What does 'Studentship' mean?
Studentship is the backbone of being an effective teacher, and as your mentor I commit to my own studentship, continuing to learn so that I may remain fresh, objective and innovative in my work with you. You the mentee & I the mentor are both immersed in learning, devoted and dedicated to developing the qualities of a great teacher and person. When embarking on a mentoring programme, the foundation is ultimately in cultivating a relationship, an investment from both involved.
What background experience does my mentor have?
I’m a mother, illustrator, yoga teacher, teacher trainer, mentor, yoga therapist & integrative counsellor; I have been teaching yoga and meditation since 2005. My particular area of expertise, passion & inquiry is in mental & emotional wellbeing, guiding & supporting people to manage, navigate & weave their own unique threads through life’s rich tapestry.
With 15+ years working in the ‘yoga industry’, and as much as I don’t like to put those two words together, the reality is: there is a ‘yoga industry’ and it’s thriving. I have been fortunate to be a part of that growing marketplace, providing high-quality training to those that wanted to learn more about yoga and who wanted to share their passion for it with others.
Eight years into my yoga teaching career, after multiple trainings, consistent attendance of and commitment to CPD’s and workshops, I completed a comprehensive & rigorous training in Yoga Therapy with The Minded Institute. Since then I have been working as a Yoga Therapist for mental health conditions, on a one to one basis and with small groups delivering 8 week programmes to manage Stress, Anxiety & Depression. In addition, I have completed 4 years of study as an Integrative Counselor. These two trainings in particular & the ongoing experience across these two fields, have encouraged and honed a 'person centred' approach to psychotherapeutic & active listening skills; integral for effective mentoring & coaching.
What this means for you as the mentee is that I commit to consciously & truly paying attention to you, listening to what you’re saying and perhaps more importantly, what you are not saying.
What are the results of a successful mentoring relationship?
REFINEMENT OF YOUR AWARENESS & GREATER FOCUS
- A defined vision as a yoga teacher; getting clear on your mission, message & voice
- Creating a thriving community around your vision
- Creating & refining a teaching career that is sustainable
- Inspiring self practice and self study
- Resourcing for personal growth and teaching
INCREASED CONFIDENCE
- Navigate & self-regulate; creating your optimal ‘state’ for teaching
- Skilfull communication to meet your client/s individual needs
- Refinement of observation skills
- Cultivating a mutual relationship of truth and trust with clients
- Setting clear, confident & professional boundaries
- Foster self-care practices and identifying useful & necessary support systems
HONING YOUR UNIQUE SKILLSET
- Layering of teaching points to multi-level groups
- Appropriate & population specific language & cues
- Working with themes & topics in your classes, workshops & retreats
- Refining timing, structure and sequencing
(Specific areas can also be customized to your own personal needs)
What does the mentor enjoy about mentoring?
It’s simple really; observing and helping other teachers grow their sense of what is possible, is a great privilege. Seeing clients grow in confidence and trust in their own process and flourish under my guidance is not only a gift but also the bedrock of my own learning and growth.
When another yoga teacher or student comes forward and says, "‘I’m serious about this yoga malarkey, I want to learn with, and from you." I feel and trust that they are making the practice meaningful and that their future as torch bearer will be helping others on a profound level.
Why work with Toni as your mentor?
I have been consistently teaching for fifteen years, training, supporting & mentoring yoga teachers in one form or another for twelve. I love what I do and I love to see & celebrate people flourishing.
In fifteen years of teaching I have quite honestly grown tired of the cookie cutter approach to training yoga teachers and of the mindset that it often instills. I have for many years been forging an approach to teaching that is honest, real and that comes from a place of true curiosity, enquiry, compassion and vision. I always encourage questioning and I almost always don't have the answers, but I know that you do. We all have answers, sometimes we just need the right questions to be asked of us.
As a yoga teacher what we end up doing often is far beyond what we imagined and are often told to expect in teacher trainings. I take an honest, real world approach to teaching, training & mentoring, so that you the teacher or trainee can be heard, felt and experienced in your own right.
I will create a safe space where you can be honest, explore, ask questions, and dig deeply to expose those grey areas that don't really feel like you, those greay areas of conditoined responses and behaviours that often hold us back from knowing our own value and that can fill us with fear and 'imposter syndrome'.
The qualities required of a yoga teacher these days far outstrips the skills & techniques taught on your average 200hr TT. We must be resilient and vulnerable, adaptable and consistent, creative and grounded. The self-work it requires to be sustainable as a yoga teacher with these qualities at the forefront, requires work - ‘the work’.
I will honour your work, your honesty and support your self-inquiry and I will hold you accountale when needed and guide you on your yet untrodden path. That's exciting stuff, thats the stuff I want to work with.