5 Things Not to Say to a Yoga Student with Cancer: A Mini Yoga for Cancer Training for Yoga Teachers

Whether you are a trained Yoga for Cancer teacher or not, you will have students with cancer in your class. The stats are clear on this! Here are some guidelines to help you care in the way they need to you to.

As yoga teachers, we’re often the people our students open up to when life feels uncertain, frightening, or raw. They may share things in the quiet after class that they haven’t told anyone else. And when a student tells you they have cancer, it can be hard to know how to respond.

I’ve been both the teacher and the person with cancer. And I know how much your words can either bring comfort and connection—or unintentionally create distance, shame, or hurt.

We don’t need to have perfect answers. But we do need to tread gently, speak mindfully, and stay present. I think that every yoga teacher will benefit from training in Yoga for Cancer in order to teach responsibly. I really appreciate you being here and getting informed 🙏

With that in mind, here are five things to avoid saying when a student opens up about a cancer diagnosis—and don't worry, I have some suggestions for what you might offer instead.

1. “Just stay positive.”

As yoga teachers, we deeply value mindset, intention, and the power of perspective. But it’s important not to confuse optimism with emotional bypassing.

When someone is living with cancer, being told to "stay positive" can feel like there’s no space for fear, anger, or grief. It suggests that difficult emotions are somehow wrong—or worse, dangerous.

What’s more healing is offering presence. Holding space for all of it. You might say instead, “That sounds incredibly hard. I’m here if you ever want to talk or just sit quietly.”

2. “I’m sure it’s not serious.”

Sometimes we want so badly to make things better, we rush to reassure. But if a student has been brave enough to tell you they’re dealing with cancer, minimising it—even with kind intentions—can feel invalidating.

We don’t need to diagnose, interpret, or reframe their experience. We just need to honour it. You can say something as simple as, “Thank you for trusting me with that. I’m so sorry you’re going through this.”

3. “Have you changed your diet?”

Wellness culture can be tricky territory here. We know food and lifestyle can support healing, and many of us have seen students thrive from holistic practices. But unsolicited advice—especially about food—can land as blame. As if the person’s choices led to their diagnosis, or they’re not doing enough now.

As teachers, we are not here to prescribe or fix. If a student wants your input, they’ll ask. Until then, let your care show up in quiet ways: offer them time to rest, ask what they need, or simply say, “I’m here for you, in any way that’s helpful.”

4. “Do you know what caused it?”

Curiosity is natural—but this is not a question we need to ask. It can stir guilt, shame, or confusion, especially if the person is already wondering the same thing. Cancer is complex, and often, there’s no clear answer.

What a student needs most is a sense of safety in your space. Instead of focusing on the “why,” let them feel seen and supported in the now.

5. “I’m finding this really hard.”

This is a vulnerable thing to admit—and it’s absolutely okay to feel overwhelmed. But it’s important to hold strong boundaries around who we turn to with our emotions. When a student is going through something life-altering, they shouldn’t have to hold our feelings as well as their own.

Find a trusted friend, mentor, or therapist to process with. And when you're with your student, let your role be simple: be steady, be kind, and be present.

What Can We Say Instead?

Here are some grounding phrases that offer support without pressure:

• “How are you feeling today?”

• “Would you like to rest in class, or shall I guide you through a gentler option?”

• “You’re always welcome here—whatever your energy level, whatever your mood.”

• “No need to talk, but I’m always here if you want to.”

  
  

Let your words be a refuge, not a directive. Let your space be somewhere they don’t have to pretend - your yoga class might be the only place where they can be themselves and not have to deal with other people's ideas about their illness. Let your teaching remind them that they are accepted and that they are not alone.

That’s the practice of yoga.

Training in Yoga for Cancer

You got to the end of this article, so I know that you really care. I would love to see you at a Yoga for Cancer Training soon. Whether it's a one-day course, a 40 hour Yoga for Cancer Teacher Training or one of my free webinars, I will teach you not only how to be with people affected by cancer, but how to keep people physically safe and to share the practices that will help them to thrive, whether they are living with cancer or a recovering cancer patient.

In this course, I teach you a whole-person approach that nurtures the individual - body, mind, spirit and relationships.

Find out more about online training in Yoga for Cancer on my website, and sign up to download a free ebook and received free tutorials in teaching Yoga for Cancer.