Show Notes
Join host Jivana as he talks with Libby Hinsley, a yoga teacher and physical therapist based in Asheville, North Carolina, about yoga and hypermobility. Libby, who lives with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome herself, shares how her own health journey shaped her approach to treating clients with hypermobility syndromes and connective tissue disorders, and why she wrote her book, Yoga for Bendy People. Together, they explore the dangers of using yoga to try to "fix" students and balancing service and self-care as a yoga teacher managing a chronic health condition.
In the second part of the episode, Jivana chats with co-host Deanna Michalopoulos about yoga culture's fixation on flexibility and the importance of not projecting fear onto students' bodies. They discuss ABCs of Accessible Yoga (agency, boundaries, collaboration) as a framework for handling distractions or tension in class and conclude with an update on the editing process for Jivana's upcoming book, Yoga Meditation.
Topics include:
The connection between hypermobility, impaired proprioception, heightened interoception, and neurodivergence
Strength training and self-massage as tools for sensory grounding
Asana's role in nervous system regulation and stability versus true strength-building
Why disabled students are often more attuned to their bodies, not less
The ABCs of Accessible Yoga: agency, boundaries, and collaboration
Book editing as a meditation / mindfulness practice
Check out:
Get your copy of Yoga for Bendy People: Optimizing the Benefits of Yoga for Hypermobility
Accessible Yoga for Older Adults course
Join Libby, Jivana, and other guests at the upcoming Accessible Yoga Training Online, September 18 - November 3rd, 2026
**Learn more about the Accessible Yoga Mentorship Program and join today! We look forward to seeing you there.**
We Want to Hear from You!
How do you balance self-care and service in your yoga practice and teaching? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga
Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!
Connect with Libby:
Libby Hinsley is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, E-RYT 500, and certified personal trainer specializing in the treatment of hypermobility syndromes in Asheville, NC. Her book — Yoga for Bendy People: Optimizing the benefits of yoga for hypermobility — was published in 2022 and explores how people with joint hypermobility syndromes can use the tools of yoga to support their thriving. She has also developed a successful strength training program for people with hypermobility syndromes called Bendy & Badass. As a person living with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and related health conditions, she is committed to raising awareness about hypermobility syndromes. She also teaches anatomy for yoga teachers through her online program called Anatomy Bites.
www.libbyhinsley.com | @libbyhinsleypt (IG)
Connect with Jivana:
Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org
www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman
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Credit: Mikus Dharma, AYP Podcast Sound Engineer
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