#186: Being a Prenatal Yoga Teacher & Supporting Pregnant Bodies with Deb Flashenberg

In this episode, Christy shares some really important techniques & language for yoga teachers to be more supportive of plus-size bodies. We talk about ways that teachers AND studios can do better in terms of their language, marketing, & being patient with themselves. Christy's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chubbylotusyoga/ Free mini-workbook: https://thoughtful-thinker-5669.ck.page/a9fae3cbb5⁠ Courses: https://chubby-lotus-yoga-school.thinkific.com/courses/be-empowered⁠ Meg's links: www.megsangimino.com

Today's episode is an interview with Deb Flashenberg, the founder and director of Prenatal Yoga Center in NYC. In this episode, Deb shares a wealth of knowledge about working with pregnant people, diving into prenatal yoga as something more than just pose variation, and how her teacher trainings prepare teachers to individualize classes for her students. Links: https://prenatalyogacenter.com/  IG: https://www.instagram.com/prenatalyogacenter/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/PrenatalYogaCenter Use discount code for online courses ("Who's afraid of the pregnant yogi"? and "Teaching the Postnatal Students")is: Yogabiz

In this episode, we delve into the five essential activities that yoga teachers can engage in during slow seasons to make the most of their downtime. From tackling administrative tasks and cleaning up your online presence to nurturing community connections and exploring new avenues for growth, we provide valuable insights and practical tips to help yoga teachers thrive during slower periods and emerge stronger than ever. Relax & Recharge Yoga Retreat: https://www.megsangimino.com/colorado-retreat-2023

In this episode, we dive into the exciting world of planning a local yoga class. Whether you're a seasoned yoga instructor or someone passionate about bringing the benefits of yoga to your community, this episode will provide you with a comprehensive step-by-step guide to organizing a successful and engaging yoga class right in your neighborhood. Join me as I break down the key elements involved in planning a local yoga class, from conceptualization to execution. We'll cover everything you need to know, including finding the ideal location, determining the target audience, and designing a class structure that caters to different skill levels and interests. Here's the booking platform I love and use for all my local classes: Momence Free resources on my website here.

Today I have on a very special friend and guest, Grace Izzo (she/her)! This episode covers a wide range of topics - diet culture in the yoga industry, studio dynamics, representation, and more. Follow Grace on Instagram: @yoga.with.grace https://instagram.com/p/CmHw5iuJ9v_/ Listen to the episode referenced by Grace about legal stuff here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/E2mfpLlaPzb If you’re local to Raleigh and would like to attend some of Grace’s fundraising yoga classes, subscribe to her email list here: https://adept-motivator-8815.ck.page/f4e0ceb162 (https://adept-motivator-8815.ck.page/f4e0ceb162)

Sheri Fisher received her M.A. in Transpersonal (Spiritual) Psychology from Atlantic University and her B.S. in Business from Colorado State University. She completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training in 2010 and has been practicing, teaching and studying yoga since. Sheri is registered with Yoga Alliance as an E-RYT® 200, RYT® 500 and a YACEP (Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider). Sheri’s book, Standing Room Only: How to Be THAT Yoga Teacher, helps new yoga teachers bridge the gap between their 200-hour YTT and teaching exceptional classes. Fisher is an experienced presenter of many yoga and life coaching workshops and specializes in teaching The Five Pillars of Powerful Teaching to yoga teachers and fitness instructors. Lori Holden, M.A., has been practicing yoga since 2007 and is a connoisseur of truly inspiring yoga teachers. Lori heeds its principles in parenting her two young adults (one with special needs), a lifelong journey that requires balance, flexibility, strength, and stability. Lori is also the author of the highly-acclaimed book, The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption, on required reading lists at adoption agencies around the country. Her new book Adoption Unfiltered, which grew out of a video series, will be published later this year. As the writer behind the award-winning LavenderLuz.com and the podcast behind Adoption: The Long View, Lori has been a brand ambassador for prAna and other organizations. Lori has written for a wide variety of publications like Parenting magazine, Kaiser Permanente, and the Huffington Post. She’s a sought-after speaker, workshop presenter, and radio/podcast contributor. She and her husband live in Denver with their bichon-poodle. Everyone in Lori's life is delighted that Lori is devoted to her yoga practice. Meg's website: www.megsangimino.com

CONTENT WARNING: Diet culture, mental health, death In this interview, I brought on Jivana Heyman, C-IAYT, E-RYT500 to talk about his incredible work in the yoga industry. In this episode, we discuss the origins of The Accessible Yoga Association and Accessible Yoga School and unpack ways that yoga teachers can create change in an industry that has strayed so far away from the roots of yoga. Jivana's bio & links: Jivana Heyman, C-IAYT, E-RYT500, is the founder and director of the Accessible Yoga Association, an international non-profit organization dedicated to increasing access to the yoga teachings. He’s the author of Accessible Yoga: Poses and Practices for Every Body and Yoga Revolution: Building a Practice of Courage & Compassion (Shambhala Publications). Jivana has specialized in teaching yoga to people with disabilities with an emphasis on community building and social engagement. Out of this work, the nonprofit Accessible Yoga Association was created to support education, training, and advocacy with the mission of shifting the public perception of yoga. Accessible Yoga offers Conferences, Community Forums, a Podcast, and a popular Ambassador program. Jivana coined the phrase, “Accessible Yoga,” over ten years ago, and it has now become the standard appellation for a large cross-section of the immense yoga world. He brought the Accessible Yoga community together for the first time in 2015 for the Accessible Yoga Conference, which has gone on to become a focal point for this movement. Jivana is also the creator of the Accessible Yoga Training and the co-founder of the online Accessible Yoga School with Amber Karnes, which is a platform for continued education for yoga teachers in the field of equity and accessibility. They also created the Accessible Yoga Podcast in 2020. Over the past 25 years, Jivana has led countless yoga teacher training programs around the world, and dedicates his time to supporting yoga teachers who are working to serve communities that are under-represented in traditional yoga spaces.

In this interview, Meg and Josh have an honest conversation about the struggles and rollercoaster of being a yoga teacher. You can find Meg's information at her website here: www.megsangimino.com

Meg's website: www.megsangimino.com Dr. Sandi's info: Website Dr. Sandi is a professor, counselor, yoga & meditation teacher, and owner of Oceanic Yoga & Wellness. I find that living an ocean-inspired life is what allows me to continue to cultivate wellness in my own life and I strive to bring that to others. There is truly nothing like the sanctuary that the beach holds. Specializing in Yin & Restorative yoga, she strives to focus on the more therapeutic forms of yoga that many people truly need. One of her career highlights is getting to participate in yoga teaching vacations #TeachOnTheBeach, marrying her love for teaching yoga and traveling to tropical destinations. 

It's Day 5 of our 5 Reels in 5 Days challenge! Today's prompt: "I used to think ______ but now I think______" This prompt showcases your humanness and the fact that you're on a journey as well.   Here's an example from my personal IG. Not sure where to start? I have short video tutorial on how to create a reel from scratch.  Watch it here.  I just revamped my  5-part Instagram Reels mini-course for yoga teachers  to help you step up your reels game to start skyrocketing your reach on Instagram.