We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Casey Broach a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Casey, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome is something that I think a lot of people experience, especially when starting something new.
Something that yoga has really help me to develop is observing my ego and learning to be more compassionate with myself. Often, we can feel as if we have to become perfect at something before teaching others or sharing our knowledge and work. Perfection, however, isn’t always attainable, and many learn best through imperfection and failure.
The idea of being an impostor, or not good enough, stems from our ego. The ego isn’t a bad thing, but a part of us that tries to protect us from our past experiences. If you have done the training, if you have practiced and gained enough knowledge through experience, you can be assured that you are not an imposter. This mindset is developed through experience, failure, and getting to truly know yourself. That is where you will find self-love and inner confidence.
I overcame imposter syndrome after graduating from my yoga teacher training by getting out there and gaining experience. I continued my studies through additional courses, learning from other teachers and my students, and starting with classes where I knew what I was teaching.
Get feedback from others as much as you can, and use discernment to know when and how to apply it. If you put in the work, you are not an imposter. We all start somewhere, and the best way to continue to get better is through practice and experience. You just have to have enough faith in yourself to jump in and get your hands dirty.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am the owner and sole instructor for my company, The Vessel Yoga. I specialize in personal and group yoga classes that have a focus on self-healing.
My classes incorporate teachings of chakra systems, singing bowls, crystals, meditation, pranayama, and of course, asana.
I have furthered my education by becoming trauma informed certified, and I am set to become Reiki 1 certified this summer.
The most exciting part for me is how healing my students have found my yoga classes to be. Generally, students come to me for the physical aspect and are surprised to find themselves also growing spiritually and finding inner healing. All I do is supply the knowledge, tools, and space for healing. My students learn how to use these aspects within their lives to help them heal from buried trauma and emotions on their own.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Learning about the 8 branches of yoga was one of the greatest areas of knowledge that has been impactful on my learning. I was one of the yoga students who came for the physical aspect and found myself transforming not only physically, but mentally and spiritually as well. Asana, or yoga poses, are just one branch of what yoga is. There is so much more to yoga than only asana, and that was very impactful on my journey.
Empathy would be a skill that has enabled me to become a better instructor. I put myself in my student’s shoes when developing my sequences. I listen to my students and what they need, and adjust accordingly. I’ve learned to hold space for my students and acknowledge that I do not know what they may be bringing into their sessions with them, but I can teach them ways to heal and continue on their yogic path.
A quality of mine that has helped me on my own journey is my unquenchable thirst for knowledge. I am always reading, studying, practicing, listening to others, and taking courses to help myself grow into a better teacher.
Advice I have for others either starting their yoga practice or starting out teaching is to learn to observe your ego and embrace your inner self. Yoga actually means union, and teaches you to find union with the self and with God. Be compassionate with yourself as you learn. Know your limits, and at the same time, that you are your only limit. Don’t be afraid to get out there and just try. Don’t be afraid of the judgement of others, because judgement generally has more to do with the person judging than it does with you. Finally, as a student, your practice is your practice. Follow your intuition in class. As a teacher, your student’s practice is their practice. Learn to allow students to embrace their practice as their own, and never take things personally.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I love collaborating with other yoga teachers and studios. I have both worked with Kodawari and Ocean Fitness Yoga in teaching. I have also partnered with breathwork specialists to add more dimension to my classes. Sometimes, you need an expert to teach the parts that aren’t your expertise.
I am always looking for opportunities to work with other teachers, studios, and local businesses. If you’re interested in working with me, you can email me at thevesselyoga@gmail.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/thevesselyoga
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/thevesselyoga?igshid=MmIzYWVlNDQ5Yg==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thevesselyoga?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseybroach
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/thevesselyoga
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCojPXQmy6xOdnqAHurBWxgQ
