Yoga Teacher Confidential: Secrets of Becoming a Great Yoga Teacher

When I started teaching yoga at the UNC Wellness Center, I had to complete hospital safety training about bloodborne pathogens and biohazard spills. I was teaching yoga in a gym. The odds of encountering a biohazard during downward-facing dog were essentially zero. But they paid me for that training time, and there were snacks at the meetings—so I wasn't complaining. Teaching at gyms and YMCA...

Most new yoga teachers approach studios completely wrong. They send generic emails, mention how much they need the work, and haven't taken a single class at the studio they're asking to teach at. Some even copy-paste so carelessly that they mention the wrong studio's name. In this episode, I'm sharing the exact approach that gets yoga teachers hired—the one that makes you stand...

I've spent twenty years watching yoga teachers struggle with the same pattern. They finish their training, start teaching, and then something happens. They're standing in front of three students wondering what they're doing wrong. They're scrambling every Sunday night to plan Monday's class. Or they never start teaching at all because the imposter syndrome is too loud. Her...

Most yoga teachers feel secretly terrified about teaching meditation. You know how to cue a vinyasa, but when it comes to that moment where you ask students to sit still and turn inward, the panic sets in. Who am I to guide someone's meditation practice? In this conversation with Gabrielle Harris—author of Lessons in Meditation , The Language of Yin , and The Inspired Yoga Teacher —we unpack...

When Lana Boone first started teaching formats beyond her familiar Baptiste sequence, she was terrified. Today, she's the lead teacher at Yoga Six in Potomac, Maryland, confidently teaching everything from power to restorative to sound bath—and her classes are filling up. In this conversation, Lana shares how the 6-4-2 framework and chunking approach completely transformed her lesson planning...

Most 200-hour yoga teacher trainings teach you how to do yoga—but they don't teach you how to teach yoga. If you've been through a training yourself, you know exactly what I mean. You spent weeks learning Sanskrit names, memorizing muscles, and perfecting your own poses. Then they handed you a certificate and said you're a yoga teacher now. Except you didn't really feel like on...

Most yoga teachers end the year measuring what they didn't accomplish. The workshops they didn't lead, the certifications they didn't finish, the Instagram following that didn't grow. But here's what I've learned after two decades of teaching: you're probably measuring the wrong things. In this episode, I'm walking you through the reflection framework I use...

The most awkward yoga class I ever taught? When my husband raised his hand mid-class like a third grader to ask if he was doing it right. If you're teaching through the holidays, you're probably about to experience your own version of this—friends, family, and visiting relatives showing up to your class. In this episode, we're diving into one of the most complex dynamics in yoga tea...

I've been creating yoga video content since the DVD era—and I've made just about every mistake you can make along the way. From losing the rights to my own videos to stress-recording live classes while trying to serve paying students, my journey with video has been full of hard-won lessons. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on 20+ years of creating yoga videos. I'll...

Most yoga teachers avoid watching themselves teach. The cringe factor is real. But self-assessment through video recording is the single most effective—and completely free—tool you have for evolving as a teacher. In this episode, we're diving deep into the second E in my S.E.R.V.E. Method: Evolve Your Voice . I'm sharing the complete framework I teach in Module One of Mastering the Art o...

After two decades of teaching yoga and training teachers, I've noticed something profound: some of my most meaningful moments happen when I visit the teacher trainees of my former students. These metaphorical grandchildren—students of my students—represent what Phase 5 of the Yoga Teacher Success Timeline is truly about. Phase 5 isn't about age or years of experience. It's about the...

There's a phase that happens before yoga teacher training even begins—a liminal space where you're no longer just a student, but you're not yet ready to call yourself a teacher. I call it Phase Zero. Maybe you find yourself mentally teaching along during class, wondering why the teacher chose that particular sequence. Maybe people keep telling you that you should be a teacher, or yo...

I used to think teaching yin and restorative yoga were niche skills—nice to have if you wanted to teach those specific classes, but not essential to your development as a yoga teacher. I was completely wrong. After 20+ years of teaching and training teachers, I've discovered that learning to teach yin and restorative might be the most transformative thing you can do for your teaching—no matte...

In this episode, I explore what it really means to thrive as a yoga teacher. Phase Four of the Yoga Teacher Success Timeline—the Thriving Teacher Zone—is where teaching becomes intuitive, fulfilling, and sustainable. I share the signs that you’ve reached this stage, from having loyal students and diversified income to teaching from intuition rather than fear. I also unpack how thriving doesn’t mea...

Have you ever felt like your teaching has hit a plateau? In this episode of Yoga Teacher Confidential , I dive into Phase Three of the Yoga Teacher Success Timeline: the Professional Development Zone. This is the stage where teaching starts to feel sustainable but can also begin to feel routine. I share the hallmarks of Phase Three, including confidence in delivery, steady students, and a desire t...

After 52 weekly episodes—a full year of this show!—one truth has emerged: the teachers who struggle most are still practicing yoga while trying to teach it. In this anniversary episode, I explore the irony at the core of our profession: yoga is an inward practice, but teaching yoga demands we look outward. I share my personal journey, the common struggles I see in teachers, and the shift that chan...

Emergencies happen in yoga class—and sometimes the emergency is mine. In this third installment of the series, I share practical steps for handling sudden illness, a coughing fit or lost voice, migraines, or a panic spike while I’m teaching. You’ll hear real stories, what I say to students in the moment, and how I decide whether to simplify, deputize help, or end early. The goal: care for myself s...

Leading a yoga retreat isn’t just a vacation with yoga—it’s a business, a service, and a deep commitment to your students. In this episode of Yoga Teacher Confidential , I talk with retreat leader Amy Boerner about what really goes into hosting successful retreats. From requiring deposits that “hurt to lose” to learning the hard way why you should never cook for your participants, Amy shares both...

Five years into teaching, I realized I was sounding just like one of my mentors—same words, same tone, same everything. It made me wonder: who am I as a teacher when I’m not imitating someone else? In this episode, we’re diving into Phase Two of the Yoga Teacher Success Timeline: the Identity Formation Zone. This is where you’ve moved past the overwhelm of Phase One and into regular teaching—but s...

Teaching yoga in a big space with dozens of students can be daunting—how do you connect with everyone and keep the class flowing? In this episode, I share practical strategies for managing large rooms so every student feels included. You’ll learn how to set up your space, move with intention, project your voice, and adapt to challenges without losing your connection to the whole group. These tips...

If you’ve ever found yourself spending hours on Sunday night scrolling Instagram for yoga class ideas, this episode is for you. I share the real struggle teachers face with planning: the overwhelm, the blank-page anxiety, or the temptation to just wing it. After 20+ years of teaching, I’ve discovered that the most successful teachers aren’t the most creative or the most flexible. They’re the ones...

Teaching private yoga lessons can be one of the most rewarding parts of your teaching career—both financially and in the depth of connection you create. But finding clients who truly value your teaching can be a challenge. In this episode, I share exactly how I’ve built a roster of private clients who commit to regular sessions, respect my expertise, and pay my full rate without constant negotiati...

What makes students keep coming back to your classes? It’s not just your cueing or sequencing—it’s the sense of connection you cultivate. In this episode, I break down the art of building community in your yoga classes—not in a forced, overly social way, but in a grounded, intentional way that supports all types of students. You’ll learn what to do before, during, and after class to foster belongi...

You finished your 200-hour training, certificate in hand . . . but your class plan is blank and your brain is fried. Sound familiar? In this episode, I walk you through Phase 1 of the Yoga Teacher Success Timeline: what I call post-training overwhelm . It’s that panicky season where you feel like you should be ready, but instead, you’re second-guessing every pose, bouncing between over-planning an...

“I’ve been teaching for years and I still feel like I’m faking it.” If that sounds familiar, I'm here to reassure you: you’re not alone, and you’re not behind. In this episode, I share the Yoga Teacher Success Timeline, a five-phase framework that helps you name where you are in your growth as a yoga teacher—and understand what’s coming next. Whether you’re fresh out of teacher training or yo...