Yoga Medicine

Yoga is increasingly moving beyond the studio to find a place in therapeutic and healthcare settings. That move generates new opportunities, as well as new challenges, for yoga teachers. In today's episode, host Rachel speaks with Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist Jen Beal, who is a full-time yoga and meditation teacher with the Whole Health division of the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Je...

We all have the instinct to distract ourselves from present-moment discomfort, whether we consider ourselves an addict or not. That insight is a powerful starting point for today's conversation on the role yoga can play in addiction recovery.  Host Rachel is joined by returning guest Caroline Wybar—yoga teacher and trainer, and 1000hr Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist. Drawing from both lived e...

Most of us instinctively understand that we feel better when we spend time in nature. But our relationship to the natural world is perhaps even more powerful than we appreciate. On today's episode, host Rachel is joined by Emily Long—licensed clinical social worker, certified nature-informed therapist, and yoga teacher. Emily shares research on the therapeutic benefits of building a more mindful r...

In this episode, Yoga Medicine founder Tiffany Cruikshank and Katja Bartsch take a deep dive into the latest stretching research and what it means for yoga teachers, athletes, and movement professionals. Together, they unpack the latest recommendations around stretching for flexibility, stiffness, strength, hypertrophy, vascular health, recovery, and injury prevention while exploring the limitatio...

You have probably heard of the vagus nerve, and (whether you realize it or not) have been exposed to some of the concepts of Polyvagal Theory in yoga classes. In fact, we have discussed the theory in a previous episode of the podcast. In today's episode, host Rachel Land and Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist Valerie Knopik, PhD, revisit Polyvagal Theory and explore the latest scientific debate...

We all know how impactful regular habits can be, whether to benefit our health and wellbeing or detract from them. Social media would have us believe that we are one simple hack or protocol away from the habits we want, but today's guest is here to tell us that habit formation and change are a little more complicated than that. Host Rachel welcomes back yoga teacher and trainer Caroline Wybar to d...

Yoga can play a particularly powerful role in pain care, with the capacity to address both physical and psychological aspects of pain within a supportive social framework.  You'll hear these themes woven through today's conversation—between host Rachel and pain researcher and yoga teacher Jennifer Gewandter, PhD, MPH—as Jennifer shares the details of her upcoming pilot study on yoga for pain manag...

In this episode, we revisit a compelling conversation between hosts Tiffany Cruikshank and Katja Bartsch on the powerful role mindset plays in shaping health outcomes. Through research on the placebo effect, they explore how beliefs about food, exercise, and wellness choices can influence not only behavior but also physiological responses. In fact, the way we think and feel about what we do may be...

Yoga is often perceived as a recovery tool for athletes, but that barely scratches the surface of what yoga can offer active people.  In this episode, hosts Tiffany and Rachel explore the many roles yoga can play in athletic cross-training. They discuss how yoga can be used to not only maintain range of motion and provide tools for nervous system recovery, but also to balance repetitive movement p...

Mantra — the sacred sound of yoga — is, for many students and teachers, shrouded in mystery. In this episode, yoga teachers Dr. Rashmi Bismark and Steph Wall join host Rachel Land to unpack the myths, misconceptions, and cultural questions surrounding mantra in modern yoga practice.  Together, they explore whether the practice of mantra is religious, the importance of correct pronunciation, and ho...

Some aspects of yoga practice feel more mysterious and opaque than others, which can make them intimidating to teach and practice. For many, Yoga Nidra is one such technique. In this short excerpt from the previous episode, Yoga Nidra: Community Conversations with Caroline Wybar, Caroline shares two perceived Yoga Nidra "rules" that are well worth breaking to open up its benefits to a wider range...

For years now, host Katja has been studying contraindications for foam rolling research, and today she sits down with Tiffany to discuss if new foam rolling research is reaching users in a practical way. In this episode, we discuss Katja's latest research project as well as recent findings and their implications for the yoga world. Listen in to learn which findings were most surprising and how yog...

Yoga Teacher Training is such an involved and immersive process that many teachers forget to consider what they'll do when it ends. This final episode in our bonus 200-hour yoga teacher training series includes two short excerpts from E pisode 103: Teacher Training Myths with Yoga Medicine 200-hour lead teacher Dana Diament. In this episode, Dana and host Rachel share what you will -- and won't kn...

In a time of what feels like unprecedented change, the yoga landscape is shifting profoundly. It's a great opportunity for host Rachel Land to connect with other full-time yoga teachers—returning guests Caroline Wybar, Elena Cheung and Kylie Rook—to hear their thoughts. In this wide-reaching and philosophical discussion, we share what life as a teacher looks like right now, what has changed in the...

Do you need teaching experience, extreme flexibility, or deep knowledge of philosophy and anatomy to get the most out of yoga teacher training? In this short clip from Episode 127: Your Teacher Training Questions Answered, host Rachel and fellow teacher trainer Dana Diament share what they do—and just as crucially, don't—consider to be key prerequisites for yoga teacher training. They also share d...

For us to know where we are headed, it is crucial to understand where we came from and how we got here today. To that end, host Rachel Land and returning guest Firdose Moonda MA, spend today's episode discussing yoga's history, examining aspects of that history that are often overlooked. They dive into the challenge of balancing respect for the ancient traditions of yoga with the techniques that a...

In this episode, host Rachel Land revisits topics as varied as managing our behavior during the holidays, how much to depend on technology when it comes to our health, the underestimated power of interoception, signs of undiagnosed autoimmune disorder, common symptoms pre- peri- and post-menopause, practicing in support of Rheumatoid Arthritis pain flare-ups, ADHD or recovery from Traumatic Brain...

As we close out the year, how do we, as yoga teachers, gauge our progress? How can we assess our success? Today, host Rachel and returning guest Elena Cheung share their answers to these questions. We discuss why one-dimensional metrics like ratings, reviews, student numbers, online likes, and follows are so appealing, as well as the complexities of teaching that they fail to capture. Listen to th...

A common misconception is that all yoga teacher trainings are the same, but that's not the case. Every program varies in its style, priorities, and methods, making it crucial to do your research to ensure your teacher training is a good fit for you. In this short clip from Episode 103: Teacher Training Myths, host Rachel and fellow teacher trainer Dana Diament discuss how different trainings vary...

When the yoga landscape is changing and trends are constantly shifting, how do we find our place as teachers? How do we balance feeling purposeful and fulfilled with making a sustainable living? This episode is for people who are new to teaching yoga, those who have been teaching for decades, and everyone in between. Hosts Tiffany and Rachel discuss four phases of teaching and the potential pitfal...

High achievers in business, sport, and life in general can benefit hugely from yoga practice. However, the very traits that lead to success in their field can bring up unique challenges when brought to the mat. Today, host Katja speaks with Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist Katharina Claeys about teaching yoga to high achievers. Katharina is an educator, speaker, and consultant with a focus on...

A major barrier for many people interested in yoga teacher training is the assumption that it is only for certain kinds of people—whether that's deep and spiritual, energetic and outgoing, irresistibly charismatic, or highly skilled at yoga postures. In this short excerpt from Episode 103, Teacher Training Myths, host Rachel and fellow teacher trainer Dana Diament share that the truth is that teac...

The holidays can bring up strong feelings. Whether you're managing travel, disruption to regular routines, over-indulgence, or deeper issues like family conflict or loss, this time of year isn't always as magical as we perhaps imagine it to be. Today, host Rachel is joined by returning guest Diane Malaspina, yoga teacher and psychologist, to share practical suggestions on how we can better self-re...

Today's guest calls traumatic brain injury (TBI) "a silent epidemic", describing a common yet complex injury that, for many, presents with chronic symptoms. In this episode, host Rachel Land speaks with expert guest Dr. Kyla Pearce, Senior Director of Programs, Research & Operations for the LoveYourBrain Foundation – a national nonprofit that delivers evidence-based holistic health programs for th...

Today hosts Katja and Tiffany introduce some recent research on an always-interesting topic: the place where hustle culture meets the wellness sphere. In this episode, we discuss how these two fields influence each other, how this relationship has shifted recently, and how yoga teachers can navigate the hustle. Listen in to learn about the origins of hustle culture, how it shows up in the wellness...