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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:

37: Q + A About Private Lessons with Francesca Dec 11, 2018

Show notes

We are doing something new today on The Mentor Sessions! I'm reading some of the Most Frequently Asked questions I get about teaching private lessons and offering you my quick and dirty answers. Some of these topics very well may need their own episode, so please reach out and let me know what follow up questions you have.

In this episode you'll hear:

How to structure a private lesson so that it doesn't feel the same as a group class.
How to deal with the boundaries of showing up for our clients through our own illness and hard times.
How to set a timeline with privates clients that relates to their goals.
My perspective on asking current clients for referrals and a tiny shift you can make in your relationship with your current students that could help you get more referrals!
What I think about scheduling software, including the only one I recommend.

Resources mentioned on this episode:

A blog about the boundaries of chatting in a private lesson.
Some ideas to help you find your first private client.
The scheduling software I recommend.

36: How To Teach A 2 Person Private Lesson Nov 27, 2018

Show notes

Have you ever had a private client bring their partner or friend to a private lesson and wondered exactly what you should be doing? Have you ever struggled to teach private lessons to a couple who had wildly different physical and emotional needs? In today's episode we are going to cover all that and more!

In this episode you'll hear:

how to meet the needs of two individuals who have completely different needs
how to do an intake with two people
what to charge for a 2 person private lesson
how to manage the dynamics of a couple in an appropriate way
how you might break them up if that is best for everyone

35: The State of Yoga Education with Jules Mitchell Oct 26, 2018

Show notes

In the conversations I have with colleagues about yoga teacher trainings the focus is almost always centered on the idea that 200 hours is not enough time to produce high quality baseline yoga teachers. I brought this question to my friend and teacher Jules Mitchell to get her opinion and very quickly our conversation veered from the serious but simple question, "How many hours of training should foundational YTTs have?" to the much more complex questions of, "Who gets to have the power to decide what makes a good yoga teacher?" and "If we raise the standards to make 'better' yoga teachers what communities get left further behind with less access to yoga than they already have?"

Spoiler alert: We came up with almost no clear answers to these questions, but I think it is important for us to have these conversations publicly and often.

If you don't already know Jules, she is a San Francisco based yoga teacher, educator and massage therapist. She blends the tradition of yoga with her extensive study in biomechanics to help teachers develop their craft and empower them with education. She regularly contributes to yoga teacher training programs and leads workshops worldwide, balancing the somatic aspects of yoga with the most current exercise science.

Check out our previous interview to get to know more about Jules and the way she incorporates her knowledge of biomechanics into her teaching in Episode #9, right here!

In this episode you'll hear:

What Jules thinks is working well in the yoga teacher training culture.
A conversation about the current standards yoga trainings follow and how they are (or are not) are serving teachers and their students well.
Some thoughts about Yoga Alliance and whether or not yoga might be served by having an actual regulating body.
Jules and I go down the rabbit hole of "Who gets to decide what 'good' yoga teaching looks like...and is that something we think should be defined at all??"

Learn More From Jules:

On her website
On Instagram
On Twitter
On Facebook
On YouTube

Also! Yoga Detour Online Training is now open...

It's been a long time coming but my friends over at Yoga Detour are finally releasing their online course which is only open for registration until November 2! Detour Method Online bridges the gap between the yoga you know and love with all the other stuff you know the body needs in addition to yoga like strength work, mobility training and overall feel good movement. It includes live calls with Detour founder Cecily Milne (you can check out her interview on The Mentor Sessions right here if you don't already know her!) plus a bunch of amazing bonuses like audio classes and downloadable resources. You can find out more about the course by checking out their website here and use the code "mentor" at checkout to get $50 off your registration!

34: A Creative Use of Props with Guest Teacher Trina Altman Oct 16, 2018

Show notes

Trina Altman is the creator of Yoga Deconstructed® and Pilates Deconstructed®, which take an interdisciplinary approach to foster an embodied understanding of yoga and Pilates and their relationship to modern movement science. Her book, Yoga Deconstructed®: Transitioning From Rehabilitation Back Into The Yoga Studio is slated to be published by Handspring Publishing in December 2019. Check out our previous interview to get to know more about Trina and her Yoga Deconstructed approach in Episode #3.

In this episode you'll hear:

Why it can be helpful to add more stability, strength and motor control into our asana classes.
The difference between local stabiliser muscles, global stabiliser muscles and global mobilizing muscles.
Some of Trina's favorite props to bring into a yoga class in a non-traditional way.
Some cues that help students to support themselves in the poses rather than sinking in their joints.

Here's some examples of exercises for the local stabilizers:

Here's some examples of exercises for the global stabilizers:

Crawling

Here's some examples of exercises for the global mobilizers:

Here's the link for the Adductor Slides video and here's the link for Trina's Pilates Style magazine article with 8 blanket slide exercises.

33: Accessibility and Community With Guest Teacher Dianne Bondy Oct 02, 2018

Show notes

Dianne Bondy is a celebrated yoga teacher, social justice activist and leading voice of the Yoga For All movement. Her inclusive view of yoga asana and philosophy inspires and empowers thousands of followers around the world – regardless of their shape, size, ethnicity, or level of ability and we are so lucky to have her offering her wisdom and inspiration on The Mentor Sessions podcast today!

In this episode you'll hear:

How to make yoga spaces that are supportive of marginalized populations that have been traditionally left out of the modern western yoga world.
What changes we hope come to the yoga world over the next several years.
Some of Dianne's favorite ways to create inclusive and innovative warm-ups.
How to teach hands free vinyasa flows.
What we teachers can do to help students to trust their experience and take full agency over their bodies all the time, but especially in their yoga practice.
About Dianne's upcoming book, Yoga is For Everyone: 50 Poses for Every Type of Body, including why this book needed to be written and what she hopes it brings to the yoga world.

Learn More From Dianne:

Find her on Facebook and Instagram.

32: Incorporating Non-Yoga Movements In Your Classes with Guest Teacher Cecily Milne Sep 18, 2018

Show notes

It is becoming increasingly common for yoga teachers to bring movements and practices from outside the traditional yoga practice into their teaching. Are you one of these teachers? Do you want to be, but feel unsure about the most skillful way to bring non-yoga movements into the practices you teach?

At the forefront of this cultural shift we find Cecily Milne of Yoga Detour and I am so excited to have her on the podcast today sharing her wisdom with us.

An avid Ashtanga practitioner from 2003-2013, Cecily practiced under the guidance of senior teachers before becoming injured. This then led her to train with multiple movement enthusiasts including the Ido Portal team, Agatsu Inc and Dr. Andreo Spina, receiving her certification as both a Functional Range Conditioning Movement Specialist (FRCms) and a Functional Range Assessment practitioner.

Cecily is known for seamlessly integrating the knowledge gained from her strength and movement coaches into a yoga practice that is informed, accessible and above all feels good! She works as yoga "integrator", leading her signature Move Well classes at Downward Dog Yoga Centre in Toronto and traveling around the world introducing people to the Detour method.

In this episode you'll hear:

Why Cecily thinks it is important to integrate movements from outside of the traditional asana practices into yoga classes.
Some examples of the kinds of non-yoga movements she likes to integrate into asana classes.
A discussion about why many teachers have some trepidation about doing this and some supportive suggestions for them.
A discussion about whether or not it makes sense to keep calling our classes "yoga" when we start to bring in non-yoga movements.
And so much more!

31: How To Work With Pregnant Yoga Students with Guest Teacher Deb Flashenberg Sep 04, 2018

Show notes

Have you ever had a pregnant yoga student walk into your group yoga class and immediately think, "Oh crap. I don't know how to modify the practice for her or keep her safe without changing my whole plan!" ?

Today's podcast episode with prenatal yoga expert (and my old friend!) Deb Flashenberg will cover everything you need to know on this subject! Deb is the founder and director of the Prenatal Yoga Center in NYC and host of the podcast, Yoga | Birth | Babies. She is also a certified prenatal yoga teacher, labor support doula, childbirth educator, and mother of two. Deb is passionate about establishing safe, effective, and empowering yoga classes for pregnancy and beyond and she is full of wisdom for all yoga teachers.

In this episode you'll hear:

Some of the most important things teachers can keep in mind when trying to accommodate a pregnant student in an open level asana class.
What can happen when a pregnant student doesn't modify her practice and how might it affect her birth.
How we feel about the saying- "if you did it before you were pregnant you can continue to do it pregnant".

30: Expanding Your Lens with Guest Teacher Crystal McCreary Aug 21, 2018

Show notes

Crystal McCreary has a true teacher's heart and if you aren't already familiar with her work I am so excited to introduce you to her on today's episode! Crystal has taught yoga and mindfulness since 2007. She is committed to creating and holding safe spaces for people to connect, heal, learn, and build resilience in a world that often takes relentless hold of our bodies, minds, and hearts.

Crystal leads 100-hour kids yoga and mindfulness teacher trainings for Little Flower Yoga and Bent On Learning, and facilitates trauma-informed yoga for court-involved youth in juvenile detention centers with Lineage Project. Crystal implements yoga programs in New York City Schools, youth development organizations, and in corporations committed to cultivating sustainable and compassionate work environments.

In this episode you'll hear:

How Crystral came to her teaching path a bit reluctantly.
About the work Crystal has done with with teachers and professionals who support communities who suffer from trauma.
Some examples of things yoga teachers might do that either create obstacles or foster a loving connection with diverse student populations.
Us talk about the major barriers to people of color (or differently abled or LGBTQ or, or) becoming yoga teachers and opening yoga studios.

29: The Power of Simple Teaching Guest Teacher Sarah Capua Aug 06, 2018

Show notes

Have you ever taken (or taught!) a yoga class that was simple in sequencing but deeply powerful in its effect on you? Maybe you love teaching and practicing yoga in a simple way but you feel like you are the only one? Do you think that all your students want fancier, faster and more exciting asana classes?

Whether this describes you or not, I am so honored to introduce you to my old NYC buddy Sarah Capua.

Sarah is a yoga therapist and meditation teacher, a student of Buddhism and classical yogic practice, and a caregiver. The heart of her practice is rooted in the tradition of T Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar, who emphasized individualized practice and believed that yoga should be adapted to foster self inquiry and personal transformation. She also studied meditation and Buddhist teachings with Michael Stone, as well as contemplative caregiving at the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, where she trained as an end-of-life doula. She lives in Beacon, NY and is currently in post-graduate training in chaplaincy under the supervision of Zen Buddhist Reverend Trudi Hirsch.

In this episode you'll hear:

What it means to embody our practice in our lives.
How we can let our practice and our values guide our decisions in how we structure our classes.
Specific examples of the ways we can use our personal spiritual practice to guide what we teach.
The deep power in simple teaching and how to offer simple classes confidently.

Learn More From Sarah:

Check out her website here.

28: Hip Injuries and Yoga with Guest Teacher Ariele Foster Jun 18, 2018

Show notes

Do you have hip pain? Today's episode is all about the hip joint and hip injuries that are common in yoga practitioners. Many of you may already know this story, but I tore my hip labrum when I was 23 years old and I spent the first two years of my yoga teaching career walking with a cane and was in incredible pain.

I had a slow, but amazing recovery from that injury, and now almost 12 years later I am stronger, healthier and more pain free than I have ever been in my life! If you are in pain, or have students who are struggling with hip problems, this episode is for you!

I invited my friend Ariele Foster to join me in this conversation because in addition to being a doctor of physical therapy, yoga teacher since 2001 and an anatomy teacher for yoga teacher trainings, she also had a hip injury.

In this episode you'll hear:

The stories about our own hip injuries and subsequent healing. (There is hope if you have a hip injury!)
The anatomy and structure of the hip joint.
Specific poses and movements that increases the chances of a hip labral tears.
Some warning signs and sensations that a person might not recognize as a problem until after damage it done.
The relationship between "hip opening" poses, hypermobility of the hips and injuries.

Learn More From Ariele:

Check out our previous interview on The Mentor Sessions to get to know more about Ariele and her Anatomy Informed Yoga approach in Episode 7.
A sequence for cranky hips.
A sequence for posterior chain awakening.
Facebook Group for Hypermobility and Yoga.
Ariele's website's here and here.

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