Yoga That Works

Gwen Versteegh
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Health & Fitness
  • Updated Biweekly

Yoga that Works is for people who have full days of work and also big goals (just like you & me). They want to be more intentional with where they put their energy and want to have a Yoga practice that fits and supports their life because every time they practice they feel unstoppable after. In each episode, I share simple practices & real-life insights to help you build a realistic routine, on & off the mat, that keeps you going, with more energy, calmer and connected to what really matters in your life.

  1. Aug 25

    Can You Use Your Yoga When You Need It Most?

    In this episode, I explore why it can become so much harder to manage a Yoga practice during challenging periods, even though those are often the moments when we need the tools from that practice the most. Starting with a conversation with my therapist, a voice note recorded at 5:30 in the morning & the introductory Yoga workshops I taught to teenagers going back to school, I look at whether we are creating a Yoga practice that is flexible and accessible enough to support us when life becomes busy, stressful or emotionally heavy. We talk about the difference between the form of a practice & its intention, why recording a voice note can sometimes serve the same purpose as journaling, and how one word, a few breaths, five minutes on the floor or a small amount of movement can still be part of a meaningful Yoga practice. It is about understanding what we need from the practice, and then finding a version of it that feels possible within everything else we are already managing. Highlights include: ● Why maintaining a Yoga practice becomes more difficult when we are already carrying a lot. ● How understanding the intention behind a practice gives us more freedom to adapt it. ● Using one simple word to recognize how we feel & what kind of support we might need. ● Why the smallest available practice can sometimes be the most supportive one. This is also the final episode of Season 2 of Yoga That Works. The podcast will take a break for a few months while I focus on teaching, research, expeditions & everything else coming up, but I will be back for another season. Join the Yoga Life Lab Membership Connect with Gwen on Instagram

    Can You Use Your Yoga When You Need It Most?

  2. Aug 11

    What Makes a Yoga Class Challenging?

    Apparently, I have a bit of a reputation on Bonaire for being a "hardcore" Yoga teacher, the kind of teacher you go to if you want to be challenged, sweat or spend some time upside down. While those comments were meant in a very positive way, they made me think about what we actually mean when we describe a Yoga class as challenging. Somewhere along the way, we've started using "physically difficult" and "challenging" as if they mean the same thing, when a challenge can actually look completely different from one person to another. In this episode, I explore what challenge can really mean in a Yoga practice, from strength, inversions & balance to fear, body awareness, confidence, breathwork, relaxation & nervous system regulation. We talk about why something that looks easy from the outside can be incredibly challenging from the inside, and why two people doing the exact same practice can experience completely different challenges. Highlights include: ● Why being known as a "hardcore" Yoga teacher made me question what we actually mean by a challenging Yoga class. ● Why physically demanding Yoga can be incredibly valuable, without physical difficulty being the only way we can challenge ourselves. ● What I actually want students to explore when I bring inversions like headstand into a class, and why getting your feet off the floor isn't really the goal. ● How physical challenges can build body awareness, trust & confidence that can reach much further than the Yoga mat. ● Why balance can challenge much more than our ability to stand on one leg, especially when frustration, comparison & expectations start showing up. ● How breathwork, stillness, relaxation & nervous system regulation can be incredibly challenging when we're used to always being on and doing more. ● Why there is an important difference between being challenged and being pushed, and why challenge doesn't have to mean succeeding or reaching the most difficult version of something. A challenging Yoga class isn't necessarily the class with the hardest poses, the most sweat or the practice that leaves you sore the next day. Challenge is much more personal than that, and there is a whole rainbow between what we tend to label as "easy" and "hard" Yoga. I am comfortable being a teacher who challenges her students. I just don't think we should assume that we already know what that challenge is going to look like. Join the Yoga Life Lab Membership Connect with Gwen on Instagram

    What Makes a Yoga Class Challenging?

  3. Jul 28

    Learning to Choose Yourself

    When you look at a Yoga schedule today, it can feel overwhelming. Slow Flow, Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, Restorative, Mobility, Power Yoga... with so many different styles & approaches, how do you know which practice is actually right for you? In this episode, I explore a question that has been on my mind lately: has Yoga become so broad that we've forgotten how to choose? More importantly, have we become so focused on finding the "right" class or the "right" teacher that we've stopped asking ourselves what we actually need today? We talk about why there is no single "best" Yoga practice, how our needs change from day to day, & why one of the most valuable skills Yoga can teach us is not how to follow a teacher, but how to listen to ourselves. I also share why I believe the goal of a Yoga practice isn't to become dependent on one teacher or one style, but to become confident enough to make almost any class your own. Highlights include: ● Why the word "Yoga" doesn't tell us as much as it used to, & why that's not necessarily a bad thing. ● How the growing variety of Yoga styles can make it difficult to know what practice to choose. ● Why asking "What do I need today?" is often a much more useful question than "What class should I take?" ● How to adapt a group Yoga class to your own body, energy levels & needs, even when everyone else is doing something different. ● Why challenge isn't always about doing more, & how learning to listen to yourself can become a practice both on and off the mat. ● How becoming an independent practitioner can help you build a Yoga practice that continues to support your real life, wherever you are and whoever is teaching. I hope this episode encourages you to trust yourself a little more, to become curious about what your body is asking for, and to remember that the most important part of your Yoga practice isn't following the sequence perfectly, but learning to choose yourself. Join the Yoga Life Lab Membership Connect with Gwen on Instagram

    Learning to Choose Yourself

  4. Jul 14

    I Walked Into a Yoga Class... & Felt Like I Didn't Belong

    In this episode, I share a personal experience from a Yoga class I took while visiting Curaçao that completely caught me by surprise. Although the class was beautiful, the teacher was wonderful & the location was breathtaking, I walked away reflecting on something I never expected to feel as a Yoga teacher: the feeling that I didn't quite belong. That experience made me think about the invisible pressure that can exist in Yoga, not because anyone creates it intentionally, but because of the stories we sometimes tell ourselves. Whether it's feeling like we don't have the right clothes, the right flexibility, enough experience or that we simply don't look like "a Yoga person," many of us carry quiet doubts before we even step onto the mat. In this episode, I explore why that feeling exists, how Yoga can help us notice it without judging ourselves & why belonging has much less to do with fitting in than we often think. Highlights include: ● Why I unexpectedly felt out of place in a Yoga class despite teaching & practicing Yoga every week. ● How the pressure to fit in often comes from ourselves rather than from the people around us. ● Why the invisible pressure in Yoga goes far beyond clothing & can show up as worries about flexibility, experience, age or confidence. ● How becoming aware of these thoughts is already part of the Yoga practice. ● Why I am so grateful for the welcoming Yoga community we've built on Bonaire & what we can all do to help others feel that they belong. SHOW LINKS: ● Join the Yoga Life Lab with 7 days for free in June: Life Lab Membership ● Connect with Gwen on Instagram If you've ever wondered whether you were flexible enough, experienced enough or simply "the kind of person who does Yoga," this episode is for you.

    I Walked Into a Yoga Class... & Felt Like I Didn't Belong

  5. Jun 30

    Did Yoga Change, or Did We?

    In this episode, I explore how the world of Yoga has evolved over the past decade, and whether it is really the practice that has changed or the people stepping onto the mat. Inspired by a conversation with a friend who simply asked, "What kind of Yoga should I do?", we dive into why that question has become much more complex than it used to be. We talk about how our understanding of the body, the nervous system, stress, recovery & overall wellbeing has expanded, how that has influenced the way Yoga is taught, and why the goal of a Yoga practice today often goes far beyond becoming stronger or more flexible. This episode is also an invitation to start asking a different question. Instead of looking for the "right" style of Yoga, what if we first became more aware of what we actually need? Highlights include: ● Why it may not be Yoga that has changed, but the people practising it. ● How teachers have expanded their toolbox while keeping the foundations of Yoga the same. ● Why today's students often come to Yoga for much more than flexibility or fitness. ● How learning to understand your own needs can transform the way you approach your practice. ● Why both teachers & students share the responsibility of creating a practice that truly supports real life. SHOW LINKS: ● Join the Yoga Life Lab ● Connect with Gwen on Instagram If you're ready to build a Yoga practice that grows with you and supports your real life, subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. And if you enjoyed today's conversation, leaving a review is one of the best ways to help more people discover Yoga That Works. Thank you for listening!

    Did Yoga Change, or Did We?

  6. Jun 16

    Who Decided Yoga Takes an Hour?

    In this episode, I am joined by Firdose Moonda, journalist, yoga teacher & teacher trainer, for a conversation about something most of us never question: why a Yoga class is usually 60 minutes, where those time frames come from, and whether they are actually helping or limiting our practice. We talk about how studio schedules, teacher trainings, pricing structures & our own expectations have shaped the way we think about Yoga, and why the idea that a practice has to be 60 or 75 minutes long can sometimes stop us from practicing altogether. We also explore how flexibility, imperfection & consistency can make Yoga a much more useful tool in real life. Highlights include: ● Where the familiar 60 and 90-minute class formats come from, and how they became the norm. ● How the business model of studios & unlimited memberships influences the way we practice. ● Why waiting for the perfect uninterrupted hour can become a barrier to having a home practice. ● How both of us started with 20 to 30-minute practices, and why neither of us practices for 60 minutes every day. ● Why Yoga does not need a perfect room, perfect conditions or even an uninterrupted practice to be valuable. ● Why consistency is not about doing the same thing every day, but about doing something regularly. Firdose brings us a beautiful reminder that if we measure our practice at all, maybe we should measure it by how it changes the way we react to life rather than by the number of minutes spent on the mat. SHOW LINKS: ● Join the Yoga Life Lab with 7 days for free in June: Life Lab Membership ● Connect with Gwen on Instagram ● Connect with Firdose on Instagram If you are ready for our journey together & never want to miss an episode, subscribe & leave a review. Thanks for tuning in!

    Who Decided Yoga Takes an Hour?

  7. Jun 2

    Rebuilding Trust in Your Body

    In this episode, I am joined by Kylie Rook, Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist, Hakomi Somatic Practitioner, E-RYT500 & Teacher Trainer, for a conversation about chronic pain, nervous system regulation, restorative practices, somatics, & most importantly: why & how we can rebuild safety and trust in the body. We explore the difference between acute pain & chronic pain, how pain is influenced by the nervous system, & why feeling safe in the body can play such an important role in reducing pain, improving movement and reconnecting with ourselves. Kylie shares a live practice & practical tools that can help shift us out of a constant state of protection & into a place of curiosity, awareness and healing, while reminding us that recovery is not always about doing more, but often about creating the conditions that allow the body to feel safe again. In this episode you'll learn: ● The difference between acute pain & chronic pain, & why chronic pain is about more than tissue damage. ● How the nervous system influences the way we experience pain. ● Why safety, trust & nervous system regulation are essential parts of recovery. ● A simple check-in practice you can use to reconnect with your body & regulate your nervous system. ● How restorative Yoga, self-havening touch, support, containment & weight can help create a sense of safety in the body. ● The role of somatics in reducing unnecessary tension, improving movement patterns & building awareness. ● Why curiosity can be more helpful than forcing when working with pain & discomfort. ● How slowing down, resting & recovering can become powerful tools for healing. This is Yoga that Works! To celebrate the 1-year anniversary of the Yoga Life Lab, you can enjoy 7 days free access to explore the full library of practices, including Yoga, breathwork, meditation, restorative practices, myofascial release & more. It's the perfect opportunity to discover the practices that can help you build more awareness, resilience & trust in your body. Join the Yoga Life Lab: Life Lab Membership Connect with Gwen on Instagram Connect with Kylie on her website Check out Kylie's online course for a healthy pelvic floor  If you are ready for our journey together & never want to miss an episode, subscribe & leave a review. Thanks for tuning in!

    Rebuilding Trust in Your Body

  8. May 19

    Let Your Practice Be Messy!

    *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id="25567195-1ff9-4921-bd97-ac0bfd679c92" data-turn-id-container="25567195-1ff9-4921-bd97-ac0bfd679c92" data-testid="conversation-turn-30" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn="assistant"> In this episode, we dive into the pressure we often place around yoga practice, & why waiting for the "perfect conditions" can slowly become one of the biggest barriers to consistency. Gwen shares personal stories from her own practice, from doing Yin Yoga while watching Netflix to stopping a practice after 10 minutes because it was simply enough that day, & reflects on how real life practices often look very different from the polished version we see online. Highlights include: Why the idea of the "perfect practice" can quietly stop us from showing up. How shorter, imperfect, or distracted practices can still support your body & nervous system. The pressure around the 60-minute yoga session & where that expectation may come from. Why many yoga teachers still use guided classes & platforms for their own practice. Exploring how flexibility inside your yoga practice can create more adaptability in daily life. Learning to remove barriers around practice instead of adding more conditions to it. Join the Yoga Life Lab: Life Lab Membership Connect with Gwen on Instagram If you are ready for our journey together & never want to miss an episode, subscribe & leave a review.  Thanks for tuning in!

    Let Your Practice Be Messy!
See All (26)

About

Yoga that Works is for people who have full days of work and also big goals (just like you & me). They want to be more intentional with where they put their energy and want to have a Yoga practice that fits and supports their life because every time they practice they feel unstoppable after. In each episode, I share simple practices & real-life insights to help you build a realistic routine, on & off the mat, that keeps you going, with more energy, calmer and connected to what really matters in your life.

Information

  • Creator
    Gwen Versteegh
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Yoga That Works