From Pain to Possibility

In the next part of my "Exploring Your Feet" mini-series, I'm providing you detailed instructions for a body scan practice—one designed to bring your attention to your feet. By doing so, you'll be more equipped to listen to your body and address pain associated with your feet. So find a safe, comfortable place to sit or lay down as I guide you, step-by-step, through this 15-minute body scan practi...

On today's episode—the second in my new mini-series, Exploring Your Feet—I'm investigating how our feet respond to flip flops as well as sharing my own experiences in managing this stimulus while also elevating my function. Listen in to learn the compensation patterns most associated with wearing flip flops, the ways to support foot function while doing so, and how my time bike riding has allowed...

It's a very special episode today as I'm beginning a brand new mini-series, "Exploring Your Feet," where we will dive deep into our feet, the pain and soreness that can occur in our feet, and ways to use our feet to better understand our movements. Listen in as I help you understand the feet as the foundation of your movements (while also sharing how that interpretation can be limiting) as well as...

On today's episode I'll be guiding you through another Rest & Revitalization Sleep Meditation—a practice created by Ann Douglas, a teacher and trainer of yoga, yoga nidra, and meditation. So find a safe space to listen as I walk you through, step-by-step, the instructions of this R&R Sleep Meditation. And, if you benefited from this practice, you can check out previous episodes to find similar med...

On today's episode we're exploring the concept of core stability from the lens of being an anatomy architect. More specifically, I'm discussing better ways to strengthen your core in a way that can effectively reduce or eradicate your pain. Tune in as I share the keys to strengthening your core and how that requires reducing the layers of tension over it, as well as the anatomy architect state of...

Suffering from a lack of sleep? Or maybe you're getting the recommended amount of sleep but you still don't feel well rested. Well, in today's episode, I'll be guiding you through a 30-minute Rest & Revitalization Sleep Meditation, which is sure to help you recharge.   Find a safe and comfortable place to sit or lay down and tune in as I walk you step-by-step through this meditation, and be sure t...

For many healing professionals, the old method of "one-size-fits-all solutions" simply isn't working anymore. Instead, nowadays, clients (and teachers too) must tap into their own awareness to understand pain and the anatomy, biomechanics, and kinesiological principles associated with it.   Tune in this week to hear me the steps to strengthen the mind-body connection, how to teach from a place of...

As we continue to explore more guided meditations on the podcast, today's show is extra special because I'm walking you through a new kind of body scan practice—different from what we've done in previous episodes. While the typical body scan focuses your attention to a single point in your body (your hands, your shoulders, your feet, etc.) this practice I'm walking you through today will guide you...

On today's episode we're exploring back pain and, specifically, why I don't use the Uttanasana yoga pose as a means of reducing that pain in my clients. In short, it's because the results aren't consistent enough. Join me in discussing back pain, how such pain is actually an  expression of the actual problem, and the alternatives to Uttanasana—some of which aren't mechanical and instead may be yog...

Whether you're a yoga therapist, a yoga teacher, or a client currently in the rehab process, the concept of cueing impacts everyone, which is why today I'm discussing how to engage in cueing in a way that is most beneficial for healing. Listen in as I explore the fundamentals of cueing, the relationship formed between health professionals and patients through cueing, as well as how to use cueing t...

Get comfortable because today I'll be walking you through a body scan and breath awareness meditation, a practice similar to the Rest & Revitalization Sleep Meditations covered in previous episodes. So find a safe and quiet place where you can sit or lay down as I guide you, step-by-step, through this 20-minute body scan and breath awareness practice in order to down-regulate your nervous system....

As I continue my mini-series on Healing & Synergy, today we're discussing what happens when a health professional or a client hits a wall during rehab and they decide to "retire this yoga pose". Listen in to learn how a client's embodied awareness can lead to better connection, less tension, and less gripping. And how, in those states, a patient can increase their capabilities and, as a result, pr...

Welcome to another special episode in the Healing & Synergy mini-series where we are discussing the three biggest myths associated with yoga therapy and the business of practicing it. There are so many great training programs out there that neglect to give participants the education they need to grow a thriving practice without sacrificing their well-being.    Tune in as I'm challenging the idea t...

In this next part of the Healing & Synergy mini-series, we're discussing the concept of modifications and how, while they may be useful in yoga teaching, they can be counterproductive in yoga therapy.    Tune in as I explain how such modifications limit the healing process during rehabilitation as well as the thinking required to move away from those workarounds to actually resolve a patient's cor...

Find a quiet, comfortable spot because today's episode—the next part of my Healing & Synergy mini-series—is another Rest & Revitalization Sleep Meditation practice, this one focused on helping you navigate the highs and lows of the rehabilitation process.   Listen in as I explain the power behind the practice of opposites in yoga nidra, especially as it relates to the "fix it" cycle, and then guid...

Now and again as healing professionals, we encounter clients who simply want a fix for their pain and are uninterested in understanding the systems of healing. For many such clients, you may be the latest in a long line of health professionals they've sought out. Where you can differ though is in how you develop a healing relationship with these patients so they see rehab as an exploration.   Tune...

As part of the mini-series on Healing & Synergy, today we're talking with Lisa Neukomm, personal trainer and current participant in the Yoga Therapy Certification, about integrating the concepts she's learned in the program into her practice. Listen in as we discuss how to become an integrative personal trainer by abandoning a healing process that is just goal oriented—lifting heavier weighting, i...

Many struggle to balance being a yogi and running a profitable business because, sadly, no one taught them how. But there is a way to nurture and nourish yourself and your clients as a yoga instructor. In today's episode, I'm speaking specifically to yoga professionals interested in learning how to grow a sustainable practice without burning out.   Listen in as I share how to grow your business in...

Today I'm talking about a very specific kind of client that may frequent your practice: the "hard driver." This is one of those clients who is deeply ambitious, strong-willed, and has a hard time slowing down.   There are some really smart ways you can help these clients reduce pain while working with their natural energetic tendencies and I'm sharing them in this week's episode. Tune in to learn...

Many of us in Western culture have a rigid understanding of the student-teacher relationship—one that places teachers in positions of authority to which students are taught to defer. But helping our clients to heal requires a relationship of exchange. In this episode, I'm speaking with Ruth Ann Penny, veteran educator and yoga teacher, about the role of teachers in helping clients out of pain.   L...

I'm continuing my mini-series on reducing and eradicating physical pain for your clientele and today's episode focuses on the glutes—specifically what people may refer to as "lazy glutes" or "dead butt". In addition to addressing why such terminology can be detrimental to patients, we'll walk through some of the core glutes exercises that are recommended in the rehabilitation process and the ways...

As a health professional, it's crucial to understand that your job is not to heal your clients but rather to provide them with the physical and mental tools required to reduce pain. In part two of my Healing & Synergy mini-series, I'm discussing the five key components to help reduce and eradicate your clients' pain. Listen in as I outline all five of these key components, including "compelling re...

If you're a health professional or yoga teacher who wants to hone your ability to help clients reduce and eradicate pain, I recorded this episode and the upcoming mini-series for you!   Tune in to hear me discuss the connection between having fun while working with clients and growing your business, and strategies for cultivating a client base that is committed to your healing techniques. You'll l...

For many of my clients, the concept of becoming stronger is a challenge, especially after rehab. This is because their rehabilitation likely failed to instill a feeling of connection to their body and the movements required for strengthening. On today's episode, I'm discussing the process you and your clients can use to make gains after rehab and why, despite common belief, strength can be easy. ...

Achieving strength—the kind of real strength that supports a pain-free life—requires a solid connection between mind and body. This is the type of strength that we rely on in the rehabilitation process, and I'm outlining how to build this strength in today's episode.    Tune in to hear me outline the eight principles of movement that will help you become more attuned to your body's functions, fost...