Yoga Therapy Hour with Amy Wheeler
Amy Wheeler hosts a podcast exploring the global field of Yoga Therapy, interviewing leaders and covering topics such as research, social justice, and integration into healthcare. The show aims to reduce suffering through yoga and therapy practices. It also has a Patreon page and a YouTube channel.
Episodes
Pratyāhāra: The Bridge Between the Outer and Inner Limbs of Yoga With Mona Shah
What if one of the most transformative practices in yoga is also one of the least understood?In this episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy Wheeler sits down with yoga therapist and educator Mona Shah to explore Pratyāhāra, the fifth limb of Patañjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga. Often translated as "withdrawal of the senses," Pratyāhāra is much more than turning away from the world. It is th
Pratyāhāra and Therapeutic Yoga Nidra: Turning Inward for Healing
In this solo episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, host Amy Wheeler, Ph.D., explores Pratyāhāra, the fifth limb of Patañjali’s eight-limbed path, and how Yoga Nidra can become a powerful therapeutic pathway for turning the senses inward.Rather than presenting Yoga Nidra as a single technique, Amy explores the many ways it can be understood and applied. Some approaches emphasize embodiment and awarenes
Exploring Experiential Anatomy in Yoga Therapy Education
In this episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy welcomes two guests whose work intersects at the heart of yoga therapy education: Leila Stuart and Kimberly Searl from the School of Integrative Health at Notre Dame of Maryland University.The conversation centers on the integration of Experiential Anatomy into a graduate-level yoga therapy curriculum, and what it means to move beyond memorization of a
Move More, Breathe Less: Rethinking the Breath with Robin Rothenberg
What if much of what we’ve been taught about the breath in yoga is backwards? In this episode, Amy sits down with yoga therapist and author Robin Rothenberg for a frank, eye-opening conversation that challenges one of yoga’s most cherished cues: “take a big breath.”After a respiratory crisis upended her own health, Robin discovered that the long, dramatic breaths she’d taught for years were making
Prāṇāyāma and Modern Breathwork: What's the Difference?
Are prāṇāyāma and modern breathwork the same thing, or do they represent fundamentally different approaches to working with the breath?In this episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy Wheeler explores one of the most common questions arising in yoga therapy, wellness, and healthcare today. While both prāṇāyāma and modern breathwork involve conscious breathing practices that can influence stress, mood
Breath as a Portal: Conscious Connected Breathwork with Laurie Angress
In this episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy Wheeler welcomes yoga therapist, meditation teacher, and breathwork facilitator Laurie Angress for a thoughtful conversation about conscious connected breathwork and its potential to serve as a portal into deeper self-awareness, healing, and connection.Laurie shares her personal journey into breathwork, including how curiosity led her to explore a prac
From Āsana to Lived Experience: Yoga, Tantra, Somatics, and Lived Experience
In this solo episode, Amy Wheeler explores a fascinating question: What happens when we look beneath the physical practice of yoga and return to its deeper purpose? Beginning with the history of āsana, Amy traces how yoga postures evolved from simple meditation seats into the diverse practices we know today. Along the way, she examines the Tantric influence of the Śiva Saṃhitā, the rise of embodie
Finding Your Way Back: Trust, Truth, and Regulation Through the Body
Episode SummaryIn this episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy sits down with Danielle Burke, a certified yoga therapist and licensed professional counselor, to explore what happens when traditional talk therapy meets embodied practice.Danielle shares her journey from mental health counseling into integrative wellness, where she now blends yoga therapy, somatic awareness, and lived experience to sup
Satyam & Ahiṃsā: Telling the Truth Without Harm
In this solo episode, Amy Wheeler explores the second yama, satyam (truthfulness), and its essential relationship to the first yama, ahiṃsā (non-harming). This conversation moves beyond simple definitions and into the lived complexity of speaking truth in real relationships, real bodies, and real moments.Drawing from personal reflection—including her own experience with illness and voice—Amy invit
Living the Niyamas: Ethics, Self-Study, and the Practice of Inner Alignment
Episode OverviewIn this thoughtful and grounded conversation, Amy Wheeler sits down with Marlysa Sullivan, a physical therapist, yoga therapist, and educator working within the Veterans Administration and at Notre Dame of Maryland University. Together, they explore the Niyamas from The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali as living practices—less about rigid rules and more about ongoing self-inquiry, ethical
Posture, Presence, and the Language of the Body with Posture Ellie
In this episode, Amy sits down with Posture Ellie, a posture specialist based in the Peak District of England, whose work bridges movement, awareness, and human transformation.Ellie shares her personal journey from corporate burnout and disconnection to discovering yoga as a turning point—one that ultimately led her to specialize in posture as a powerful, accessible entry point into healing.Togeth
The Niyamas and the Neuroscience of Inner Regulation: Creating the Conditions for Change
Episode DescriptionIn this episode, Dr. Amy Wheeler continues the Season 10 exploration of the Eight Limbs of Yoga as a regulatory framework, turning inward toward the Niyamas—the personal disciplines that shape how we care for ourselves and engage in inner work. Rather than presenting the Niyamas as a checklist of ideals, this conversation reframes them as practices that create the internal condi
Santoṣa: Meeting Life Without Resistance
In this conversation, Amy sits down with Colleen Carroll for a thoughtful exploration of Santoṣa—often translated as contentment, but experienced as something much more nuanced.Rather than presenting contentment as a passive or idealized state, this episode examines it as a living practice—one that unfolds in the middle of uncertainty, chronic pain, changing identities, and the natural fluctuation
Daily Practice, Inner Guidance, and the Living Experience of Sādhana with Lee Mejewski
Episode OverviewIn this conversation, Amy sits down with Lee to explore the role of daily practice—sādhana—as a living, evolving process rather than a fixed routine.Together, they reflect on what it means to cultivate steadiness in the mind, nervous system, and heart, and how consistent practice becomes a pathway toward deeper self-understanding, inner guidance, and connection to something greater
Ahimsa in Action: What Aging Teaches Us About Kindness and Strength
Episode OverviewIn this conversation, Amy Wheeler sits down with yoga therapist and educator Ashley McKeachie to explore the lived experience of ahimsa—non-harming—as it unfolds in real time with aging bodies and evolving nervous systems.Ashley shares how her work with older adults (ages 55–95+) has reshaped her understanding of yoga therapy, shifting from performance and outcomes toward presence,
The Yamas and the Neuroscience of Trust: From Survival to Steady Ground
What does it mean to trust that life will work out—not as a belief, but as a lived, embodied experience?In this solo episode, Dr. Amy Wheeler explores the intersection of the Yamas—the ethical foundation of yoga—and the neuroscience of safety, regulation, and predictive processing. Rather than approaching ethics as a set of rules to follow, this conversation reframes them as natural expressions of
Regulating the Inner Landscape: Mala Cunningham on Anxiety, Awareness, and the Nervous System
In this episode, Amy sits down with Mala Cunningham, a pioneer in integrating yoga therapy with mental health care. The conversation offers a steady and thoughtful exploration of how yoga therapy supports individuals living with anxiety, depression, and chronic stress, not by bypassing these experiences, but by helping people build the capacity to be with them differently.Mala brings decades of cl
Loving the Fire: Reinvention, Inner Power, and Living Your Yoga
In this episode, Amy sits down with Deborah Santana—author, philanthropist, and lifelong spiritual practitioner—for a conversation that explores what it means to live from inner sovereignty.While many may recognize her through her 34-year marriage to Carlos Santana, this conversation clarifies something more essential: Deborah Santana has lived a deeply self-directed life shaped by spiritual inqui
Understanding Human Suffering: The Five Kleśas and the Return to Our True Nature
In this solo episode, Amy Wheeler explores one of the most important psychological teachings in the yoga tradition: the five kleśas, described in Chapter 2 of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. These teachings help explain why human beings experience suffering even when they are sincerely trying to live well.Drawing from both Sāṅkhya philosophy and the Yoga Sūtra, Amy walks listeners through the deeper
When Theories Are Questioned: Polyvagal Critique, Clinical Wisdom, and the Enduring Map of the Guṇas
In this solo episode, Amy Wheeler brings clarity and steadiness to the recent scientific critique of Polyvagal Theory by Paul Grossman and colleagues. Rather than reacting defensively or dismissing prematurely, this conversation explores what mature fields do when a theory is questioned: they clarify, refine, and return to foundational principles.Amy examines:• What the critique of Polyvagal Theor
Sit with Me: A No-BS Journey to Mindfulness and Meditation with Oneika Mays
In this conversation, Amy sits down with mindfulness teacher and writer Oneika Mays to talk about her new book, Sit with Me: A No-BS Journey to Mindfulness and Meditation—part memoir, part meditation guide, and an unflinching look at what it means to practice loving-kindness in real-world conditions, including inside Rikers Island. Oneika shares what it felt like to work inside a system built on h
Five States of Mind, Deeper Self-Reflection, and a New Tool for Titrated Practice
In this solo episode, Amy returns to one of the heart-teachings of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra: learning to observe the fluctuations of mind and how they shape behavior, communication, and the way we show up in relationship and daily life. Rather than analyzing or diagnosing, she frames this as svādhyāya—steady self-reflection rooted in classical yoga philosophy.Amy walks listeners through Vyāsa’s five
Post-Traumatic Growth and Neuroplasticity: Healing in Present Time with Colleen Millen
What happens when we stop treating suffering as a fixed identity and start relating to it as a changeable state?In this conversation, Amy Wheeler is joined by Colleen Millen, a licensed marriage and family therapist and yoga therapist who works at the intersection of somatic psychotherapy, nervous system regulation, and post-traumatic growth. Colleen shares how “healing happens in present time,” w
Cleaning the Lens: How Daily Practice Rewrites Belief, Body, and Behavior
In this solo reflection, Amy explores why daily practice matters beyond flexibility, strength, or stress relief. Using a simple morning ritual—cleaning her glasses—she offers a clear metaphor for what practice does: it helps us notice what has accumulated in the mind-body system and gives us a way to “wipe the lens” so we can see, sense, and choose more clearly.This episode weaves yogic psychology
From Resistance to Resonance: Chanting, Co-Regulation, and the Healing Container
In this warm, clinical-and-traditional conversation, Amy and Lisa explore how chanting and mantra practice can shape the autonomic nervous system and the mind through repetition, meaning, vibration, and relationship. Lisa shares her journey from clinical psychology leadership in pediatric behavioral health to yoga therapy and chanting in Europe, and she offers grounded guidance for meeting student
Practice, Let Go, Trust: Abhyāsa, Vairāgya, and Śraddhā in the Yoga Sūtra
In this solo episode, Amy Wheeler explores three foundational teachings from Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra that describe how real transformation unfolds over time: abhyāsa (steady practice), vairāgya (letting go of attachment), and śraddhā (deep trust in the process).While these terms are often translated simply as “practice and detachment,” Patañjali presents them as a sophisticated framework for unders
Meditation Meets AI: What the Future Holds for Contemplative Practice & Yoga Therapy
Episode overviewIn this episode, Amy sits down with Steve Haberlin to explore what’s changing in contemplative practice as artificial intelligence becomes woven into daily life. Steve shares why he created a customized GPT mindfulness guide (“MetaZen”), how he’s studying its use with doctoral students, and why he advocates a “human-first” approach: learn from a skilled teacher when possible, then
The Autonomic Nervous System and Yoga
In this episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy Wheeler is joined by Joann Lutz, psychotherapist and yoga therapist and educator whose work focuses on nervous system regulation, resilience, and the therapeutic application of yoga across a wide range of life contexts. Their conversation explores a central theme of this season: that nervous system regulation is not achieved through force, positivity,
What Is Citta? The Mind-Field in Yoga Philosophy
Episode SummaryIn this solo episode, Amy Wheeler lays the philosophical foundation for the upcoming season by returning to one of the most essential—and often misunderstood—concepts in yoga philosophy: citta, the mind-field. Rather than approaching yoga as a collection of tools and techniques, Amy invites listeners to remember the deeper purpose of yoga as articulated in Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra—the
Conditioning, the Mind, and the Autonomic Nervous System Through the Lens of Pātañjali- Solo Episode with Amy Wheeler
In this solo episode, Amy explores the patterned nature of the mind through the framework of the Yoga Sūtra of Pātañjali and its relevance to the autonomic nervous system.Rather than approaching change as something we force or “hack,” this episode returns to a classical yogic understanding: the mind is conditioned, the body follows, and awareness is the pathway to regulation.Drawing from Yoga Sūtr
The Golden Thread of Yoga Therapy
In this solo conversation, Amy Wheeler makes a clear case for yoga therapy as a distinct clinical discipline—not a “licensed healthcare modality + a few yoga tools.” She explores why yoga therapy has struggled to define its contribution, and she proposes a steady answer: yoga therapy’s central work is helping people reorganize their inner landscape through a coherent philosophical and practical fr
Scope of Practice and the Safe Container: Clarity, Trust, and Nervous System Safety in Yoga
In this thoughtful and grounded conversation, Amy Wheeler is joined by Dr. Lauren Tober to explore two foundational pillars of ethical and effective yoga teaching and yoga therapy: scope of practice and the creation of a safe container.The episode begins with a clear and nuanced discussion of scope of practice—what it truly means, why it cannot be standardized across all practitioners, and how cla
The Eight Limbs of Yoga as a Nervous System Regulatory Framework
In this inaugural episode of Season 10, Amy Wheeler introduces the guiding framework for the year ahead: exploring the Eight Limbs of Yoga as a practical, integrated regulatory framework for the autonomic nervous system. Rather than offering “tools and tricks” for stress, this season centers a wider view—how yoga shapes the conditions for safety, stability, adaptability, and coherence across daily
Regulate First: The Missing Link in Health Behavior Change
In this episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy Wheeler is joined by Sara Klute Behn, a yoga therapist and health coach based in Iowa, for a thoughtful conversation about nervous system regulation, sustainable health behavior change, and the deep overlap between yoga therapy and health coaching.Together, they explore why willpower alone rarely leads to lasting change—and why regulation, safety, and
Yoga, the Vagus Nerve & the Future of Our Field with Kristine Weber, MA, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500
In this episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy welcomes back Kristine Weber for her third conversation on the podcast. Kristine is known for weaving together yoga philosophy, neuroscience, social justice, and policy in a way that is both grounded and deeply practical. This conversation ranges from marketing and entrepreneurship to self-regulation, somatics, and the future of yoga therapy as a profe
Yoga Therapy, CCS, and the Future of Community-Based Mental Health Support
In this episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy speaks with Valerie Hesslink and Jeanne Kolker, both from Insight Counseling & Wellness, about how yoga therapy has tapped into billing through Wisconsin’s Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) program. Jeanne and Valerie discuss the realities of providing trauma-informed, community-based care, the role of skill building in recovery, and the organ
“All Life is Yoga”: Chen Or Bach on Joy and Healing
Episode summary Computer-science-turned-cognitive-science researcher and yoga therapist Chen Or Bach joins Amy to share a candid journey from academia to cancer survivorship, from mat-based practice to living yoga moment-to-moment. We trace how the pañca-kośa model reframed her healing, why standards and accreditation helped yoga integrate into Israeli healthcare, and what it means to let go of fa
Yoga Therapy for Lymphoedema with Debbie Lamond
Episode snapshotDebbie Lamond (near London, UK) is a yoga teacher and yoga therapist specializing in support for people living with lymphoedema. After decades of personal practice and training with the British Wheel of Yoga, she blends breathwork, Yoga Nidra, gentle movement, self-care for the lymphatic system, and realistic habit tracking. This conversation feels like tea with a wise friend—pract
From Trauma to “Safety in the Body”: Yoga Therapy, Joy, and Scope — with Erin Byron
Episode Summary: Amy sits down with therapist–author Erin Byron for a candid conversation that moves from Erin’s lived experience of trauma to the practical tools that help people feel safe in their bodies again. They explore how yoga therapy complements mental health care, why personalization matters, and how joy, play, and creativity support nervous system recovery. Midway, they wade into today’
Grounded in Chaos, Growing in Joy: Rebuilding a Life, One Mindful Step at a Time with Dr. Lisa Nezneski
Episode summaryAfter losing her home, savings, and a 34-year marriage, pharmacist and integrative medicine leader Dr. Lisa Nezneski chose a different path: put herself first, grieve fully, and cultivate joy deliberately. In this candid conversation, we trace the arc from rupture to renewal—restorative yoga twice a week, twice-daily meditation, beach “walking meditations,” and the seven mindful que
From Breast Cancer Survivor to Cancer-Care Yoga Therapist with Marcia Mercier
Episode summaryAt 32, Marcia found a lump she assumed was “nothing.” It wasn’t. In quick succession came diagnosis (May 1998), surgery including mastectomy and reconstruction, and years of hormone therapy. The shock gave way to a long, messy recovery marked by anxiety, tears, and the fierce desire to “be there” for her two young sons. Yoga entered as a lifeline: first disciplined Iyengar classes t
Karma without the Hand-Waving : Philip Goldberg on “Karmic Relief
Episode summary Author and teacher Philip Goldberg returns to unpack his new book, Karmic Relief (Monkfish). We cut through pop-karma clichés and ask the hard questions: Why do bad actors prosper? What about innocent suffering? Does “what goes around” really come around—and when? Phil offers a clear, practice-ready model grounded in Yoga and Vedānta: karma as lawful cause-and-effect, refined by in
Rewiring Pain: Yoga Therapy, Interoception, and the Brain with Danielle De Pillis
Guest: Danielle De Pillis, MS Neuroscience, C-IAYT (12 Petals Wellness)Danielle De Pillis joins Amy from South Minneapolis for a clear-eyed conversation about chronic pain, interoception, and why “sending someone to yoga class” is not the same as yoga therapy. Danielle traces her arc from high-pressure ad agency life into a years-long recovery that rewired her relationship with her body—then back
Experiential Anatomy, Interoception, and the Golden Thread of Healing with Leila Stuart
In this rich and heartfelt conversation, Amy Wheeler sits down with Canadian yoga therapist and author Leila Stuart to explore her life’s journey through yoga, Ayurveda, chronic illness, and the groundbreaking field of experiential anatomy.Leila shares how yoga first saved her as a 19-year-old in debilitating back pain, again when chronic fatigue and inflammatory arthritis nearly ended her career,
Faith, Simplicity, and the Healing Power of Yoga with Shabana Safdari
In this heartfelt conversation, Amy Wheeler sits down with Shabana Safdari, yoga therapist, teacher, and founder of Yoga with Shabana, based in Bangalore, India. Shabana’s journey into yoga began with a deeply personal health scare when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Faced with anxiety and fear, she turned to yoga—first for her own healing, and eventually as a lifelong path of servic
Leaving the Comfort Zone for the Cosmic Zone: Sacred Rage, Quiet Revolutions & Astrology for Our Times with Madi Murphy
Episode Summary: What does it mean to live in alignment with your soul’s purpose—especially when the world feels upside down? In this powerful and inspiring conversation, Amy sits down with astrologer, intuitive guide, and author Madi Murphy to explore how to harness life’s cosmic curveballs, leave the comfort zone, and step into your fullest, most authentic self.Madi shares how astrology can act
From Hypermobile Yogi to Strong Mama: Alexi Neal on Reclaiming Stability
Episode Summary: In this intimate and empowering conversation, Amy Wheeler sits down with yoga therapist, postpartum doula, and mother of two, Alexi Neal, to explore what happens when the yoga practice you’ve loved for decades no longer serves your body in the same way.Alexi shares her journey from starting yoga at age 12, falling in love with the strength and presence it gave her, to discovering—
When the Soul Speaks: Christi Sims on Letting Go and Living Fully with MS
Episode SummaryIn this powerful and intimate episode, Amy welcomes Christi Sims, a yoga teacher from Texas who shares her personal story of recovery after a devastating diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). At one point unable to walk, talk, or process language, Christi was told by doctors that her condition was irreversible. Through faith, deep surrender, and a daily yoga practice guided by Dr. N
Revolutionary Self-Love and Body Autonomy with Naomi Finkelstein
Episode Overview:In one of the most vulnerable and transformative conversations to date, Amy Wheeler sits down with Naomi Finkelstein, a yoga therapist and founder of The Sanctuary, to explore what it means to reclaim body autonomy, live in alignment with truth, and practice yoga from a foundation of ahiṁsā—non-harming—toward oneself.Naomi shares her deeply personal story of being sent to weight-
The Secret Mind: Unlocking the Transformational Power of Day and Night Dreams with Bonnie Buckner
Episode SummaryIn this rich and deeply reflective conversation, Amy Wheeler speaks with Bonnie Buckner, author of The Secret Mind: Unlock the Power of Dreams to Transform Your Life. Together, they explore how dreams—both night dreams and daydreams—can become a powerful path to healing, self-awareness, and transformation. Daydreams and night dreams are not just subconscious wanderings—but powerful
Rachel Krentzman on Her Memoir “As Is”: Healing Trauma, Embracing Truth, and Bringing Yoga Therapy to Israel
Episode Summary:In this powerful and heartfelt episode, Amy sits down with yoga therapist, somatic psychotherapist, and author Rachel Krentzman, C-IAYT, to explore her stunning new memoir, As Is.This isn’t just a story about yoga. It’s about survival, identity, family, trauma, and healing—and ultimately, coming home to oneself. From her childhood in a strict Orthodox Jewish community in Montreal,
Writing the Book Yoga in the Black Community with Marilyn Peppers-Citizen and Charlene Muhammad
Episode Overview: In this powerful and heartfelt conversation, Amy Wheeler welcomes yoga therapists and authors Marilyn Peppers-Citizen and Charlene Muhammad to discuss their groundbreaking new book, Yoga in the Black Community: Healing Through Wholeness, History, and Hope. With humility, courage, and vision, Marilyn and Charlene share the deeply intentional 4-year journey that led to the book’s c
Stewardship, Storytelling, and Sadhana-Driven Leadership with Susanna Barkataki
Episode Summary: In this heartfelt and expansive episode, Amy Wheeler sits down with renowned author, educator, and activist Susanna Barkataki to discuss her new book Ignite Your Yoga, and the path of yoga leadership grounded in ethics, lineage, and collective care. Susanna shares personal stories from her life, including her upbringing in a bicultural household, her journey through burnout, and h
The Courage to Be Real: Dismantling the Facade with Christine
In this bold and honest conversation, Amy welcomes Christine, founder of Integrated Yoga Therapy, for a raw discussion about what it means to stop performing and start living in alignment with truth. Together, they explore the cost of self-abandonment, the exhaustion of wearing a mask, and the journey back to embodied intuition and inner clarity.Christine shares her personal and professional insig
Mothering as a Universal Path: A Conversation with Julia Romano
Episode OverviewIn this grounded and heartfelt conversation, Amy Wheeler speaks with yoga therapist and licensed mental health professional Julia Romano about her new book, Yoga Therapy for the Whole Mother. While the book addresses the postpartum journey, Amy and Julia reveal that its deeper message is about learning to mother—not just children, but ourselves, one another, and the world.Julia sha
Body Image, Core Values & Self-Sovereignty with Tra Kirkpatrick
Episode Overview:In this deeply heartfelt episode, Amy sits down with Tra Kirkpatrick, an experienced yoga therapist and transformational coach, for a courageous and honest exploration of body image, self-worth, and the lifelong process of self-discovery.Tra shares her personal journey—from being placed on a diet at age 9 to discovering yoga in the late 1990s—and how her practice helped her separa
Leadership, Change, and the Future of Integrative Health with Chris Sax
In this powerful episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy Wheeler sits down with Chris Sax, President of Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH), to discuss one of the most significant transformations in the field of integrative health education: the merger of MUIH into Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU). Together, they reflect on the opportunities, challenges, and leadership lessons t
Integrative Ayurveda: Simple Daily Rituals That Change Everything with Sarajean Rudman
Episode Overview:In this rich and inspiring episode, Dr. Amy Wheeler sits down with Sarajean Rudman, a multi-disciplinary healer and professor at Maryland University of Integrative Health, to explore what it truly means to live Ayurveda in today’s world.Sarajean shares how her journey into Ayurveda began at Kripalu and evolved through a deep immersion in yoga, fitness, health coaching, clinical nu
Yoga Therapy Scope of Practice, Trauma Care & the Role of Ethics
In this solo episode, a passionate Amy Wheeler shares candid reflections on the current state and future direction of the yoga therapy profession, with a specific focus on scope of practice, ethics, trauma care, and interdisciplinary collaboration.Now serving as the Chair of the Department of Yoga Therapy and Ayurveda at Maryland University of Integrative Health, Amy is teaching a course on ethics
Caring Through Complexity: Living Yoga While Navigating Dementia, Loss, and Family Healing with Lisa Madden
In this powerful and deeply moving episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy Wheeler sits down with yoga therapist, educator, and caregiver Lisa Madden. Together, they explore the intersection of yoga philosophy and real-life caregiving through the lens of Lisa’s journey—supporting both of her aging parents through dementia, cancer, and mental health crises, while navigating her own transformation as
Walking Through the World with Grace: A Conversation with Earle Birney
In this deeply reflective episode, Amy Wheeler welcomes meditation teacher and yogic scholar Earle Birney to share his personal journey through yoga, meditation, and values-based living. From an unexpected start with Light on Yoga in a New Zealand prison to co-founding a remote retreat center in the Arizona desert, Earle’s story is a testament to transformation, dedication, and spiritual growth.Ea
Exploring Complex Trauma, Yoga Therapy, and Emotional Healing with Michelle Fury
Episode Summary: In this powerful episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, host Amy Wheeler welcomes psychotherapist and yoga therapist Michelle Fury for an in-depth discussion on complex trauma, emotional healing, and the role of yoga therapy in mental health. Michelle shares her deeply personal journey, how yoga helped her navigate complex trauma, and how she now integrates yoga therapy into her work w
What It Means to Be Human: Reflections on Season 8 + What's Ahead in Season 9
Episode Summary:In this deeply personal and reflective solo episode, Amy Wheeler closes out Season 8 of The Yoga Therapy Hour and sets the tone for a rich, story-filled Season 9.Amy shares how the theme of “being human” emerged as the guiding force of Season 8, inspired by the courageous individuals who came forward to tell their stories—many for the first time. These stories weren't just inte
From Cancer Diagnosis to Dharma: Kenya DeJarnette’s Healing Journey Through Yoga Therapy
Guests: Kenya DeJarnette, Yoga Therapist and Cancer Survivor Tina Paul, Yoga Therapist and Instructor at Memorial Sloan Kettering and MUIHIn this powerful episode, host Dr. Amy Wheeler sits down with yoga therapist Kenya DeJarnette and her former professor Tina Paul for a deeply moving conversation on healing, resilience, and finding one’s path through cancer and beyond. Kenya shares her transform
Yoga as a Lifelong Companion: Lisa Becks on Grief, Healing, and the Gentle Path Home
Episode Summary: In this deeply moving and honest episode, Amy Wheeler welcomes Lisa Becks—a yoga teacher, clinical social worker, and long-time practitioner—who shares her lifelong journey with yoga as a steady companion through grief, motherhood, cancer, and healing. Lisa recounts how she first encountered yoga in her early twenties while grieving the sudden loss of her mother, and how that one
The Roots of Safety: Building Trust Through Nonjudgment and Presence
In this thought-provoking solo episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy Wheeler explores the profound topic of safety in human relationships, drawing from recent co-creative discussions with seasoned therapists and yoga practitioners, as well as insights from Polyvagal Theory.Episode Highlights:The Foundation of Healing: Amy emphasizes that safety—both internal and external—is the essential foundatio
Driving Home to the Self: Yoga, Research, and Recovery with Dr. Steffany Moonaz
Episode Summary: In this deeply moving and powerful episode, Amy Wheeler sits down with Dr. Steffany Moonaz—yoga researcher, author, educator, and founder of Yoga for Arthritis—to discuss her professional contributions to the field of yoga therapy, and the personal story that nearly shattered everything she knew about herself.What begins as a conversation about the CLARIFY Guidelines and the evolu
The Yoga Therapy Hour Podcast with Tamala Floyd, LCSW
In this episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy Wheeler is joined by Tamala Floyd, LCSW, to explore the powerful integration of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and ancestral healing. Tamala, author of Listening When Parts Speak, discusses how generational trauma can be healed through connecting with our ancestors and unburdening our exiled parts. She shares her journey into the world of IFS, t
From Tragedy to Transformation: Nicole Fitch on Healing Through Yoga Therapy
In this deeply moving and powerful episode, Amy sits down with Nicole Fitch, a yoga therapist-in-training and future occupational therapist from Brisbane, Australia. Nicole shares her inspiring story of transformation—from losing her father in a tragic accident at age 15, through years of shutdown, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, to a life of purpose, connection, and embodied healing.N
Wander to Wonder: The Healing Journey of Yoga Therapy with Jeffrey Shoaf
In this heart-opening and deeply insightful episode, Amy Wheeler welcomes Jeffrey Shoaf—yoga therapist, Kripalu-trained teacher, bodyworker, and retreat leader—to explore the profound personal and professional transformation yoga brought into his life beginning at age 48. Jeffrey shares how yoga reawakened his childhood love of movement, helped him reconnect with his body after decades as a genera
Reimagining Anatomy & Assessment in Yoga Therapy with Kimberly Searl
In this episode, Amy Wheeler welcomes back Kimberly Searl, a faculty member at Maryland University of Integrative Health’s M.S. in Yoga Therapy program. Kimberly brings decades of experience in teaching anatomy, kinesiology, and physical assessment through the lens of yoga therapy. Together, Amy and Kimberly explore what it truly means to assess the physical body in a therapeutic context, challeng
Still Enough to Hear: The Healing Power of Deep Listening with Bobbi Lalach
In this deeply moving and enlightening episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, host Amy Wheeler welcomes Bobbi Lalach, a kinesiologist and yoga therapist from Cranbrook, British Columbia. Bobbi shares her powerful story of recovery after a traumatic car accident left her with a concussion—and a life turned upside down.At first, Bobbi didn’t realize she was injured. As a mother of five and a healthcare p
Faith, Religion, and the Yoga Path: A Journey That Examines Our Childhood Religion and Becoming a Yoga Therapist
Opening Paragraph In this solo episode, Amy Wheeler invites listeners into a conversation about the intersection of childhood religion and the lifelong path of yoga therapy. What happens when the grace-filled teachings of Lutheran Christianity (insert your belief structure here) meet the depth and systematization of Indian philosophy? Can we honor both? Amy explores her own journey—from growing up
Healing Eating Disorders and Yoga Therapy: A Journey of Self-Transformation with Alyssa Morales
Episode Summary: In this compelling episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, host Amy Wheeler sits down with Alyssa Morales, a yoga therapist and registered nurse based in Rochester, NY. Alyssa shares her deeply personal journey of overcoming an eating disorder and how yoga became the catalyst for profound healing and self-empowerment. She also discusses how she mindfully integrates her background in nur
Trusting the Body’s Wisdom – A Journey of Healing with Cheri Dostal Ryba
Episode Description: In this deeply moving and profoundly insightful episode, Amy Wheeler welcomes yoga therapist, author, and pelvic health expert Cheri Dostal Ryba to share her personal story of healing, embodiment, and reclamation. Cheri’s journey touches on intergenerational trauma, family estrangement, caregiving for a parent in crisis, and the body’s remarkable wisdom in processing, protecti
Grief, Healing, and the Love of Fathers with Sweta Vikram
Welcome to this heartfelt episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, where we dive deep into the complex terrain of grief, loss, and healing with author and Ayurvedic practitioner Sweta Vikram. In this vulnerable and profound conversation, Sweta shares her personal story of losing both her father and father-in-law within days of each other and how her yoga and Ayurveda practices carried her through the dar
From Social Anxiety to Inner Strength: A Yoga Therapy Journey with Jenna Schissel
In this episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, host Amy Wheeler welcomes Jenna Schissel, a yoga therapist based in Des Moines, Iowa, who brings a deeply personal and integrative perspective to the field. Jenna shares her journey of self-discovery, shaped by her experiences with social anxiety and introversion. She discusses how yoga became a natural path for inner healing, providing her with a structur
Navigating Relationships and Emotional Intelligence with Yoga Sutra 1.33
Welcome to the Yoga Therapy Hour in 2025! Host Amy Wheeler kicks off the year by diving deep into Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1.33, which offers a framework for improving relationships and cultivating inner peace. Amy reflects on how yoga has helped her heal physically, emotionally, and in her relationships, emphasizing the transformative power of clarity, compassion, and discernment. This episode focu
Finding Strength and Healing Through Yoga and Ayurveda with Tracy Stonaker
In this inspiring episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, host Amy Wheeler sits down with Tracy Stonaker to explore her journey of healing and transformation through yoga and Ayurveda. Tracy shares her deeply personal story of navigating a challenging divorce, overcoming fear, and finding her inner strength through her yoga practice. She discusses the pivotal moments in her life that led her to Ayurveda
When Life Ebbs, I Flow: Yoga Therapy for Mental Health with Mandy Henderly
In this deeply insightful conversation, Amy Wheeler sits down with yoga therapist Mandy Henderly to explore her personal journey of healing and embodiment. Mandy shares her story of being diagnosed with a brain tumor at 13, how her nervous system responded to the medical trauma, and how yoga eventually became a key tool for reconnecting with her body and navigating mental health challenges.From di
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