Yoga teacher Sarah de GraaffSydney yoga teacher Sarah de Graaff from the Mind and Movement Centre in Redfern talks about mental health.

This topic is close to my heart for several reasons: we sometimes tend to view yoga as a cure-all but oftentimes the practice of yoga can provoke issues and past traumas that have been suppressed for some time. The popular perception of yoga and yoga practitioners as always happy, cheerful and at peace places high expectations on both yoga teachers and students. Consequently, for many teachers with mental health issues, it may seem easier to carry on as if everything is peachy. And that only works for a while.

Sarah talks with Yoga Reach director Brook McCarthy about the particular stresses of being a yoga teacher, whether all practices of yoga are helpful for teachers, how she handles stress in her life, and how yoga studios and teachers can be more welcoming to those suffering from bi-polar, depression or anxiety.

Check out Sarah’s website and her Redfern studio site.