Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers

By Monica Bright

The podcast for yoga teachers centered around important conversations for yoga teachers to discuss, reflect, and implement. From class planning to business strategy, these conversations help yoga t

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FAQs about Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers:

How many episodes does Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers have?

The podcast currently has 85 episodes available.

Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers episodes:

May 26, 2025Ep 74: SI Joint Dysfunction and Yoga
Many students practicing yoga encounter the frustrating and often debilitating experience of SI joint pain. I even experience it from time to time myself! Despite its prevalence, it remains widely misunderstood, and well-intentioned advice can sometimes exacerbate the problem rather than alleviate it.
A common solution in yoga classes for SI joint pain is to "engage your core" or "engage your glutes." While core and glute engagement are undeniably important for overall stability and movement, applying them as a blanket solution for SI joint issues often falls short and can even be counterproductive. This episode is specifically designed for you if you’ve heard or even offered this advice and have come to the realization that it doesn't quite address the nuances of SI joint pain.
In this episode, we will dive deeper into the complexities of the sacroiliac joint & explore the potential underlying causes of pain and dysfunction. Let’s throw away simple cues and discuss more effective strategies and considerations for helping students find relief and promote long-term stability in the SI joint.
Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!
Support the show
YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

Check out my website: Enhanced Body

Connect with me on Instagram

Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call

Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)

Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.
...more
17min
May 19, 2025Ep 73: Hip Openers and Labral Tears: Why Deep Stretches Aren’t for Everyone
Some students need to be extremely cautious when it comes to poses like Pigeon, Fire Log, and even Butterfly. Excessive hip movement that's required in these poses can lead to labral tears, hip impingement, and even chronic pain.
These poses primarily target the hip joints, which are in a position of flexion, external rotation, and abduction. And Pigen pose is the #1 culprit... and I'll explain why.
In this episode, I’m going to discuss hip openers and one common injury associated with them. Ever heard of a labral tear?
Referenced in this episode:

Ep 72: When to Refer Out: Recognizing the Limits of Your Scope
YouTube: Half Pigeon Pose: How to Avoid Pain & Injury
Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!
Support the show
YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

Check out my website: Enhanced Body

Connect with me on Instagram

Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call

Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)

Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.
...more
16min
May 12, 2025Ep 72: When to Refer Out: Recognizing the Limits of Your Scope
Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!
Support the show
YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

Check out my website: Enhanced Body

Connect with me on Instagram

Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call

Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)

Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.
...more
15min
May 05, 2025Ep 71: Injury Prevention in Yoga: What We Can (and Can’t) Control
Injury prevention in yoga is often oversimplified into absolutes. It's either "yoga heals everything" or "if you get hurt, you did it wrong." But the truth is far more nuanced. While we can and must take steps to minimize risks, true injury prevention has inherent limitations because movement is never fully predictable.
Students come to class with unique bodies, histories, and habits that influence their practice in ways no teacher can entirely foresee.
In this episode, we'll cover:
The controllable factors (how you can reduce risk)
The uncontrollable variables (why injuries still happen), and
A realistic approach to balancing safety and autonomy in yoga
Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!
Support the show
YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

Check out my website: Enhanced Body

Connect with me on Instagram

Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call

Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)

Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.
...more
25min
April 28, 2025Ep 70: How Alignment Cues Affect Your Nervous System
In the last two episodes, we've discussed keeping students safe in our classes by being more mindful of the alignment cues we use. However, what is correct alignment, and is it safe for all students?” Those questions were the inspiration for these episodes on how we teach alignment & what we teach students to believe about their personal alignment.
How has your teaching on alignment evolved since your initial Yoga Teacher Training?
Mine has evolved significantly!
In this episode, we'll focus on two more perspectives: strength vs flexibility and the effects alignment has on the Nervous System.
Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!
Support the show
YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

Check out my website: Enhanced Body

Connect with me on Instagram

Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call

Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)

Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.
...more
20min
April 21, 2025Ep 69: Why Alignment Cues Don’t work For Everyone - Part 2
We discussed safety in the last episode because I believe we all come from that standpoint. Thinking safety begs the question, “Is our understanding of 'correct alignment' safe for all students?” That took me down a deep rabbit hole and was an inspiration for these episodes on what we teach students about alignment.
Ask yourself if, since your initial Yoga Teacher Training, have your beliefs around alignment in yoga evolved significantly?
In this episode, we’ll explore more around changing our ideas & our teaching about alignment by focusing on skeletal variations & students’ personal preferences.
Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!
Support the show
YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

Check out my website: Enhanced Body

Connect with me on Instagram

Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call

Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)

Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.
...more
20min
April 14, 2025Ep 68: The Problem w/ Rigid Alignment Cues - Part 1
Traditionally, alignment was taught as a set of fixed, universal principles—certain cues, angles, and posture requirements that were considered "correct" for all bodies. However, modern discussions, influenced by movement science, biomechanics, and inclusivity, now emphasize functional movement, individual variation, and nervous system safety over rigid alignment rules.
Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, today we’re exploring how alignment can be personalized, empowering, and adaptable rather than rigid or fear-based.
In this episode, I’m going to focus on two perspectives that we once had but are moving away from, thank goodness!
They are: alignment is one-size-fits-all and fear-based cues.
Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!
Support the show
YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

Check out my website: Enhanced Body

Connect with me on Instagram

Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call

Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)

Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.
...more
18min
April 07, 2025Ep 67: How to Teach Anatomy? - Teacher Questions Answered
Understanding anatomy is super important as a movement teacher. You may have noticed that I weave this sentiment in many of my episodes. I've received a few questions from teachers who listen to the podcast about their challenges with teaching anatomy in their classes, and I thought I’d answer their questions in this episode because I wonder if you have these same questions as well!
I'm excited for you to listen because the answers will surely be helpful for you too!
Mentioned in this episode:
Ep 66: Staying Within Your Scope of Practice
Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!
Support the show
YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

Check out my website: Enhanced Body

Connect with me on Instagram

Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call

Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)

Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.
...more
19min
March 31, 2025Ep 66: Staying Within Your Scope of Practice While Teaching Injured Students
One of the biggest concerns you might have as a yoga teacher is whether or not you’re stepping outside of your scope of practice. We are not doctors & we cannot diagnose an injury, however, we can AND SHOULD learn about them because we are teaching movement to people who probably are currently injured, have a past injury, or might injure themselves in the future.
If you’ve ever been afraid of stepping outside of your scope of practice, this is the episode for you! I’m gonna help you realize that you CAN work with injured students and offer them a quality yoga practice even with an injury.

Ep 65: Learning Anatomy Feels Overwhelming, Start Here!
Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!
Support the show
YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

Check out my website: Enhanced Body

Connect with me on Instagram

Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call

Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)

Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.
...more
16min
March 24, 2025Ep 65: Learning Anatomy Feels Overwhelming, Start Here!
I wholeheartedly believe every yoga teacher must have a working knowledge of anatomy, it is the responsible thing to do because you're teaching movement and working with bodies. Your students trust you, therefore you should be well-educated.
It doesn’t matter if you teach vinyasa, or yin; meditation or pranayama… understanding why a student might be uncomfortable in a seated cross leg position is important.
Why does that hurt?
What life experiences may have led to this pain?
Is there anything you can do about it?
Get your journal for this one because you’ll want to write down these steps I’m going to walk you through to finally get a handle on anatomy.
I can't wait for you to listen!

Ep 64: Sequencing for Students with Rotator Cuff Injuries
Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!
Support the show
YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

Check out my website: Enhanced Body

Connect with me on Instagram

Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call

Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)

Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.
...more
23min

FAQs about Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers:

How many episodes does Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers have?

The podcast currently has 85 episodes available.

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