The Yoga Teacher Podcast

By Brea JohnsonAlternative Health Health & Fitness Mental Health

The Yoga Teacher Podcast episodes

October 08 4 Things Every Yoga Teacher Should Know About Knees & Cueing
Are you micromanaging the knees in your yoga classes? So many traditional yoga cues tell us to keep the knee over the ankle or micro-bend the joint—but the truth is, the knees aren't as fragile as we often think! When we take a step back and look at global movement, building stability in the feet, ankles, and hips is what actually protects the knees and builds long-term strength.
In this episode, we’re unpacking a more functional, evidence-informed approach to knee alignment, handling knee pain in class, and helping your students move with confidence.
Connect with Heart Bones Yoga and sign up for the weekly Yoga Teacher Tips newsletter for practical tips, anatomy insights, and sequencing inspiration delivered straight to your inbox! 📬👇
🔗 SIGN UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER & RESOURCES: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/yogateachertips/
Learn more about teacher trainings at with Brea at Heart and Bones: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/
11 min
September 30 4 Ways to Upgrade How You Teach Hips in Yoga
When students ask to "work on their hips" in class, default passive stretches like pigeon pose or static lunges aren't always the best answer. We go over the 4 essential shifts every yoga teacher can make to move beyond generic "hip openers".
Learn how applied movement variety, active mobility, and understanding individual bone diversity can help you teach safer, more inclusive, and more impactful classes!
Sign up for the Yoga Teacher Tips newsletter: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/yogateachertips/
In this episode I cover:
• Why applied hip movement matters for cueing and pose selection
• Moving beyond default passive stretching into functional mobility and strength
• Why "tight hips" are often a brain perception, and how movement variety helps
• Honouring individual skeletal differences and letting go of aesthetic alignment
Resources & Links:
Become a yoga teacher with Heart and Bones online yoga 200hr and 300hr yoga teacher training: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/
Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH Start Here.
10 min
September 23 What Is the Hardest Part of Yoga Teacher Training? (It’s Not What You Think)
Is yoga teacher training actually hard? 👀 As always, we go into the nuance of it all, including imposter syndrome and perfectionism to physical worries and the inevitable "messy middle." This isn’t just about Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) because let’s be real, a lot of this is also life.
Whether you're researching your first 200-hour YTT, struggling halfway through a program, or already a teacher navigating self-doubt, this episode goes over why the hardest part of YTT is often getting out of our own way—and how the practice of yoga helps us work through it.
IN THIS EPISODE:
• The surprising mental and emotional challenges of YTT
• Why "imposter syndrome" and perfectionism spike during training
• How to handle the middle-of-the-training burn out or desire to quit
• Physical vs. mental demands: Do you need to do advanced poses to teach?
• Shifting from rigid "discipline" to genuine commitment

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28 min
September 02 You're Overcomplicating Your Yoga Sequences
Are you spending hours planning your yoga classes only to feel overwhelmed when you actually start teaching?
In this short episode, I'm sharing 5 common reasons why yoga teachers overcomplicate their sequences and how you can simplify your process for a better experience for both you and your students.
We'll cover everything from finding a clear class focus to the power of the "pause" in transitions.
Teaching yoga doesn't have to be a stressful multitasking feat, you can learn how to read the room and adapt your sequence to the real people in front of you.
Free Resource: Join the Yoga Teacher Tips newsletter for one actionable teaching tip every week: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/yogateachertips/
Become a yoga teacher with Heart and Bones online yoga 200hr and 300hr yoga teacher training: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/
8 min
August 27 Is Yoga Teacher Training Worth It?
YTT Newsletter. One actionable theme. One email. Every week.https://heartandbonesyoga.com/yogateachertips/
Have a question about yoga teacher training? Leave it in the comments. We read them, and your question may inspire a future episode.
About this episode:
Is yoga teacher training worth it if you never plan to teach? And if you do want to teach, how long might it take to earn back what you spent?
Brea and Ula unpack what “worth it” actually means when you are considering yoga teacher training. We talk about the financial reality, the fear that can come with investing in yourself, and what a training may offer beyond a certificate or future income.
You’ll hear about taking YTT to deepen your own practice, the unexpected personal changes that can come from becoming a student again, realistic teaching income, and ways to make training more accessible through payment plans, scholarships or work exchanges.
And we explore a harder question: how can you tell the difference between a decision that feels scary because it really matters to us, and one that genuinely is not right for you now?
Learn more about the Heart + Bones 200 + 300-Hour Online Yoga Teacher Certification: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/
21 min
June 09 Only You Can Teach This Class: Finding Your Voice
New yoga teachers often copy their teachers at first. Their sequencing, their cues, their language, even the way they hold the room. But how do you move from repeating what worked for someone else to finding your own voice as a yoga teacher?
In this episode, Brea and Ula talk about copying, confidence, repetition, belonging, and what it really means to teach in a way that feels like you. We get into why copying can be a normal part of learning, how repetition helps you become more responsive in the room, and why the best yoga teachers are not trying to sound like everyone else.
We also talk about yoga teacher training, inclusive teaching, representation, and the pressure many teachers feel to fit into a certain image of what a “real” yoga teacher looks or sounds like.
If you’re a new yoga teacher, a yoga teacher in training, or someone who feels like you don’t quite fit the usual yoga mould, this conversation is for you.
Links mentioned this episode:
Learn more about Heart + Bones Yoga Teacher Training: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/ Explore Yoga Teacher Lab: Nervous System 101: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/nervoussystem101/ Try the Heart + Bones online yoga studio: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/
$1 for 1 month use code: PODCASTMONTH
Why Student Love Boring Classes: https://youtu.be/TVAmLoAhSDY?si=aKCW7cNj8Jd5nedO
39 min
May 26What Kind of Yoga Teacher Are You? (Find Your Voice & Confidence)
This audio was taken from our Yoga Teacher Tips Youtube Channel!
Watch the video HERE
Feeling like you lack "self-belief" as a yoga teacher? It might not be a lack of confidence at all. It might just be that you haven't discovered what kind of teacher you are yet.
In this episode, we’re moving beyond "being a good teacher" and diving into the self-awareness required to find your unique voice. We’ll explore the spectrum of teaching styles—from intuitive "wingers" to structured planners, poetic storytellers to precise communicators—to help you stop the comparison trap and start celebrating your natural gifts.
Take the Quiz! Ready to go deeper? I’ve created a playful quiz to help you further refine your teaching identity and voice. ✨ Take the Yoga Teacher Type Quiz here: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/quiz-what-type-modern-yoga-teacher-are-you/
What we cover in this episode:
The secret to true teaching confidence.
Intuitive vs. Planned sequencing: Which one is your "nervous system safety net"?
Poetic vs. Precise: Finding your unique way of communicating cues.
Tradition vs. Modern Movement: Where do you land on the lineage spectrum?
Finding your "Sweet Spot": Balancing your schedule to avoid burnout.
Join the Yoga Teacher Tips Community: At Yoga Teacher Tips, we’re all about the nitty-gritty details of teaching and the big conversations that help us grow. Subscribe to join a community of teachers dedicated to teaching with heart and bones.
Let’s Chat! Once you take the quiz, come back and let me know your results in the comments! Are you more of a "Planner" or a "Winger"? Let’s build this amazing community together.
BECOME A YOGA TEACHER WITH HEART + BONES 200hr & 300hr Online Yoga Teacher Training: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/
Try Heart and Bones Online Yoga Studio: Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH
Start Here: https://www.heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/
SAY HI ON SOCIAL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartandbonesyoga
14 min
May 05Is "Listen to Your Body" a Bad Yoga Cue? (The Nuance of Autonomy)
Is "Listen to Your Body" actually helpful, or is it just confusing for your students?
In this episode, Brea, Founder of Heart and Bones Yoga, chats with Ula about the nuance of one of the most common cues in the yoga world. While we want to offer autonomous experiences, "listening to your body" can be tricky when our "normal" is actually a pattern of unconscious postural habits or even tension.
In this video, you’ll learn:
Why "listen to your body" can backfire for students with deep-seated habits.
The "Goldilocks" method: Using polarities to help students find their middle ground.
How to support hypermobile students who might be "guarding" or tense without realizing it.
Real-world examples of using props (like the "festival chair" moment!) to create ease.
A sneak peek into our upcoming Lab Series on nervous system-supportive cueing.
Curious about the Lab?
Our first Lab is now live, Nervous System 101 for Yoga Teacher: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/nervoussystem101/
BECOME A YOGA TEACHER WITH HEART + BONES 200hr & 300hr
Online Yoga Teacher Training: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/
PRACTICE WITH US
Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH
SAY HI ON SOCIAL
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartandbonesyoga
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@YogaTeacherTips
23 min
April 10Nervous System Supportive Yoga: What It Actually Means
Is your yoga class actually "nervous system supportive," or is it just slow? In this episode, Brea and Ula chat about what it really means to support the nervous system when teaching actual humans in real classes. We move beyond the "everything should be chill" marketing myth and explore how proprioception, interoception, and even intensity play a role in building true resilience.
In this episode, we discuss:
The "Nervous System" Zeitgeist: Why every yoga class is technically a nervous system class.
Proprioception vs. Interoception: Understanding how we sense our bodies from the inside out.
The Anxiety of "Calming" Cues: How rigid breathing counts can actually trigger a stress response.
The Social Nervous System: Creating a safe container where students feel seen and supported.
Building Capacity: Why challenging poses like balance and chair pose are vital for nervous system resilience.
NEW: The Yoga Teacher Lab
We’re launching a new series for teachers at Heart and Bones Online Studio! Our first deep dive is the Nervous System, featuring a "Director's Cut" breakdown of real classes with Brea Johnson.
Learn More https://heartandbonesyoga.com/nervoussystem101/
Did you know we have a yoga teacher dedicated youtube channel? Learn with Brea: https://www.youtube.com/@YogaTeacherTips
Learn More:

BECOME A YOGA TEACHER WITH HEART + BONES
200hr & 300hr Online Yoga Teacher Training (anatomy-informed, accessible, and actually enjoyable): https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

PRACTICE WITH US
Try Heart + Bones Studio free for one month, use code: youtubelove https://heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/
26 min
March 24How to Find Yoga Teaching Jobs (That Aren't at a Yoga Studio)
If you've been struggling to find yoga teaching work, whether you just finished your 200-hour, moved to a new city, or feel like there are more teachers than there are jobs—this one's for you.
Brea Johnson, founder of Heart + Bones and a yoga teacher with over two decades of experience, shares the honest, practical strategies she wishes more teachers knew about. From her years owning a brick-and-mortar studio (and being the one doing the hiring), she knows exactly what gets a teacher noticed, and what doesn't.
Found a creative way to build your teaching career that we didn't cover? Drop it in the comments—we'd love to hear it!
What we cover:
Why the yoga studio isn't always the best place to start — and what to do instead
How to rent your own space and actually fill it (even when nobody knows you yet)
The power of finding a niche to grow your classes faster
Working with gyms, physiotherapists, chiropractors, and corporate offices
What Brea looked for as a studio owner — and the things that almost guaranteed someone wouldn't get hired
How to build relationships that open doors, even if you're introverted
Why subbing is one of the most underrated ways to get your foot in the door
BECOME A YOGA TEACHER WITH HEART + BONES 200hr & 300hr Online Yoga Teacher Training (anatomy-informed, accessible, and actually enjoyable): https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/
PRACTICE WITH US
Try Heart + Bones Studio free for one month, use code: PODCASTMONTH https://heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/
SAY HI ON SOCIAL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartandbonesyoga
15 min

About The Yoga Teacher Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Whether it’s anatomy, exploring yoga teaching tips, or dissecting superficial yoga narratives, this is the podcast for yoga teachers who care deeply about their craft and aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo.