First, let me be clear: This is NOT a YouTube appreciation post. Although the platform got off to a strong start, there are several things about its current incantation that I am not a fan of. These include, but are not limited to:
- The fact it was procured by Google and is now another tentacle through which that giant monolith has way more control over society’s flow of information than I am comfortable with.
- The appalling number of ads they now make non-premium users sit through. I understand they have to make money, but the content-to-advertising ratio seems to be higher than most platforms.
- Over time, they have greatly reduced the say that content creators have around advertising practices on their own pages
- Some of their policies prevent new creators and those with smaller followings from having a fair cut of the required advertising featured on their videos and make it harder for creators to establish a following.
Despite these many issues, I am a proponent of democratizing knowledge by making it more widely accessible, plus I have found a ton of useful information on YouTube over the past few years while I’ve been working on improving my mental and physical health, developing healthy habits, and cultivating my talents. What follows is a list of some of my current favorite accounts on the platform.
The Homecoming Podcast with Dr. Thema
The current president of the American Psychological Association, Dr. Thema Bryant is a licensed psychologist, ordained minister, and sacred artist. She describes The Homecoming Podcast’s purpose as being “to facilitate your journey home to yourself by providing weekly inspiration and health tips.” There are now over 180 episodes available, typically running somewhere between 20-35 minutes. Each begins with a poem submitted by a listener. Topics covered that I’ve especially enjoyed include self-healing, self-sabotage, impostor syndrome, and coping with burnout.
There are many links to Tara Brach’s videos featured throughout the Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction curriculum presented by Palouse Mindfulness (which I wrote about in my August 17th post). I’d already read and loved her book Radical Acceptance: Awakening the Love that Heals Fear and Shame, so it was delightful to discover how many videos from her are available on YouTube. Many are recordings of presentations she has delivered at retreats and other events, speaking on subjects such as compassion, self-love, healing, mindfulness, and more. She also features guided meditations and has a weekly series of short videos dubbed “Tara Talks” ranging from about 4-15 minutes.
Adriene Mishler is a yoga teacher from Austin, Texas, with the mission to get the tools of yoga into as many schools and homes as possible. Her YouTube channel, Yoga with Adriene, has over 11 million subscribers. In an effort to make the practices relevant for all ages, shapes, and sizes, she consistently provides modifications throughout the videos. She also offers two wonderful series specifically for newbies to yoga, “Yoga for Beginners” and “Foundations of Yoga”. I am currently in the midst of one of her “30 Days of Yoga” challenges, of which she has various renditions to choose from.
Fitness Blender was started by a husband-and-wife team of personal trainers. Kelli and Daniel Segars felt that there were too many people in the health and fitness industry focused on monetary gain or appearance, so they set out in 2009 to offer reliable information promoting good health. I discovered their videos during my recovery from being hit by a bus, when I frequently found myself Googling things like, “exercises for people with lower back injuries” and “gentle core exercises.” Today they have more than 600 free full-length exercise videos on their YouTube channel, which run from 10-85 minutes long and range every level of fitness enthusiast, whether beginner-level or an elite athlete. Their content includes loads of formats, such as HIIT, Pilates, aerobic workouts, and strength training. There really is something for everyone!
Jeff Rolka is a musician and vocal coach who began presenting online vocal lessons about eight years ago. He has videos catered to mixed voices as well as specific ranges. I have appreciated the variety of exercises he presents, including some that specifically develop higher notes beyond my typical alto range. In addition to YouTube, you can find him on Patreon and he features his progressive “Triple A Method” that helps singers with the fundamentals of alignment, airflow, and articulation on his own website. He typically ends his videos by saying, “As always, I hope that helps,” and every time I respond with a hearty, “Yes, it sure does – thank you, Jeff!”
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