Our Beliefs & Values

At Next Wave we believe that each individual who joins our training has their own story and way of moving through the world. We believe that recognizing these varied perspectives generates better ideas, deeper learning, and greater connection. We strive to offer spaces and perspectives that see and celebrate race, ethnicity, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, family configuration, neurodiversity, socio-economic background & status, age, spirituality, religion, body size & ability. We seek to engage, understand and draw upon a variety of life experiences and perspectives, both from guest teachers and our trainees themselves. We strive to teach comprehensive, evidence based practices of movement, breathwork and mindfulness to support a diversity of bodies and life experiences. And along the journey, we build a community of healers and change makers upon a foundation of respect and dignity. 

Next Wave Teachers Value...

Prenatal & Postpartum Yoga & movement

Next Wave teaches an understanding of the person as a whole, and of the body as a whole. Our training includes a comprehensive map of what happens during pregnancy and how movement and breath can be a resource to support the changing body, prepare for birth and heal postpartum. Our approach goes beyond the definitive guidelines to help students understand the complexity and nuance of a pregnant and postpartum person. With a foundational understanding of anatomy, trauma, and the modern birth world, Next Wave Teachers will have an effective toolbox of movements, exercises, breath and mindfulness practices to offer students based on their personal goals, as well as their specific and unique experience of pregnancy, birth and postpartum.  

MIndfulness & Compassion

Next Wave trainings are rooted in practices of self-study, mindfulness and compassion because we believe that one of the greatest gifts we can give as movement practitioners is to support pregnant folks and ourselves in noticing, naming and being with. Each day of training begins with an opportunity to experience this ourselves, by grounding, observing, and practicing present moment awareness with kindness and curiosity. Next Wave teachers learn to self regulate while teaching in order to create and hold space for others. Teachers walk away with tools and embodied skills to help their students tune in and pay attention to their felt sense during this extraordinary time.

SAfer Spaces

Next Wave Teachers believe that systems of oppression affect each individual distinctly depending on the identities they embody. We recognize that the culture in the U.S. is steeped in white supremacist ideals, patriarchal beliefs and is cis-heterosexist. We have seen how these systems of oppression and many more affect people in their journey into parenthood. We are committing to anti-racism and anti-oppression in the birth, and yoga and movement worlds. We celebrate that trans, non-binary and GNC people grow and birth babies, not just women. Next Wave Birth is proud to be a part of the cultural movement to make the birth world more expansive. We value the contribution of our guest teachers from various identities and areas of expertise​. Our guest teachers will share about accessibility and needs around birth for Black, Indigenous, People of Color, trans, gender non-conforming and non-binary folks through expertise​, story and first hand experience​.

Why does a prenatal and postpartum yoga teacher training need to be anti-oppression & trauma-informed?

When we look at recent history of birth in this country and western society, we can see a pattern of abuse and power differentials used to maintain control over pregnant people. 

• The history of modern obstetrics is rooted in abusive “experiments” used against Black female bodied enslaved people. 

• As medical doctors began to take hold of “managing birth” at the turn of the 20th century, wisdom and traditional midwifery practices where vilified and made illegal. 

• Today, the rate that birthing people in the U.S. are dying is higher than any other developed country, ranking 138th compared to other countries.

Prenatal and postpartum yoga and movement classes do not happen in a vacuum and are influenced by these structures and historical trauma. We believe this knowledge and lens is essential for teaching classes that are trauma-sensitive, based in a collaborative spirit and can help create safer spaces for people to show up in these tender moments of life.

A note on cultural appropriation and yoga:

As three white people leading a teacher training about yoga and birth, we want to acknowwedge the complexity and harm that has been done and continues to be done by appropriating the practices of yoga. We are committed to figuring out how to offer this practice while honoring its roots and causing as little harm as possible. In most of our initial trainings we have learned primarily from white teachers. As we continue to understand the impact of white people appropriating this practice, we have made concerted efforts to listen and learn from Indian and South Asian voices. We are committed to our own personal practices and are grateful for the ways yoga has taught us self-study, tools of liberation, and expanded our awareness beyond ourselves. We know we will make mistakes and have blindspots and we are open to input and suggestions.