We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jeanine Talento. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jeanine below.
Jeanine , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the story behind how you got your first job in field that you currently practice in.
I completed my first 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training right after college in 2013. I was 22 and working in the music industry in New York City. I had been practicing Yoga since I was 15 and always knew that it was something that I wanted to pursue in a deeper way. I definitely did not expect it to blossom into the career that I have today.
My first YTT expanded my worldview in so many ways and opened my eyes to the realm of possibilities for how one can experience and create their own reality in this (weird and magical) human life. I found Yoga out of necessity from my own mental health struggles and the relief and internal safety it provided me was something I knew so many people could benefit from. Although I wasn’t necessarily sure how I would make it happen, I knew that sharing Yoga in some capacity was what I was meant to do.
After my first 200hr, I invested in every Yoga class, workshop, training, and continuing education course that I could find. My curiosity was relentless and my passion for the art and science of Yoga only continued to grow. The long-term vision wasn’t quite fully formed, but I just knew that I needed to follow my inspiration and interest. I hoped it would all make sense eventually.
I started teaching classes at local studios in New York, but I was never drawn to Yoga for the physical component. For me, the depth of Yoga is in the philosophy, nervous system re-patterning, and the connection to the aliveness of the moment and oneself that is a byproduct of the practice. I started to realize that those were the pieces of the path that I was called to share.
Fortunately, I had stayed in touch with my first Yoga Teacher Trainer, Anita. I reached out to her and expressed interest in a long term goal of Facilitating Yoga Teacher Trainings. It seemed like a job that was way too good to be true and seemingly out of reach, but I guess something deep within me figured I might as well inquire. Anita’s willingness to share with me the next steps to make this dream a reality is something that I will always be eternally grateful for. She let me know what was needed in terms of obtaining the necessary credentials and where in my teaching she saw room for growth. This was quite a sought after position, but Anita saw something in me and was willing to give me a chance. Her lack of ego and her openness to welcome in a newbie Yoga instructor like me was such an embodiment of Yoga that I aspire to cultivate within myself in my current role as a Yoga Teacher Trainer.
Anita was my mentor in leading my first few YTTs. She created a space where I felt safe enough to figure out and find out who I am as a facilitator. She opened so many doors for me and held them open as I fumbled through the early stages leading something as delicate, nuanced, and profound as a Yoga Teacher Training. She helped me network and connected me to different schools that were hosting international YTTs and I was hired to work for Sadhana Yoga School and School Yoga Institute as a co-facilitator. I was fortunate enough to lead my first ten or so programs as Anita’s assistant teacher.
As my career evolved and I became more and more qualified, I eventually got promoted to Lead Facilitator and was no longer working with Anita. She encouraged this growth and has supported me every step of the way. Even now, almost 12 years later as I’ve created my own Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training curriculum, Anita continues to be a mentor and friend in my on-going success in and navigation of this field. Those first few years in the industry shaped me and helped me foster the confidence and courage to continue growing in this work.
It is so special and important to look back at the moments, people, hard-work, and also privilege that have allowed me to land where I am today. It is such a wonder to realize that life is unfolding in such a particular and precious way and even though it has been a challenging journey in certain ways to pursue such an alternative career path, I cannot imagine doing anything else with my time here on earth.
Jeanine , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
In 2019 I created an approach to leading Yoga Teacher Trainings that is led fully through a trauma-informed perspective. Because of my lived experience with OCD and anxiety, I wanted to create the training that I wish I had. Our programs blend modern science with ancient wisdom and attract professionals in the fields of mental health, psychology, social work, and education. Our courses are great for folks who want to bring more trauma and nervous system informed techniques into their clinical settings or who wish to share Yoga in more alternative settings versus a traditional yoga studio. We lead four 200-Hour and two 50-Hour Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Trainings per year. It has been incredible to see a pivot in the yoga industry toward this perspective and we are so grateful that these courses have become very popular.
In 2022 I co-founded a Somatic Arts Facilitator Training for individuals who hope to bring more body-based interventions into either their professional or personal lives. These courses have also become quite popular as we are seeing a cultural shift happening toward more holistic, human, and whole-person based healing modalities.
I am absolutely in-love with this work and constantly learning and pursuing new academic endeavors. My work is informed and influenced by my background in Psychology, 12 years of teaching Yoga, and 3000+ hours of Trauma-Informed Training. I completed the year-long graduate level program Compassionate Inquiry with Dr. Gabor Mate, six-month Introduction to Internal Family Systems with Dick Schwartz, a year-long Certificate in Contemplative Psychotherapy at the Nalanda Institute, and an Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy Certificate through The Embody Lab. In Fall 2024 I will be pursuing my Master of Science Degree in Clinical Psychology with a focus in Somatic Psychotherapy.
If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?
100%.
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
My two primary business partners are Brooke Alexander and Nichole Ferro.
I believe these two women came into my life through divine intervention and that we were meant to collaborate in this lifetime to allow our greater visions and mission to come to life. My greatest advice for folks looking for the right business partner is to follow the ease.
Brooke and I met working for School Yoga Institute in 2020 and our co-creation happened with such ease and an effortlessness that was almost hard to believe. Brooke was a student of mine on one of my first online Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Trainings during Covid. I remember on that training thinking, “Who is this woman? She is so powerful and could be leading this course with me.” Slowly but surely the synchronicities kept happening and when the owner of School Yoga Institute encouraged me to create a fully Trauma-Informed 200hr YTT, I knew I couldn’t do it alone. Brooke was the obvious choice to bring on as the co-facilitator and the rest is history! Over the last four years the trainings have only gotten better and better and I cannot imagine doing as many trainings as we do with anyone else by my side.
I met Nichole through a mutual friend in 2017. We live 20 minutes away from each other in Southern California and our friendship was a slow build. I remember being so in awe of her and what an incredible teacher she was but for whatever reason the universe needed to give us time to be ready for the magic we would create together. In 2020 Nichole invited me to take a year-long training with her to study Trauma under Dr. Gabor Mate. This was one of the best decisions I ever made as it helped me better understand myself and also allowed Nichole and I to form a deeper friendship. This pursuit showed us how much we have in common and inspired us to create our own business. Now I am consistently humbled by the fact that I get to teach by her side and am constantly learning from her in the way she holds space and also navigates life.
Both of these women are not only my business partners, but also my best friends. When challenges or conflict arise we are able to find repair and resolve through it and understand and love each other even more because of it. Not having to go through business or life alone is the greatest gift. I am so grateful for these two women who inspire me, teach me, and hold me through all of life’s endless learnings and lessons. Having business partners who can hold the ache and the awe of life with me is something I will never take for granted. I encourage everyone to collaborate and co-create — It makes it all so much more meaningful!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jeaninetalento.com
- Instagram: @jeaninetalento
