What Every Yoga Teacher Should Know About Mental Health, with Dr. Lauren Tober

I've been a longtime listener of A Grateful Life, and if you've spent any time in the yoga or wellness world, chances are you already know Dr. Lauren Tober's voice — thoughtful, grounded, and never afraid to go deep. So when I had the chance to sit down with her for this episode, I couldn't say yes fast enough. Lauren is a Clinical Psychologist and Senior Yoga Teacher who has spent over two decades weaving together the wisdom of psychology and yoga — and her work feels more relevant than ever. As yoga teachers, we're often holding space for students who are struggling in ways we may not be trained to recognize, let alone support. Lauren's work on Mental Health Aware Yoga is exactly the kind of conversation our community needs more of, and I loved getting to dig into it with her. In this episode: Lauren's journey bridging clinical psychology and yoga What "Mental Health Aware Yoga" means and why it matters Common blind spots: how yoga teachers can unintentionally cause harm with students who are struggling Where the line is between holding space and referring out to a mental health professional Trauma-informed teaching — what most yoga trainings leave out Patanjali's 8 limbs through the lens of mental health Practical first steps for teachers who want to become more mental-health-aware Lauren's online Mental Health Aware Yoga training and who it's for Living and teaching from Bundjalung Country, and how place shapes her work What "a grateful life" means to Lauren today About Dr. Lauren Tober: Dr Lauren Tober is a Clinical Psychologist, Senior Yoga Teacher, author of Mental Health Aware Yoga: A Guide for Yoga Teachers, host of the A Grateful Life podcast and an eternal student of life. As the founder of the Yoga Psychology Institute, Lauren has spent over two decades integrating the wisdom of contemporary psychology with the timeless teachings of yoga, supporting yoga teachers, health professionals and seekers to heal, grow and come home to themselves. Based on Bundjalung Country in Mullumbimby, Australia, Lauren teaches and travels globally. Her work is soulful without being new-agey, evidence-based without being clinical, and above all, deeply human. Connect with Lauren: Website: www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com Yoga Psychology Institute: www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com Mentioned in this episode: Free book: Patanjali's 8 Limbs and Mental Health Aware Yoga → https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/8limbs Online Mental Health Aware Yoga Training (starts September 16, 2026) → https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/online   Connect with Andrea www.andreaclaassen.com Sacred Seasons- https://andreaclaassen.com/sacred-seasons