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by Francesca Cervero
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
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- 1 weeks ago26 min
179: Building The Confidence To Teach Private Clients
Many yoga teachers are intrigued by the idea of teaching private clients but feel held back by self-doubt, uncertainty, or the practical realities of self-employment. In this episode, I unpack the most common concerns I hear from teachers who want to teach one-on-one but don't yet feel confident enough to begin. Drawing from more than two decades of experience teaching private yoga clients, I explore why confidence isn't something you achieve before you start—it's something you build through experience, observation, relationships, systems, and practice. We talk about the difference between technical knowledge and relational skill, how vulnerability shows up in private teaching, and why teaching one-on-one can actually accelerate your growth as a teacher. I also address concerns about safety, imposter syndrome, and the administrative side of running a private yoga practice. Throughout the episode, I offer practical strategies and mindset shifts that can help you move from hesitation to action. If you've been waiting until you feel "ready" to teach private clients, this conversation is for you. In this episode, you'll hear: The difference between knowledge, expertise, and teaching capacity How vulnerability shows up in private yoga teaching Why relational skills matter more than having all the answers Why more certifications don't automatically lead to better private teaching Practical safety systems for working with new private clients How consultation calls help establish trust and assess fit The realities of self-employment and administrative labor Financial systems that simplify private yoga teaching Boundaries and communication practices that reduce overwhelm Resources Mentioned: The Science of the Private Lesson Previous episode: The Hidden Labor of Yoga Teaching OfferingTree is a proud sponsor of this episode and I am honored to be an affiliate. Visit OfferingTree at www.offeringtree.com/mentor and you'll get 50% off your first three months (or 15% off any annual plan).
- 3 weeks ago44 min
178: The Systems You Need to Make Yoga Teaching Sustainable
Teaching yoga involves far more than the hours we spend with our yoga students. Behind every yoga class we teach there is a significant amount of planning, relationship-building, scheduling, administration, marketing, and financial management. In this episode, I share the practical systems that have helped me build a sustainable yoga teaching career over the last two decades. Following up on our recent conversation about the hidden labor of yoga teaching, this episode focuses on solutions. While we absolutely need collective action and systemic change to better support yoga teachers (and other freelance workers), there are also concrete systems we can put in place right now to make our work feel more manageable, organized, and sustainable. I walk you through six essential systems every yoga teacher should consider implementing, whether you're brand new to teaching or have years of experience. In this episode, you'll hear: Why sustainability requires both personal systems and collective advocacy The financial systems that create consistency and reduce stress My approach to managing a yoga teaching schedule without burnout Two proven strategies for finding new private clients How to simplify class planning while improving the student experience Why an email list is one of the most valuable marketing assets you can build The six systems every yoga teacher needs Resources Mentioned: Book Private Clients OfferingTree You Need A Budget (YNAB) Monarch Money QuickBooks Wave Bill.com Stripe Square Calendly YouCanBookMe Acuity Scheduling ConvertKit is now Kit Flodesk Mailchimp Working Families Party This episode is brought to you by OfferingTree, an easy-to-use, all-in-one online platform for yoga teachers that provides a personal website, booking, payment, blogging, and many other great features. If you sign up at www.offeringtree.com/mentor, you'll get 50% off your fir
- Jun 23, 202624 min
177: The Hidden Emotional and Physical Labor of Yoga Teaching
As yoga teachers, we spend a lot of time talking about teaching techniques, sequencing, cueing, and professional growth. But there's another side of this work that often goes unnamed: the hidden labor of teaching yoga. In this episode, I explore the physical, emotional, mental, and administrative work that happens behind the scenes of a yoga teaching career. From building a business one class at a time to managing finances, marketing, commuting, continuing education, and emotional boundaries, much of the work that sustains a teaching career is invisible to students—and often unacknowledged within the industry itself. My goal isn't to complain about the profession or discourage new teachers. Instead, I want to name some of the uniquely challenging aspects of yoga teaching so that if you've struggled with them, you know you're not alone. I also share why I believe sustainable yoga teaching is possible, what has helped me maintain a full-time career in yoga for more than two decades, and the three essential ingredients I believe every teacher needs to thrive long-term. In this episode, you'll hear: Why yoga teachers are essentially automatically entrepreneurs The hidden administrative work of managing taxes, finances, insurance, and policies Why networking and relationship-building require patience and resilience How commuting, class planning, and continuing education add to a teacher's workload The importance of energetic boundaries and why yoga teachers often lack adequate support systems The pressure many teachers feel to be constantly available Why loving yoga and loving teaching yoga are not the same thing What makes a long-term yoga teaching career sustainable The role that systems, structure, and social support play in teacher wellbeing What's Coming Next This episode is the first part of a larger conversation. In the next episode, I'll share practical systems and strategies that can help make yoga teaching more sustainable, including: A group class planning system A private client acquisition system A community engagement system A money management system A scheduling system If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the hidden demands of teaching yoga, I hope this conversation helps you feel seen, understood, and supported. Resources Mentioned: Yoga for Cancer and Tari Prinster The Mentor Session Sangha Working Families Party This episode is brought to you by OfferingTree, an easy-to-use, all-in-one online platform for yoga teachers that provides a personal website, booking, payment, blogging, and many other great features. The best thing about OfferingTree is you can get up and running in 10 minutes with no tech skills needed. As an added bonus, If you sign up at www.offeringtree.com/mentor, you'll get 50% off your first three months (or 15% off any annual plan)!
- Jun 9, 202645 min
176: Yoga Is Sold As Healing and Taught As Performance: What we need to move away from this paradigm
Have you ever been in a yoga class where the yoga teacher gives a long dharma talk about ahimsa, and then when the movement practice begins the teaching style feels very aggressive? Or maybe you have been that teacher yourself. I know I have! I think there are really subtle and beautiful ways to teach the movement part of yoga in a way that has the deeper philosophical teachings embedded within it, but most of us were not taught to do that, and it is more challenging to do than you might think! Also, many of us claim that yoga movement can be healing, but a performative style of teaching doesn't allow for that. In this episode, I explore an idea that has become central to my work as a yoga teacher and educator: the disconnect between how yoga is often marketed as a healing practice and how it is frequently taught as a performative one. I dive into the ways traditional teaching frameworks—especially the language of "regressions," "progressions," "safe," "unsafe," "full expression," "modifcation"—can unintentionally reinforce hierarchy, competition, and performance-based thinking. If our goal is to help students feel better in their bodies, develop agency, and cultivate discernment, I believe we need a different approach. Throughout the episode, I share practical tools for teaching movement in a way that aligns more closely with healing-centered values. We explore how to move beyond visual ideals, teach from intended benefit rather than aesthetic outcomes, and help students make informed choices based on their unique experiences rather than universal standards. I also discuss the role of teacher authority, student agency, movement literacy, and why teaching in a more nuanced, non-hierarchical way is both more challenging and ultimately more effective. In this episode, you'll hear: Why yoga cannot simultaneously be a healing practice and a performance-based achievement system The hidden hierarchy embedded in common yoga teaching language Why regressions and progressions are not universal How movement experiences vary from body to body The difference between teaching shapes and teaching movement experiences Student agency, teacher authority, and finding the middle path between control and abdication Why "harder" and "easier" are often misleading descriptors Alternative frameworks for cueing movement, including active vs. passive, symmetrical vs. asymmetrical, and stability vs. mobility How to identify the intended benefit of a pose or movement The importance of sensation-based and function-based cueing Common compensation patterns and how to work with them Why nonlinear movement teaching requires more observation, education, and nuance Helping students develop movement literacy and discernment Practical examples from tabletop, lunges, Warrior III, Extended Side Angle, and more Resources Mentioned: Episode 165: The Intended Benefit + Removing Linear Hierarchy The Sangha This episode is sponsored by OfferingTree! Sign up at www.offeringtree.com/mentor to get 50% off your first three months (or 15% off any annual plan). With OfferingTree, yoga teachers put their schedule on a personally branded website where students can book classes and even pay or donate online. All of this can be set up in 10 minutes or less.
- May 26, 202639 min
175: What's Saving My Life Right Now
In this solo episode of The Mentor Sessions, I'm sharing a more personal, behind-the-scenes look at my life right now and the things that are genuinely helping me stay grounded, connected, and functional during a very full season of teaching, parenting, and activism. After asking on Instagram what kinds of episodes you wanted more of, one request came up again and again: more real-life context about how I make all of this work. So in this episode, I'm walking you through the practices, systems, apps, routines, communities, and relationships that are "saving my life" right now. I talk honestly about balancing a full teaching schedule with motherhood, creating sustainable routines that support my nervous system, deepening my activism work, and building a life that feels aligned with my values—even when it's imperfect. From romance novels on my Kindle to strength training at 5:30 a.m. to building community through the The Mentor Session Sangha, this episode is a candid snapshot of what's supporting me in this season of life. In this episode, you'll hear: Why the Libby app completely changed my reading habits How the iPhone "send later" text feature helps me communicate without feeling constantly available The way I structure my work schedule around my family priorities Why having a clear shutdown routine before picking up my son makes such a big difference How activism has become one of the most meaningful parts of my life Why I use ScreenZen to limit social media access The political podcasts helping me stay informed without completely burning out How keeping a running list of things to look forward to boosts my mood and perspective The consistency of my movement and meditation practices Why the The Mentor Session Sangha continues to challenge and support me as a teacher Resources Mentioned: Libby App Emily Henry Ali Hazelwood Christina Lauren Kate Clayborn ScreenZen Pod Save America Chamber of Mothers Singing Resistance Indivisible Kearsten Lyon of Toronto Movement Therapy Susan Piver Habit Tracker App <a href= "https://www.francescac
- May 12, 202640 min
174: Yoga For Cancer with Tari Prinster
You may not have known it, but if you teach public yoga classes you have taught someone who's life has been touched by cancer. In this episode, I'm joined by Tari Prinster, a true pioneer in the field of oncology yoga. Tari is a cancer survivor, author, and founder of Yoga for Cancer (Y4C), a methodology that has trained thousands of yoga and healthcare professionals around the world. We go deep into what it really means to teach yoga in the context of cancer, and how this work has evolved over the past few decades. Cancer is not going away, and with survival rates increasing, the need for informed, compassionate yoga teachers is greater than ever. In this episode, you'll hear: The origins of Yoga for Cancer and how what began as a personal practice quickly evolved into a groundbreaking methodology—at a time when oncology yoga didn't exist. How the cancer landscape has changed including the major shift from cancer being seen as a death sentence to a condition where the majority of people now survive. The huge implications for yoga teachers and the role we play in long-term wellness now that there are 20 million cancer survivors in the US. The physiology behind Yoga for Cancer, including: The role of the lymphatic system in detoxification and immunity How breath and movement support lymph flow Why inversions and specific movements can either help—or hinder—recovery The impact of cancer treatments on bones, fatigue, and overall health About yoga4cancer (y4c) yoga4cancer (y4c) is a specialized oncology yoga methodology founded by cancer survivor and master yoga teacher Tari Prinster. With more than 3,000 certified teachers trained across 30+ countries, y4c is the leading oncology yoga certification and training organization in the world. The program equips yoga teachers, therapists, and healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to safely support cancer patients and survivors — from active treatment through long-term survivorship. Courses mentioned in this episode: 5-Hour Oncology Yoga Course: An accessible entry point into Oncology y\Yoga. Learn the foundations of the y4c methodology, the unique needs of cancer survivors, and how to begin adapting your practice or teaching. 75-Hour Certificate Program: The gold-standard Oncology Yoga certification. A rigorous, evidence-informed curriculum covering cancer biology, treatment side effects, the y4c methodology, and supervised practice. Graduates join a global directory of certified oncology yoga professionals. Use code cervero20% for 20% off Click here to register. More From Tari: Yoga for Cancer by Tari Prinster Schmitz et al. (2021) — ACSM Moving Through Cancer Guidelines This episode is brought to you by OfferingTree, an easy-to-use, all-in-one online platform for yoga teachers that provides a personal website, booking, payment, blogging, and many other great features. If you sign up at www.offeringtree.com/mentor, you'll get 50% off your first three months (or 15% off any annual plan)! OfferingTree supports me with each sign-up. I'm proud to be supported by a public benefit company whose mission is to further wellness access and education for everyone.
- Apr 21, 202639 min
173: Getting Your Yoga Studio Ready For ICE with Lucia Yess from Minneapolis
Yess Yoga is a yoga studio in Minneapolis one block from where Alex Pretti was murdered by Border Patrol agents in January of this year. In this episode, I'm joined by Minneapolis-based yoga teacher and studio owner Lucia Yess. Our conversation is both heartbreaking and deeply inspiring as we explore what it means to truly live our yoga off the mat, especially in moments of crisis. Lucia shares her experience running Yess Yoga during a recent ICE surge in Minneapolis, where her neighborhood became a site of fear, violence, and profound uncertainty. As community members were being detained and families were afraid to leave their homes, Lucia and her team stepped into action, transforming their studio into a hub for mutual aid, care, and refuge. What stands out most to me in this conversation is Lucia's clarity: this wasn't a question of whether to help, but how. When our neighbors are suffering, yoga calls us to respond. In this episode, you'll hear: What it was like to be on the ground in a city under siege by the federal government Why yoga must extend beyond personal practice into collective care How staying grounded in our values helps us take meaningful action How to get looped into the communities that need support How Yess Yoga became a center for mutual aid—providing medical supplies, food, communication tools, and more How the studio remained open during crisis by offering free and sliding-scale classes, supported by community fundraising Practical ways yoga teachers and studio owners can prepare to support their own communities Learn More From Lucia: Visit Yes Yoga Studio's online home Follow Yes Yoga Studio on Instagram Mutual Aid Yes' GoFundMe Call your representatives Book recommendations: Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown Service Berry by Robin Wall Kimmer (Growth Economy) Embrace Yoga's Roots by Susanna Barkataki <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/Skill-Action-Radicalizing-Practice-Expanded/dp/B09FTMQ5XL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=28F5M9A4W0BY5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZOri5mOYwBB1iccsTN78jA.lReN0VAi8jMZJO_Ch8I7OOPRZiejlZhnx4pAcA3wZ9o&dib_tag=se&keywords=Skill+in+Action+by+Michelle+Cassandra+Johnson&qid=1776102401&s=audible&sprefix=%2Caps%2C167&sr=1-1" target="_bl
- Apr 7, 202625 min
172: Why So Many Yoga Teachers Burnout (And What Actually Works Instead)
In this solo episode, I'm zooming out from the quick, in-the-moment burnout strategies I shared in Episode 171 and looking at the bigger picture. I want to talk about why so many yoga teachers are burning out—and what I've seen actually work instead. My core premise is simple: the career model most of us were trained into doesn't work for most people anymore. If you're exhausted, underpaid, and questioning how sustainable this path really is, I want you to hear this clearly—it's not you. It's the model. I'll walk you through the structural issues I see over and over again, help you look honestly at the math of your teaching schedule, and introduce a shift that has made a huge difference for me and for so many teachers I've worked with: integrating private clients into your practice. In this episode, you'll hear: Why the traditional yoga career path isn't working The real reason so many teachers feel exhausted and why it's not your fault The importance of doing the math: I'll invite you to look at your actual hourly rate How private clients can change everything and what makes private teaching different The most common concerns I hear about teaching private clients The different skills you need, and why they are learnable skills! 🎉 You're Invited! If you want to build a thriving private yoga practice, you need a slightly different skill set than most teacher trainings cover. Teaching one-on-one requires you to think on your feet, build deep trust with students, hold strong professional boundaries, and manage the business side of your work with confidence. That's exactly what we focus on inside The Science of the Private Lesson™. 👉🏻 You missed the sale... You missed the sale but no worries! Email support@francescacervero.com for the coupon code. This episode is sponsored by OfferingTree! Sign up at www.offeringtree.com/mentor to get 50% off your first three months (or 15% off any annual plan). With OfferingTree, yoga teachers put their schedule on a personally branded website where students can book classes and even pay or donate online. All of this can be set up in 10 minutes or less. OfferingTree supports me with each sign-up.
About 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
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