Ensuring Safety in Yoga Spaces: A Guide for Practitioners
Body Reclaiming
Ensuring Safety in Yoga Spaces: A Guide for Practitioners
by Mandy Eubanks, CIAYT, ERYT500, TIYT
Greetings, my name is Mandy Eubanks. I am a Certified Yoga Therapist (CIAYT), senior faculty of TIYT™ Trauma Informed Yoga Therapy training, and have trained hundreds of 200hr yoga teachers through various Yoga Alliance registered Yoga Schools, including Everyone Yoga School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which I founded. I extend my heartfelt thanks to The Yoga Therapy Library and our dedicated team of advisory members for allowing the resource section to elevate voices that raise awareness about sensitive and important issues that we face in the Yoga world.
My journey as a professional yoga teacher started in 2006. It's been a path filled with growth and fulfillment, but not without its share of concerning experiences. Over time, I've seen notable yoga teachers, including those I once held in high regard, lose their way. They misused their authority, indulged in predatory behavior, and eventually faced severe consequences through legal action or community censure.
Alarmingly, such actions aren't confined to the upper echelons of yoga practitioners. It's a wider issue that can infiltrate even our local studios. A substantial part of my journey has been dedicated to creating safer spaces within the yoga community; that commitment is reflected in my training programs. We focus on important topics like consent, ethical codes, and the scope of practice. The norm now is for yoga teachers to ask for consent before making physical contact with a student, but we still have a long way to go.
We must strive to make yoga spaces devoid of predatory behavior and ensure robust grievance-handling procedures are in place. Until we achieve this, it remains our collective responsibility to uphold the safety of our community. I would like to share some measures to guide you in making informed decisions when considering a yoga class.
A crucial first step is research. Validate that the yoga teacher is certified and registered with a reputable licensing body. Validating credentials offers assurance that they have received adequate training, are committed to ethical behavior, and operate within a defined scope of practice. Unfortunately, not everyone who claims to be a yoga teacher has the necessary credentials. So, verification is key.
Uncertain about a teacher's ethical boundaries or scope of practice? Organizations like the Yoga Alliance and the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) provide this information on their websites. These bodies also provide channels to report misconduct, conduct investigations, and impose disciplinary actions when required. These processes are designed to protect the complainant's confidentiality.
During yoga classes, it's vital to remember that your autonomy is paramount. Unless they have additional professional qualifications, it is outside a Yoga teacher's scope of practice to diagnose mental health conditions or offer spiritual advice. Our role as yoga instructors is to provide practices that cater to the needs and goals of our community while promoting independent practice and self-responsibility for well-being.
If you ever feel uncomfortable during a yoga class or encounter unsolicited comments, touch, or any behavior you perceive as inappropriate, you have the absolute right to leave the class without an explanation. It's also essential to report such incidents to the studio owner, who should respect your confidentiality and address the issue effectively. If the studio fails to do so, I strongly recommend finding another place to practice.
Consider teachers with trauma-informed training who understand that certain triggers may arise during yoga practice and are committed to fostering safe spaces for everyone.
Lastly, on a personal note, I want to share the significant role yoga has played in my healing journey. As a survivor of sexual abuse and the child of an incarcerated parent, yoga has been instrumental in regaining the ability to regulate my nervous system. My progress is substantial, and I owe much of it to the safe spaces and professional yoga teachers who've been welcoming, knowledgeable, and upheld healthy boundaries.
Let's work together to make yoga safe, inclusive, and empowering for everyone. With your consent, let's embark on this journey of yoga together.
