On Women in Yoga with Bex Tyrer
In today’s episode, I’m joined by the incredible Bex Tyrer (she/her), a powerful voice in contemporary yoga and a longtime teacher based at the Yoga Barn in Ubud, Bali.
I first met Bex a few years ago when I dropped into one of her classes at the Yoga Barn and loved it so much that I returned a year ago for her 10-day immersion, Myth, the Magic and the Mastery. We might even be cooking up a project together in Bali in 2026, so stay tuned!
One of the things I loved most about studying with Bex was diving into the history of yoga, how it has evolved, who gets to shape the narrative, and what that means for the way we practice today. Bex brings a grounded, informed, and refreshingly critical perspective that cuts through the noise in modern yoga discourse.
In this episode, we explore:
- What the roots of yoga really tell us about its original purpose
- How women have been included and excluded in yoga – both historically and now
- The tension between yoga’s liberatory potential and the ways the industry often fails women
- Where yoga can do harm, and how it can do better
- Bex’s experiences teaching yoga in extraordinary settings, including prisons, refugee camps, and women’s shelters
Bex’s background spans academia, activism, and embodied wisdom. She has a Master’s degree in Development Studies, worked as a researcher at Oxford University, and has spent the last 15+ years teaching thousands of yoga students and training hundreds of teachers – all while weaving in her deep commitment to social and environmental justice.
And yes, this was a very Bali conversation, complete with tech improvisations and two surprise visits from a cobra mid-interview!
I can’t wait for you to listen.
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Dr Lauren Tober (she/her) is a Clinical Psychologist, Yoga Teacher, founder of the Yoga Psychology Institute, host of the A Grateful Life podcast and author of Mental Health Aware Yoga: A Guide for Yoga Teachers.
Lauren developed the Mental Health Aware Yoga training to help yoga teachers make their classes safe, nourishing and transformative for all.
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The information provided on this blog is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice.
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Any statements, claims or endorsements expressed by our guest authors, speakers and podcast sponsors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Mental Health Aware Yoga and the Yoga Psychology Institute.
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As a Clinical Psychologist and Yoga Teacher of nearly two decades and the author of Mental Health Aware Yoga: A Guide for Yoga Teachers, I'm passionate about integrating yoga and psychology on the mat, in the counselling room and in the world.
With the growing interest in mental health and yoga, yoga students are attending yoga classes for the mental health benefits in unprecedented numbers.
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