129: New Teacher Panel: Community Conversations

Usually this podcast features seasoned yoga instructors, so today we are doing something different: exploring the perspectives of those early in the experience of holding the role of a teacher.

In this episode, we connect with three guests who completed 200-hour teacher training at the end of 2023. We discuss their expectations of the training, which areas of study best prepared them for the work they hoped to do afterward, how they secured their first teaching opportunities, and what advice they would share with those considering yoga teacher training now.

If you are a newer teacher yourself, or contemplating yoga teacher training, listen in to learn about the reality of yoga teacher training, as well as the joys and challenges new teachers tend to experience.

“Yoga is such a big and nebulous thing. There is no one way to teach…so there is room for everybody to have different interests and then we have the rest of our lives to continue studying it.” – Rachel Land

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“Everybody has it in them. You can discover during the training what you love and what is calling to you…it’s a really great path of discovery and deepening your personal practice if nothing else.” – Suzanne Powell

Show Notes:

• Is teacher training only for people who want to teach [3:05]
• Hopes and expectations prior to teacher training [6:23]
• Most and least enjoyed areas of study [10:24]
• What did you feel most and least prepared for after teacher training [14:26]
• Challenges that arise for new teachers [18:42]
• How to find the first opportunities to teach [21:36]
• Next steps, including how to know you’re ready for ongoing study [26:36]
• Advice for future yoga teachers [30:34]

Links Mentioned:

• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Previous Yoga Medicine® Podcast Episodes:
  • 127: Your 200HR YTT Questions Answered
  • 103: Teacher Training Myths
• 200HR Online Teacher Training
• Connect with today’s guests:
  • Becky Bruce – Instagram
  • Suzanne Powell – Email | Union Yoga Co.

“Anything that we can feel in our body or emotions when we are on the mat, is a useful thing as a teacher because it gives us something personal and authentic to share from.” – Rachel Land