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 belonging, how to navigate common challenges like oversharing or cliques, and how to hold strong boundaries while still creating connection.

You don’t need to be an extrovert to lead a welcoming, connected class. Whether you’re teaching regulars, athletes, or a one-off workshop, these techniques will help your students feel like they belong—and help you feel more confident and fulfilled as a teacher.

Want to become (almost) everyone's favorite yoga teacher? Get in the Zone at Comfort Zone Yoga, my virtual studio focused on teacher development. I have a ton of Sage advice in there for you—let's chat there!

For more insights, subscribe to Yoga Teacher Confidential, check out my YouTube channel, and follow me on socials:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Threads
• Bluesky
• Pinterest

And come explore my mentorship program, continuing education workshops and 300/500-hour teacher training programs, and my many books for yoga teachers. It's all at sagerountree.com.

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 and winging it, and constantly reinventing sequences that never seem to stick.

I’ll share:

• The most common symptoms of Phase 1 (and why they’re totally normal)
• The one mistake that keeps new teachers stuck for years
• Why teaching the same sequence multiple times isn’t lazy—it’s liberating
• How the 6-4-2 Framework cuts your planning time in half
• What it really means to build confidence as a yoga teacher

If you’re tired of feeling like your training didn’t actually prepare you for real-life teaching, you’re not alone—and you’re not failing. You’re just in Phase 1. And this episode is here to help you move through it consciously and confidently.

For more support, check out Mastering the Art of Yoga Sequencing, my mentorship program where we turn the overwhelm into a steady, adaptable system you can grow with.

Want to become (almost) everyone's favorite yoga teacher? Get in the Zone at Comfort Zone Yoga, my virtual studio focused on teacher development. I have a ton of Sage advice in there for you—let's chat there!

For more insights, subscribe to Yoga Teacher Confidential, check out my YouTube channel, and follow me on socials:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Threads
• Bluesky
• Pinterest

And come explore my mentorship program, continuing education workshops and 300/500-hour teacher training programs, and my many books for yoga teachers. It's all at sagerountree.com.

“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 you’ve been leading classes for years, this roadmap gives you language, perspective, and permission. You’ll learn:

• The five distinct phases yoga teachers move through
• Why it’s completely normal to revisit early phases again and again
• The most common mistake that keeps teachers stuck
• How to build a class around what you already know how to teach
• A free resource that helps you move forward with more ease and confidence

🎧 Plus, I’ll share one practical homework assignment to help you apply this right away.

Links from the episode:

→ Join the free mini course: Fundamentals of Confident Teaching

Want to become (almost) everyone's favorite yoga teacher? Get in the Zone at Comfort Zone Yoga, my virtual studio focused on teacher development. I have a ton of Sage advice in there for you—let's chat there!

For more insights, subscribe to Yoga Teacher Confidential, check out my YouTube channel, and follow me on socials:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Threads
• Bluesky
• Pinterest

And come explore my mentorship program, continuing education workshops and 300/500-hour teacher training programs, and my many books for yoga teachers. It's all at sagerountree.com.