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The Mentor Sessions — Fitness & Nutrition
The Mentor Sessions

With amazing guests or solo, I explore the craft of teaching yoga, as its own practice. I’m seeking answers to the questions about why we teach something the way we do, how we could be more expansive and inclusive in our teaching, and how we can continue to grow and evolve in our teaching practice.

I’m so glad you are here because I believe the depth that arises in teaching comes from inquiry and relationship. Join me as I offer nourishing support to help you feel more confident in your teaching and realistic strategy to help you find more clarity on your career path.

Francesca Cervero (she/her) has been a full-time yoga teacher since 2005. Her teaching is inspired by her foundational training with Cyndi Lee at OM Yoga Center, the years she spent as a dancer and the subsequent years she spent in physical therapy. Her teaching is also influenced by her love of Buddhist teachings and a constant curiosity about anatomy and biomechanics. She is in private practice teaching a full schedule of 1×1 clients, mentors yoga teachers in The Science of the Private Lesson™, hosts the podcast, The Mentor Sessions: Support & Strategy for Yoga Teachers and is the founder of the adjoining community, The Mentor Sessions Sangha.

Latest Episodes:

57: Building Strength with Kathryn Bruni-Young Sep 10, 2019

Show notes

I absolutely love Kathryn Bruni-Young's smart approach to movement and well-rounded strength and I'm so excited to have her back on The Mentor Sessions to share her wisdom with us!

Kathryn Bruni-Young is an international teacher, a strength training enthusiast, teacher trainer and the host of the Mindful Strength Podcast. She produces an online studio from her country home in eastern Ontario, and she educates folks on how they can build their strength and add more strengthening to their yoga, pilates and functional movement classes.

You can listen to my first interview with Kathyrn and hear more of an overview of her philosophy on Mindful Strength in Episode #5!

In this episode you'll hear:

why strength training might be more accessible to many people than body weight exercises like postural yoga
how strength training can be used as a way to build up to body weight movement
how can weight training help yoga teachers avoid injury
easy ways to increase load as strength progresses or decrease load if a regression is needed
what yoga teachers can do at home to incorporate strength training into their routine if they don't have access to a gym

Learn More From Kathryn:

At her website
At her Mindful Strength Virtual Studio
On her Mindful Strength Podcast
On Instagram

56: Avoiding Burnout: Self Care, Boundaries + Daily Routines Aug 22, 2019

Show notes

I hear frequently from yoga teachers who feel burned out and are trying to figure out how to dig themselves out of that hole. I know it can be so tough! We become yoga teachers because we love the practice and are initially so excited to share it with others, but the realities of making a living as a yoga teacher can be very challenging. We find ourselves working constantly without making much money or the practice that once was a private spiritual life raft has become a public performance and sometimes that makes it lose some of it's special-ness.

In today's podcast episode we are going to talk all about:

Why yoga teachers get burned out
Why the structure of our society sometimes makes it difficult to take care of ourselves and our families while teaching yoga
What we can do with our teaching schedule to avoid burnout
How to know if we should be hustling for more clients and classes OR NOT
Why having clear boundaries about time and money go a long way in helping us avoid burnout
How to manage Student/Teacher relationships to protect our energy reserves
Two different kinds of Self Care and how to know which one you need more of right now
Why you need a Sustainable and Sustaining Morning Routine and how to create one

After you listen to the episode I'd love to hear how this episode landed for you! Do you have other Self Care practices that help you avoid or heal from burn out? Tell me in the comments below!

55: Yoga is Dead with Tejal + Jesal Jul 30, 2019

Show notes

The yoga world is a subculture of our society; it mirrors both the beauty and the problems of the wider culture it inhabits. As a group we tend to spend more time teaching and talking about the things we deem "positive" about ourselves and our world, but in the long run this does everyone a disservice, both us and our yoga students.

If we want our world to be different and better it is up to create that change. And that means we have to talk about the underbelly of the yoga industry. We have to shine a light on the dark, dusty corners and start cleaning up.

For that reason I am SO honored and excited to introduce you to the Yoga Is Dead podcast. My friends Jesal Parikh and Tejal Patel created this podcast as a way to jumpstart critical conversations, elevate oppressed voices and expose the problems felt by anyone who isn't in the "in" crowd of the yoga industry.

In this episode you'll hear:

Why they decided to call their podcast Yoga is Dead and the reactions they've received so far
Why they felt it was necessary for their first episode to cover the racism and cultural appropriation they've experienced
All about "Karma Capitalism" and why it is a problem
How power hoarding shows up in the yoga world and what can be done about it
Suggestions for being a good ally
And so much more!

Listen here and please share any thoughts or questions below! Myself, Jesal and Tejal will be happy to answer any questions that come up!

Learn More From Jesal + Tejal:

On the podcast's website
Resources to learn more about racism, cultural appropriation, privilege and being a good ally
Resources to learn more about Karma Capitalism
Follow them on Instagram
Join the Yoga is Dead Facebook group

54: Unpacking Cultural Appropriation with Susanna Barkataki Jul 16, 2019

Show notes

My spiritual practice is one that asks me to wake up to the world as it is.

My spiritual practice asks me to be strong enough to see the truth about our society and understand my place in it. My spiritual practice values equity for all people and has a deep reverence for our inherent interdependence as a species.

My spiritual practice has always understood that I am not free until all people are free.

The evolution of this path led me to anti-racism work. As I began to see how living in a White Supremacist culture has infected everything I understand about myself and our world I was led to the work of dismantling the White Supremacy that is inside me, as the very important first step in dismantling White Supremacy out in the world.

As I continued to walk down this path I ran face first into a wall. As a white woman teaching yoga is there any way to do that without appropriating and stealing from a culture that is not my own?

I don't have an answer for that question. From my perspective, as a person committed to creating and supporting a better world for all people, it seems important that I get used to the discomfort that comes from living in the questions.

Many of you are sitting with these questions as well, and I appreciate you reaching out to me to ask for support on this path. In my role as a mentor I am committed to holding space for difficult conversations and asking (hopefully) thoughtful questions.

We are so so lucky to have Susanna Barkataki joining us on The Mentor Sessions today to bring her lived experience, wisdom and expertise to these questions.

Susanna Barkataki helps yoga teachers, studios, nonprofits and businesses become leaders in equity, diversity and yogic values so they can embody thriving yoga leadership with integrity and she has worked in teaching and social justice for two decades.

In this episode you'll hear:

Why the yoga world so badly need to hear Susanna's message of diversity and inclusion
A breakdown of the language often used in conversations like this. We'll define:
- Decolonization
- Cultural appropriation
- Diversity
- Inclusion
- Dominant Culture
- And accessibility specifically as it relates to yoga spaces

The main difference between honoring yoga and appropriating yoga
A conversation about how to update the movement practice and include learnings from modern movement science while still honoring the original teachings
What members of the dominant culture can do to transform our society

53: The Science of Yoga with Ann Swanson Jul 03, 2019

Show notes

Ann Swanson is a certified yoga therapist, mind-body science educator, and author of the beautiful new book, Science of Yoga. She is part heart-based healer and part science nerd. With a Master of Science in yoga therapy and roots studying yoga in India and tai chi/qi gong China, Ann uniquely applies cutting-edge research to mind-body practices while maintaining the heart of the traditions. She joins us on the podcast today to talk about the intersection of yoga and science.

In this episode you'll hear:

what the yoga world has to gain from diving deeper into the study of science
all about the enteric nervous system and how yoga practice might affect it
some of the Yoga Myths that were Ann's favorite to bust ;-)
how Ann recommends we teach shapes and movement given that most yoga alignment cues are aesthetic
what the research shows about yoga, meditation and chronic pain

52: Cult Dynamics, Abuse + Healing in Yoga with Matthew Remski Jun 18, 2019

Show notes

Matthew Remski is a yoga teacher and author. As the survivor of two cults, his work has been pivotal in illuminating the shadows of globalized yoga and Buddhism, and showing that disillusionment and critical inquiry can be gateways to mature spirituality. Matthew has written a new and very important book called Practice And All Is Coming: Abuse, Cult Dynamics, And Healing In Yoga And Beyond and it should be required reading for all yoga teachers. The book explores abuse that took place in Mysore (as well as around the wider yoga world) AND offers us a path forward through the healing that happens in community.

In this episode you'll hear:

the important difference between intention and impact in the world of oppression and healing
the importance of listening to and uplifting survivors stories
complex ideas about cult dynamics explained in an easy to understand way and how this conversation might impact all of our teaching
why seeing physical opening as a sign of spiritual advancement is a dangerous idea and what can yoga teachers do to dismantle that way of thinking in their own practice and teaching

Learn More From Matthew:

On Facebook
On his website
Buy the book here

51: An Applied Neuroscience Approach to Yoga + Movement with Erin Jade Jun 04, 2019

Show notes

Erin Jade has been working in massage therapy and yoga/movement instruction since 2004. In 2014 she began to pivot away from traditional asana into varietal movement drawing from the influences of Katy Bowman, Erwan Le Corre, Ido Portal, Igor Burdenko, Moshe Feldenkrais, FRC, Laban Bartenieff, contemporary dance and more. The search led her to movement education and rehab through the lens of applied neuroscience when she discovered education systems Z Health and Applied Movement Neurology Academy. Erin has begun to introduce these concepts to yoga and movement teachers and we are so lucky to have her on the podcast today teaching us the basics about applied neuroscience in yoga and movement classes.

In this episode you'll hear:

why it is important to assess how our nervous system functions and how we might do that
how much of our movement ability is driven by our vision and what should yoga teachers should do with that information
why what we do in class should translate to functional skills applicable to everyday life and what that might look like in an asana class
and much more!

50: Very Special Episode: Interview With My Two Best Friends! May 21, 2019

Show notes

This is a VERY special podcast episode! To celebrate Episode #50 I decided to turn the microphone around and let someone interview ME. And it's not just any "someone". Almost by coincidence two of my very best friends from college, Alece Demeray and Nikki Hay, became yoga teachers many years after I did. We are Yoga Friends now but we still are Regular (Best) Friends first. I knew if I asked them to interview me you folks would get a glimpse at the real, unfiltered version of Francesca!

In this episode you'll hear:

about the most influential trainings and teachers in my life
my current teaching schedule
dream trainings I would love to take
how I maintain the initial spark of being a student, even though I've been a teacher for a long time
the systems I've built to make sure I maintain my self care practices
the parts of my teaching I am most proud of
what the next phase of my career might look like
some of my worst qualities (!)
my favorite TV shows, podcasts and apps

49: How To Offer Modifications in a Group Class with Gabby DeLorenze May 07, 2019

Show notes

It is common for yoga students to come into class, tell us they have an injury and expect us to be able to modify for them or at least give them ideas as to what they should avoid. If those moments before class make you nervous then today's podcast episode is for you! Gabby DeLorenze has her Bachelor's degree in Athletic Training, a Master's degree in Biomechanics, a certification from NASM as a Certified Exercise Specialist and is also a yoga teacher and today we're going to talk all about how to offer modifications in a group yoga class.

In this episode you'll hear us talk about a few of the common injuries that people bring into a yoga class and what teachers might suggest for those students including,

Plantar fasciitis
Pain in knee, both in flexion or weight bearing
Pain in shoulder, especially in overhead movements
Pain in shoulder due to rotator cuff injury
Pain in lower back

Learn More From Gabby:

On her website
On Instagram
On Facebook

Get 20% off her e-book using the code FCPodcast here

48: Not Teaching Yoga Anymore with Caitlin Casella Apr 22, 2019

Show notes

The path of a career yoga teacher can be a circuitous one. I find it so helpful to hear how different teachers navigate that terrain, and today we get to hear from Caitlin Casella, who has been teaching yoga and leading teacher trainings for a decade! Since adding strength training and other functional movement modalities to her repertoire, her practice and priorities have shifted. Now, as she pursues her Clinical Doctorate in Physical Therapy, Caitlin's aim is to make movement more accessible to the general population and demystify the science of the human body.

In this episode you'll hear:

Why Caitlin stopped referring to the movement practice that she teaches as Yoga and what sparked that shift.
The emotional process Caitlin navigated as she made this change in her teaching.
The yoga poses that Caitlin finds irrelevant, and how she suggests shifting them to make them more useful.
Some of the roadblocks we see other teachers run into as they try to make their teaching safer or more thoughtful when it comes to optimal musculoskeletal function... and...
The advice we can offer them from our experience!

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