In this episode of the Full-Time Yoga Teacher Podcast, host Reika Shucart sits down with Elizabeth Clark, a full-time yoga teacher, prenatal and postnatal yoga specialist, birth doula, and founder of Looma Birth. Elizabeth shares her decade-long journey of building a sustainable yoga career rooted in motherhood, birth work, and entrepreneurship. From becoming a yoga teacher in the same year she became a first-time mom to teaching yoga while navigating postpartum recovery, Elizabeth offers an honest look at what it means to grow alongside your work in the yoga industry.

This conversation explores how Elizabeth carved out a niche in prenatal yoga and postnatal yoga, transitioned from studio teaching to running her own business, and ultimately launched Looma Birth. Elizabeth reflects on the realities of being a full-time yoga teacher, balancing family life, and evolving her business alongside motherhood. This episode is a must-listen for yoga teachers interested in the yoga business, yoga entrepreneurship, and creating a career that aligns with real life, especially for those curious about prenatal yoga, postnatal yoga, and long-term sustainability in the yoga industry.

Connect with Elizabeth:

Website: https://www.loomabirth.com

IG: @loomabirth

Reika's Nicaragua Yoga Retreat:

⁠⁠Learn more⁠⁠

Intro to Meditation Workshop with Cayce:

March 15th, Sunday 2-4pm PST

In-person & on zoom (recording will be available)

Price: Donation-based (min $20)

Register

Connect with Reika:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the online yoga studio for $20 for two weeks!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Reika's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode of the Full-Time Yoga Teacher Podcast, Reika sits down with Lauren Cohen, a San Francisco-based yoga teacher and retreat leader, to talk honestly about what it takes to build a sustainable life in yoga.

Lauren shares her journey from ballet and competitive figure skating to discovering yoga during a deeply challenging period in college, an experience that ultimately changed the course of her life. She reflects on transitioning from a corporate job into full-time teaching, navigating financial uncertainty, and learning to trust the path even without a perfect plan.

Together, Reika and Lauren explore teaching through the pandemic, building and maintaining community, leading retreats, and the very real experience of burnout. They also discuss the importance of mentorship, continuing education, and why having a teacher matters, especially for long-term growth and longevity in teaching.

This episode is a grounded, candid conversation for yoga teachers who are questioning sustainability, redefining success, and seeking a more aligned way forward in their teaching and life.

Connect with Lauren:

Website: https://www.laurencohenyoga.com/

IG: @laurencohenyoga

Reika's Nicaragua Yoga Retreat:

⁠Find out more⁠

Connect with Reika:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the online yoga studio for $20 for two weeks!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Reika's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Reika sits down with Aimee Echo, a yoga teacher and educator devoted to preserving the integrity of classical Yoga while making its tools accessible to modern practitioners. Aimee is the owner of Community Yoga Club, home of Ashtanga Yoga Long Beach, where she leads a daily Mysore-style program and offers Individual Yoga Therapy.

Together, they explore what it means to remain a lifelong student of yoga, the humility required to stay in relationship with the practice, and why believing you’re “done” often marks the moment growth stops. Aimee reflects on her decades of study in the Krishnamacharya lineage, her experience weaving together Ashtanga and Yoga Therapy, and her perspective on holding tradition with care while meeting students where they are. This conversation speaks to the responsibility of teaching yoga in a way that is both deeply rooted and profoundly human.

Connect with Aimee Echo:

• Website: https://www.aylb.org/

Reika's Nicaragua Yoga Retreat:

Find out more

Connect with Reika:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the online yoga studio for $20 for two weeks!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Reika's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, I sit down with Jivana Heyman, founder of Accessible Yoga, to reflect on over 30 years of teaching, learning, and evolving within the yoga world.

Jivana shares his journey into yoga, early influences from Integral Yoga, and how his experiences shaped a lifelong commitment to accessibility, service, and community. We explore the realities of teaching yoga beyond the poses, power dynamics in teacher-student relationships, the role of ego and feedback, emotional awareness, and what it really means to teach yoga as a form of service.

Our conversation also touches on the evolution of Accessible Yoga as a nonprofit, financial accessibility in yoga education, lessons from leading 200-hour trainings, and the challenges teachers face as they navigate sustainability, self-awareness, and growth. Jivana offers honest reflections on creativity, collaboration, parenting, and staying connected to practice while teaching full-time.

This episode is a grounded, insightful look at the heart of yoga teaching, and what it means to remain devoted to the practice over decades.

Connect with Jivana:

Website: http://www.jivanaheyman.com/

Instagram: @jivanaheyman

Podcast: Accessible Yoga Podcast

Reika's Nicaragua Yoga Retreat:

⁠⁠Early-Bird Discount: Use code EARLYBIRD100⁠⁠

Reika's Mentorship for Yoga Teachers:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mentorship 2026 Application⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Reika:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the online yoga studio for $20 for two weeks!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Reika's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Reika's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@reikayoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this solo year-end episode, I reflect on 2025, a year shaped by endurance, teaching, travel, and honest observation.

I share highlights from running my first marathon and first 50k ultra, leading a SmartFLOW 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, producing weekly podcast episodes, and guiding retreats in Nicaragua while preparing for what’s ahead in 2026. I also reflect on my pilgrimage on the Kumano Kodo in Japan and how walking, nature, and simplicity continue to inform my practice and teaching.

In the second half of the episode, I share reflections on current trends in the yoga industry, from the fitnessization of yoga and the rise of hybrid classes to the disappearance of levels, lineage, and long-term mentorship. I explore what’s changing and what’s being valued.

I close with what I’m looking forward to in 2026: continued training, upcoming retreats, teaching more YTTs, and staying devoted to the long path.

Nicaragua Yoga Retreat with Reika:

⁠Early-Bird Discount: Use code EARLYBIRD100⁠

Reika's Mentorship for Yoga Teachers:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mentorship 2026 Application⁠⁠

Connect with Reika:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the online yoga studio for $20 for two weeks!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Reika's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Reika's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@reikayoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Reika sits down with Amanda Kingsmith: 500-hour RYT, yoga business coach, podcast host, author, world traveler, and mom of two, for an honest conversation about building a sustainable yoga career while living a nontraditional life. Amanda shares her journey from leaving a corporate job to teaching yoga full-time, launching Mastering the Business of Yoga, and eventually embracing online teaching and remote work as a way to support both her family and her creativity.

Together, they explore the realities of the business of yoga, podcasting as a long-term project, and how motherhood reshapes priorities, energy, and ambition. Amanda also reflects on life in Mexico as an expat family, the evolution of online and hybrid yoga offerings, and why taking intentional breaks is sometimes essential for longevity.

Connect with Amanda:

Website
Podcast
Instagram

Ethical Yoga Retreat with Reika:

Early-Bird Discount: Use code EARLYBIRD100

Reika's Mentorship for Yoga Teachers:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mentorship 2026 Application⁠

Connect with Reika:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the online yoga studio for $20 for two weeks!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Reika's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Reika's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@reikayoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Reika's Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.reikay⁠oga.com⁠

In this episode, Reika interviews Francesca Cervero, a yoga teacher and mentor with over 20 years of experience teaching yoga and working one-on-one with students. Francesca shares her journey from dancer to full-time yoga teacher.

Together, they explore the art and sustainability of yoga teaching, the role of mentorship and continuing education, and what it really takes to build a long-term yoga career. Francesca reflects on transitioning online, creating a mentorship community, balancing motherhood with teaching, and why private yoga offers a powerful, co-creative space for both teacher and student. This conversation is a grounded, honest look at teaching yoga as a craft, one that evolves with experience, curiosity, and care.

Connect with Francesca:

Website: https://www.francescacervero.com/

Instagram: @francescacervero

Reika's Mentorship:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mentorship 2026 Application⁠

Connect with Reika:

⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the online yoga studio for $20 for two weeks!⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Reika's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Reika's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@reikayoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Reika's Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.reikay⁠oga.com

In this special 100th episode of the Full-Time Yoga Teacher Podcast, Reika reflects on the journey of creating the podcast over the past two years and the many lessons learned from interviewing over 65 yoga teachers from around the world. She shares an honest behind-the-scenes look at the realities of podcasting, including slow growth, unpaid labor, and what it truly takes to stay committed to a long-term project driven by passion rather than immediate results.

Reika also weaves together the biggest themes that emerged across 100 episodes: what it really means to build a sustainable career as a yoga teacher, why group classes alone are rarely enough, the inevitability of burnout, and the importance of diversifying income streams. She speaks on how the yoga industry is evolving, the rise of hybrid offerings, and the necessity for teachers to adapt while staying rooted in their values.

This solo episode is both a celebration and an honest check-in for anyone navigating the full-time yoga path.

Resources:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Mentorship 2026 Application

Connect with Reika:

⁠⁠⁠Join the online yoga studio for $20 for two weeks!⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Reika's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Reika's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@reikayoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Reika's Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.reikay⁠oga.com

In the final episode of this anatomy mini-series, Reika and Olga dive into the importance of understanding movement patterns and what they reveal about how the body truly functions. They explore why there is no one “correct” alignment for every body, how anatomical differences shape the way we move, and how yoga cues can either support or limit healthy movement if we’re not careful.

This conversation also expands beyond the yoga mat to address an important question: Is yoga asana alone enough for a well-rounded movement life? Together, they discuss the role of strength training, cross-training, and varied movement in maintaining long-term physical and mental health. They touch on how yoga fits into a broader “movement diet,” the importance of community, and why continuing education is essential for yoga teachers who want to serve their students responsibly.

Resources:

• ⁠Mentorship 2026 Application
• ⁠Workshop: Busting Yoga Alignment Myths with Thomas. December 8th, Saturday 2-4pm pst.⁠

Connect with Olga:

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@_olgamoves⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.olgakay.yoga⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Reika:

⁠⁠Join the online yoga studio for $20 for two weeks!⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Reika's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Reika's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@reikayoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Reika's Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.reikay⁠oga.com

In this second of the anatomy mini-series, Reika and Olga dive into one of the most important and most overlooked topics in yoga education: anatomical variation. They explore how differences in bone structure, joint shape, and movement capacity influence every student’s experience on the mat.

This conversation breaks down why flexibility isn’t just about stretching more, why some poses feel accessible for one person and impossible for another, and how understanding variation can completely shift the way yoga teachers approach sequencing. Reika and Olga discuss how anatomy-informed teaching leads to more inclusive, compassionate, and effective classes and how empowering students to explore their own bodies can deepen their practice in meaningful ways.

Whether you're a yoga teacher or a curious practitioner, this episode will help you rethink the way you see bodies, movement, and the purpose of yoga itself.

Resources:

• Paul Grilly's Website with Bones
• Busting Yoga Alignment Myths with Thomas. December 8th, Saturday 2-4pm pst.

Connect with Olga:

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@_olgamoves⁠⁠⁠
• Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.olgakay.yoga⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Reika:

⁠Join the online yoga studio for $20 for two weeks!⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Reika's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Reika's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@reikayoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Reika's Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.reikay⁠oga.com