Yoga Program Orientation

Updated 10/05/2025 NS

Welcome! We’re glad you’re here.

Nirel the Yogini Collective contracts yoga teachers who offer adaptable, trauma informed, and inclusive yoga classes that meet every body where they are. We provide training and support that equips instructors to share accessible practices across generations and communities.

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Mission:

Our mission is to make yoga accessible and welcoming for every body by contracting and supporting teachers who offer adaptable, trauma informed, inclusive classes, and by training instructors to share these practices across generations and communities.

Our vision is a world where every generation and every body, across all backgrounds and abilities, can experience the liberating power of yoga through adaptable, trauma informed classes and well trained teachers.

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Vision:

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Yoga Practice Goals

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Prioritize holistic wellness by reconnecting with self and integrating physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health through restorative practice.

Maintain a gentle, restorative pace by noticing rising intensity, following soft natural breath, and choosing non strenuous variations over calorie-burning moves.

Cultivate mindful presence by inviting awareness of sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste to gently reconnect with inner sensing in the present moment.

Language & Wording

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Tone and safety check: Keep cues gentle and nonjudgmental, and check with the program lead or with Nirel if you have any questions.

Adapting for Different Bodies & Needs

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Guiding principle: Always prioritize accessibility over aesthetics.

Cue inclusively and offer multiple options to support clients

Pivot to different forms of yoga as needed

Yin Yoga

Chair Yoga

Chair/Couch Rest

Larger Bodies

Welcome the use of props, show safe use, and frame them as tools for comfort and accessibility, not fixes.

Restorative Yoga

Yoga Games (kids)

Seated/Lying Down

Chairs

Pillows

Blocks

Trauma-Informed Approach

• Start class with a brief check in by asking, “How are you feeling?”
• Invite mindfulness by noticing thoughts and emotions, then letting them pass without judgment.
• Encourage clients to share any new awareness with their therapist.
• Offer grounding cues to return from dissociation, like noticing something in the room or something not noticed before.
• Emphasize whole self connection across physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual layers, using movement as a gentle reconnection tool.

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Being trauma-informed means creating a practice and environment that acknowledges the presence of trauma in people’s lives and is intentionally designed to avoid re-traumatization and support healing.

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Movement Guidelines

Avoid high intensity, exercise-like movements such as squats, lunges, and repetitive transitions.

Keep orientation consistent by staying seated before shifting to standing or lying down.

Watch for signs of working out, redirect to mindful breathing and softer movement, and notify staff if

needed.

Focus on practices that restore energy rather than deplete it.

Professional Boundaries

• Clothing: Avoid short shorts/skirts, crop tops, or revealing outfits
• Compliments: Never individualize; keep general for the group
• Consent: Always ask for permission first.
• Adjustments: Do NOT provide physical/hands-on adjustments.

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On-Site Procedures

1. Check in with the front desk or point person upon arrival.
2. Ask about any medical issues or concerns for clients.
3. Leave time at the beginning and end of class to check in with clients.
4. Be mindful of program guidelines and boundaries.
5. Notify the front desk or point person when leaving.

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Point person contact info can be found here.

Invoicing

For classes, include:

• Date, time, location
• Program (Mental Health or Eating Disorders)
• Group (Adults, BED, Young Adults, Teens, Pediatrics, etc.)

For admin time, include:

• Date, time
• Purpose (training, meeting, etc.)

Submit Invoices via:

nireltheyogini.com/invoice

Invoices

due by the 1st and 15th of each month.

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Late Cancellation Policy

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Best practice: Contact point person the day before to ensure the class is not cancelled.

If a class is canceled while you’re en route or after arrival, you will still be paid.

List the class as “late cancel” on your invoice. Email: info@nireltheyogini.com for all cancellations, early or last-minute.

**Remind staff to notify us of cancellations as early as possible.**

Substitute Teaching Opportunities

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Check

Check the Substitute Teaching Opportunities list.

Email

Email info@nireltheyogini.com with the class you want to cover.

Confirm

Look for an assignment email; this is your confirmation.

Connect

After confirmation, we will connect you with the staff point of contact for the class.

Requesting a Substitute Teacher

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1

REQUEST

Email info@nireltheyogini.com at least 2 weeks before a substitute is needed. Including the date, time, location, program, and group details.

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URGENT REQUEST

For urgent needs, send the request at least 24 hours in advance.

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CONFIRM

Watch for a confirmation email that the class has been added to the Substitute Teaching Opportunities list.

Resources

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Thank you!

Please direct any questions to info@nireltheyogini.com.

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