By Leslii Stevens ERYT500, YACEP, Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher, Ayurveda Practitioner
Yoga teachers are often viewed as pillars of calm and wisdom, seamlessly balancing the needs of their students while maintaining their own well-being. But behind the serene smiles and soothing cues lies a sobering truth: yoga teachers experience burnout, too, and it’s a unique kind of exhaustion that often goes unnoticed.
For many yoga instructors, the studio isn’t just a workplace, it’s a sacred space they help cultivate for their students. They pour their energy, time, and heart into guiding others toward healing, balance, and strength. But where does a yoga teacher go to recharge?
The Weight of Always Holding Space
Holding space for others is a beautiful and fulfilling act, but it’s also deeply taxing. Yoga teachers give everything they have to create a safe environment for their students, often neglecting their own needs. When their reserves run low, they look to their own practice for nourishment, but practicing in the spaces where they teach can feel anything but restorative.
The dynamic shifts when a teacher becomes a student in their own studio. There’s an unspoken pressure to maintain the “teacher” identity, even when they desperately need to let it go. The sight of familiar faces, students who may still approach with questions or expectations, can make true relaxation and detachment nearly impossible.
The Financial Barrier
Another harsh reality is that many yoga teachers simply cannot afford to practice yoga outside the studios where they teach. Yoga is often touted as inclusive, but in reality, the cost of attending classes or retreats can be prohibitive, especially for instructors who rely on teaching as their primary income. The paradox is glaring those who dedicate their lives to sharing yoga often struggle to access it themselves.
The Closed-Door Policies
For many yoga teachers, finding a safe and welcoming space to practice can be surprisingly challenging especially when they’re met with closed doors at studios they work for. A common yet unspoken rule in the yoga world dictates that if a class fills up, the teacher practicing (taking the class) in the room is often the first to be asked to leave to make space for paying students. While understandable from a business perspective, it sends a disheartening message to instructors: your place here is conditional.
This is especially frustrating given that most yoga teachers are independent contractors, juggling multiple classes across various studios just to make ends meet. For these teachers, the job is a hustle, with hours spent not just teaching but commuting, promoting, and planning. The opportunity to practice in a studio a rare moment of personal renewal is vital to their ability to stay grounded and inspired.
To make matters worse, some studios outright discourage or block teachers from practicing in their space altogether, viewing them as potential competition or a threat to the established hierarchy. These exclusivity policies can leave yoga teachers without a refuge, excluded from the very community they’ve helped foster.
This practice stands in stark contrast to yoga’s core principle of union. When instructors are barred from finding a space to reconnect with their own practice, it impacts not just their mental and physical well-being but also their ability to show up fully for their students. A yoga teacher’s growth requires a supportive environment and without it, the ripple effects of isolation can be profound.
Building Trust in the Community
In many yoga and fitness studios, contracts for independent contractors, which are what most yoga teachers and group fitness instructors are, often state in their contracts that they have access to all classes as part of their employment perks. This is a critical part of their pay and professional development, allowing them to stay connected to the practice and the community.
However, what often happens in practice is that when classes fill up or a waitlist is activated, these teachers are the first ones cut from attending. While it’s understandable that paying clients take priority, this raises a serious question: does this practice align with fairness or the agreements in place?
Studios need to account for those spaces as part of their overall capacity planning. These teachers are not merely students they are integral parts of the studio's ecosystem. By removing their access, studios risk breaking trust, undervaluing their contributions, and ignoring a benefit that was promised as part of their compensation.
Rather than "tossing out" the teacher, studios should create systems that honor these agreements, perhaps reserving a specific number of spots for their team or offering alternative ways to support teacher well-being. A fair and balanced approach benefits everyone, including the students who ultimately rely on well-cared-for and inspired teachers.
The Cost of Burnout
Burnout for a yoga teacher isn’t just about fatigue. It’s about losing the very essence of what drew them to yoga in the first place. It’s about feeling disconnected from their practice, their community, and themselves. The irony is heart-wrenching: the people who champion self-care and mindfulness often have no outlet for their own healing.
Burned-out teachers may feel resentment, guilt, or a deep sense of inadequacy. They may even consider leaving the profession altogether, a loss that impacts not just them but the students who rely on their guidance.
Finding a Safe Space
So, where can yoga teachers turn? How can they reclaim their own practice and protect their well-being in an industry that often overlooks their needs?
1. Create a Teacher-Only Community
Online or in-person groups exclusively for yoga teachers can provide a safe, judgment-free space to practice, share, and heal. These communities allow instructors to connect with peers who understand the challenges they face, fostering a sense of solidarity and support.
2. Self-Practice
While not a substitute for a communal yoga experience, a dedicated home practice can be a sanctuary for yoga teachers. It allows them to move at their own pace, explore their needs, and reconnect with their bodies without external pressures.
3. Advocate for Change
Yoga teachers can collectively advocate for studio policies that welcome all instructors as students. By fostering open dialogue about the importance of inclusivity and support within the yoga community, they can help dismantle the barriers that prevent teachers from accessing the spaces they need.
4. Invest in Retreats
When financially possible, retreats designed specifically for yoga teachers can be transformative. These retreats focus on nurturing the nurturers, offering rest, inspiration, and tools to manage burnout.
5. Set Boundaries
Teachers must learn to say no to over-scheduling, to unpaid emotional labor, and to the expectation that they’ll always be available. Boundaries are an essential form of self-care that allows teachers to preserve their energy and passion for the practice.
The Path Forward
The yoga community has a responsibility to care for its caregivers. Studios can start by examining their policies, creating more inclusive spaces, and offering discounted or free classes for instructors. Fellow teachers can offer peer support and mentorship, reminding one another that it’s okay to ask for help.
Yoga teachers give endlessly to their students, but they can’t pour from an empty cup. Finding a safe space to practice, to simply be, is not a luxury it’s a necessity. Only when teachers are supported and replenished can they continue to share the profound gift of yoga with the world.
The question isn’t whether we can create these spaces it’s whether we will.
