Yoga Teacher Training in Oxford: Every Body Studio

Posted September 19, 2024

Katie McNeil, at Every Body Studio, shares the story behind the studio and why she’s excited about the studio’s new teacher training programme. >>

What’s the story behind Every Body Studio?

Every Body Studio is pretty much what it sounds like. It is a yoga and movement studio that everyone is welcome to. Ensuring that the space is inclusive and welcoming to everyone is the key aspect.

Katie Gordon created Every Body Studio in 2017 and moved it to Magdalen Road in 2022. Katie wanted to create a space that people felt comfortable visiting, no matter what their current experience with yoga was.

The space is bright, airy and welcoming, filled with plants designed to feel like a slice of home away from home. There are a whole host of classes which include yoga, pilates and barre. As well as workshops and events that run from free book swap clubs to retreat days and everything in between.

Tell me more about the new training programme.

Yes, we were so excited to bring this to life.

This training programme is about getting people ready to become teachers themselves in an inclusive manner. The 200h Yoga Teacher Training programme was created in collaboration with four teachers at the studio: Katie Gordon, Becky Varey, Venetia Adamson and myself.

It is split into two parts, part one being to invite students to deepen their practice and part two the practical application of teaching yoga. We split the programme this way to allow the first part to act as a standalone course for those who wanted to learn about yoga without the teaching side of it.

The course is spread out across the year, giving trainees time to think critically about the course content and digest it all. This also ensures that no pressure is felt whilst taking the course – there is time.

“A yoga teacher training can be a transformative time in terms of yoga practice, but also in people’s personal lives. We offer mentoring support throughout the course mentor” Katie Gordon

This course is not just an overview. We facilitate our students to actually teach through a tangible and practical experience. The syllabus goes into depth on anatomy, philosophy, history, pranayama and meditation as well as the practical aspects of teaching and holding space.

“During our training, we aim to cover everything trainees will need to know about anatomy and physiology so that everybody feels informed and empowered to lead intelligent classes that can be adapted to many different bodies and a variety of needs.” – Venetia Adamson

“When they say Every Body Studio, they really mean every mind, every word, every action as they really do create a space that enables all. I’ve tried challenging their process and they blew me away with their kindness, thoughtful words, and ideas thereafter. Their teacher training course is truly an adventure in honesty, curiosity, truth and of course yoga” – Current trainee

What do you think makes this training different from other yoga teacher training?

The ethos of the studio is carried through to the teaching environment.

We teach you how to teach and hold space.
We empower you and help your personal development throughout the course.
We help you build the foundational knowledge and develop your personal skills.
We will prepare you for the professional world of yoga teaching.

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to participate in the yoga teacher training at Every Body Studio in Oxford. This programme has truly been a transformative experience, offering an exceptional blend of philosophy, asana practice, writing, dialogue, and teaching. Each session has not only deepened my understanding of yoga but has also instilled a newfound confidence in my teaching abilities.” – Current trainee

Tell us more about your local Oxford community and their support.

We are surrounded by several other local businesses including Missing Bean, Project PT, Asylum Welcome and Pegasus. There is such a great supportive ecosystem here and they all have a similar community ethos to us.

We love to team up with this community and particularly our charity partner. For example, we are working with the Early Intervention Service in Oxford to deliver weekly yoga classes to their clients. We have been providing this service for years and in their clients’ words it is a “cornerstone of recovery, relaxation of yoga helps manage anxiety”. These classes recently lost funding so we have been Crowdfunding through the community here at the studio. Click here for more details.

We also work closely with Oxfordshire Mind to run a weekly free yoga class on Wednesdays, this class is free for anyone who is using Oxfordshire Mind services to attend.

The studio is actively working to establish new social outreach classes such as classes for children with parents in the prison system. If we had money, we would work with more charity partners and work within community spaces to bring yoga to those places.

How are you able to apply the same supportive and inclusive principles to online classes?

It all started from the pandemic as this was the time we had to fully transition to online classes. Ever since then, we maintained this offering for classes in the studio.

We make sure that people know that depending on their comfort level, they can have their cameras on or off. The teacher will try to make it as interactive as possible to ensure that the full experience is delivered. The teacher has a microphone and will teach to the space and the camera.

Maintaining online classes is part of the accessibility we offer at the studio. Whether someone finds a physical space intimidating or because they are busy, online classes offer that needed flexibility. Students of ours can participate remotely, which is handy over the school holidays.

What are your favourite moments so far with Every Body Studio?

Generally, I just love teaching! The constant support and energy from the other teachers is another key factor to this.

I am enjoying this new training programme. It is so rewarding to see the trainees grow to the point where they can teach others – true self-confidence is developed. It is great to know that we are able to create a safe learning space.

I also love the Oxfordshire Mind class that I teach. The community built within this is so wholesome, and you can feel that attendees are comfortable in the space.

Any advice for someone looking to attend a session at your studio, but are nervous about attending?

Know that we are always here to help. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us through email. We are happy to meet people beforehand in person or online for a one to one.