Yoga Medicine

Latest Episodes:

Back to School Yoga Tips for Kids: Expert Insights with Alice Blunden Sep 07, 2023

Show notes

Today host Rachel speaks with returning guest Alice Blunden – a Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist, schoolteacher, and creator of The Yoga Project UK – about accessible ways we can translate yoga tools and techniques for children as they navigate the potentially challenging transition back to school.

In this episode, Alice shares a handful of her favorite techniques that you can teach to children of any age, the essence of which yoga students and teachers will likely find familiar.

Listen in to learn creative yet practical activities that introduce kids to yoga concepts that help increase their capacity for focus, concentration, memory, mindfulness and self-regulation.

Show Notes:

"Back to school" can be a big adjustment for children and families [2:38]
Creative activities to introduce yoga concepts and practices to children:
- Focus and memory: What's on the tray [4:19]
- Concentration and listening skills: Supermarket list [9:34]
- Open sensory awareness: Safari walk [12:56]
- Patience and mindfulness: the Mindful Malteser [20:44]
- Emotional awareness and vocabulary: Paper cup faces [27:37]
- Elongated exhalation for nervous system regulation: Pinwheel breath [33:48]
- Diaphragmatic breathing for nervous system regulation: Teddy bear breath [37:58]
- Breath-focused meditation: High-five breath [40:50]
- Shift in internal state, vagal tone: Hummingbee breath [44:49]
Summing up and general advice for teaching children [47:49]
Connecting with Alice, more resources for teaching yoga to children [52:08]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Previous Yoga Medicine Podcast Episodes:
- Episode 45: Conscious Parenting with Dana Diament
- Episode 50: Stronger After Surgery with Alice Blunden
Teaching Yoga to Children Online Course
Simple Hand Tracing Meditation Online Class
Connect with Alice Blunden:

Instagram | Alice Louise Yoga | Yoga Medicine Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-86.

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.

Research Roundup: A Stroll Through the Breathwork Landscape Aug 24, 2023

Show notes

Today hosts Tiffany and Katja take you on a stroll through the breathwork landscape. In this episode, the pair gives an overview of the origins of different breathing practices - covering Eastern traditions from India to China, techniques founded by "psychedelic" transformational and scientific communities as well as practices stemming from Eastern Europe.

If you've ever wanted an overview of where Conscious Connected Breathing, Tummo, Resonant Frequency breathing, and Buteyoko came from - this is the episode you've been waiting for.

We also discuss the bigger picture of breathwork as a whole and how Pranayama as a very multi-faceted practice fits into it.

Show Notes:

Indian breathwork traditions [2:21]
Tibetan breathwork traditions [7:57]
Chinese breathwork traditions [15:55]
Transformational, "psychedelic" breathwork origins [21:06]
Scientific origins – Resonant frequency breathing [32:54]
Eastern European breathwork traditions [38:34]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
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-85.

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.

Yoga Philosophy, Focus & Performance with Dr. Daya Grant Aug 17, 2023

Show notes

Whether we are athletes or not, we all have areas in our lives where we want to perform well. Today host Rachel speaks with returning guest Dr. Daya Grant about how aspects of yoga philosophy can help us do that - by improving our focus and concentration.

Dr. Grant helps athletes and other high performers train their brains with the same care they invest in training their bodies. She draws heavily on the yoga techniques of Pratyahara and Dharana to help athletes focus on what they CAN control, cultivate intuition and prevent burnout. In this episode, she shares practical ways you can connect to these techniques.

Listen in to hear how simply connecting to your feet or choosing where to rest your gaze can completely change your response to a heightened situation, why Dr. Grant encourages athletes to journal, and a range of other yoga tools that you can harness to improve your performance, whatever your ambition.

Show Notes:

Improved performance isn't just for elite athletes [2:21]
Fresh definitions of Pratyahara and Dharana [3:38]
Practical examples of Pratyahara and its benefits [6:21]
"Self One" and "Self Two" [12:13]
More tools to "reverse the flow" [15:35]
Training the brain is as important as training the body [21:36]
Understanding Dharana [25:38]
Using breath work for improved focus: challenges and tips [30:48]
Self-talk, and finding strength in self-compassion [34:23]
Communicating helpful concepts like surrender to athletes [40:10]
The power of practice [43:41]
Harnessing the tool of imagery [45:55]
Final takeaways [51:14]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Yoga Medicine Podcast Episode 47: Concussion Care
Yoga for Concussions Online Course
Connect with Dr. Daya Grant:

Instagram | Daya Grant

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-84.

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.

Research Roundup: Updates on Polyvagal Theory Aug 10, 2023

Show notes

Today's topic is an interesting one that comes up a lot in the yoga world. In this episode, hosts Tiffany and Katja talk about the latest research and newest findings on the Polyvagal Theory. They discuss the evolutionary biology that Polyvagal Theory is based around, the neuroanatomy that's involved, and assumptions that have been made about this complex aspect of the body.

Listen in to learn about the anatomy of the vagus nerve and how Polyvagal Theory is applied in yoga and therapeutic settings.

Show Notes:

The emergence of Polyvagal Theory [2:58]
Evolutionary biology and dorsal vagus [5:50]
Sympathetic nervous system [10:35]
Ventral vagus [13:40]
Nuances of ventral and dorsal vagus, combinations [15:03]
Anatomy of the vagus nerve [17:38]
Afferent parts of the vagus nerve (from body to brain) [21:24]
Efferent components of vagus (from brain to body) [26:50]
How researchers look at cardiac function and Polyvagal Theory [33:01]
The role of Polyvagal Theory in yoga and therapeutic settings [37:29]
Hypotheses about ventral vagus evolution [43:33]

Links Mentioned:

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-83.

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.

Building a Healthy Relationship with Social Media Aug 03, 2023

Show notes

Today hosts Tiffany and Rachel talk about building a healthy relationship with social media. These platforms have become a ubiquitous facet of our lives, so in this episode, we examine the way we use social media as yoga students and teachers.

We discuss the pros of social media, like its capacity to help us connect with other people, the sense of community it can create, and the resource-sharing capabilities it allows for. We also talk about some of social media's trickier topics like dealing with negativity, the futility of chasing the algorithm, and engaging with misinformation.

Listen in as we explain how we can better balance our time on social media and find ways to embrace its benefits.

Show Notes:

Is there a secret to social media success that you're missing? [1:25]
Do you need a large social media following to support your teaching? [3:43]
Deciding what to post [6:07]
The futility of chasing the algorithm [16:33]
Deciding who to follow and engage with [18:41]
Negative experiences with social media [23:34]
Balancing time on social media and engaging with misinformation [32:01]
Social media tips for yoga teachers [39:40]
Is it still possible to build a teaching business through social media? [53:35]
Tiffany's start on social media, and playing the long game [56:00]
Social media as a global community builder [59:01]
The upcoming Yoga Medicine Innovation Conference [1:00:00]
Final takeaways on building a healthy relationship with social media [1:03:02]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-82.

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.

Post-Traumatic Growth for Veterans & First Responders with Dr. Nicole McKenna Jul 27, 2023

Show notes

Military personnel and first responders show up to other people's worst day, every day. Exposed to workplace experiences the rest of us can't imagine, some experience post-traumatic stress, and some work through that experience to demonstrate post-traumatic growth.

Can yoga play a part in biasing these populations toward growth? Today's guest, Dr. Nicole McKenna, is here to share her thoughts on the topic.

Dr. McKenna has a Ph.D. in Forensic Psychology with a concentration in crisis response and is also a Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist. She started her working life in the military as an Army Master Fitness Trainer and now blends her fields of experience and expertise to help military personnel, veterans and first responders manage the physical and psychological impacts of their work.

In this episode, she and host Rachel discuss post-traumatic stress and its symptoms along with tips for working with veterans and first responders.

Listen in as we share what sort of yoga practices can bias these individuals towards post-traumatic growth rather than post-traumatic stress.

Show Notes:

What sets military veterans and first responders apart [3:05]
Avoiding processing traumatic experiences can be a form of adaptation [5:43]
Defining post-traumatic stress and potential symptoms [7:58]
Building trust with veterans and first responders [15:07]
Direct communication and instruction are key [20:18]
It can take time to feel the benefit of more subtle yoga practices [23:18]
What is post-traumatic growth [29:49]
Different approaches help different individuals [36:01]
Tips for starting yoga work with veterans and first response [40:11]
The comfort of repetition and knowing what to expect [43:37]
When to incorporate breath work and/or meditation practices [45:48]
Keep verbal cues and class themes simple and practical [50:48]
More resources [57:26]
Polarized opinions on military and first responder organizations [58:18]
Dr. McKenna's recommending reading list [1:02:20]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Yoga Medicine Podcast Episodes:
- Episode 30: Trauma-Informed Yoga Dr. Ann Bortz
- Episode 77: Restorative Yoga Essentials
Mental Health & Wellness Yoga Teacher Training | Austin, TX
Yoga Medicine Innovation Conference
Dr. Nicole McKenna's recommended reading list:
- Trauma and Memory: Brain and Body in a Search for the Living Past: A Practical Guide for Understanding and Working with Traumatic Memory, by Peter A. Levine
- The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
- Transformed by Trauma: Stories of Posttraumatic Growth, by Richard G. Tedeschi Ph.D. and Bret A. Moore PsyD with Ken Falke and Josh Goldberg
- Be Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee, by Shannon Lee
Connect with Dr. Nicole McKenna:

Facebook | Instagram | Grateful Warrior Yoga Foundation

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-81.

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.

Common Challenges of Yin Yoga: Community Conversations with Shannon Stephens Jul 20, 2023

Show notes

The practice of Yin yoga is unusual in that it asks us to do the opposite of what we do in the rest of our lives. That contrast is powerful, but adjusting to it can bring up challenges.

In this episode, returning guest Shannon Stephens is back to talk to host Rachel about the common challenges of Yin Yoga for both students and teachers and shares her tips on how we can navigate them skillfully to get the most out of our practice.

Listen to this episode to learn how to embrace the contrast between Yin yoga and daily life to create a more fulfilling, and ultimately revealing practice.

Show Notes:

Student challenges in Yin Yoga: dealing with discomfort [2:59]
Discerning between different types of discomfort [4:32]
Difficulty letting go in Yin [8:46]
Managing the spectrum of mobility in a Yin yoga class [14:05]
Noticing phasic changes within a Yin pose [19:49]
Adjusting to the slow pace of Yin compared to the fast pace of life [20:35]
Practical ways to attune to the subtle body in Yin [27:21]
Yin can feel messy compared to other yoga styles [32:52]
Challenges of teaching Yin Yoga [37:34]
Pros and cons of moving around the room when teaching [39:10]
How to leave more space for quiet [41:17]
Strategies for keeping time [43:17]
Guiding students out of poses and managing the "rebound" [46:12]
Preparing to teach Yin [48:08]
Tips for teaching Yin without props [50:45]
Creating a safe, supportive space for students [53:36]
Overall tips for managing the challenges of Yin: intention and compassion [57:41]
Being prepared to teach and practice; show up authentically [1:00:32]
Learning the impermanence of feelings and sensations [1:03:50]
Final takeaways: every practice teaches us something [1:07:50]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Yoga Medicine Podcast Episodes:
- Episode 41: The Hidden Benefits of Yin Yoga
- Episode 77: Restorative Yoga Essentials
Yin & Meditation Yoga Teacher Training
Yoga Medicine Online Guest Teacher
Connect with Shannon Stephens:

Facebook | Instagram | This Land Yoga

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-80.

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.

The Neuroscience of Resilience: Expert Insights with Valerie Knopik PhD Jul 13, 2023

Show notes

After traumatic life events, some people experience negative mental and physical health outcomes, while others not only survive but thrive.

There's a growing body of research on the strategies that prime our potential for resilience to adverse events, but less understanding of the neural pathways that underpin them. Today guest Valerie Knopik Ph.D. returns to explore three of these pathways with host Rachel, sharing a recent review article on the neuroscience of resilience in adults.

In this episode, Valerie unpacks how three key neutral pathways could interact to influence our capacity to successfully handle stress and trauma. She suggests a range of strategies we can employ to down-regulate the negative, up-regulate the positive, and retain overall perspective.

Listen to this episode to learn about three proposed pathways to resilience and how we can, and should, work with all of them to prime our potential to learn, grow and thrive in the face of adversity.

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-79.

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.

Show Notes:

A key review article on the neuroscience of resilience in adults [4:41]
Defining resilience [6:29]
A tripartite model: key neural pathways for resilience [9:11]
- 1: Fear and distress network, the amygdala, and HPA axis [11:44]
- 2: Reward pathways, the mid-brain, and the role of Dopamine [17:25]
- 3: The default mode network and the role of rumination [23:21]
Some strategies influence more than one pathway [30:10]
Reframing the stress response [32:16]
Down-regulating the negative: therapy, journalling, affect labeling [34:11]
The power of the breath [39:07]
Up-regulating the positive: optimism, humor, social connection, gratitude [42:24]
Finding joy in required tasks [45:28]
Transcending the self: finding meaning and purpose, nature, flow state [50:17]
Final takeaways and further resources [55:03]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Tabibnia et al, "An affective neuroscience model of boosting resilience in adults"
Yoga Medicine® Podcast Episode 49: Epigenetics, Mental Health & Yoga with Valerie Knopik PhD
Mental Health & Wellness Yoga Teacher Training:
- Online
- In-Person
Yoga Medicine® Online Resources:
- Valerie's Mental Health Monthly Dose
- Slow Flow Down Shift
Connect with Valerie Knopik:

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Yoga Medicine Online Teacher

Pain Science Insights on Performance: Expert Insights with Marnie Hartman Jul 06, 2023

Show notes

We don't all strive for elite physical performance, but we do all place demands on our bodies. Some of the internal signals that we receive as a result could be interpreted as pain, so how do we know when we should push through and when we should pull back?

We have talked in previous episodes about the complex phenomenon of pain, and how deeply enmeshed our perception of pain is with our beliefs and previous experiences. Today that conversation continues with host Rachel and returning guest and Doctor of Physical Therapy Marnie Hartman.

In this episode, Marnie and host Rachel explore what neuroscience can teach us about physical performance. Listen in as we discuss the importance of bringing curiosity and playfulness into our physical pursuits, choosing to question our assumptions, and learning to listen deeply – but with discernment – to our internal signals.

Show Notes:

Defining physical performance as how our bodies interact with the environment [4:56]
Athletes' relationship to pain [7:38]
Sensory science 101: perception, interoception, nociception [9:38]
Nociceptive signals in physical performance [13:56]
The magic of training: creating a gap between signal and response [17:49]
Recognizing and reframing less desirable experiences in the past [22:59]
A case study in context and the impact of stress [27:35]
Learning to discern our internal signals [31:35]
Choosing to bring that awareness into physical challenges [36:31]
Having our assumptions reflected back to us [40:12]
Playfulness unloads our stress cup [48:22]
Exploring the role of yoga practice [49:55]
How our "patterning" can become an obstacle to overcome [58:42]
Final thoughts and resources [1:02:21]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Previous Yoga Medicine Podcast Episodes:
- Episode 15: Shifting Persistent Pain
- Episode 64: Impactful Pain Strategies
Pain Science for Yoga Teachers Online Course
Yoga Medicine® Online Resources:
- Pain vs Suffering: Where to Begin
- Neuroscience Enhanced Performance
Connect with Marnie Hartman:

Body IQ PT | LinkedIn | Email | Yoga Medicine® Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-78.

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.

Restorative Yoga Essentials Jun 22, 2023

Show notes

In our busy lives, it can be challenging to allow ourselves to truly rest, but there are potent benefits to be gained when we do. So today hosts Tiffany and Rachel dive into the stillness and quiet of restorative yoga.

In this episode, we outline the key characteristics of restorative yoga and how they work to soothe the nervous system and offer an antidote to stress. We discuss who restorative yoga is for, how to navigate its most common challenges, and how it compares to Yin yoga.

Listen in to hear about the unique benefits of restorative yoga inversions and our tips on how to get started in a restorative yoga practice.

Show Notes:

Common elements of restorative yoga: nervous system focus, long holds, supportive props [2:39]
Common elements of restorative yoga: low levels of sensation [5:55]
Restorative yoga as an antidote to stress [7:51]
A flexible definition of restorative yoga [10:14]
Savasana as our most familiar restorative posture [12:36]
Who is restorative yoga for? [14:02]
Restorative yoga for better sleep [18:38]
Comparing restorative and Yin yoga [22:51]
Challenges of restorative yoga: adjusting to less stimulus [26:46]
Challenges of restorative yoga: making peace with imperfection [28:33]
Tips for restorative yoga beginners [31:17]
In a busy life, restorative yoga can feel inefficient [36:08]
Is there such a thing as too much restorative yoga? [39:33]
The benefits of restorative inversions [43:33]
Home substitutions for common restorative yoga props [45:57]
How to get started with restorative yoga and Yoga Medicine resources [50:44]
Reaping the benefits: frequency over duration [53:48]