The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
208: Four Years of Podcasting with Shannon Crow
Description:
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast is celebrating its fourth anniversary! In this special episode, host Shannon Crow answers questions inspired by listeners and members of The Connected Yoga Teacher community.
Shannon opens up about her inspiration for starting the podcast and what her journey has been like through the years of podcasting. She also shares a behind-the-scenes look at getting sponsorship for the podcast, and her advice on how to handle companies who approaching you with sponsorship offers. Shannon gets really vulnerable and shares some of the mistakes she made along the way, her thoughts on the community of Connected Yoga Teachers, and gives us a sneak preview of some projects she has in the pipeline.
For anyone who’s wanted to get a glimpse behind the curtain of The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast, this is the episode for you.
Key Takeaways:
[1:20] The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast is celebrating its fourth anniversary!
[2:52] Shannon gives a shout out to the sponsor of the podcast - Schedulicity.
[4:33] Shannon thanks YOU for listening to the podcast!
[6:40] Shannon reflects on the previous podcast anniversary episode.
[9:39] If you still have questions for Shannon, send her a voicemail!
[10:12] How did Shannon decide to start podcasting, and what was her journey to starting a podcast?
[13:32] Shannon talks about her experiences in niching down, choosing a specialty and moving online.
[19:50] There have been some huge challenges that have come up in Shannon's business recently.
[21:33] How did Shannon get a sponsor for the podcast?
[29:06] Shannon has some tips about if you're getting approached to get sponsored.
[34:48] Think about also highlighting your own paid offerings when putting out free content.
[35:42] What are some of the mistakes that Shannon has made?
[39:16] What is Shannon's underlying "big Why" for starting the podcast and Facebook group?
[44:19] What's next for Shannon?
[50:55] Shannon shares some of her final thoughts and reflections on yoga today.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity.
Quotes from this episode:
"I wanted yoga teachers to see that collaborating together, supporting each other as professionals could really bring us all forward." - Shannon Crow
"How can you create the blue ocean for yourself?" - Shannon Crow
"If you start focusing on what you're really interested in, what you're really good at, and what people are really asking you for, it will evolve. Your niche will come out of that!" - Shannon Crow
"If you want to create yoga offerings for a population that cannot pay, look for a company that can." - Shannon Crow
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
207: Biopsychosocial Model & Yoga with Carolyn Vandyken
Description:
Many people come to yoga to seek relief for a specific pain or to regain strength and mobility after recovering from an injury. The biopsychosocial model of care is a great way to look at how we’re using yoga to help our students. By adopting a whole-person approach to health and wellness, the biopsychosocial framework gives us a more holistic approach in regard to pain, function and movement. Carolyn Vandyken, expert in the biopsychosocial model, shares more about what the model is and how it applies to yoga.
Carolyn Vandyken is one of the Co-Founders of Reframe Rehab. She has practiced in orthopaedics and pelvic health for the past 33 years, and has been heavily involved in post-graduate pelvic health education, and research in lumbopelvic pain. She speaks at numerous international conferences and has written extensively on the topics of pelvic health, orthopaedics and pain science for the past twelve years. Carolyn’s mission in her practice is to break down the silos in clinical practice between musculoskeletal pain, pelvic pain, pain neuroscience education, and psychology by providing learning opportunities from the world's leading clinical educators on these topics.
Why do we need to understand the science of pain, and how can we use this understanding to better help our yoga students? Carolyn breaks down some of the elements of the science of pain, and the best steps for yoga teachers to take when a student approaches with a specific pain. Shannon and Carolyn also discuss the language we use related to pain, and how to look for other specialized healthcare professionals who can help support students who are coming to us with pain and injuries.
Key Takeaways:
[16:26] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode Carolyn Vandyken.
[17:52] What is the biopsychosocial framework?
[19:41] We don't often consider the social aspect of things. Carolyn and Shannon discuss how COVID-19 has made more people consider the importance of social factors in wellbeing.
[20:18] What is the work that Carolyn does and how did she get started in this area?
[26:31] Pain is all in the brain, but how can we communicate that without coming across as saying "it's all in your head"? Carolyn explains more about the science of pain.
[34:31] What are some things that yoga teachers can do to help a student who approaches them with pain?
[38:45] Shannon often refers people to PTs or physiotherapists for persistent pain. How does she manage that?
[42:15] Asking questions is a powerful tool to help people look inward and reflect on what can help their pain.
[46:05] Why does Carolyn recommend yoga and taichi for people with persistent pain?
[53:55] How can language and messaging influence the pain experience?
[1:00:02] Carolyn shares some additional perspectives for yoga teachers around the biopsychosocial framework and pain.
[1:05:29] If you have been dealing with persistent pain, Carolyn has some tips for you.
[1:09:24] Find out more about Carolyn's work and how to work with her via her website, where you can also sign up for courses.
[1:14:09] Shannon shares her key takeaways from this interview.
Links:
Related Podcast Episodes:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Pelvic Health Professionals.
Quotes from this episode:
"Pain is an output of the brain, so if it's an output of the brain we have to consider all the potential inputs if we're going to help our clients change that experience." - Carolyn
"The social isolation of COVID for a lot of people has been a real challenge." - Carolyn
"Really, our bodies heal themselves." - Carolyn
"Pain is a brain thing. The brain creates pain to protect us." - Carolyn
"Everybody's pain is real. ... Pain is always personal." - Carolyn
"Pain is sensory and emotional." - Carolyn
"We can't just look at tissue health when we consider pain, we have to look much broader at everything that is going on in that person's life." - Carolyn
"1 in 4 people, after they have an acute injury, even though the tissues have healed, go on to have persistent pain." - Carolyn
"The more variability we have in our mapping options, the less likely we are to have pain." - Carolyn
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
206: Get More Private Yoga Clients with Megan Spears
Description:
A common question among yoga teachers is “How can I get more private yoga clients?”. Many of us feel like we lack the confidence and knowledge to teach private yoga, but that shouldn’t stop us from diving in. In this episode, Megan Spears shares how she felt the same, but eventually took the plunge and grew her private yoga business from 0 students to 15 per week.
Megan Spears is a Private Yoga and Movement Coach based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Megan began practicing yoga in 2005, and teaching in 2014. In addition to the E-RYT 500hr Yoga Teacher Training, Megan is also trained in Trauma Informed Yoga Therapy, Functional Yoga, Radiance Sutras Meditation, and other specializations. She is currently pursuing a Bachelors in Health Promotion and Exercise Science at Oklahoma State University. Megan describes her mission as empowering athletes, yoga beginners, and those recovering from an injury to be strong in their practice, and she focuses on helping co-create a practice with her clients that truly fits and enhances their lifestyle.
Despite having the same fears and mindset issues around teaching private yoga when she first started, Megan decided to push ahead with 1:1 sessions. She shares how she gained the confidence and knowledge to teach 1:1, and how she transitioned from group classes to private yoga. Megan also reveals her strategy for dealing with no-shows and cancellations for private bookings, as well as her unique marketing strategy to get new private clients, while looking after her existing clients.
If you have been thinking about shifting to teaching private yoga, or are just wondering what you can do to get more new private clients, this is a great episode.
Key Takeaways:
[9:15] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Megan Spears.
[11:07] What does Megan do and who does she do it for?
[11:50] When did Megan make the switch from teaching group classes to 1:1 sessions?
[13:50] Why did Megan feel unprepared to teach 1:1 yoga and what helped her prepare?
[16:20] What is different about teaching private yoga compared to group classes?
[17:22] How did Megan go from one private client a week to 15?
[19:40] What does Megan's yoga offering look like now?
[21:19] How does Megan deal with people who do one private session with her and never follow up?
[22:35] Does Megan do in-person or online classes? What was it like before COVID?
[23:25] How does Megan deal with teaching online?
[28:40] What is Megan's process with new clients?
[31:08] How does Megan remember to do follow ups with her students?
[32:15] The doors are open to Pelvic Health Professionals!
[32:54] What makes Megan's 1:1 sessions unique?
[34:30] Megan explains a bit more about how she shares content with her audience.
[36:16] Does Megan do postural analysis with her clients?
[38:55] When transitioning from group classes to private, how did Megan deal with the pushback from students who either don't want to do private or don't want to pay?
[40:47] How does Megan deal with mindset issues around charging more for private yoga sessions?
[44:09] A listener asks - I get a lot of inquiry about private yoga but nobody has actually followed through with it. I have also had some last minute cancellations or no-shows. How do you deal with this?
[46:33] What is Megan's cancellation policy?
[47:53] The videos that Megan shares on her social media is what prompts some people to reach out to her. Megan talks about her current marketing strategy.
[51:38] What was Megan's marketing plan when she was building her private yoga business?
[52:55] How often does Megan email her list?
[54:26] What does Megan suggest to yoga teachers who are thinking about bringing in more 1:1 students?
[56:03] Many yoga teachers may think they don't have all the answers for their students when teaching 1:1. What is Megan's response to that?
[58:05] Find out more about Megan and her work via her website, email or Instagram.
[59:17] Shannon shares some of her key takeaways from this interview.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and The Sukhasana Chair (Code: TCYT10).
Quotes from this episode:
"There's more conversation and more adaptation within a private session." - Megan
"Because I made it known that I was a private yoga teacher and that I was taking on private clients, ... I could be top of mind." - Megan
"Generally speaking, I would say the first session is maybe 1/3 conversational intake, the second third movement, and then questions." - Megan
"A really helpful part of being an individual or private yoga teacher is creating content for the client that relays something that they learned in the session, and that content can be shared widely." - Megan
"I continued to teach a variety of group classes while hosting my private students as well so that there were options for people." - Megan
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
205: Tech Guide for Online Yoga with Dominique Gauthier
Description:
The pandemic has forced all of us to adapt and change how we share yoga with our students, and for many of us, that has been a shift to teaching yoga online. Figuring out the tech and equipment to teach online has been a steep learning curve for many of us. In this episode, Dominique Gauthier shares some of her tips and tricks for sharing yoga online.
Dominique Gauthier is a personal trainer and yoga teacher, as well as the Founder of Body Mind Fitness. She is a core and pelvic floor specialist who works with clients to provide specialized training to manage and prevent symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction, improve overall pelvic health and allow them to lead an active lifestyle. Dominique’s passion is helping women build and reclaim their strength and confidence from the inside out with movement, education and a body positive sustainable approach.
Shifting to teaching online can be pretty overwhelming, particularly if you’re not “tech-inclined”. Dominique opens up about the challenges she faced as a teacher and some of the struggles of her students in getting set up for online yoga, and shares the things she learned along the way. Dominique has also figured out how to stream her classes to Zoom and YouTube at the time, and if you have to teach hybrid classes (a mix of online and in-person classes) - Dominique also has some strategies to create the best experience for your students.
If you have been looking for ways to streamline your tech for teaching yoga online, or are looking for some tips on how to manage hybrid classes, this episode is for you.
Key Takeaways:
[8:39] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Dominique Gauthier.
[10:01] What has Dominique's experience in the Pelvic Health Professionals membership been like?
[13:16] Dominique shares how challenged she felt with having to teach yoga both online and in-person at the same time, with additional restrictions for COVID-19.
[15:36] What has Dominique's set up with for her tech to teach online?
[17:36] Dominique shares some of her initial struggles with uploading videos to YouTube and the burnout she experienced.
[21:38] Dominique highlights her priorities when teaching online.
[23:48] How did Dominique adapt when people started returning to in-person classes and she had to teach hybrid sessions?
[28:23] Use what you have first!
[29:20] Dominique highlights some considerations to keep in mind when purchasing a camera.
[32:57] Dominique summarizes her tech set up.
[35:49] How does Dominique care for her Zoom students so they don't feel left out in hybrid classes?
[38:01] Dominique shares some words of encouragement.
[42:10] Check out Dominique's website for some inspiration.
[43:11] How did Dominique ease her students into using Zoom?
[44:26] When given a choice between in-person and Zoom sessions, what were most of Dominique's students picking?
[45:39] What is Dominique working on adding to her tech for teaching yoga online?
[46:53] Shannon shares her key takeaways from this interview with Dominique.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity.
Quotes from this episode:
"Online isn't going anywhere. I don't think ever." - Dominique
"I have cried so much during these learning curves." - Dominique
"Use what you have first! Try that as much as you possibly can before you go out and purchase something." - Shannon
"We are our own toughest critics... but our clients, our students are so forgiving." - Dominique
"If you're going to get into online teaching, now's the time to do it." - Dominique