key for students with a history of trauma [34:34]
  • How to avoid inadvertently re-traumatizing students or respond if it occurs [35:58]
  • A reminder of the value of compassion [38:43]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-30.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Stretching: The Myths & the Research12 May 202201:07:29

When it comes to stretching, many things have gone in and out of style. There are still plenty of myths and misconceptions out there and there is still a lot we don't know. To complicate matters even further, stretching is one of the more confusing areas of research because the terminology, application, and even results in stretching studies vary greatly.

In this episode, hosts Tiffany and Katja talk about the myths and the research on stretching, different types of stretching, using stretching before or after exercise or yoga, and how stretching really is a whole body affair.

Listen in to learn when to incorporate stretching into your fitness routine, how to better analyze new research on stretching, what tissues are actually targeted when we stretch, and how our nerve tissues can limit range of motion.

Show Notes:

  • Major types of stretching [3:19]
  • Tips for analyzing stretching research [5:31]
  • The lingering debate over benefits of static stretching [9:38]
  • Frequency and volume of stretching and range of motion [13:12]
  • Static stretching duration and sports performance [20:47]
  • What tissues do actually give us the sensation of a stretch? [28:01]
  • How nerve tissues can limit range of motion [37:49]
  • Aspects of aging and stretching [40:00]
  • Longer stretches, inflammation, and hydration of tissues [45:00]
  • Myofascial release as it relates to range of motion [46:45]
  • How to support athletes [53:04]
  • Stretching and arterial stiffness [56:39]
  • Stretching as a whole-system affair [62:10]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-29.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Yoga Tools for Anxiety with Aisha Fakhro05 May 202201:07:10

Anxiety is a normal response to life stress — until it isn't. Today, host Rachel talks with Aisha Fakhro, a Bahrain-based UK-licensed psychotherapist and yoga teacher who specializes in working with anxiety, trauma, grief, stress management, and personal growth. In this episode, we learn more about anxiety and how yoga can help.

Aisha jokes that she could have a PhD in personal experience with anxiety. She shares how practicing and teaching yoga inspired her to study psychotherapy, by changing the way she, and her students, responded to stressors in their lives.

Aisha explains how the natural experience of anxiety can snowball, by both increasing our perception of danger in a given situation, and decreasing our belief in our capacity to handle it.
She unpacks a wide range of yoga tools and techniques that can help, and some of them may surprise you.

Listen in to learn what anxiety is, how the experience varies by person and situation, and the wide range of tools yoga practice offers to help us feel more empowered to manage it.

Show Notes:

  • What initially drew Aisha to the field of psychotherapy [3:25]
  • Aisha's journey from "chasing shapes" to teaching yoga [5:40]
  • Defining anxiety [11:56]
  • Aisha's personal experience of anxiety, including prenatal trauma [17:26]
  • Mindfulness breaks the negative feedback loop anxiety can create [18:34]
  • The role of psychotherapy versus other mental health professions [23:42]
  • Play as an antidote to anxiety [26:18]
  • Pranayama and tactile feedback for anxiety [31:29]
  • Movement as an outlet for anxiety [39:46]
  • Empowering students to take charge of their practice [42:07]
  • Balance poses and the capacity to handle wobbles in life [47:51]
  • Varied mindfulness techniques for anxiety [49:59]
  • Completing the stress cycle [54:41]
  • Aisha's fake yawn trick [56:53]
  • Philosophical antidotes to anxiety [58:16]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-28.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Fascia & Yoga: Research Update with Dr. Robert Schleip28 Apr 202200:58:37

If you have been listening to this podcast, the chances are very high that you've heard a mention or two of today's guest, Dr. Robert Schleip, the fascia research legend. His background in biology and psychology makes him the perfect person to speak with about his vast knowledge as it relates to yoga. In this episode, Dr. Schleip talks about the value of traditional yoga practices in the modern world, discusses how our connective tissue plays a role in different elements of the yoga practice, and takes you on a tour through current fascia research highlights.

Listen in to find out what kinds of movements make your fascial tissues happy and how your genetics may influence how mobile you are.

Show Notes:

  • Dr. Robert Schleip's background [1:31]
  • Value of traditional yoga practice today [3:03]
  • Effects of long slow stretching on fascia and wound healing [9:41]
  • What types of movement the modern mover should incorporate into their yoga practice [13:14]
  • Fascia's elastic recoil capacity [15:12]
  • Benefits of compressive loading and cardio-vascular input [17:20]
  • Why yoga may not be a perfect fit for some [19:32]
  • Genetic and female hormonal aspects of fascial tissue stiffness [23:44]
  • Effects of hot yoga on fascial tissue [28:50]
  • Yoga as a whole-system approach [34:00]
  • Recent studies on fascia relevant for yoga [36:35]
  • The importance of mindful attention in yoga [41:23]
  • Recent studies on fascia and nerves [43:37]
  • Dr. Robert Schleip's current inspirations [52:26]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-27.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Support the Low Back with Tiffany Cruikshank and Jenni Tarma21 Apr 202201:16:13

We have an instinctive understanding of the importance of the spine, especially the weight-bearing structures of the low back. But given that the majority of us will have some experience of low back pain during our lives, perhaps we need a little help figuring out how to best support it during yoga practice and in daily activities.

In this episode, hosts Tiffany and Rachel explore the low back with Yoga Medicine teacher Jenni Tarma. Jenni co-teaches the Yoga Medicine Spine Anatomy, Disfunction, and Application Yoga Teacher Training. As an RRCA endurance coach, CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, and lifelong athlete, she specializes in mobility, movement, and injury prevention. She is also the Founder and Head Coach at Kaari Prehab, a company that provides customized mobility, recovery and injury prevention, and rehab services for athletes and other active people.

Listen in as we unpack the role and resilience of the low back and discuss the prevalence of (and possible contributors to) low back pain. We talk about the impact of posture, the need for both strength and mobility, and offer a wide range of yoga practices that yoga students and teachers can call on to support the low back. Throughout, you'll hear the crucial impact our individual differences and circumstances play in determining which practices are helpful, and which are not.

Show Notes:

  • The role of the low back and the importance of caring for it [3:25]
  • The staggering prevalence of low back pain and its potential causes [6:28]
  • Isolated versus full-body movement practices for low back pain [9:45]
  • Analgesic effects of isometric strength work, even for skilled athletes [13:57]
  • The role of fear in low back pain or dysfunction and a TCM perspective [17:18]
  • The impact of posture on the health of the spine [20:55]
  • Disk loading in different body positions [23:30]
  • "Bad posture" versus "good posture" and acknowledging individual variation [27:27]
  • The importance of thoracic mobility [35:35]
  • Tapping into deep, subtle core support for the low back [36:37]
  • Yoga poses and transitions that require more thought or care [44:55]
  • Opinions on yoga backbends [51:54]
  • Finding the right amount of challenge [57:20]
  • Recruiting the power of the feet and legs to support the low back [1:01:51]
  • More supportive practices: gentle off-loaded movement, myofascial release, slowing down, and more [1:04:14]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-26.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Pelvic Health with Melissa Oleson, DPT, CDNT, INHC14 Apr 202200:45:41

These days we all understand the importance of a strong and supple core, but sometimes forget that the pelvic floor is an integral part of that support system.

Today, we explore pelvic health with guest Melissa Oleson – a doctor of physical therapy and an Integrative Nutritional Health Coach as well as a registered yoga teacher. She is the founder of MSunn Yoga & Wellness, a mobile and virtual concierge physical therapy and wellness practice focused on helping people relieve pain, build strength, and gain mobility.

Melissa became passionate about pelvic health when she found that it was often the "missing link" that enabled her clients to fully recover from niggling injuries. In this episode, she provides a Pelvic Health 101, helping us to better understand pelvic floor function and disfunction. Melissa and host Rachel discuss how the chest, abdomen, and pelvis work together in harmony, and how we can benefit from building trust in our body's inherent capacity to meet the demands that life offers.

Listen in to hear common pelvic health myths and misconceptions busted, why Kegel's aren't a cure-all, and all the ways that pelvic health relates to our overall wellbeing.

Show Notes:

  • Active aging as initial inspiration for a career in physical therapy [2:39]
  • Adding yoga to the picture [4:28]
  • The draw to a speciality in pelvic health [6:21]
  • The challenge of making pelvic health approachable [7:35]
  • Tips for yoga teachers starting out on YouTube [9:03]
  • Pelvic health and the relationship with the core and respiratory diaphragm [11:19]
  • Experiences of pelvic disfunction, including back paining hip pain [13:30]
  • Describing the pelvic floor and its many roles [15:41]
  • The surprising relationship between pelvic health and relaxation [17:24]
  • Favorite releases for the pelvic floor [20:10]
  • The link between the pelvic floor, stress and jaw clenching [21:01]
  • Busting common pelvic floor myths and misconceptions around the core [22:29]
  • Misconceptions around posture and the glutes [27:16]
  • Misconceptions around Kegels [30:31]
  • Favorite practices to connect with pelvic floor engagement [33.20]
  • Misconceptions around the pelvic floor and bladder control [35:34]
  • Thoughts on yoga cues that relate to the pelvic floor [37:23]
  • Upcoming classes on Yoga Medicine Online – including the link between the feet and pelvic floor [40.30]
  • The male pelvic floor [42:35]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-25.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Yoga & Injury, Part 207 Apr 202200:46:53

Last week we opened a conversation about yoga and injury. Tiffany and Rachel talked about the three main phases of healing, common mistakes made during the healing process, and what role therapeutic yoga can play. This week we continue the conversation, with Tiffany and Rachel now focusing on how teachers and students can reduce the potential for yoga injuries.

In this episode, Tiffany and Rachel discuss whether or not to ask about injuries before class, poses and transitions they avoid or approach with caution, and practical tips to create a yoga practice that focuses on variety, curiosity, and resilience.

Listen in to learn why it's important to respect the power and potency of the practice, and how to use it to explore the owner's manual to your own body.

Show Notes:

  • Whether or not to ask students about injuries before class [3:11]
  • Yoga poses and transitions we avoid or approach with caution [6:38]
  • Thoughts on headstand and shoulderstand [9:20]
  • The impact of repetition: Chaturanga and jumping forward or through transitions [12:50]
  • Acute versus chronic injuries [15:24]
  • Top tip to reduce the likelihood of injury [18:32]
  • "Correct" form and "incorrect" form [20:25]
  • Different approaches for injury management in one-on-one versus group classes [23:30]
  • Setting aside the ego [25:27]
  • More suggestions to decrease the potential for yoga injury [28:00]
  • Speaking mindfully: nociceptive or fear-based language [33:44]
  • The therapeutic power of vividly visualizing challenging yoga poses pain-free [37:42]
  • Key take-away points [40:55]
  • Defining therapeutic yoga [44:29]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-24.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Yoga & Injury, Part 131 Mar 202200:46:26

Injuries are, to some extent, inevitable in life. So when injuries do occur, when should we rest and when is the right time to reintroduce challenge? Today we explore this important question in the first of two episodes on the topic of yoga and injury.

In today's episode, Tiffany and Rachel provide context for the conversation by offering some interesting statistics on yoga and injury, then unpack the three phases of connective tissue healing as well as what to bear in mind at each stage of the process.

Listen in as we discuss the importance of appropriate load to encourage injured tissues to heal fully, common mistakes made during the healing process, and the role that therapeutic yoga can play in support of other treatments.

Show Notes:

  • Context on the conversation around yoga and injury [1:39]
  • Interesting statistics on yoga and injuries [4:33]
  • Inflammation, circulation, and the healing process as it relates to fascia [10:31]
  • Three phases of healing: Inflammation, Proliferation, and Remodeling [13:22]
  • The importance of appropriately loading an area to facilitate full healing [16:47]
  • A fine line between insufficient load (and incomplete healing) and overload [19:26]
  • How important is rest after an injury? [20:46]
  • The timeframe of healing [24:59]
  • Common mistakes during the healing process [26:02]
  • The roles of physical therapy and therapeutic yoga in healing [34:43]
  • Instilling accountability in yoga students [41:44]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-23.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Fascia, Hormones & Training with Laura Philipp24 Mar 202200:58:56

Today's guest Laura Philipp is a world-class professional athlete who has won 16 Ironman 70.3 races, 3 Ironman races and boasts the fastest Ironman debut time of all time for any woman. Laura was even invited to and participated in the legendary Hawaii Ironman, placing fourth at her first participation. She also has a very special way of training: she bases her training around her menstrual cycle and female physiology.

In this episode, Laura talks with host Katja Bartsch about the benefits of having a natural menstrual cycle without hormonal interference as well as how she first got interested in menstrual cycle-based training and how she implemented certain changes to her lifestyle and training routines to maximize her performance. The two also discuss the ways that hormones fluctuate, how that can relate to training, and the effects of stress on the menstrual cycle.

Listen in as Laura opens up about the research she says is still missing on hormones and training, why she gets most of her injuries in the second half of her menstrual cycle, and how to see your cycle as a gift to work with.

Show Notes:

  • History of sports science and female physiology [4:05]
  • The motivation behind menstrual cycle-based training [6:10]
  • Tracking and understanding the menstrual cycle [11:01]
  • Surprises with fasted training [12:41]
  • Looking for environmental hormonal disruptors [13:56]
  • Popularity of menstrual cycle-based training [16:14]
  • Breaking down the phases of training around the menstrual cycle [23:14]
  • Training considerations during the first phase of the menstrual cycle [24:41]
  • Ovulation and its effects on fascia, balance, and injury [27:28]
  • Physical effects of the second half of the menstrual cycle [34:45]
  • Nutrition in the second half of the menstrual cycle [39:03]
  • Effects of stress on the menstrual cycle [42:27]
  • Combatting stressors that affect the menstrual cycle [44:35]
  • The future of training based on female physiology [52:55]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-22.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

South Asian Teacher Panel with Rashmi Bismark MD MPH, Ashish Arora, Monisha Bhanote MD FCAP ABOIM and Pooja Virani17 Mar 202201:18:05

In today's episode, we bring together four yoga teachers with personal or family roots in different parts of India to talk about their experiences with yoga, while growing up and now. They offer their unique perspectives on practicing and teaching yoga in the modern context.

Previous podcast guest Rashmi Bismark facilitates the conversation. Rashmi is a U.S.-trained physician, board-certified in both preventative medicine and public health, who blends eastern and western traditions in her medical practice. Ashish Arora was born in Delhi and moved to the U.S. 21 years ago. After a career as an engineer in the computer and video game industry, Ashish now teaches yoga full-time. Monisha Bhanote was born in Punjab and emigrated to the UK, then the U.S., with her family. A quintuple board-certified physician with more than 20 years of experience in health care, she is the founder of the Holistic Wellbeing Collective. Pooja Virani grew up in New York City and relates memorable childhood experiences of attending the Iyengar Institute in Pune with her mother and grandmother. Now based outside of Washington D.C., Pooja is a pain-free movement specialist and social justice consultant, specializing in rehabilitative yoga, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC yoga, and social justice education.

Listen in to learn how our guests define what yoga is (and is not), discuss cultural appropriation versus cultural appreciation, and share their thoughts on how we can all practice yoga with more reverence and respect.

Show Notes:

  • Earliest experiences of yoga, and the central position of philosophy and ceremony [10:26]
  • What is yoga? Eastern vs Western practices [24:00]
  • Common questions: use of the word namaste, and the Sanskrit language [28:11]
  • Perspectives on cultural appropriation in yoga [32:48]
  • Use of the word yogi [39:21]
  • The experience of Indian students in international yoga studios [41:05]
  • Playing music in yoga asana classes [43:45]
  • Statues of deities in yoga studios [47:31]
  • Contrasts between westernized yoga mantra and traditional Indian raga [49:34]
  • The relationship between yoga, religion, and spirituality [58:10]
  • Treating yoga texts with respect [1:07:05]
  • Ways to practice and teach yoga with more mindfulness and respect [1:09:03]
  • Where to from here? More resources [1:16:47]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-21.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Funk'tional Nutrition: Expert Insights with Erin Holt05 Jun 202500:59:28

An estimated 50 million Americans live with an autoimmune disorder, and women are twice as likely to be affected as men. Yet diagnosis and treatment can be challenging when taking a solely Western medical approach.

Today's guest is The Functional Nutritionist, Erin Holt. She has dedicated her life to helping those with autoimmune disorders find their way back to full health, taking a research-based whole-person approach.

In this episode, we discuss the major triggers of autoimmune disorders and the current limitations of Western medicine. Listen to learn the key role a multi-disciplinary team can play, and the power of food as medicine.

—

Show Notes:
  • Erin's personal experience with autoimmune disorder [2:29]
  • Theories on why women are more affected by autoimmune disorders [5:01]
  • Different autoimmune conditions and potential for remission [7:28]
  • Six major triggers of immune disregulation [16:06]
  • Holistic approach to health: working with a multi-disciplinary team [22:00]
  • Three phases of autoimmune disorder [25:43]
  • Key signs of undiagnosed autoimmune disorder [27:32]
  • Challenges with the Western medical approach [34:46]
  • After autoimmune diagnosis: a whole-person approach [39:00]
  • Nutritional support for autoimmune disorder: where to start [44:57]
  • The Wahlz Protocol [47:08]
  • Gluten, dairy, eggs, soy [49:05]
  • Food sensitivity testing vs elimination diets [50:05]
  • Final takeaways and resources from Erin [53:21]

—

Links Mentioned:

Facebook | Instagram | The Funk'tional Nutritionist

You can learn more about this episode and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-137.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Health & Healing with Aisa Locsin10 Mar 202200:56:09

Have you ever stopped to consider what health is or what it truly means to be healthy in the context of your own life? Thanks to the upheaval of the pandemic, plus a recent injury, today's guest Aisa Locsin has been forced to.

Aisa's lifelong love of moving, especially outdoors, lead to her challenging her body in a wide variety of athletic pursuits. She brought the same attitude to her yoga practice and her teaching.

In this episode, she talks with Rachel about the challenges she has faced during the pandemic, including a serious foot injury that forced her to reassess her perception of health and healing in despite years of experience working one-on-one with individuals experiencing joint dysfunction and pain.

In sharing her personal story, Aisa also shares how she was able to turn a difficult time into one of growth, learning through her injury the true power of treating herself and others with deeper compassion. Listen in to learn why movement is medicine, but how slowing down allows us to also learn from moments of stillness and silence.

Show Notes:

  • Aisa's introduction to yoga practice, and opening a studio [3:43]
  • Teaching yoga and Aisa's introduction to Yoga Medicine [10:33]
  • The importance of outdoor movement [16:23]
  • The impact of the pandemic [19:30]
  • An athlete's mindset helps Aisa through the pandemic [24:05]
  • Derailed by injury [32:21]
  • Starting from scratch – a humbling new perspective of healing [38:37]
  • Helping those healing: the value of clear communication and compassion [42:12]
  • Healing the body also asks us to heal the heart and mind [45:33]
  • Learning from nature: healing in your hometown [47:24]
  • Aisa's advice for health and healing [51:20]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-20.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Fascia and Pain03 Mar 202200:56:52

Today Tiffany and Katja take a look at the cutting-edge new topic of fascia and pain. Pain is complex and recent research is showing just how relevant the fascial tissue is when we're looking at pain. In this episode, Katja shares the findings of the latest research on changes in fascia that can contribute to pain.

The pair discuss the difference between pain in the fascia versus pain in muscle tissues and potential causes of fascial pain. They also touch on how other aspects such as the lymphatic system and lifestyle factors relate to inflammation, pain, and the fascial system.

Listen in to learn about the anatomy and physiology of fascia and pain, how it happens, and ways you can potentially intervene.

Show Notes:

  • Why it's important to differentiate pain in fascia versus muscle [3:37]
  • Unpacking delayed onset muscle soreness pain [8:45]
  • The complexity of pain [9:52]
  • Causes of fascial pain [12:49]
  • Macroscopic changes in fascia that can contribute to pain [13:37]
  • Microscopic changes in fascia that can contribute to pain [17:42]
  • Role of innervation in fascial pain [24:38]
  • Innervation of fascia and low back pain [25:18]
  • How innervation changes with inflammation [28:37]
  • Vascular and lymphatic system and their role in inflammation and pain [31:40]
  • Causes of hypersensitivity to pain [35:28]
  • Changes in the tension of the fascial system as it relates to pain [38:48]
  • How psychology and lifestyle may affect inflammation [47:51]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-19.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Optimize Stress to Boost Focus with Eding Mvilongo MScE, MD, FRCPC24 Feb 202200:58:22

Today we are reframing stress with Eding Mvilongo, an Anesthesiologist and Clinical Professor from Montreal Canada. Eding's work is defined by the need to maintain focus under extreme pressure. She understands from both theoretical and practical standpoints which tools and techniques we can employ to help us maintain our attention despite distraction, even under duress.

In this episode, Eding shares her favorite short- and longer-term tools for managing stress and maintaining focus – some of which may surprise you. Rachel and Eding also discuss how attention is linked to the stress response, how the brain allocates attention, and the importance of sleep. Eding also weighs in on the value of Black History Month and her experience of micro-aggressions in the medical world.

Listen in to learn how the right balance of practices around movement, breath, meditation, hydration and sleep can help us optimize our stress levels, and to hear Eding's hopes for the future.

Show Notes:

  • What drew Eding to the study of science and her career in medicine [5:06]
  • Yoga as stress relief and an opportunity to focus purely on herself [8:40]
  • Curiosity leads Eding to yoga teacher training [10.45]
  • What we should know about the pandemic [12:40]
  • An anesthesiologist's experience during COVID-19 [14:44]
  • Focus under pressure – the break down of an anesthesiologist's role [18:10]
  • How the brain allocates attention [21:16]
  • The link between attention and the stress response [25:20]
  • Tips to help focus your attention where you want it [29:35]
  • How REM sleep supports attention by resetting the Locus Coeruleus [32:25]
  • Using yoga practice to manage stress, improve sleep and support attention [33:44]
  • Meditation and mantra – release attachment and expectation to manage stress [37:43]
  • Final suggestions – use self-compassion to capitalize on your reward pathways [43:02]
  • Eding's thoughts on Black History Month [46:57]
  • Hopes for the future – knowledge as power [53:15]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-18.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.
To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Empower Yourself & Your Community with Nicole Calhoun, PhD17 Feb 202200:53:51

If you have ever felt unwelcome, unheard, or disempowered, you will relate to the content of today's conversation between Rachel and Nicole Calhoun, PhD. Nicole has an undergraduate degree in Biology, a PhD in molecular genetics, and years of experience as a post-doctoral researcher, but has pivoted to working as a yoga teacher and studio owner.

After being told she "didn't belong" in a yoga studio, Nicole was inspired to open her own space, becoming the change she wanted to see in her community. She shares her experience with racism in the yoga world and explains why she has decided to put diversity and inclusion in yoga at the forefront of her career.

Listen in as Nicole talks about how she uses a physically challenging yoga practice to support herself and her community and offers concrete actions we can take all address the lack of diversity in yoga.

Show Notes:

  • Defining molecular genetics [4:06]
  • Nicole's early relationship with yoga [8:43]
  • Using a challenging physical yoga practice therapeutically [11:02]
  • What inspired Nicole to teach despite an established career in science [12:09]
  • Feeling "othered" – Nicole's experience with racism in yoga [15:35]
  • Practicing yoga while Black [18:33]
  • Opening her own yoga studio [24:57]
  • Finding the courage to share uncomfortable truths [26:06]
  • Diversity and inclusion in yoga [30:02]
  • A physically demanding yoga practice can teach us how to handle adversity in life [35:02]
  • How Nicole tailors her practice to support strength and confidence [36:56]
  • Committing to diversity & inclusion 365 days a year [40:14]
  • Actions we can take to make yoga more welcoming to all [44:19]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-17.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Improve Your Sleep with Amy Sedgwick, MD, FACEP10 Feb 202201:03:58

Let's dive into the world of sleep and its effects on our physical and mental health. Today's guest, Dr. Amy Sedgwick, is a board-certified and practicing emergency physician and a yoga and meditation teacher – putting her in the perfect position to help us unpack the importance of sleep duration and quality from varied perspectives.

In this episode, Amy and Rachel talk about how she found her calling and how both her colleagues and her patients benefit from healthy stress relief outlets like yoga and meditation. Amy shares tips for falling asleep, staying asleep, and getting high-quality sleep even when your personal life is hectic. She also talks about how to find the tools that work for you and why we should trust our "earth suits" over the latest trends in sleep science.

Listen in to learn the negative effects of poor sleep quality or duration over the long-term, why Amy sleeps in the cold, and ways to honor your natural sleep rhythms.

Show Notes:

  • How Amy found her way to emergency medicine [6:26]
  • Processing the stress and tragedy of emergency medical work [7:52]
  • The Yin & Yang of Amy's yoga journey [9:07]
  • The underrated impact of recovery [11:55]
  • Self-care for health workers [12:37]
  • The call to teach yoga [14:35]
  • Navigating a career in the ER with being a yoga teacher and studio owner [19:02]
  • Effects of insufficient sleep quality or duration over the long-term [24:10]
  • Honoring natural, seasonal rhythms [30:12]
  • Human sleep cycles and REM vs non-REM sleep [31:55]
  • How do we know if we have slept well? [33:13]
  • Tips for better sleep duration and quality [35:45]
  • How alcohol and late meals affect sleep [37:23]
  • Evening wind-down routines, electronics and blue light [39:30]
  • Blue light and sleep – evening vs morning practices [43:24]
  • Morning routines also impact sleep quality and duration [44:13]
  • Tips for people who wake up in the middle of the night [49:20]
  • Mitigating the impact of periods of low sleep quality [53:01]
  • Final thoughts, including sleep trackers [57:57]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-16.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Shifting Persistent Pain with Marnie Hartman, DPT, CSCS03 Feb 202201:12:22

In today's episode, we unpack persistent pain with Marnie Hartman. Marnie has a doctorate in physical therapy and is a certified strength and conditioning coach as well as being a yoga teacher, putting her in a unique position to help us understand pain, particularly lasting or persistent pain, from varied perspectives.

Marnie talks to Rachel about some of the myths and misconceptions around pain. She explains how the experience of pain is an output of the nervous system rather than an input, making it highly individual, and how that knowledge can inform the yoga techniques we use in pain care. She offers a range of suggestions on how we can work with pain in a more caring and compassionate way, whether it's our own or that of others, by harnessing the power of curiosity and playfulness.

Listen in to learn how pain works and how we can work with it.

Show Notes:

  • Marnie's journey from physical therapist to yoga teacher [3:43]
  • Defining pain and common misconceptions about pain [7:26]
  • Is pain a reliable indicator of tissue damage? [11:14]
  • Our tendency to frame pain as an unpleasant experience [13:19]
  • Environmental influences on pain perception [14:45]
  • The relationship between pain and stress, the first and second dart [17:27]
  • Yoga in pain care and the pain mandala model [23:52]
  • The power of simple practices, including listening, when working with someone in pain [30:02]
  • Teasing out the details of the pain experience to shift our neurologic maps [34:21]
  • Body scanning to invite curiosity around sensation, "and this too" [38:49]
  • Other yoga applications for people with persistent pain [42:10]
  • The importance of language in pain care [58:35]

Links Mentioned:

Body IQ PT | LinkedIn | Email | Pain Science Yoga Life | YM Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-15.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Fascia as a Sensory Organ27 Jan 202201:03:40

Today's episode is all about fascia as a sensory organ. Whether you are a healthcare provider, body worker, or yoga teacher, it is so important to have all the information on this issue that we so often disregard. Listen in as Tiffany and Katja talk all about proprioception, take a look at interception and discuss how they relate to the fascial system and yoga practice. 

They explain the recent research on sensory nerves and point out how important is it for the body to be able to collect a really rich picture of what's happening within us. They also talk about how we can stimulate fascial receptors and the varied functions of free nerve endings.

Listen to this episode to learn about the different types of fascial receptors, practical uses of proprioception, and to get an idea about what interoception is about.

Show Notes:

  • Defining exteroception [2:15]
  • What proprioception is [2:40]
  • Describing interoception [3:01]
  • Fascia is our richest sensory organ [4:35]
  • What can happen when our body senses don't work [7:37]
  • Explaining sensory nerves [10:55]
  • Role of Pacini receptors [11:45]
  • Understanding Ruffini endings [14:28]
  • Why it's important to stimulate fascial receptors [17:50]
  • Creating sensory input with MFR [20:33]
  • The complexity of muscle spindles [22:49]
  • Implications of Golgi endings [24:14]
  • Body check-ins as sensory information collection [26:02]
  • The many functions of free nerve endings [28:59]
  • Receptors in superficial fascia [33:51]
  • Sensory "hot spots" in deeper fascial layers [37:05]
  • The importance of the superficial fascia layer [38:53]
  • Recent research on thoracolumbar fascia [39:59]
  • Practical uses of interoception [42:32]
  • Feeling and listening to create body awareness [44:50]
  • The nervous system and the Nobel Prize 2021 [58:08]

Links Mentioned:

Facebook | Instagram | Kalamana Yoga | YM Online Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-14.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Setback to Success with Megan Kearney20 Jan 202200:52:34

Most of us will run into unexpected setbacks in life. Today's guest Megan Kearney knows plenty about using those situations as opportunities to learn and grow stronger. An admitted type-a personality and "recovering triathlete", Megan has been in the health and wellness industry for more than 20 years. She is a Yoga Medicine therapeutic specialist with additional trainings in mental health and traumatic brain injury resilience and iRest Yoga Nidra.

When COVID-19 hit, Megan's previously successful yoga studios closed, and her marriage ended. In this episode, she talks with Rachel Land about turning these, and other, setbacks into success by practicing relentless realistic optimism. She also talks about the importance of self-care rituals, movement, getting outdoors, gratitude, relationships, journalling, therapy, and other practical ways to make space to feel and process both good and bad experiences until we feel ready to move on.

Listen in to learn how to pull yourself out of 'the suck', and how to turn what we learn in that struggle into the source of our future success.

Show Notes:

  • Megan's journey to yoga starts with meditation [4:13]
  • From Bikram yoga, through sports injuries, to yoga as a source of healing [6:29]
  • The transition from practicing to teaching yoga [14:32]
  • Opening two yoga studios [18:29]
  • The professional and personal impact of the pandemic [19:58]
  • Key self care techniques to create space to feel in times of crisis [23:08] and [31:51]
  • The power of gratitude and 'Five Things Friday' [33:05]
  • The importance of connection and relationship and Megan's 'Areas of Inquiry' [35:40]
  • Journalling, therapy and movement in nature to help us process our experiences and shift perspective [39:09]
  • Megan's Yoga Rx program and honest consideration of readiness to change [42:56]
  • Final thoughts for anyone currently in 'the suck' [48:43]

Links Mentioned:

LinkedIn | Instagram | Pinterest | Reset With Megan | YM Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.yogamedicine.com/podcast-13.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.yogamedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Hip Mobility, How much is Enough?13 Jan 202201:03:02

Hip mobility is a hot topic on social media and in the movement world, seeming to generate strong opinions as to whether extreme range of motion is good or bad for us. So in today's episode, Tiffany and Rachel unpack what is considered "normal" range of motion for the hip joint and its application in daily activities. They discuss the potential implications of significant limitations in hip mobility, as well as those of extreme mobility. They cover the difference between muscle tension and bony end range, and explore the roles of passive versus active range of motion.

Listen in to hear how gaining neurologic control of your mobility, and perhaps even losing some of your end range, could help you feel better in your body, and the value of viewing hip mobility not as an end goal, but through the context of how you would like your hips to function in a yoga context and beyond.

Show Notes:

  • What is considered "normal" range of motion in hip flexion [3:15]
  • Functional range of motion will differ for each of us [8:10]
  • Implications of significant limitations in hip flexion [8:43]
  • "Normal" range of motion in hip extension [11.02]
  • The role of individual bony structure in range of motion [13:11]
  • Hip extension in daily life, and implications of significant limitations in hip extension [13:51]
  • Extreme hip range of motion after hip replacement [15:33]
  • Hip abduction [16:45]
  • Hip adduction [18:19]
  • Stability is key for the IT band, the Yin & Yang of yoga and running [18:51]
  • Hip external rotation [23:06]
  • How our fascia adapts to repeated loading; implications for mobility [25:20]
  • Hip internal rotation [28:01]
  • Differentiating bony limitations from muscle tension at end range [29:06]
  • Control over our mobility: passive versus active range of motion [31:13]
  • Active range of motion and improved neurologic control, and the value of cross-training [35:14]
  • Implications of big gaps between active and passive range [36:47]
  • Can there be value in decreasing our passive range of motion? [40:42]
  • Assessing hip mobility in the context of the demands of our individual lives [47:01]
  • Suggestions from research on extremes in hip range of motion [53:50]
  • Conclusions and take-away points [56:47]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-12.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Motivation & Identity with Kirsten Beverley-Waters06 Jan 202201:03:10

When was the last time you asked yourself: what do I truly want? Today we are talking about motivation and identity with someone who asks themselves that question multiple times a day. Author, yoga teacher, and fitness coach Kirsten Beverley-Waters holds a B.S. from Kent State University along with multiple qualifications from the American College of Sports Medicine, CrossFit, and Precision Nutrition.

No stranger to struggle, Kirsten teaches movement through the lens of mental wellness, setting her clients up for success when facing the inevitable challenges of life. In this episode Kirsten shares that, to keep up motivation in the long term, we need to choose goals that speak to us personally then find joy in the repetition of the little things that get us closer to our goals. She talks with Rachel about her plans to break a world record in 2022 in support of The Trevor Project and LGBTQ youth, and the importance of all of us understanding our own identity in order to show up more authentically in our lives.

Listen in to learn how to choose goals that excite and inspire, how to manage unavoidable ebbs and flows in motivation, and the importance of making friends with struggle.

Show Notes:

  • What inspired Kirsten's interest in sports performance and coaching [3:18]
  • Running as an escape from early struggles [5:46]
  • Beginning yoga practice during cancer treatment [9:17]
  • Accepting the call to teach yoga [12:13]
  • Kirsten's world record goal for 2022, supporting the Trevor Project and LGBTQ youth [14:07]
  • Finding life goals that inspire and excite us [21:40]
  • Journalling as a tool to help us clarify our thoughts and intentions [26:51]
  • How to keep showing up once we've chosen a goal [29:49]
  • The power of repetition [32:30]
  • Reframing struggle [36:10]
  • Lessons from strength training: failure as a prompt for growth [41:05]
  • More tips to sustain motivation longterm [44:19]
  • The importance of rest and recovery [46:45]
  • Why consideration of personal identity is important for all of us to show up authentically [52:28]

Links Mentioned:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | K B Waters | YM Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-11.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Yoga Nidra: Community Conversations with Caroline Wybar22 May 202500:55:45

Most of us have heard of, and even practiced, Yoga Nidra. But it holds a certain mystique that means we might not know as much about it as we think.

Today, host Rachel dives into this topic with returning guest and 1000-hr Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist Caroline Wybar. Caroline unpacks some of the misconceptions around Yoga Nidra and offers her tips for both students and teachers of this guided relaxation practice.

Listen in for more on Caroline's upcoming Online Yoga Nidra Teacher Training, to learn about relaxation-induced anxiety and hear tips for staying awake during Yoga Nidra… if you want to!

—

Show Notes:
  • Is Yoga Nidra an ancient practice? [2:58]
  • Does "authentic" Yoga Nidra require a set sequence of techniques? [8:13]
  • Can Yoga Nidra replace sleep? [12:09]
  • Must Yoga Nidra be done in Savasana? [14:59]
  • Can Yoga Nidra cultivate Delta brain waves? [17:06]
  • Yoga Nidra frees us from the pressures of time [20:47]
  • How Caroline found her way to Yoga Nidra [28:03]
  • Challenges for Yoga Nidra students [34:34]
  • Who is Yoga Nidra for, and not for? [38:31]
  • Teaching Yoga Nidra: script or no script? [42:06]
  • Teaching Yoga Nidra: leaving space for silence [49:03]
  • Upcoming Yoga Medicine Yoga Nidra training live online [50:32]

—

Links Mentioned:

Facebook | Instagram | Caroline Wybar Yoga | Yoga Medicine® Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-136.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Navigating Change & Transformation with MacKenzie Kozlowski (Miller)27 Dec 202101:00:48

Today Rachel Land talks with MacKenzie Kozlowski (Miller) about the challenging, sometimes uncomfortable, business of navigating change and transformation -- which MacKenzie knows plenty about.

She was a personal trainer and group exercise instructor before discovering yoga and training to become a teacher. Soon afterward she was living the "yoga Influencer" life, rapidly building a career and teaching all over the world.

You may be familiar with MacKenzie from her social media profile, but in this deeply personal conversation you'll hear how meeting her husband, moving from LA to rural Canada, and becoming a mother changed her trajectory completely. MacKenzie found herself grappling with all the shifts in her personal and professional life.

Listen in to hear MacKenzie share how she began the journey to redefine herself in this new light, and what tools and techniques have helped her do so with kindness and clarity.

Show Notes:

  • MacKenzie's introduction to yoga and her evolving practice [3:41]
  • Growing an engaged social media following [9:33]
  • An unexpected shift in MacKenzie's career trajectory [14:37]
  • The pressure to keep up with social media expectations [19:24]
  • A lesson in letting go of control: MacKenzie's first pregnancy and delivery [21:21]
  • Motherhood and MacKenzie's changing identity [31:15]
  • Allowing time and space for refection is key for clarity in times of change [37:51]
  • Pregnancy and childbirth during a global pandemic [43:00]
  • How speaking or journalling your fears can decrease their power over you [44:11]
  • MacKenzie's relationship with social media now and decisions around including her children [46:28]
  • The importance of kindness and compassion when rekindling a workout routine [51:35]
  • MacKenzie's advice on navigating life change [56:13]

Links Mentioned:

  • Watch this episode on YouTube
  • Connect with MacKenzie Kozlowski:

YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | MacKenzie Yoga

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-10.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Ready to Research with Katja Bartsch, Part 216 Dec 202100:39:13

Today we are continuing our discussion on research. In the first half of this interview, Katja and Tiffany discuss why research is so valuable, where to look for the good stuff, and how to filter through this information with a critical eye.

In this episode, we talk about some common issues with certain types of research, the current gaps in the yoga research that's being done, and what the future holds for research.

Listen in to learn about the features to look for in high-quality research, tips for getting started with finding the right research information to support your practice, and some of the ways that yoga teachers can safely point to research for their students.

Show Notes:

  • Challenges with randomized control trials [1:26]
  • What is missing from yoga research [3:02]
  • What is filtered research [4:08]
  • How systematic reviews and meta-analyses work [4:25]
  • Types of studies outside of the evidence pyramid [9:24]
  • Features of a high-quality study [11:02]
  • Aspects of interventions in yoga research [13:42]
  • How many participants are needed for a good yoga research study [15:56]
  • The future of Yoga Medicine research [19:47]
  • Tips for starting out finding the right research study for you [23:19]
  • Ways yoga teachers can safely cite research [32:26]

Links Mentioned:

Facebook | Instagram | Kalamana Yoga | YM Online Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-09.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Ready to Research with Katja Bartsch, Part 109 Dec 202100:44:37

Today we are diving into the many reasons research is important both for clinicians and yoga teachers -- and we are very happy to have Katja Bartsch back with us to do it. Katja also joined us for our recent episodes on the Placebo Effect and she focuses a lot of her energy on doing her own research and combing through the research that others are doing on the topic of yoga.

There is a lot of research currently being done that relates to the yoga world, but how do we sift through and find high-quality research? How can we analyze it and apply it to our own lives? In this episode, Katja and Tiffany talk about how to evaluate research and apply a critical lens to find high quality research.

They'll talk on the limitations of specific types of research and discuss the strengths & limitations of different types of studies. They also talk about the way that information application is evolving with time and how to make the most of the research we do by blending it with all that we've learned through our own experiences.

Listen in as Katja and Tiffany discuss why research is so valuable, where to look for the good stuff, and how to filter through this information with a critical eye.

Show Notes:

  • Why it is so important to consider research [4:04]
  • Research limitations [6:57]
  • Sources for good quality research [12:02]
  • Pros of using PubMed [13:50]
  • The importance of peer-review in articles [15:07]
  • How to know if an article has been peer reviewed [16:45]
  • What are the components of a typical study [21:17]
  • What is a case study [28:54]
  • What is a cohort study [32:04]
  • Benefits of cohort studies [36:58]
  • Important aspects of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) [38:10]
  • How to do a double-blind test [42:42]

Links Mentioned:

Facebook | Instagram | Kalamana Yoga | YM Online Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-08.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

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