The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 141: Let's Talk Money with Katie Brauer
Description:
Part of being an entrepreneur and business owner is dealing with our money mindset. Money is an essential part of our business, and whether you love it or you hate it, you need to embrace it and cultivate that relationship. Even after years of being in business, our mindset work around money never really ends. Katie Brauer has some insights on the topic.
Katie Brauer is an international yoga educator, high performance coach, former professional snowboarder, and mentor at the intersection of yoga and entrepreneurship. She has been described as a “power house yogi and rising leader” by Forbes, and is the creator of The Yoga Professional Incubator® , an online business and personal growth incubator for yoga teachers. Today, Katie helps people transform their businesses, their relationships and their lives through coaching, group programs and retreats.
How do we even begin to open up the money conversation? It’s a topic that many people find uncomfortable, not just yoga teachers, and Katie shares some of the blocks that we have around money mindset. She explains how a money buddy can be helpful to unpacking your relationship with money, and what it means to be in relationship with our money. Katie has some unique perspectives about the flow of money, and share tips for something we all struggle with - raising our rates, and doing it even when it feels scary.
This is such an important topic for all of us to think about. If you’ve ever hesitated to raise your rates, or felt uncomfortable with your relationship with money, this episode is a great starting point to change that.
Key Takeaways:
[5:50] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Katie Brauer
[6:54] Where did Katie's yoga journey begin?
[7:43] What shifted in Katie's mind that made her become a yoga teacher?
[9:46] How did Katie start to dig into becoming comfortable with talking about money as a yoga teacher and a consultant for yoga teachers?
[12:13] What are some of the hurdles that yoga teachers face around their money mindset?
[14:04] Who should we choose to be our money buddy? Katie shares more about who we should pick, and how to approach looking at our relationship with money.
[17:49] What are some of the strategies that have produced the biggest shift in Katie's relationship with money?
[20:54] How does Katie approach looking for the flow of money in her life?
[23:01] Katie segues into talking about how yoga teachers can use this method to find the right pricing for them.
[26:41] Yoga teachers often lean towards undercharging. What are Katie's tips for addressing that?
[30:03] Shannon shares an anecdote of what happened when she decided to try raising her rates for a course she offers.
[33:41] Yoga teachers often say they feel bad that they're making yoga inaccessible to those who can't afford it by raising their rates. What is Katie's response to that?
[41:20] What are some other practices Katie recommends to shift your mindset around money?
[45:43] Opening up the conversation and listening to what others have to say on the topic of money can be just as important.
[48:55] Being spiritual and having money are not at odds with each other.
[52:40] It is a myth that yoga teachers cannot make money.
[54:21] Get in touch with Katie via her website, and leaves us with a challenge - what's the one thing you could do today to enhance your life and business?
[56:18] Katie shares a unique location to teach yoga.
[1:01:08] Shannon shares her biggest takeaways from this interview, and would love to hear your thoughts too!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Mama Nurture.
Quotes from this episode:
"I think the first thing is a willingness to talk about it, because it's just so uncomfortable for the majority of people on the planet, not just yoga teachers."
"There's so much shame that goes along with money, and it doesn't have to be."
"You're in a relationship with your money."
"I find when I just get quiet, the answer is there."
"There's people on my list, and your list, and for yoga teachers listening, in your orbit that are just waiting for the right thing that speaks to them."
"I think that is a total myth, that people can't be spiritual and have money."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 140: Plan Your Yoga Workshop with Shannon Crow
Description:
So you want to plan a workshop, but where do you begin? Before you get into the nitty gritty details of what yoga poses you are going to be teaching, or what music you will be playing, or when you’ll be taking a break, there are some things to think about.
Based on the questions yoga teachers have asked Shannon, both privately and in The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Group, this is something a lot of people need help with. In this episode, Shannon shares her 7 key things to think about when it comes to planning a workshop.
From figuring out your target audience, tips on marketing, strategies for how to brainstorm main topics for your workshop, Shannon shares her process of how she approaches creating and planning a workshop. She even tackles some mindset blocks you may have when it comes to pricing your workshop appropriately!
If you have never planned a workshop before or you want to hear about the framework that Shannon loves to use for workshops, this is the episode you need to listen to.
Key Takeaways:
[:57] This episode is all about planning a workshop.
[4:36] The first thing you need to decide is The One Thing. What is the one thing you would like your attendees to walk away with?
[9:01] The second thing to consider is who the workshop is for. Don't be afraid to niche down on this!
[12:46] When would you like to do this workshop? Remember - you need to give yourself enough time to plan and market it!
[15:43] Shannon explains how reverse engineering your time can help with the planning stage.
[19:01] Shannon has some tips on marketing your workshop and getting the word out.
[20:49] The next step is to think about pricing.
[25:12] Shannon shares a personal example on getting clarity on your pricing.
[30:07] Time for the "sticky note plan" for the main topics! Shannon breaks down what this means.
[33:42] Next, comes naming and marketing your workshop.
[35:47] Shannon uses more sticky notes for this part of the process - figuring out the attendance.
[37:12] Shannon wants to hear about the workshops you are offering in your community or thinking about offering.
Links:
Episodes on Money and Pricing:
Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity and MamaNurture
Quotes from this episode:
"What is the one thing you would like your attendees to walk away with?"
"What I'd love for you to offer to people who attend your workshop is that they walk away feeling like they have something tangible."
"Don't be afraid to niche down!"
"The important piece that a lot of yoga teachers will miss is ... the piece about telling people about your workshop."
"Oftentimes, the value of what we're offering is way beyond what we're charging."
"Clarity is better than being clever, especially when it comes to names."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 139: Grow Your Yoga Business via Email with Tarzan Kay
Description:
What do emails have to do with increasing your income as a yoga teacher? With the right strategy, it can be an amazing tool to connect with your yoga students in your community or online, increase your number of clients, or promote a launch of a new offering. Tarzan Kay shares her expert insight on just how you can do this.
Tarzan Kay is a launch strategist and copywriter who has gone years of hustling for clients at $35/hour, to a rock star client list and a $1,500 hourly rate. She works with clients such as Amy Porterfield, Jasmine Star and Marie Forleo, and was featured in Forbes Magazine. She focuses on helping people make money doing what they love by writing powerful email and website copy that converts readers into clients.
Email can be a powerful marketing tool if you know how to harness it. Tarzan shares how to write emails that don’t feel salesy, how long your emails should be, how often you should be sending emails, and whether you should just hire someone else to write all of your copy.
Whether you’ve already been using emails to reach new students or this is the first time you’re thinking about how to grow your yoga business via email, there are some great tips in this interview.
Key Takeaways:
[5:17] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Tarzan Kay.
[6:56] How did Tarzan become a launch strategist? She explains the work that she does and who she does it for.
[10:56] What are some of Tarzan's tips for raising your rates?
[15:13] Tarzan raised her rates from $35/ hour to $1,500/ hour. She reveals some of the packages she offers clients and how it might apply to yoga teachers.
[23:21] Why is it important for yoga teachers to be emailing their students?
[26:28] How should yoga teachers be writing emails so that they don't feel salesy?
[29:10] What are some resources Tarzan recommends to break through the mental block of not wanting to sell?
[30:22] How often should people be emailing their list?
[33:50] One email, one job - Tarzan explains how this applies to your emails.
[36:48] Tarzan explains what inspired her to create her Legendary event.
[38:56] One of the things yoga teachers say holds them back from writing emails is that they're not feeling creative. Tarzan has a response to that.
[40:36] How long should an email be?
[42:11] Should you hire someone to write your copy for you?
[44:11] What is your brand voice and how do you develop that?
[47:00] What are some of Tarzan's tips for bringing in new clients through email?
[49:33] Tarzan doesn't create free content all the time. She explains how her strategy works.
[57:47] What is Tarzan's recommendation for building up to a launch?
[1:00:46] Tarzan has some final bits of advice around sending emails.
[1:02:10] Find out more about Tarzan at her website and check out her free quiz too.
[1:03:44] Shannon shares her key takeaways from this episode. What were yours?
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity and MamaNurture
Quotes from this episode:
"When someone's not paying you very much, they aren't that invested in showing up and doing the work."
"You're really selling yourself short if you think as a yoga teacher, all you have to offer is guiding people through a series of poses."
"You have to create the vision for them, when you're selling a package."
"What's more important is creating a package and a vision for people that you can put a healthy price tag on."
"Email is where you can develop your know-like-and-trust factor if you just show up there more consistently."
"I don't think that your business can grow beyond yourself. You have to work on your own personal expansion in tandem with the expansion of your business."
"You really need to take the time to figure out your own voice."
"The important thing is that you write [emails] and you send them and what you think is not good, someone else might think is the greatest thing they've ever read."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 138: Accessible Yoga Beyond Asana with Jivana Heyman
Description:
What does it mean to make yoga accessible to everyone? Yoga goes beyond just asana, so what does it really mean? Jivana Heyman is one of the frontrunners of changing the thinking around yoga, and making the whole of yoga accessible to everyone.
Jivana Heyman is the Founder and Director of Accessible Yoga, an international non-profit organization dedicated to increasing access to yoga teachings through education, training and advocacy with the mission of shifting the public perception of yoga. Over ten years ago, he coined the term “accessible yoga”, and since then, it has gained traction and is impacting the larger yoga world. As a yoga teacher, Jivana has specialized in teaching yoga to people with disabilities with an emphasis on community building and social engagement and has led countless yoga teacher training programs around the world over the past 25 years.
At its core, Accessible Yoga is about highlighting the amazing work people are doing and creating new connections and community. Jivana shares more about how we can make yoga more accessible, on the level of individual classes, trainings, and in yoga culture in general. He also reveals some of the content of his new book Accessible Yoga: Poses and Practices for Every Body, to be released in November 2019. Jivana also reveals why collaboration and creativity are an important part of making yoga accessible to all.
This is such an important topic for all yoga teachers who want to share yoga with everybody, and this episode will inspire you to see making yoga accessible to all in a new light.
Key Takeaways:
[5:19] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Jivana Heyman.
[7:13] What does Jivana do and who does he do it for?
[8:52] What are some aspects in which Jivana sees that yoga is not accessible to all people?
[11:21] Accessible Yoga is about highlighting the amazing work people are doing and creating new connections and community.
[13:00] Jivana shares his personal experience of how yoga impacted him in a way that saved his life.
[15:48] Jivana has a new book coming out in November 2019. He talks about the inspiration for the book and what it covers.
[20:37] At the heart of Jivana's work is making the whole of yoga, beyond just asana, accessible to everyone. He gives an example of this.
[22:29] How does Jivana illustrate and make the rest of the 8 limbs (apart from asana) accessible in his book?
[24:29] What are some of the messages Jivana is trying to get through to yoga teachers?
[27:35] Two main aspects Jivana focuses on during his trainings for teachers are creativity and collaboration. He explains how creativity factors to teaching yoga.
[33:15] How does collaboration factor into making yoga more accessible?
[40:37] How long has Jivana been doing his work with the Accessible Yoga organization?
[42:31] Jivana speaks about his vision for Accessible Yoga and how that has revealed itself to him over time.
[45:10] What is the yoga world, and what is its relationship to the rest of the world?
[46:09] Jivana has recently changed his social media strategy. He explains what prompted this change.
[49:52] Accessibility often starts with finances. Why does Jivana believe that?
[53:07] What were some things that came up as Jivana was writing his book? Shannon and Jivana discuss the ego.
[1:03:27] Jivana shares some of his final pieces of advice.
[1:04:35] Get in touch with Jivana via his website, and be sure to follow him on social media.
[1:05:42] What does accessible yoga mean to you?
[1:07:36] Shannon gives us a sneak preview of what's coming up next week on the podcast!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and MamaNurture
Quotes from this episode:
"The work of Accessible Yoga is to highlight the incredible work that's out there, not really creating something new."
"That's a big piece of our work too, really trying to create new connections and community where there really hasn't been one."
"At the heart of my work is not really asana, but actually the whole of yoga and really thinking differently."
"I think that people are doing the best they can with what they have, and I appreciate that."
"You can learn to paint by copying great masters, that's an amazing way to study. But eventually, to be an artist, you have to paint your own way."
"Doing your practice is the least selfish thing you can do. Taking care of ourselves is the most serviceful thing we can do for the world."
"Accessibility often starts with finances."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 137: Yoga and Brain Injuries with Ann Green
Description:
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a condition that is far more prevalent than we might think. An estimated 69 million people worldwide suffer from Traumatic Brain Injuries each year, and the thing is, it’s often not possible to tell just by looking at a person if they have experienced TBI. Ann Green joins me to share how we as yoga teachers can learn a few things to help people on the road to recovery.
Ann Green is a yogi, a runner, and a surfer with over 30 years of teaching yoga, and almost fifteen conducting yoga teacher training. She has a background in sport psychology and physical education, and a Masters in Exercise Science from the University of Toronto. Ann is skilled in Coaching, Wellness Coaching, Pain Management and Prevention, Yoga, and Fitness Training.
Over the years, Ann has had her own experiences with concussions and brain injury. In her line of work, she has also come across many individuals who have experienced TBI, and this has inspired her to shift her focus to offer yoga that caters specifically to the needs of those coping with brain injuries. Ann shares her own journey living as a person with brain injury, and how this has informed her practice and her work in this space. She has some tips on what we can do in a yoga class, or with breath and movement to assist someone on the road to recovery with a brain injury, as well how empowering it can be just to understand what someone with this condition may be going through.
Whether you have experience working with students with brain injury, or this is something you have never even considered, this episode is sure to be informative for all yoga teachers.
Key Takeaways:
[5:36] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Ann Green.
[7:30] When did Ann start to tie in yoga and brain health?
[12:38] Ann shares her personal experience with concussions and brain injury.
[19:17] What are some symptoms that might come up for someone with brain injury?
[25:26] Ann highlights some of the reasons she believes the concussion rates are highest for women between 45 and 55 years of age.
[26:42] Ann has learned and grown from her experience with brain injury, and has framed her experiences in a different light.
[29:02] What does Ann do in her classes with her students dealing with brain injury?
[32:16] Ann has created a program called Brainstorm, for people with concussions or who work with people with brain injuries to connect in community and find their calm.
[40:54] Ann shares some key aspects of the Building a Blissful Brain classes.
[46:40] Shannon and Ann discuss working with people with concussions and how you may need to help them push a little further in their recovery process.
[48:27] What are some language cues that can be helpful (or unhelpful) when working with someone with a concussion or brain injury?
[50:46] Talking about neuroplasticity, what are some movements that can be useful to integrate into the class?
[1:00:53] Ann has some final recommendations for yoga teachers working with students with brain injuries for the first time.
[1:03:02] Shannon shares some of her biggest takeaways from this interview with Ann.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Mama Nurture
Quotes from this episode:
"You can't do movement without the awesome, excellence of communication with your brain."
"The only reason that people don't get so incredibly worried about [concussions] is, most people don't die of a concussion."
"The numbers show from the States and from Canada, that we are beyond epidemic levels of concussion, minor brain injury level."
"Your mess becomes your message."
"I want people to realize something that's not recognizable and it is invisible, we need to make it recognizable."
"Let tenderness be your teacher.
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 136: Yoga for Teens & Tweens with Karen Pascoe
Description:
Tweens and teengagers can be a difficult audience to reach. They are changing physically, mentally, and emotionally, and that comes with a whole different set of challenges. Dr. Karen Pascoe has found her niche in catering to this specific age group and on this episode, shares some of her strategies and tips for teaching yoga to younger students.
Dr. Karen Pascoe is a Licensed Psychologist, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Therapeutic Yoga Teacher, and an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 200) with Yoga Alliance. She began teaching yoga in 1996, and in 2015, launched the Mind Body Life Transformation Center. Apart from yoga classes, therapy and wellness sessions, she offers classes, parties and summer camps specially targeted at tweens and teens.
How is teaching tweens and teens different from teaching adults? What are some of the challenges you might encounter in reaching this age group? Why is communication and connection so important when structuring these classes? Karen shares her insights on these topics, as well as the business side of marketing and promoting yoga for tweens and teens.
If you teach tweens and teens, or are interested in niching down to this age group, or if you just have teens of your own and would like some tools to share with them, this episode is just what you need to listen to.
Key Takeaways:
[6:08] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Dr. Karen Pascoe.
[7:27] What is Karen's yoga journey and how did it bring her to where she is now?
[10:05] What is the biggest difference between an adult yoga class and a class for teens and tweens?
[11:52] What age group is tweens and what age group is teens?
[13:06] How do teen and tween students differ?
[14:57] What motivates younger students to participate in yoga classes?
[15:56] How does Karen deal with students who come in as a result of being signed up by their parents and who are unmotivated?
[17:24] What do Karen's tween classes look like vs teen classes? She walks us through the structure of her classes.
[22:39] Karen incorporates pauses into her classes for younger students. She explains how that works.
[24:45] Shannon and Karen discuss why making yoga an empowering practice is so important for this age group.
[27:23] What are some tools that Karen teaches her students to help them with emotional regulation?
[31:39] In her work as a psychologist, Karen works with tweens and older. She shares more about her work in that area.
[34:35] What are some of Karen's tips for yoga teachers who have never taught a tween or teen class?
[38:23] Karen explains more about what it takes to be "cool" with tweens and teens.
[41:40] What is the most effective strategy to get the word out about tween and teen yoga classes?
[43:42] What does Karen's tween and teen camp look like?
[45:53] Karen shares some resources for yoga teachers interested in teaching teens.
[48:30] Connect with Karen via her website or Facebook to find out more about her work and trainings.
[49:04] Karen leaves us with an anecdote of how impactful teen yoga can be.
[51:08] Shannon would love to hear your feedback!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity and MamaNurture.
Quotes from this episode:
"In the tween and teen classes, you have to have these pauses to engage and re-engage, because they don't have the attention span for that. It needs to be more of a community-oriented experience."
"One of my goals for that age is empowerment."
"After the inversions, because those are the single most calming pose that you can do ... it will be silence."
"I want so much of the yoga to be strategy, for it to be empowering."
"If they are not being taught strategy and skill for emotional regulation, they feel very vulnerable."
"Depression, anxiety, no matter what they're coming in for, it's in their body as much as their mind."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 135: How to Modify for the Prenatal Student with Rena Wren
Description:
When teaching prenatal yoga, or pregnant students, what are the poses you should avoid? Can you teach twists, inversions or front extensions? What are some modifications I can cue, or props I can use to cater to the needs of my pregnant students? All your questions are going to be answered on this episode with Rena Wren.
Rena Wren is one of our MamaNurture lead trainers, and the founder of Empowered Yoga Teaching, where she provides continuing education and support for yoga teachers. Apart from prenatal yoga teacher training through MamaNurture, she offers yin yoga training, and yoga teacher mentoring on a wide range of topics, as well as workshops, retreats, and online courses.
Contraindicated yoga during pregnancy covers eight main areas. Shannon and Rena dive into each of these, as well as modifications and variations that you can cue for your pregnant students and in your prenatal class. Be sure to check out the free PDF Download and Rena’s videos where she shares variations you can use.
If you have ever taught prenatal yoga, or had a pregnant student come to your class, this episode is going to be a real treat. It is full of tips and modifications that you can immediately start applying to any of your prenatal classes or to work with pregnant students.
Key Takeaways:
[5:38] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Rena Wren.
[8:04] How did Rena get started in her yoga journey?
[12:35] Rena juggles multiple roles and responsibilities. She shares how yoga has helped her find balance in what she does.
[15:09] Check out the PDF download for the 8 contraindicated poses during pregnancy.
[16:03] Shannon and Rena discuss the first contraindicated pose - Breath retention and/or strong, forced breathing. What are some of Rena's favorite modifications for this?
[17:47] Advanced poses that challenge and build heat are second on the list. How can you tell when certain poses are advanced?
[22:31] What are some modifications Rena recommends to avoid poses that engage and/or stretch the rectus abdominis muscles (e.g. boat, crow, leg lifts)?
[27:18] Front extensions can overstretch the abdominal muscles. Rena walks us through a modification of camel pose for the pregnant body.
[30:11] Inversions are contraindicated for pregnancy. How would Rena modify the headstand, handstand, shoulder stand and downward dog poses?
[36:46] What are some of Rena's favorite variations for prone poses?
[40:05] How can you identify closed twist poses and what are some modifications you can offer?
[44:54] The last one is hot yoga. Shannon and Rena discuss why they would not teach hot yoga to pregnant people.
[47:15] Check out the live video from September 16 to find out more about caution poses in the grey area.
[47:48] Rena has some final insights on how teachers can approach having a pregnant student in their class.
[49:39] Rena has a MamaNurture training coming up!
[52:05] Shannon shares some details about upcoming teacher trainings that are available.
[53:12] Shannon has an update about MamaNurture and all the work she is doing with niching down.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity and MamaNurture.
Quotes from this episode:
"One of the main things I've learned from yoga is to know the things that I value, and to make sure that I have enough of those things in my life to help me have balance."
"A lot of students who come to prenatal yoga are new to yoga."
"Challenging is dependent on the student."
"Getting people to slow down and feel nurtured in a space really helps them realize that they don't really care about their idea of yoga was anymore. They care that they feel good when they leave this room."
"One of the first things to do ...is [think about] what are the benefits, what are we trying to do?"
"Take baby with you in the twist."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 134: Pelvic Health for Pregnancy & Beyond with Julie Wiebe
Description:
What is the recovery time after birth for prenatal yoga students? What are some things to consider in the recovery of postnatal students looking to get back to full strength and fitness? There are a lot of myths around pelvic and abdominal health during pregnancy and postpartum, which Julie Wiebe busts through on this episode.
Julie Wiebe is a Physical Therapist (PT) with over twenty years of clinical experience in both Sports Medicine and Women’s Health. She is also an educator and women’s health advocate working to create awareness of pregnancy recovery, postpartum and pelvic and abdominal health issues in fitness.
Pregnancy and birth is a period during which the body changes and adapts to accommodate the growing baby, and post-birth, there is a period of rehabilitation that is necessary for the body to return to its regular function. Julie shares some of the misconceptions around post-birth recovery, hyperlordosis, urinary incontinence, Kegels and much more. She also highlights some breath techniques and poses yoga teachers can use to help their students regulate intra-abdominal pressure, and the importance of teaching from a place of educated hope instead of educated fear.
This episode is meant for any yoga practitioner or teacher who has been pregnant, who plans to be pregnant, or who really wants to help the pregnant and postnatal yoga student - Julie’s insights on this topic are really eye-opening!
Key Takeaways:
[7:45] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Julie Wiebe.
[9:07] What does Julie do and who does she do it for?
[10:21] Why is there a rehabilitation period after pregnancy and giving birth?
[12:43] Julie recommends for people to come to her prenatally and postnatally.
[15:10] Julie shares some statistics around how paid maternity leave affects infant and parental health.
[19:16] What are some things that Julie would want prenatal yoga teachers and students to know about the changes in the body?
[21:59] How can we teach people to breathe optimally?
[27:01] What pose does Julie recommend to get into the closure of the rib cage?
[29:45] During pregnancy, there is a lot more weight on the front of the body. How does that affect alignment, and the lumbar curve? Julie busts some myths around anterior pelvic tilt in pregnancy.
[34:16] Where does Julie start to help people find alignment?
[37:24] What does it mean to strengthen the diaphragm?
[41:09] Julie and Shannon discuss the condition of incontinence, specifically leaking urine.
[45:20] Kegels is not always the answer! Julie addresses this myth that Kegels is always a good exercise after birth.
[48:45] What else can yoga teachers be doing to help their students in terms of movement, breath or information?
[53:28] Why is it important to be having conversations around pelvic health, pregnancy and postpartum rehabilitation and recovery?
[58:36] Get in touch with Julie and check out the wealth of resources, articles and videos she has available on her website.
[59:40] Shannon shares some of her key takeaways.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Mama Nurture
Quotes from this episode:
"There are changes that come because of the pregnancy...what my job is, is to help you rebalance those changes and get you back to function and fitness without any limitations."
"What would we see down the line with pelvic health knowing that women had an opportunity just to recover?"
"If I could do anything for anyone, if I could do one thing, it would be to optimize their breathing."
"Form or alignment, for me, has a lot to do with access to muscles."
"We need to start looking at individuals and understand their needs, and that's tricky."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 133: Yoga for Painful Sex with Casie Danenhauer
Description:
How is the health of your pelvic floor is related to sexual dysfunction and painful sex? This is a topic that many of us find uncomfortable to talk about, but that a lot of us, particularly women, struggle with. Dr. Casie Danenhauer, someone who has experienced pelvic pain herself, reveals how she has combined techniques from physical therapy and yoga to create a holistic approach to healing.
Dr. Casie Danenhauer is a pelvic floor physical therapist, registered yoga teacher, and Founder of Enlighten Physical Therapy, where she focuses on providing conscious care for pelvic health. After using a combination of yoga techniques and physical therapy to address her own struggles with pelvic pain and painful intercourse, Casie realized that a holistic approach is the most efficient and effective path towards pelvic health. Since then, she has integrated yoga, breathing and meditation exercises into her physical therapy practice to create a unique East-meets-West approach.
By speaking openly about her own experience with pelvic pain, Casie hopes to break some of the stigma and shame that surrounds the topic. She explains more about the pelvic floor, some common symptoms and conditions associated with painful intercourse, and how therapeutic yoga, physical therapy and breathwork can be used in combination to treat these conditions. She also offers advice on how yoga teachers can responsibly talk about and cue the pelvic floor, and be a part of a client’s healing journey.
Whether you have students who are dealing with pelvic pain or painful intercourse, or you just want to be more aware of how yoga and physical therapy can be integrated to address pelvic health conditions, you’re sure to find value in this episode.
Key Takeaways:
[6:30] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Dr. Casie Danenhauer.
[8:10] What does Casie do and how did she get into it? She shares her journey with physical therapy and yoga, and how she came to integrate the two in her practice.
[16:01] Shannon and Casie discuss the language and connotations of using expressions like "pelvic dysfunction".
[16:58] When did Casie start dealing with her own pelvic health conditions?
[21:34] Pelvic health professionals can make a big impact on people and make a difference to people.
[23:02] Casie shares some of the treatments that helped with her pain with sex, and how she moved into becoming a pelvic floor PT.
[25:41] That Casie has shared the personal aspects of her own struggles with her pelvic health condition openly is very powerful.
[27:00] What are some conditions associated with painful sex, and what are the symptoms associated with each?
[29:32] What were some treatment methods Casie engaged in to treat her own pain, and who would she engage to help in her treatment now?
[32:20] What can yoga teachers do to support students who are dealing with painful intercourse?
[39:22] Casie recommends for yoga teachers to reach out to your students PT to find out more about what they are dealing with.
[43:13] How can yoga teachers use the same pose for different purposes? Casie breaks down with the example of cat-cow.
[49:10] What are some cues yoga teachers can give for students who need to build strength in their pelvic floor?
[50:23] Casie shares some key issues to be aware of when addressing a student who is struggling with pelvic pain or painful intercourse.
[51:47] What are some differences in Casie's approach compared to the medical approach?
[55:55] Connect with Casie on Instagram, or check out her website for more information on the work she does.
Links:
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 121: Yoga for Pelvic Health with Shannon Crow
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 129: Pelvic Floor 101 with Marie-Josée Forget
Pelvic Floor (Dys)Function, by Dominique Gauthier for LFL Blog
Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicityand Pelvi
Quotes from this episode:
"There's a million different ways we can prescribe a breathwork, but most of it, honestly, is just giving the patient permission to move in ways and give attention to their body and specifically, their pelvic spaces, when maybe they've never even heard of that as a possibility."
"I was really, really moved by how powerful pelvic floor PT can be in helping people with really basic ‘quality of life’ level issues that we take for granted until something goes wrong."
"That's part of my main mission is to de-stigmatize all of this stuff, and take out the shame."
"That, I feel is the most healing aspect, is just being able to voice what we're experiencing in our body."
"Pain levels decrease with mindfulness."
"The brain and the nervous system is influencing all of the tissues in the body."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
132: Marketing to Increase Private Bookings with Amanda Mays
Description:
How can you market your yoga business without seeming pushy or salesy? What kind of strategies can you use to attract your ideal client? Amanda Mays joins Shannon on this consultation call to talk through her struggles with marketing herself and putting her yoga business out there.
Amanda is self proclaimed yoga and happiness ambassador. She works as a freelance editor and occasionally teaches e-courses on writing, specifically journaling, and how to use that habit to fuel a bigger writing practice. She is also raising six children apart from all this, and has very limited free time. Amanda wants to expand her yoga offering to begin working with private clients, and to become more purposeful in her approach to teaching yoga and marketing her business to the right clients.
Shannon coaches Amanda through her mindset blocks of not wanting to market herself while offering actionable advice on how best to move toward offering more 1:1 private yoga sessions. From tips on how to use social media to promote her yoga business, to goal-setting, Shannon guides Amanda to find clarity in her aims for her business.
If you’re like Amanda and worry that your marketing efforts are too pushy, or feel like you’re being pulled in too many different directions promoting your yoga business, this episode will help you get some clarity around how best to get the word out about your yoga offerings.
P.S. Since this episode was recorded, Amanda has grown her yoga business from zero private clients, to about five 1:1 clients a week!
Key Takeaways:
[5:17] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Amanda Mays.
[7:50] What is Amanda's biggest challenge in her yoga business?
[9:19] What are some of Amanda's top ideas that are calling to her? Shannon suggests doing a free writing practice.
[12:43] What is the one thing that can increase profit and growth in Amanda's business?
[14:22] Why does Amanda want to move towards 1:1 yoga?
[17:14] Shannon goes through an exercise with Amanda to create an ideal week and how to bridge the gap between her current schedule and ideal schedule.
[21:08] Amanda's biggest hurdle is marketing herself. Shannon shares an anecdote from her personal experience running a farmer's market to help her with this mental block.
[24:06] What is something Amanda's ideal student is struggling with?
[27:27] Shannon and Amanda discuss setting measurable goals for her yoga business, and how sharing her story can contribute to making the 'ask'.
[32:25] Shannon highlights why it's important for Amanda's social media to reflect her business and how to leverage that to reach her ideal clients.
[40:21] Shannon shares her tips on doing live video.
[46:35] Shannon and Amanda set some goals for her to start doing live videos!
[48:59] Shannon prompts Amanda to think about how people can book 1:1 sessions with her.
[52:53] How can Amanda figure out her core values as a yoga teacher, and some of her discomforts around marketing herself? Shannon suggests the "I believe" exercise.
[1:00:45] Amanda shares more about her fear of niching down.
[1:03:07] Amanda struggles with how she can incorporate some of her previous e-courses and journaling activities into her offering that all target the same ideal client. Shannon has some suggestions.
[1:10:55] What's your biggest takeaway from this consultation call? Share your comments or questions with Shannon!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Pelvic Health Professionals
Quotes from this episode:
"This is what I want to do, but I can't quite figure out how to put the steps together." - Amanda
"What if we instead, really focus on who might be your ideal student?" - Shannon
"The thing is with working 1:1, is it takes time to build it. Our best advertising is someone telling someone else how great they feel." - Shannon
"People are excited to invest in the why, why you do something and the whole story behind it." - Shannon