Episode #36
Discernment In Trauma Aware Yoga and Breath-Work With Rebel Tucker | Ep 36
A quick note before you listen: this episode was recorded in less-than-perfect audio conditions, so you may notice a few sound quality issues along the way. We appreciate your understanding and hope you'll stay with us, as the conversation contains valuable insights that we didn't want you to miss. Liz Albanis welcomes back Rebel Tucker for another insightful conversation. The wellness world loves big promises, but what happens when the very practices meant to help people are the ones doing harm? We dig into the uncomfortable edge of modern yoga and breathwork: quick certifications, charismatic authority, and emotionally intense techniques that can feel “cathartic” while leaving someone more destabilised than before. Our north star is discernment, learning when to trust, when to question, and how to keep your power in your own hands rather than handing it to a teacher, a brand, or a trend. unpack why not all breathwork is pranayama, why contraindications matter, and how teachers can accidentally step far outside their scope of practice. We talk about real risks in large-group “release” processes, the importance of agency and opt-outs, and why trauma-aware yoga is not the same as trauma therapy. We also get practical about professional standards: what ethical marketing looks like, why insurance may not cover you when you overreach, and what many Australian yoga teachers don’t realise about unregistered health practitioner codes of conduct. the rise of short online add-on certifications like yin yoga “teacher” trainings that may skip the foundations needed for safe cueing, anatomy basics, and real teaching skill. If you’re a student, a teacher, or someone returning to yoga after trauma or PTSD, you’ll leave with sharper questions to ask, clearer red flags to notice, and a more grounded way to seek support without chasing a quick fix. Key Topics: iscernment in yoga and breathwork, what ethical teaching looks like, and how to choose support that protects your agency and mental health. Power dynamics in yoga spaces and why “guru” culture can be risky Discernment (viveka) as a core yogic skill rather than blind trust Breathwork versus pranayama and why contraindications matter Real-world harm when emotionally intense practices remove choice Scope of practice, insurance limits, and why liability gets ignored •Australia’s unregistered health practitioner codes and what teachers should know Quick certifications, yin yoga misunderstandings, and safety problems Why practical assessment beats quiz-based “certificate” models Trauma-aware teaching as agency, choice, and c areful language About this episode's Guest: Rebel Tucker is a yoga therapist, naturopath. And senior yoga teacher with over 40 years of experience. She runs a yoga studio on the Mid North Coast of NSW. Where she specialises in helping individuals restore well-being through the energetic body. Traditional yoga practices, and evidence-based methods. As a board member of Yoga Australia. Rebel is dedicated to the professional growth of the yoga community. And making yoga accessible to everyone. https://yogarebel.com.au/ https://www.instagram.com/yogireb/?hl=en ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Love the show? We’d love a review! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Wellness Designed For You combines Yoga Therapy, Pilates, and Myofascial Release to help you reduce stress, move with more ease, and build a sustainable home practice tailored to your body and lifestyle. Because you’re not the problem, the approach just wasn’t designed for you. Book a discovery call. Release, Relax & Restore with my 3R program 3 signature programs: 'Release Your Potential' 'Relax with the Complete Sleep Reset Plan' and 'Restore with Lifeforce Yoga Practices'. Download your freebie to start practising yoga at home. Want to make video and audio editing quicker and simpler? Get 50% off the first 2 months of the Descript Creator Monthly Plan. Instagram : Youtube