How we phrase things is so important, especially in a personal, experiential practice like yoga. Today, hosts Rachel and Tiffany talk about the power of the language we use when teaching.

What does it mean to use open and invitational language versus commanding? How can our words help students to feel strong and resilient instead of fearful on the mat? What problems can arise for students when we offer pose options as a hierarchy?

Listen in to learn how to tailor your language with more skill and discernment and cultivate an environment in which your students flourish.

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• Why is language important when teaching yoga? [0:47]
• The delicate balance of invitational versus commanding language [3:43]
• Nocebic or fear-based language [14:47]
• Hierarchical language versus open options [28:34]
• Body-positive language [36:53]
• Gendered language [40:18]
• Using technical terms judiciously [42:42]
• Changing default language takes time and practice [45:16]

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• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Yoga Medicine® 200HR Teacher Training Program

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-144.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

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Welcome to our new series of “Shorts”—gems from previous podcast conversations that deserve a second look (or listen).

This excerpt is drawn from episode 54: Love Those Hips! All About the Hip Labrum. In discussing yoga practices to embrace and avoid during hip labrum injury, hosts Tiffany and Rachel also highlighted how all of us can strengthen, support, and mobilize these crucial joints to maximize their capacity over the long term. They also explored a repeated theme on this podcast: the power of curiosity and how our practice can act as an individual invitation to find the challenges we need to thrive.

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• Biomechanics patterns that can contribute to hip issues [1:22]
• The challenge of balancing 3D mobility and strength [4:00]
• Commonly neglected: active control in hip rotation, eccentric hip flexor work [5:51]
• A caution: loaded internal rotation [10:53]
• The power of practice as individual investigation [13:59]

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• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Listen to the full Yoga Medicine® Podcast Episode 54: All About the Hip Labrum
• Online Hip: Anatomy, Dysfunction, & Application Yoga Teacher Training
• In-Person Hip: Anatomy, Dysfunction, & Application Yoga Teacher Training in Bali October 10-17, 2025
• Tiffany’s “All About the Hips” Playlist on Yoga Medicine® Online (YMO)
• Rachel’s “Hip Health Series 4: MFR 360 Degrees of the Hips” YMO class

You can learn more about this episode and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-143.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Today, hosts Tiffany and Katja discuss current research on female hormones, the immune system, and exercise. Both the female hormones as well as the immune function are intricate systems – bringing them together adds even more complexity! In this episode, we try to boil down the immune system and inflammatory response and explore recent research that sheds light on the relationship between the menstrual cycle, immune responses and exercise. We also discuss the nuances of inflammatory processes, individualised responses, and potential implications for peri- and post-menopause.

Listen in as we talk about the influence of female hormones on immune processes and share why inner wisdom is an important part of understanding our bodies better.

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• Disclaimer – complexity of the immune system and menstrual cycle research [1:52]
• Inflammation and the immune system – bird’s eye view [4:18]
• Influence of female hormones on immune and inflammatory processes [6:47]
• Potential changes in the second phase of the menstrual cycle [14:16]
• Current meta-analysis and systematic review on female hormones and immune function/ inflammation [15:43]
• Relationship with exercise [22:41]
• Current state of menstrual cycle-based training research [29:33]

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• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Female Hormones & Immune System References Doc
• Female Health Yoga Teacher Training
• Menopause Yoga Teacher Training
• Connect with Katja Bartsch:

Facebook | Instagram | Kalamana Yoga | Yoga Medicine® Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-142.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes, or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5-star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Teaching private yoga can be enormously fulfilling, but it also has the potential to create a whole new set of challenges for teachers.

In this episode, host Rachel Land speaks with returning guest Elena Cheung about the pitfalls of private yoga sessions and some potential ways to avoid them. We discuss how to set student expectations early, manage anxiety regarding that first session, and offer tips on setting boundaries, taking payment, and setting cancellation policies.

Listen in to learn how to navigate the pitfalls of private yoga like a pro, and find your niche.

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• Positives of private yoga [2:08]
• Pitfall #1: Scheduling and admin time [9:38]
• Pitfall #2: The unstructured unknown of the first session [12:08]
• Pitfall #3: Research and planning time [19:08]
• Pitfall #4: Cancellations and no-shows [24:55]
• Pitfall #5: Homework that works [28:31]
• Pitfall #6: Uncertainty whether you’ll be able to help [35:34]
• Pitfall #7: Blurry boundaries [41:38]
• Pitfall #8: Mismatched expectations; find your niche [50:15]
• Final takeaways [54:20]

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• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Previous Yoga Medicine Podcast Episodes:
  • Episode 109: Teaching Yoga One-on-One
  • Episode 74: Yoga for All
• The Art of Teaching Impactful Group Classes Online Course
• For those left hanging by the podcast, the left hemisphere of the brain is generally associated with analytical thinking, logic, and language, while the right is linked to intuition, creativity, and spatial awareness.
• Connect with Elena Cheung:

Instagram | Elena Shapeshifts | Yoga Medicine® Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-141.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Today hosts Tiffany and Rachel dive into the muddy waters of hands-on assists. We discuss their complicated history, the different types of hands-on assists, and debate their pros and cons. We also talk about the importance of clear communication and consent, and alternatives you could employ instead. Listen in to hear how truly game-changing assists might be the ones that students find their way to on their own.

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• Differing attitudes toward hands-on assists over time [1:11]
• The case for hands-on assists, different types, asking for consent [4:13]
• Can a teacher know how a student feels by looking at them? [10:57]
• The same assists don’t work for every teacher [15:12]
• The case against hands-on assists [16:19]
• Potential for injury [18:27]
• Overriding students’ body autonomy [22:03]
• Alternatives to hands-on assists: language, demonstrations [26:53]
• Is touch within a yoga teacher’s scope of practice? [29:51]
• Physical adjustment might disrupt students’ internal experience [31:27]
• Final takeaways [36:13]

—

• Watch this episode on YouTube

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-140.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

There are still plenty of questions about the experience of the transitional phases of our lives. Today, hosts Tiffany and Katja discuss recent research that seeks to shed light on the menopausal transition. Experience of menopause is highly variable from person to person, so in this episode, we explore common symptom clusters identified in the research as well as the phenomenon of “not feeling like myself” in perimenopause. We also talk about how midlife can pose a challenge to one’s self-image and discuss how fatigue and emotional volatility may impact a woman’s day-to-day in this phase of life.

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• Background on menopause and perimenopause [2:50]
• Symptoms of peri- and postmenopause [14:41]
• Symptoms that show up in all stages of menopause [27:19]
• The phenomenon of “not feeling like myself” in perimenopause [29:22]
• Symptoms related to not feeling like yourself [38:20]
• The role of fatigue [45:17]
• New sensations of emotional volatility [46:38]

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• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Menopause References Doc
• Connect with Katja Bartsch:

Facebook | Instagram | Kalamana Yoga | Yoga Medicine® Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-139.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

An estimated 50 million Americans live with an autoimmune disorder, and women are twice as likely to be affected as men. Yet diagnosis and treatment can be challenging when taking a solely Western medical approach.

Today’s guest is The Functional Nutritionist, Erin Holt. She has dedicated her life to helping those with autoimmune disorders find their way back to full health, taking a research-based whole-person approach.

In this episode, we discuss the major triggers of autoimmune disorders and the current limitations of Western medicine. Listen to learn the key role a multi-disciplinary team can play, and the power of food as medicine.

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• Erin’s personal experience with autoimmune disorder [2:29]
• Theories on why women are more affected by autoimmune disorders [5:01]
• Different autoimmune conditions and potential for remission [7:28]
• Six major triggers of immune disregulation [16:06]
• Holistic approach to health: working with a multi-disciplinary team [22:00]
• Three phases of autoimmune disorder [25:43]
• Key signs of undiagnosed autoimmune disorder [27:32]
• Challenges with the Western medical approach [34:46]
• After autoimmune diagnosis: a whole-person approach [39:00]
• Nutritional support for autoimmune disorder: where to start [44:57]
• The Wahlz Protocol [47:08]
• Gluten, dairy, eggs, soy [49:05]
• Food sensitivity testing vs elimination diets [50:05]
• Final takeaways and resources from Erin [53:21]

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• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Hear Tiffany on The Funk’tional Nutrition Podcast
• Yoga Medicine® Podcast Episode 112: Yoga & Autoimmune Conditions
• Connect with Erin Holt, integrative nutritionist:

Facebook | Instagram | The Funk’tional Nutritionist

You can learn more about this episode and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-137.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.