Yoga Therapy Hour with Amy Wheeler

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 clinical experience into a grounded discussion on the relationship between the nervous system, attention, and perception. She outlines how anxiety is not simply something to eliminate, but something to understand through the body, breath, and patterns of awareness. Rather than focusing on symptom reduction alone, she emphasizes cultivating regulation, resilience, and a more stable inner environment.A central theme throughout the episode is the role of interoception. Mala describes how developing awareness of internal sensation creates a bridge between unconscious reactivity and conscious choice. This process supports individuals in recognizing early signs of dysregulation and responding with practices that restore steadiness rather than amplify distress.Amy and Mala also explore the clinical application of yoga therapy within mental health settings. They discuss the importance of meeting clients where they are, respecting pacing, and building trust through consistent, accessible practices. The conversation highlights how simple, well-sequenced interventions can support profound shifts over time when applied with clarity and care. Mala reflects on the importance of collaboration across disciplines and the need for language that resonates within clinical environments while maintaining the integrity of yoga’s therapeutic roots.This episode offers a clear and practical lens for clinicians, students, and practitioners who are working at the intersection of nervous system regulation, emotional health, and yoga therapy. It invites a steady approach to practice, one that values consistency, discernment, and the gradual cultivation of inner stability.Key Themes ExploredUnderstanding anxiety through the lens of the nervous systemInteroception as a foundation for self-awareness and regulationThe role of attention in shaping internal experienceBuilding capacity rather than eliminating symptomsClinical pacing, safety, and therapeutic relationshipIntegrating yoga therapy into mental health care settingsCollaboration between yoga therapists and licensed cliniciansPractical TakeawaysSmall, consistent practices often create more sustainable change than complex interventionsAwareness of internal sensation is a skill that can be developed over timeRegulation begins with recognizing early cues in the bodyTherapeutic progress is not linear; it requires patience and discernmentSupporting the nervous system is foundational to emotional resilienceConnect with Mala CunninghamWebsite: https://www.cardinalpointyoga.comPrograms and trainings in yoga therapy and mental healthConnect with The Yoga Therapy HourWebsite: www.TheOptimalState.comExplore courses, certifications, and clinical training opportunitiesListen to more episodes focused on yoga therapy, emotional intelligence, and integrative health

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 life. Amy explains why nervous system regulation matters across integrative health contexts. When we support autonomic balance, we support the whole person—how we sleep, digest, think, relate, decide, and recover from chronic stress and burnout. This season also bridges personal practice and professional application, supporting listeners who want yoga to be a private anchor, and those discerning how yoga therapy can responsibly integrate into healthcare, education, and community settings. A key reframe anchors the episode: the Eight Limbs are not a ladder to climb, but a circle with eight doors. Each limb is an entry point, and once you enter, every practice influences the whole system—physiology, perception, behavior, relationships, and purpose. Season 10 also aligns with Amy’s forthcoming book (with Marlisa Sullivan), Applications of Therapeutic Yoga in Integrative Health(anticipated late spring/early summer 2026), designed as a companion guide to help practitioners translate yogic principles into accessible language for real-world settings. In This Episode, Amy ExploresWhy the autonomic nervous system is a shared meeting point between yoga and integrative healthcareThe Eight Limbs as a regulatory framework, not simply a set of techniquesHow regulation affects perception (viveka), behavior, communication, and ethical decision-makingWhy “coherence” matters: aligning life demands with inner and outer resourcesThe Eight Limbs as a circle with eight doors—interrelated, non-hierarchical entry pointsThe yamas and niyamas as the ethics of regulation, not moral perfectionHow yoga therapy differs from fitness-based yoga: assessment, client-centered care, scope, and responsibilityWhy this season includes more solo teaching episodes, with select guests across disciplinesHow listeners can develop simple language and metaphors (like the stoplight model) to explain regulation Invitation for the SeasonAs you listen this year, consider tracking phrases, metaphors, and explanations that help make complex ideas accessible. This season is designed as a shared learning laboratory—supporting personal regulation, while also strengthening the collective capacity to communicate clearly about yoga therapy in integrative health spaces. Host: Amy Wheeler at www.TheOptimalState.comAbout: Chair, Yoga Therapy & Ayurveda Department, Notre Dame of Maryland UniversityAlso Featured: insights informed by Amy’s work with the Polyvagal Institute Subscribe, Share, and Stay ConnectedIf this season supports your personal practice or your professional path, consider subscribing, sharing an episode with a colleague, and following along as the series unfolds across 2026. School of Integrative Health at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-healthMaster of Science in Yoga Therapy at NDMU https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy Explore NDMU’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices Try our Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification#IntegrativeHealth #HealthcareEducation #InterprofessionalEducation #GraduateSchool #NDMUproud #SOIHproud #SOIHYoga #SOIHAyurveda #NDMUYoga #NDMUAyurveda #SOIHGraduateSchool Yoga Therapy Hour Podcasthttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/yoga-therapy-hour-with-amy-wheeler/id1564687158 The Optimal State Mobile Apphttps://optimalstateapp.com

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 profession.The episode opens with a candid discussion about what it really takes to build a sustainable yoga business in the current landscape. Kristine shares the story of how one comment in a Facebook yoga research group changed her entire approach, leading her to study marketing, hire a digital strategist, and invest consistently in paid advertising—while staying aligned with her values and with authentic, evidence-informed yoga.From there, Amy and Kristine move into the heart of the conversation: yoga as self-regulation and why the vagus nerve is only one piece of a much larger picture. Kristine contrasts Western models of self-regulation and the autonomic nervous system with yogic models that include doṣas, guṇas, the kośas, and ethical frameworks like the yamas and niyamas. Together, they explore how yoga invites us to move beyond mechanistic “fix the machine” thinking toward a biopsychosocial–spiritual, socio-ecological understanding of who we are.They also discuss:How to define self-regulation from both neuroscience and yoga perspectivesThe limits of a purely “vagus nerve–centric” approach and why it’s important to situate the vagus nerve inside broader models of health and meaningThe role of interoception, perception, ethics, and self-study (svādhyāya) in genuine regulation and resilienceWhen devices and vagal stimulators can be helpful, and how worldview shapes whether they support or undermine long-term healingThe emerging tension around somatic therapies in systems like the VA and APA, and why training and scope of practice matterISMETA and other advocacy efforts working on regulation and recognition for somatic modalitiesGrassroots versus federal-level advocacy, and why yoga therapists need to think locally and globallyLicensure, silos, and why it’s both necessary and problematic for yoga therapyKristine’s concept of “yoga in all policy” and the importance of bringing yoga into schools, treatment centers, public health, and beyondAmy also shares about her forthcoming co-authored book with Marlysa Sullivan, Applications of Therapeutic Yoga in Integrative Health: Reimagining Well-Being (Routledge Press Spring 26), which places the vagus nerve and neuroscience inside the larger arc of the eight limbs of yoga—rather than asking yoga to fit into a narrow biomedical frame. Kristine responds with enthusiasm for this more holistic paradigm and calls on yoga professionals to reclaim yoga as a complete system for human transformation and flourishing, not “just stretching” or a series of isolated techniques.Toward the end of the episode, Kristine describes ways to study with her, including:The Science of Slow – an on-demand course on fatigue, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and body imageNeuroscience of Yogic Meditation – exploring the distinctiveness of yogic meditation practicesHer Subtle Yoga breathwork certification and other nervous-system-focused trainingsWeekly classes through the Subtle Yoga Resilience Society membershipLive workshops in the U.S. and internationallyThis conversation is for yoga therapists, yoga teachers, and integrative health professionals who sense that yoga has far more to offer than “yoga for the vagus nerve” headlines—and who want to align their work with a broader, more humane vision of health, policy, and social change.Find Amy Wheeler on WWW.TheOptimalState.comMaster of Science in Yoga Therapy https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/master-of-science-in-yoga-therapy/ Explore MUIH’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices, designed specifically for licensed healthcare professionals. https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices/ Try our Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at MUIH: https://muih.edu/academics/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification/#IntegrativeHealth #HealthcareEducation #InterprofessionalEducation #GraduateSchool #NDMUproud #SOIHproud #SOIHYoga #SOIHAyurveda #NDMUYoga #NDMUAyurveda #SOIHGraduateSchool

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 familiar tools and still remain fully in the path. It’s a forward-looking conversation about bringing steadiness (sthira) and sweetness (sukha) into real life—mountain trails, laundry folding, and all.Listen forNature as practice: Boulder’s mountains as living teachers of stability in change.Pañca-kośa in plain life: tending annamaya, prāṇamaya, manomaya, vijñānamaya, and especially ānandamaya—not as theory but daily design.When the practice stops “working”: giving yourself permission to let go of certain tools (āsana, set routines) and allow yoga to become how you meet each moment.Healthcare integration: how Israel’s modular 1,000-hour training (500 teacher + 500 therapy with specialty tracks) supported hospital uptake.Karma yoga without burnout: serving the field while protecting one’s vitality (tapas with svādhyāya and īśvara-praṇidhāna—Kriyā Yoga in action).Key takeawaysĀnanda is not optional. Many of us optimize the outer layers (food, steps) and starve ānandamaya kośa. Intentionally design joy-creating activities; the outer layers flourish downstream.Your practice can change shape. If a tool stops serving, it’s not failure—it’s viveka (discernment). Let the aim (clarity, compassion, steadiness) stay constant while methods evolve.Standards serve people. Thoughtful accreditation isn’t bureaucracy—it’s ahimsā and satya for clients and health systems: clear scope, reliable skills, safer care.Karma yoga needs boundaries. Service without self-regulation fuels burnout. Pair tapas with rest, supervision, and community—abhyāsa with vairāgya.Practical micro-practices (try today)Joy audit (5 min): List three ordinary tasks. For each, name one sensory element you can savor (temperature of water while washing dishes, sound of leaves on a walk).Kośa check-in (2 min): Ask: What does my body/energy/mind/wisdom/joy need right now? Choose one small step.Walk as yoga (10–20 min): No metrics. Attend to breath cadence, ground contact, and horizon/sky—let attention, breath, and body cohere.Resources mentionedPātañjala Yoga Sūtra (as study companion during illness)Bhagavadgītā (as a source of resilience and meaning)IAYT-inspired standards and Israel’s modular specialty pathways (trauma, oncology, etc.)About our guest — Chen Or Bach Chen Or Bach blends cognitive/neuroscience training with decades of yoga practice and service. In Israel, she helped advance standards that enabled yoga and yoga therapy to integrate into mainstream healthcare, including rehabilitation settings (e.g., TBI). Now based in Boulder, she continues to teach, mentor, and model a life where all life is yoga.Pull quotes“Once your attention, breath, and body are in the same place, the game changes.”“If one tool stops serving you, the tradition still has a thousand doors.”“I stopped ‘doing’ yoga and started being it—moment by moment.”“Standards aren’t red tape; they’re how we protect people.”School of Integrative Health at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-healthMaster of Science in Yoga Therapy at NDMU https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy Explore NDMU’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices, designed specifically for licensed healthcare professionals. https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices Try our Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification#IntegrativeHealth #HealthcareEducation #InterprofessionalEducation #GraduateSchool #NDMUproud #SOIHproud #SOIHYoga #SOIHAyurveda #NDMUYoga #NDMUAyurveda #SOIHGraduateSchool

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’s hot topic: scope of practice and the identity of “yoga therapist.” Erin offers a clear, compassionate take on keeping sessions yoga-centered while collaborating across disciplines. They close with concrete, do-today practices and a peek at Erin’s free community gatherings and the Women’s Writers Collective in Yoga Therapy.Guest: Erin Byron, MA — psychotherapist, certified yoga therapist, author of Safety in the Body: Foundations in Mental Health Recovery through Yoga Therapy, Expressive Arts, and Neurophysiology; co-author of Yoga Therapy for Arthritis.Key Topics & Takeaways:Coming home to self: How classical yoga practices (breath, relaxation, attention training) quickly shifted Erin’s stress and sleep in early practice.Neurophysiology 101: Why connection, co-regulation, and prefrontal cortex “thickening” matter for trauma recovery.Judith Herman’s 3-stage model: Safety & trust → reconnection with joy/identity → integration and contribution.Joy is not a bypass: Adding play, beauty, and expressive arts prevents rehearsing trauma and accelerates healing.Personalized yoga works fast: Tailoring asana, breath, mantra, and visualization to the individual often yields quick, embodied results.Scope & language: Keeping sessions yoga-centered (practice-forward) while naming scope clearly; how to redirect talk into practice without overstepping.The profession today: Why holding firm to “yoga therapy” as a distinct, skillful discipline matters—and how collaboration (not dilution) serves clients.Practical nugget: Small “yoga snacks” (e.g., a fear-soothing mantra + mudra) can shift state in minutes when practiced consistently.Memorable Quotes:“Yoga didn’t change who I am; it taught me who I’ve always been.” — Erin“Do the hard work in the presence of joy—otherwise we just rehearse trauma.” — Erin“Bring the yoga only you can bring. No other field has these tools in this context.” — AmyResources Mentioned:Safety in the Body by Erin Byron (info and community updates via her newsletter/IG)Yoga Therapy for Arthritis (co-author Erin Byron)IG: @erinbyron.maNewsletter & free twice-monthly community hour: sign up via her website (link in show notes)Call to Action:Share this episode with a colleague who supports trauma recovery.Join the Women’s Writers Collective author spotlight Leave a rating/review if this conversation helped you—your support grows the reach of yoga therapy.Women’s Writers Collective in Yoga Therapy: monthly author spotlights & free book-club style events: · https://happy-back-yoga.teachable.com/p/the-yoga-therapy-book-club Plans of Study for NDMU Yoga Therapyhttps://livendm.sharepoint.com/sites/Academics/SitePages/Yoga-Therapy-Plans-of-Study.aspx?csf=1&web=1&share=EeZhGMscDMFOl1Lk0PD6gOsBTxvKkWvbfjhHLmMMuNpLFw&e=ApOX4h&CID=45c542e6-5528-4c68-a8ac-5596fb4fc161 School of Integrative Health at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-healthMaster of Science in Yoga Therapy at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy Explore NDMU’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices: Designed specifically for licensed healthcare professionals: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices Try our Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification #IntegrativeHealth #HealthcareEducation #InterprofessionalEducation #GraduateSchool #NDMUproud #SOIHproud #SOIHYoga #SOIHAyurveda #NDMUYoga #NDMUAyurveda #SOIHGraduateSchool

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 that rebuilt physical strength and steadiness, then Aṣṭāṅga for rhythm, breath, dṛṣṭi, and mental focus, and eventually yoga therapy informed by the pañcamaya kośa model—meeting herself where she was, day by day.Part two of Marcia’s story is even more tender: years later, her 15-year-old son, Alex, was diagnosed with high-grade osteosarcoma. Eight months of aggressive chemotherapy, limb-saving surgery, infection, and eventual amputation followed. Through sleepless hospital nights and fragile windows at home, Marcia leaned on simple, steady practices—breath, gentle movement, and the sacred ordinary of hanging laundry in the sun. Key themesThe long arc of recovery: Treatment can be quick; integration takes time. Yoga created structure (set sequences, five-breath holds) that translated into emotional steadiness.From outer strength to inner ease: As physical stability returned, so did mental clarity and emotional regulation—sthira-sukham āsanam (PYS 2.46) in action.Rituals of the ordinary: In crisis, simple routines (breathing, gentle stretches, even doing the wash) become anchors of meaning and regulation.Pañcamaya kośa self-check: How am I—body, breath/energy, mind, personality/values, and meaning? Let practice be responsive, not rigid.Caregivers need care: Five minutes of breath can change the nervous system—and the day.Post-traumatic growth: Agency (“this diagnosis won’t define our life”) and community support foster resilience.Yoga therapy in oncology: Practical tools for survivors and families; thoughtful scope of practice and team-based care.Memorable moments“I was angry at the interruption to my life—I didn’t want cancer to stop me from living my dharma.”“The set sequence and five breaths made Aṣṭāṅga meditative; my body knew what came next, and my mind could rest.”“Hospital life means not moving, not sleeping, not eating well. At home, a decent meal, a real bed, and a few breaths on the mat felt holy.”“Supporting my son after amputation, I realized the PT’s ‘Superman’ was Śalabhāsana—the same human body, different language.”Practical takeaways (for listeners)Structure regulates: A consistent class or home sequence can downshift anxiety; predictability is medicine.Five-breath rule: Linger in postures long enough to feel the pose regulate the breath (and vice versa).Honor seasons: Your practice can be Iyengar-precise one season, Aṣṭāṅga-rhythmic the next, and kośa-guided thereafter. That’s yoga.Caregiver micro-practices work: Three minutes of diaphragmatic breathing between scans or consults matters.Who this episode supportsPeople navigating or recovering from cancerParents and caregivers living in medical systemsYoga teachers/therapists seeking oncology-informed, nervous-system-first approachesAnyone rebuilding identity and routine after a health crisisAbout Marcia MercierWebsite: www.marcie.yoga.com Location: North London (UK)Offerings:Weekly online Yoga for Breast Cancer (Wednesdays 09:30–10:30 UK)1:1 Yoga Therapy (online & in person)Haṭha and Vinyāsa classes (online and local studios)Contributor with Get Me Back—a cancer-recovery community offering strength training, yoga, Pilates, and on-demand classes (getmeback.uk)Resources mentionedmarcie.yoga — contact and class scheduleGet Me Back (UK): membership and on-demand support for people post-treatmentHost reflectionMarcia’s story is a fierce testament to the human spirit yoked to practice. In yogic terms, she modeled tapas without self-punishment, svādhyāya without self-absorption, and praṇidhāna without passivity. This is what it looks like when philosophy leaves the page and enters a hospital ward, a nursery, a kitchen, and a yoga mat. Healing is not linear; it is rhythmic—breath by breath, five breaths at a time.Connect with The Yoga Therapy HourWebsite: TheOptimalState.comInstagram & LinkedIn: Optimal State Yoga TherapySubscribe, rate, and share if this helped you or someone you love.Content note & disclaimerThis episode includes personal experiences with cancer and hospitalization. Yoga therapy is complementary and not a substitute for medical care. Please consult your healthcare team before beginning or modifying any practice.