Yoga is increasingly moving beyond the studio to find a place in therapeutic and healthcare settings. That move generates new opportunities, as well as new challenges, for yoga teachers.

In today's episode, host Rachel speaks with Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist Jen Beal, who is a full-time yoga and meditation teacher with the Whole Health division of the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

Jen shares the realities of teaching yoga in a large-scale healthcare environment: working as part of a collaborative care team, documentation requirements, and the need for trauma sensitivity, confidentiality, and accessibility. This conversation offers valuable insight into how yoga can become more inclusive, adaptable, and therapeutic — both inside and outside traditional healthcare systems.

"You don't have to have every single body in your classroom doing the same exact thing." — Jen Beal.

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What You'll Learn:

Gaining employment in the VA healthcare system [2:31]
What the role involves [5:40]
Rewarding and fulfilling work [7:59]
Unique challenges in this environment [11:58]
Record-keeping requirements [14:41]
Privacy and confidentiality matter in healthcare [18:23]
Clear Scope of Practice [20:30]
How VA students and sequences differ from yoga studios [26:23]
A "yoga kit" to encourage home practice [35:37]
Advice for accessible teaching in healthcare settings [38:29]
Final takeaways [44:02]

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Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Connect with Jen Beal: Instagram | Still and Flow Yoga

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Learn More:

Find the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-170.

Learn more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

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Yoga in Healthcare: Community Conversations with Jen Beal

Yoga Medicine

Yoga in Healthcare: Community Conversations with Jen Beal