Beyond Trauma

103 | The Death of Friction: Why Digital Relationships Feel Empty | Shannon Algeo

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 09:00:02 +0000

In a timely conversation following the Meta verdict and rising concern about technology’s mental health impact, I sit down with Shannon Algeo to explore what we call the death of friction — how smartphones, social media, and AI are reshaping human attachment, empathy, and psychological well-being.

We discuss how social norms have shifted—largely without our awareness—since the rise of the smartphone, and why the constant tether to digital devices dysregulates the nervous system, fragments memory, and leaves many people feeling strangely empty after online connection.

We unpack why talking to AI is not therapy, how technology platforms increasingly exploit the human attachment system, and what intentional practices can restore presence, embodiment, joy, and real connection in an algorithmic world.

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Shannon Algeo, AMFT, APCC is an American and Irish writer based in California. He is a psychotherapist, researcher, poet, Yoga Nidra teacher, and co-founder of We Human and the We Human Podcast (formerly SoulFeed). Shannon is the author of the books The Power in Your Hands: Liberate Yourself From Attachment to Technology and Trust Your Truth. He is on faculty at the Esalen Institute and the Kripalu Center, and leads digital liberation programs and offline retreats around the world that support people to reclaim their humanity, creativity, and attention in the digital age. Make sure to preorder his latest book: The Power in Your Hands

102 | Perfectionism and Overfunctioning in Women | Hannah Rama, LMHC

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:00:49 +0000

In this episode, I’m joined by Hannah Rama, LMHC, to explore the patterns of perfectionism and overfunctioning that many high-achieving women—especially those in helping professions—quietly carry.

Women who are capable, driven, and deeply committed to caring for others often find themselves taking on more and more responsibility. While these traits can lead to professional success and meaningful impact, they can also come at a significant emotional and physiological cost.

Hannah and I discuss how these patterns develop and the early experiences that can lead someone to feel their worth is tied to productivity, achievement, or constantly operating at 110%.

In this conversation, Hannah shares how she supports women clinically in:

• recognizing when the cost of overfunctioning has become too high

• learning to regulate the nervous system when burnout and overwhelm begin to build

• cultivating self-compassion and sustainable self-care without losing ambition or drive

• exploring the underlying experiences that shaped these patterns

She also offers specific nervous system regulation practices she recommends in her work, as well as the framework she uses to help high-functioning women create a healthier and more sustainable relationship with achievement.

This conversation will resonate with clinicians, helping professionals, and high-achieving women navigating perfectionism, burnout, and chronic overfunctioning.

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Website: https://www.true-north-therapy.com/

101 | Holding Each Other's Longings : Nonviolent Communication in a Reactive World | Sarah Peyton

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:00:58 +0000

In this episode of Beyond Trauma, I’m joined by Sarah Peyton to explore the transformative practice of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and how it invites us to see the “flow of life” moving through each person.

We discuss why communication becomes so difficult when nervous system reactivity, attachment patterns, and unmet longings come into play. Sarah explains how self-compassion helps us stay grounded in moments of conflict—and why recognizing the freeze response as a natural survival strategy is essential.

Together we unpack:

How holding the question of another’s beautiful longings changes how we listen
The role of nervous system safety in helping others hear us
Clean emotional words versus blame-based language
How attachment style influences vulnerability and communication patterns
How to navigate conversations with people we deeply disagree with—without losing connection

If you’ve ever wondered how to stay loving and regulated in hard conversations, this episode offers both neuroscience and heart.

Sarah Peyton, author, Certified Nonviolent Communication Trainer and neuroscience educator, integrates constellations, brain science and the use of resonant language to heal trauma with exquisite and warm gentleness. Sarah teaches and lectures internationally and is the author of four books on relational neuroscience and self-compassion: Your Resonant Self: Guided Meditations and Exercises to Engage Your Brain’s Capacity for Healing, the companion Your Resonant Self Workbook: From Self-sabotage to Self-care, and Affirmations for Turbulent Times: Resonant Words to Soothe Body and Mind, and The Antiracist Heart: A Self-Compassion and Activism Handbook, co-authored with Roxy Manning, PhD. Find her at www.sarahpeyton.com.

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

100 | Consensus at the Table: Equity, Negotiation, and Stakeholder Power | Lawrence Susskind

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 10:00:25 +0000

In this episode, I sit down with Lawrence Susskind—city planner, mediator, and MIT professor—to unpack how consensus actually gets built in complex, high-stakes settings. From urban planning to Arctic governance, Larry shares what it takes to bring the right people to the table—especially those with less formal power—and how they can meaningfully influence decision-makers.

We explore what it means to be a “pracademic,” blending theory with real-world practice, and dive into the often-misunderstood concept of stakeholder assessments. Larry outlines ground rules for productive negotiation, the critical role of a neutral facilitator that everyone trusts, and how to ensure agreements don’t fall apart after the deal is signed. We discuss the importance of cross-cultural communication, power dynamics in global negotiations, and why trauma-sensitive mediation is essential when communities carry historical and lived harm into the room.

Larry Susskind is Ford Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT. He currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses at MIT, including Cybersecurity for Critical Urban Infrastructure, Renewable Energy Facility Siting, Theory and Practice of Environmental Planning, Negotiation and Dispute Resolution in the Public Sector and Entrepreneurial Negotiation. He co-founded the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School with Roger Fisher 40 years go and is Vice-Chair for Pedagogy and Head of the Teaching Negotiation Resource Center. He is founder of the Consensus Building Institute, a not-for-profit that provides mediation services in resource management disputes around the world.

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99 | Healing Political Polarization: Braver Conversations Across Difference | Dr. Bill Doherty

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:00:35 +0000

What happens when politics begins to tear families—and communities—apart?

In the wake of the murder of Charlie Kirk, I spoke with Bill Doherty—family therapist, author, and co-founder of Braver Angels—about how political polarization is straining relationships and what it takes to begin repair. Drawing on family and couples therapy, Bill explores how the dynamics of divided households mirror our national divide, and how structured dialogue can help people see beyond labels and into one another’s humanity.

Bill shares what actually happens inside Braver Angels workshops, how this work has changed him personally, and what each of us can do—right now—to ease political tension in our own families and communities.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why political conflict so often breaks families apart
How therapy principles apply to healing political divides
What makes Braver Angels conversations work
How to lower defensiveness without giving up your values
Practical steps for bridging political tension in everyday life

Bill Doherty is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota, where he taught marriage and family therapy for 38 years. Following the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, he cofounded Braver Angels, a citizen initiative bringing conservatives and liberals together to counteract political polarization and restore the fraying social fabric in American society. Braver Angels now has volunteers working in all 50 states. Among his awards is the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Family Therapy Academy.

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

98 | What Trauma-Informed Yoga Really Means — A Yoga Therapy Perspective | Greg Nardi

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 10:00:46 +0000

In this re-aired episode, I’m joined by Greg Nardi (E-RYT 500, C-IAYT) for a nuanced conversation about what trauma-informed yoga actually means — particularly when viewed through the lens of yoga therapy.

Greg shares how yoga supported his own healing from childhood illness, anxiety, and depression, and how decades of study — including extensive training in yoga therapy, long-term study in Mysore, India, and leadership within trauma-informed programs — shaped his commitment to consent-driven, person-centered, and trauma-responsive practice.

Together, we explore:

How trauma-informed yoga differs from — and overlaps with — yoga therapy
Why choice, agency, and nervous system awareness are central to healing
What ethical, trauma-responsive teaching actually looks like in real classrooms
How yoga therapy supports both individual healing and broader social change
Why trauma-informed approaches matter not only for survivors, but for all students

Greg brings clarity to common misconceptions about trauma-informed yoga, offering grounded insight for yoga teachers, therapists, educators, and practitioners seeking approaches that are clinically informed, accessible, and rooted in respect for lived experience.

✨ This episode is being re-released in anticipation of our upcoming Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training on January 24–25, where Greg and I will be teaching together. This training is designed for yoga teachers, therapists, and educators who want to deepen their understanding of trauma-responsive practice, consent, and embodied safety.

97 | Certified but Unprepared: The Dangerous Gaps in Yoga Teacher Training | Michelle Lehrman

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 04:00:07 +0000

Yoga teachers shape experiences that can either support healing or inadvertently cause harm—yet most yoga teacher trainings still leave graduates profoundly unprepared. In this episode, Certified by Unprepared: The Dangerous Gaps in Yoga Teacher Trainings, I sit down with my friend and colleague Michelle Lehrman to pull back the curtain on why so many YTT programs miss the mark.

Despite teaching yoga for more than 25 years, I’m asked almost daily to recommend a solid teacher training—and the truth is complicated. Programs vary dramatically, evolve constantly, and too often reinforce outdated, unsafe, or shame-based approaches. Michelle and I explore some of the most troubling patterns, including:

Forced hands-on adjustments and the pressure to accept physical touch
Shaming or silencing students and teachers who think or move differently
Rigid, one-way interpretations of an ancient and inherently adaptable practice

Michelle is a certified 200-hour and trauma-informed yoga instructor who has taught in New York City since 2016, currently at Crunch (yoga and spin), Sacred Space Astoria, Lionheart Health, and with private clients. I first met her through the Three and a Half Acres Yoga Trauma-Informed Teacher Training, where she began to unlearn harmful norms and rebuild her teaching from a place of choice, agency, and compassion.

A New Way Forward: Trauma-Informed Training for Yoga Teachers and Yoga Therapists

If you’ve ever left a YTT feeling unprepared, overwhelmed, or unsure how to support students with real-world bodies and histories, you’re not alone—and there is a better way. Join my Trauma-Informed YTT this January 24th-25th. Details HERE!

96 | Design Your Year: Guided Visualizations + Journal Prompts to Manifest What You Want

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 10:00:07 +0000

In this solo episode of Beyond Trauma, I guide you through the creative visualization and journaling practices from My Bliss Book to help you intentionally “map” the year you want—across all the categories that make a life feel whole: spirituality & personal growth, education, professional goals & wealth, romantic partnership, friendships & family, health, and travel & recreation.

You’ll be walked step-by-step through guided meditations and prompted journaling, plus I break down some of the biggest reasons people abandon resolutions (hello: perfectionism, all-or-nothing thinking, unrealistic pacing, and motivation that isn’t values-based) and what to do instead—so your vision becomes something you can actually live.

Bring a notebook, your Bliss Book if you have it, and a few quiet minutes to come home to yourself. By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of what you’re calling in—and the mindset shifts to help you follow through gently, consistently, and sustainably.

In this episode:

A guided visualization to connect with your desired year
Journaling prompts for each life category (love, money, health, growth, community, play)
Why resolutions fail—and how to set goals you’ll keep
Practical ways to stay consistent without shame, rigidity, or burnout

Best enjoyed with: journal + pen, a cozy seat, and an open heart.

COMING UP: Don't miss my trauma-informed yoga teacher training LIVE online January 24th & 25th. More information and registration HERE.

95 | Money, Trauma, and the Nervous System | Rahkim Sabree

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:00:28 +0000

This episode dives deep into the often-overlooked intersection of money, identity, and emotional well-being with financial trauma expert and empowerment speaker Rahkim Sabree. Together, we explore how financial trauma shapes our behaviors, relationships, and sense of freedom—and how these patterns can be passed down through families, communities, and systems.

Rahkim shares powerful insights on:

How financial trauma shows up in daily choices and conflicts.
Regulating the nervous system when money stress arises.
The psychology of scarcity, survival states, and why “just knowing” financial facts isn’t always enough for change.
Money’s connection to status, safety-seeking, and identity across race, class, and culture.
The hidden role of advertising, PR, and childhood financial socialization in shaping lifelong beliefs.
Practical tools for setting financial boundaries, aligning values with goals, and creating intentional family cultures around money.

We also discuss how to break out of the time-for-money binary, balance present needs with future goals, and rethink spending habits without shame or blame. Rahkim reminds us that “a deregulated person is a profitable one”—and that true financial empowerment begins with awareness, healing, and choice.

Tune in for a conversation that will shift the way you see money, yourself, and what’s possible for your financial future.

Follow Rahkim: Website/Instagram

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Join my next trauma informed yoga teacher training!

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

94 | ADHD, Mindfulness, and the Power of Neurodivergent Strengths | Ron Souers (Part 1)

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 10:00:56 +0000

In this first of a two-part series, Lara Land sits down with Ron Souers—ADHD advocate, podcast host of Don’t Mind Me, I’m Different, and author of The Self Discovery—to explore the lived experience of ADHD and the unexpected strengths that come with it. Ron shares his personal journey with ADHD and depression, from the challenges of racing thoughts and emotional dysregulation to the harmful impact of being told “you’re not good enough” at a young age. He breaks down the three types of ADHD, common misconceptions, and how sensitivity often fuels both overreactions and deep empathy. This episode highlights how ADHD is not a deficit but an overload of information, and how reframing that difference can unlock creativity, innovation, and problem-solving. Ron also offers practical strategies—mindfulness adaptations, projecting into your future self, and nature-based practices—that help him stay grounded and focused.

Together, Lara and Ron discuss:

What ADHD feels like from the inside

How friends, family, and colleagues can better support those who are neurodivergent

The dangers of forced conformity and the power of self-acceptance

Why mindfulness is Ron’s go-to tool for balance, resilience, and presence

This conversation is full of wisdom, honesty, and encouragement—whether you’re living with ADHD or simply want to understand it better.

Stay tuned for Part Two of this conversation on Ron’s podcast: Don’t Mind Me, I Just Have ADHD.

Website | Instagram

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

93 | Getting to the Root: Patterns & Healing | Estefana Johnson

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 10:00:36 +0000

In this powerful episode of Beyond Trauma, I sit down with therapist and CMI™ practitioner Estefana Johnson to explore why we get stuck in loops, triggered by small things, and repeating the same patterns—despite our best efforts to change.

Together, we dive into:

The three tiers of trauma memory and why self-talk or breathing techniques don’t always work
How culture and past experiences shape present reactions
Why focusing on whether an event was “traumatic” can miss the point—and how looking at critical memories and congruence offers a path forward
The essential difference between managing symptoms and addressing root causes
How the CMI™ method protects clinicians from burnout while helping clients access lasting healing
Why letting clients lead—making their own connections and discoveries—creates sustainable transformation

Estefana shares how trauma is less about the event itself and more about how the body reacts without our consent in moments of survival. If you’ve ever felt “stuck,” overresponsive, or weighed down by the past, this conversation will show you why deep healing means going beyond symptom relief—and how finding and transforming the root of our hampering beliefs can free us to live fully, authentically, and with congruence.

Website

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

92 | From Struggle to Strength: How Hobbies Can Heal | Julie McGuire

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 09:00:43 +0000

Julie McGuire shares her journey from suicidal depression to discovering purpose through the mountains. Using her mantra, “let me see how far I can get,” Julie illustrates how life’s hardest experiences can become tools to help others, even when our lives don’t turn out as we envisioned. Through her story, she demonstrates that you don’t have to be the best at something for it to be meaningful, and that hobbies—especially those pursued for joy, not profit—can guide personal growth, slow down the nervous system, and open you up to life’s signs.

Julie is a high school English teacher, backcountry skier, and the first woman to ski all 33 Catskill High Peaks. She volunteers with Winter4Kids, teaching students from the South Bronx to ski, and maintains trails through the New York–New Jersey Trail Conference in collaboration with the Catskills 3500 Club. She is currently pursuing a project to ski the “lower 67” and hopes to become the first person to ski the 100 highest mountains in the Catskills.

This episode discusses suicide. If you are thinking of suicide, please call 988.

In this episode, we explore:

The significance of hobbies in trauma healing and personal growth
How skiing and outdoor challenges helped Julie process grief, betrayal, and depression
The power of sharing your story to help others feel seen
Practical ideas about self-talk, goal setting, and connecting with nature
How experiences of hardship can make us more sensitive and impactful in our relationships
Julie’s work bringing students into the mountains, and the ripple effect of small gestures of kindness

Julie’s story is also featured in the film Queen of the Catskills and is part of the Girl Winter Film Tour.

Learn more:

Instagram

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

91 | Coffee, Culture & Mental Health | Shawn Steiman

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 09:00:27 +0000

In this energizing episode of Beyond Trauma, Lara Land sits down with coffee scientist and author Shawn Steiman to explore the surprising intersections between coffee, culture, and mental health. From morning routines to religious rituals, coffee has long been more than a beverage—it’s a way of connecting, bonding, and even healing. Together, they unpack the pros and cons of caffeine, including its impact on memory, mood, and even cholesterol.

Shawn also pulls back the curtain on the ethics of coffee: Does fair trade really work? Should you prioritize organic? And which regions produce the best beans? Along the way, listeners get a mini masterclass in how to think critically about coffee research, plus insights on brewing methods, cultural traditions, and why taste itself can be a benefit. Whether you’re a casual sipper or a true coffee devotee, this episode will deepen your appreciation of your daily cup.

Shawn Steiman, Ph.D, is a coffee scientist, consultant, and entrepreneur. His coffee research has included coffee production, pest management, ecology, physiology, biochemistry, organoleptic quality, and brewing. He owns Coffea Consulting, a coffee-centric consulting firm, and Grok Coffee, a coffee delivery, event, and education company. He was also a co-founder of Daylight Mind Coffee Company. He has authored numerous articles in scientific journals, trade magazines, newsletters, and newspapers. He is the author of The Hawai‘i Coffee Book: A Gourmet's Guide from Kona to Kaua‘i, The Little Coffee Know-It-All: A Miscellany for Growing, Roasting, and Brewing, Uncompromising and Unapologetic, and is a co-editor and author of Coffee- A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry.

grokcoffee.net, coffeaconsulting.com, @grokkingcoffee (IG/FB), https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnsteiman/.

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

90 | Trauma Therapy, Group Support & Cultural Wisdom | Dr. Mercedes Okosi

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 09:00:03 +0000

In this rich and compassionate conversation, Dr. Mercedes Okosi shares her clinical insights on healing complex trauma—what works, when, and why. We explore her go-to modalities like Prolonged Exposure and Narrative Therapy, and why using the present tense and senses is so powerful when revisiting painful memories. Mercedes breaks down the counterintuitive truth about avoidance, how to prevent emotional flooding, and grounding tools she uses to help clients stay present. We also dive deep into group therapy—how it works, who it helps, and what makes it transformative. Mercedes shares how she builds trust in groups, even for hesitant or shy clients, and why witnessing others’ healing journeys can be profoundly motivating.

With nuance and cultural awareness, she discusses working with immigrants and first-generation clients—addressing multigenerational trauma, value conflicts, and the layered process of acculturation. Plus: the two sides of resilience, the clinician's role in advocacy (and burnout), and why finding authentic community is essential to healing.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating trauma, considering group therapy, or working at the intersection of mental health and identity. Website/Instagram

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89 | Facing Estrangement: Repairing the Parent-Child Divide | Dr. Joshua Coleman

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 09:00:51 +0000

What causes estrangement between parents and adult children—and is reconciliation truly possible? In this powerful and nuanced conversation, psychologist and author Dr. Joshua Coleman unpacks the changing landscape of the modern family. We explore how cultural shifts and even well-meaning therapy can unintentionally contribute to family cutoffs, and what parents can do—now—to prevent or repair disconnection.

Dr. Coleman shares:

*The most common (and often surprising) reasons adult children walk away

*What the research actually says about parenting—and why the answer isn’t “gentle” parenting

*How estrangement ripples through generations

*What to say—and not say—in an amends letter

*Why reconciliation is a phase, not a moment

*How to move forward even if your child chooses not to

He also opens up about his own estrangement and reconciliation with his daughter, offering a deeply human look at what repair really takes. This episode isn’t about being perfect. It’s about what happens after the hurt—when you’re ready to listen, take accountability, and rebuild. Whether you’re a parent hoping for reconnection or someone trying to understand the roots of family rupture, this conversation will stay with you.

Dr. Coleman is a psychologist in private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area and a Senior Fellow with the Council on Contemporary Families, a non-partisan organization of leading sociologists, historians, psychologists, and demographers dedicated to providing the press and public with the latest research and best practice findings about American families. Website/Instagram

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

88 | Think Better: CBT Strategies for Rewiring Negative Thoughts | Carly Ann

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 09:00:24 +0000

In this episode of Beyond Trauma, Lara Land sits down with psychotherapist Carly Ann to unpack practical, compassionate strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that help us shift negative thought patterns and calm anxious minds. From spirals of self-doubt and perfectionism to managing unmet needs and breaking free from judgment, this conversation is full of real-life tools you can start using today.

Whether you're struggling with anxiety, depression, or simply want more peace in your day, this episode will help you understand how your thoughts shape your feelings—and your behaviors. Carly shares her framework for working with common automatic thoughts like “I’m not good enough” or “I should be doing more,” and offers insights on how to respond with self-awareness instead of reactivity.

We explore:

How to stop feeding unhelpful thoughts—even if you can't stop having them
When affirmations help and when they actually backfire
Why the first 30 minutes of your day matter more than you think
How to recognize if your requests of others are truly “reasonable”
CBT approaches for clinicians working with depressive clients
How to interrupt thought-feeling-behavior loops and find more ease

Plus: our mutual love of Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy, and how we use it to beat procrastination and reset our mindset.

If you've ever asked yourself, "Why do I keep thinking like this?" or "How can I stop getting stuck in my head?"—this is the episode for you.

Follow Carly Ann on Instagram for more tips!

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

87 | Intimacy, Healing & Partnership | Wendy Maltz

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 09:00:24 +0000

In this heartfelt episode of Beyond Trauma, Lara Land welcomes renowned sex therapist Wendy Maltz to explore how couples can reconnect and reclaim their bond—especially after stress, trauma, or disconnection. Wendy offers compassionate insights and trauma-informed practices that help deepen connection, improve communication, and heal sexual wounds.

Whether you're partnered or on a journey of personal healing, this conversation is for anyone looking to build a more conscious and connected relationship—with themselves or with someone they love.

Learn how to:

Navigate common stressors that quietly erode intimacy
Talk about sex in ways that foster safety, clarity, and desire
Create a shared “sex mission statement” with your partner
Balance emotional closeness with autonomy in long-term relationships

Wendy also unpacks why foreplay starts long before the bedroom—and how the smallest shifts in how we greet, part, and show up for each other during the day can dramatically shift the energy between us. Plus, we explore the role of creativity in healing trauma, the myth of media-driven sexuality, and why reclaiming agency in sex is one of the most empowering things a survivor can do.

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This episode is brought to you by:

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Wendy Maltz, LCSW, DST, is an internationally recognized sex therapist, author, and speaker, with more than thirty-five years of experience treating sex and intimacy concerns. She authored many highly acclaimed sexuality books, including the recovery classic, The Sexual Healing Journey: A Guide for Survivors of Sexual Abuse, as well as Private Thoughts: Exploring the Power of Women’s Sexual Fantasies, and The Porn Trap: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Problems Caused by Pornography. Wendy’s popular educational website, www.HealthySex.com, provides free articles, videos, and other resources to help people overcome sexual problems and develop skills for love-based sexual intimacy.

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86 | Dreamwork, Nightmares & the Language of the Unconscious | Dr. Leslie Ellis

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 09:00:35 +0000

What if your dreams were trying to show you what you’re not ready to say out loud? In this illuminating conversation, trauma therapist and dreamwork expert Dr. Leslie Ellis joins Lara Land to explore the powerful role dreams play in emotional healing. Together, they uncover how dreams give voice to suppressed feelings, internal conflicts, and unresolved trauma—and why they deserve a central place in therapy.

Leslie shares how to remember more of your dreams, decode their meaning without relying on external symbols, and tap into their wisdom through a gentle, body-based approach. From nightmares and recurring dreams to lucid dreaming and suicide risk, this episode is an invitation to rethink how you relate to the messages that come through while you sleep.

PLUS: Lara shares a personal dream, and Leslie helps her uncover its deeper meaning—live on air.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

Why dreams often reflect the feelings we’re avoiding in waking life
How to start interpreting your dreams—without a dictionary
What makes dreamwork a powerful tool in trauma recovery
How nightmares connect to emotional overwhelm and suicide risk
Tips for remembering more of your dreams
What therapists should consider before bringing dreams into the room
Leslie’s approach to blending somatic work, Focusing, and dream interpretation

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This episode is brought to you by:

Cozy Earth temperature-regulating sheets and pajamas that naturally wick away heat and moisture from your body. Use code LaraLand (40% OFF)

Moonbrew a natural sleep aid that uses magnesium and superfoods so you can wind down. Get 30% off your first order with code "LARA30".

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Dr. Leslie Ellis is a leading expert in the use of experiential and somatic approaches in psychotherapy, in particular for working with dreams, nightmares, and the effects of trauma. She is the author of A Clinician's Guide to Dream Therapy (Routledge, 2025) and offers online training in embodied, experiential dreamwork and nightmare treatment. She has a PhD in Clinical Psychology with a somatic specialization, and a Masters in counseling psychology with a focus on depth/Jungian approaches. She was a psychotherapist in private practice in Vancouver, BC for more than 25 years. She is a former adjunct faculty at Adler University, and past president of The International Focusin Institute, where she is currently a Certifying Coordinator.

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

85 | Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sleep (But Were Too Tired to Ask) | Dr. Alex Dimitriu

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 09:00:05 +0000

In this enlightening episode of Beyond Trauma, Lara Land is joined by Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a double board-certified expert in psychiatry and sleep medicine, to explore the powerful intersection between trauma, mental health, and sleep. Together, they unpack how trauma disrupts our ability to rest and regulate, why sleep is often the first casualty in a dysregulated nervous system, and how healing the mind and body requires a truly integrated approach.

Whether you’re dealing with disrupted sleep, chronic fatigue, or just want to understand your brain and body better, this episode offers a powerful blend of science, psychology, and practical tools for getting truly restorative rest.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Why wake-up time matters more than bedtime
What to do when you wake up at 3 a.m. and can't fall back asleep
How coffee timing and sleep pressure shape energy and rest
The truth about sleep trackers—and when to ignore them
How trauma and mental health disorders impact sleep quality
When to consider medications or ketamine therapy
Tips for building an effective nighttime and morning routine
How visualization and meditation can support deeper rest

This episode is brought to you by:

Cozy Earth temperature-regulating sheets and pajamas that naturally wick away heat and moisture from your body. Use code LaraLand (40% OFF)

Moonbrew a natural sleep aid that uses magnesium and superfoods so you can wind down. Get 30% off your first order with code "LARA30".

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Dr. Dimitriu brings a deep respect for science and spirituality into his work. As a consultation psychiatrist, he specializes in the complex interplay between the mind and body. His workhas been nationally recognized by The New York Times, Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Psychology Today, NBC News among other media. He also serves as a medical reviewer for Business Insider, the Sleep Foundation and as a contributing author to The Encyclopedia of Sleep Medicine. From Meditation to Medication, his goal is to share the knowledge and experience he has gained through his work. He aims to help people achieve peace, presence, and happiness by discovering the right combination of psychological and biological interventions tailored to their individual needs.

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

84 | Inviting Mania to Tea | Gracie Canaan

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:28:07 +0000

This episode is a re-air from the podcast Xanyland: Comedians on the Coach, hosted by my friend and fellow therapist, Alicia Racine Fink.

In this conversation, Alicia explores comedian, boxer, writer, dancer and illustrator, Gracie Canaan's decade-long mental health quest. In this raw and uplifting episode, Gracie shares how she invites all her parts- manic, depressed, creative, and messy in. Alicia and Gracie share actionable tips for managing mania including phone lockboxes, tracking, caffeine management, and social networks.

I learned so much and laughed while listening to this show and wanted to share it with my listeners. Xanyland host, Alicia Racine was in conversation with me on Beyond Trauma in episode 55 | Disordered Eating, Performance, & Exposure Response Prevention.

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83 | The Path to Liberation | Jacoby Ballard

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 09:00:00 +0000

In celebration of Pride Month, in recognition of the heightened risks for the transgender community, and because this is one of my favorite conversations to air on Beyond Trauma, I'm re-airing this talk with Jacoby Ballard. We discuss a wide range of topics, including:

processing our feelings and finding our way to forgiveness
what it means to "call in"
the importance of self-love in social justice spaces
yoga and Buddhist practices for dispelling anger
parenting
what queer folks can teach us all
and so much more

Jacoby is a social justice educator and yoga teacher who leads workshops and trainings on diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a yoga teacher with 25 years of experience, he leads workshops, retreats, conferences, and trainings. Since 2006, Jacoby has taught Queer and Trans Yoga, recieving Yoga Journal's Game Changer Award in 2014 and Good Karma Award in 2016. Jacoby now offers Queer & Trans Centered Prenatal Yoga online. Jacoby has taught in schools, hospitals, business offices, prisons, recovery centers, and cancer centers. His first boo, A Queer Dharma: Yoga and Meditations for Liberation was released in 2022.

Website | Instagram

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82 | Big Changes: What's Next for Me (and This Podcast)

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 09:00:00 +0000

In this solo episode, I share some of my favorite moments and guests of my third year of podcasting, as well as some "backstage" insider info. I reflect on and expose my latest wellness practices and some shifts in my priorities. I also reveal what you can expect next on the Beyond Trauma Podcast!

Beyond Trauma is a labor of love! If you value the insights you encounter on this platform, please show some love by writing an iTunes review, letting friends know about the podcast, or sending a small donation!

As always, you can find me at www.laraland.us or on Instagram at @laralandyoga

81 | The Science of Kindness: How Your Social World Shapes Your Health | Dr. Kelli Harding

Mon, 26 May 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Can kindness actually make us healthier? In this eye-opening episode of Beyond Trauma, Dr. Kelli Harding, physician, public health expert, and author of The Rabbit Effect, shares groundbreaking research on how our social world—especially our capacity for kindness—shapes our physical health outcomes.

Dr. Harding helps us redefine kindness, not as a soft extra, but as a scientifically supported force that can lower risk factors, improve recovery time, and even extend our healthspan. We explore what it means to build connection, the impact of social isolation, and how small acts of generosity, like a heartfelt hug or recalling a moment of kindness, can transform our well-being.

Here's what you can expect to learn:

The compelling story behind The Rabbit Effect
Ways to take control of your health and others, starting right now.
The definition of kindness and its role in healing
Scientific evidence linking kindness to better physical health
The impact of social connection on disease risk and recovery
How does life purpose contribute to longevity
What’s within our sphere of control to create healthier lives

Follow Dr. Harding: Website | Instagram

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80 | Breathwork for Trauma Healing | Max Strom

Mon, 12 May 2025 09:00:00 +0000

In this profound episode of Beyond Trauma, I sit with renowned breathwork teacher and author Max Strom to explore the breath's transformative power in releasing trauma, healing grief, and reclaiming emotional well-being.

Together, we dive into:

The fears and misconceptions people hold about releasing emotion through breathwork—and why it’s safer than you might think
How group work can provide the emotional safety and support necessary for deep healing
The vital role of breath in traditional yoga—and how modern practice sometimes misses the mark
Cultural differences in how we process grief and pain
What it means to heal in community
How Max’s workshops foster long-term connection and ongoing emotional healing

Max also shares one of his signature breathing practices, guiding listeners through a gentle yet powerful exercise that can be revisited anytime you need grounding, clarity, or emotional release.

Whether you're a trauma survivor, a practitioner, or someone seeking to reconnect with your breath and your body, this episode offers actionable insights and soul-level truth.

Website | Instagram | Youtube

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79 | Beyond Your Sun Sign: Navigating Life's Challenges Through Your Chart | Amber Mitchell

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Beyond Trauma, I sit down with Amber Mitchell, The Astro Lotus, to explore how astrology can serve as a powerful tool for self-understanding and healing. We go beyond sun signs to discuss the psychological depth of birth charts, the role of planetary cycles in personal transformation, and how astrology can help us navigate relationships, trauma, and life’s biggest transitions.

🔮 What You'll Learn:

How astrology provides insight into personal psychology, healing, and self-compassion
The key planets beyond your sun sign that influence your emotions, relationships, and growth
How Saturn and Jupiter returns shape major life changes
Understanding Chiron, the wounded healer, and its role in past trauma
The 12th house and its connection to subconscious patterns and healing
How planetary placements can help you manage daily challenges, emotional needs, and major life events
The relationship dynamics revealed through astrology—and why some connections are worth exploring through charts
Why astrology is more like the weather than a belief system, offering guidance rather than fate
This year’s numerology and how to work with its energy
Join us as we explore how astrology can help us feel seen, make empowered choices, and find deeper meaning in our healing journeys.

Amber is a professional astrologer, writer, podcaster, and intuitive guide. She began studying astrology over 10 years ago and has been working professionally with clients of many different backgrounds since 2018. Her journey started like many others—checking her horoscope, analyzing sun sign traits, and seeing if my friends (or crushes) were "compatible." But as she dug deeper, she realized astrology is so much more than just sun signs—it’s a vast, intricate map of self-discovery. That realization led her down a rabbit hole of cosmic exploration, ultimately intertwining with my passion for understanding human behavior. She has since worked with hundreds of clients, combining my soul-focused approach and Psychology background to provide both a spiritual and practical understanding of the birth chart and everyday energies. Amber views astrology as a tool and language to understand the energetic currents shaping our lives. Her goal is to raise the collective vibration by making this tool easily accessible to everyone. Follow Amber on Instagram at @theastrolotus or on her website.

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Your support is deeply appreciated!

Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram

You can support this podcast with any level of donation here.

Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All

Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

78 | Workplace Harm: Who's Most Vulnerable and Why Rethinking Workplace Culture Matters | Monica Amorosi

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Work is a fundamental part of our lives, yet the workplace can be a uniquely vulnerable space for experiencing trauma. In this episode of Beyond Trauma, Monica Amorosi helps us explore why trauma in the workplace is particularly complex—because we bring our whole selves into our jobs, and because most of us rely on our jobs for survival. We discuss the rapid social and political changes affecting workplace safety, the different types of stress and their impact, and how to recognize the signs of an unsafe work environment. Monica breaks down what it truly means to have a trauma-sensitive workplace, including practical steps to make yourself a safer person at work and to create an environment where harm is acknowledged and addressed. Some key topics we cover: ✅ The four different types of stress—and which one is the most harmful ✅ The two pathways to becoming trauma-sensitive at work ✅ Why environments often make exceptions for perpetrators rather than those harmed ✅ How to recognize if you're experiencing workplace insensitivity—or perpetuating it ✅ The Diathesis Stress Model and who is most vulnerable at work ✅ What it means to take a harm reduction approach to workplace culture Monica reminds us that there’s no such thing as a stress-free workplace—but there is such a thing as a trauma-sensitive one. If you’re a leader, an employee, or someone navigating workplace challenges, this episode is packed with insights on creating a culture of safety and support. Learn more about Monica. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

77 | Awakening in Uncertain Times: Meditation for a Shifting World | Spring Washam

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 09:00:00 +0000

In times of rapid change, how do we stay grounded, heart-centered, and open to new possibilities? In this episode of Beyond Trauma, meditation teacher Spring Washam shares the deep practices needed for navigating uncertainty—not by over-processing in the mind but by dropping into the wisdom of the heart and body. We explore how to work with anger, why truth is sharper than fire, and how ancestral wisdom can guide us through upheaval. Spring reminds us that “the heart carries the joy and the sorrow of this life”, and that true meditation isn’t an escape into the intellect but a full-bodied practice of presence. As she puts it, “First awaken, then guide, then serve and build.” Join us for a conversation about transformation, resilience, and the sacred call to step into deeper service as the world shifts around us. Spring Washam is considered a pioneer in bringing mindfulness-based meditation practices to diverse communities; She is a well-known teacher, healer, and visionary leader and author of A Fierce Heart: Finding Strength, Courage and Wisdom in Any Moment and The Spirit of Harriet Tubman: Awakening from the Underground. Spring is one of the founding teachers at the East Bay Meditation Center, an organization that offers Buddhist teachings with attention to social action and multiculturalism. She is a member of the teacher’s council at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, offering teachings on Buddhist philosophy, Insight meditation, and loving-kindness practices. Spring is also the founder of Lotus Vine Journeys, a one-of-a-kind organization that blends indigenous healing practices with Buddhist wisdom for transformative retreats in South America. She has practiced and studied Buddhist philosophy in both the Theravada and Tibetan schools of Buddhism since 1999. Spring is also a shamanic practitioner and has studied indigenous healing practices since 2008. Spring's Website | Instagram -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

76 | Healing Beyond the Physical: The Power of Energy Medicine | Dr. Jamil Sayegh

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Beyond Trauma, we delve into the transformative world of energy healing with Dr. Jamil Sayegh. Dr. Sayegh shares his holistic approach to health, emphasizing the interplay between energy and physical well-being. He discusses how aligning one's energy can lead to profound physical healing, offering insights into the body's innate ability to heal from the inside out. Through compelling testimonials, Dr. Sayegh illustrates the effectiveness of energy medicine in overcoming various health challenges. Join us as we explore the principles of energy healing and discover how removing obstacles can pave the way for a healthier, more balanced life. Leaders, champions, and high-performers hire Dr. Jamil Sayegh as their secret weapon & trusted advisor to remove their invisible emotional, mental, and energetic performance blocks so they can experience their 10 year goals in 10 months. Operating at the intersection of high performance and healing, Dr. Jamil helps his clients achieve peak success while deeply transforming from within. An international spiritual self-mastery teacher, energy healer, life-transformation coach, integrative naturopathic physician, and host of the Transformation Starts Today podcast, Dr. Jamil has worked with world-champion athletes, best-selling authors, entrepreneurs, and business professionals – unlocking their true potential and guiding them to create extraordinary lives. By combining cutting-edge mental and emotional release work, energy healing, and holistic coaching, he empowers his clients to break through limitations, heal at the deepest level, and become the unstoppable force they were meant to be—living extraordinary lives and leaving an undeniable impact on the world. Learn more at https://jamilsayegh.com/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

75 | A More Connected Self: Using the Natural World to Cultivate Presence | Mark Coleman

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Beyond Trauma, mindfulness and meditation teacher Mark Coleman explores the deep connection between the natural world and meditation. We discuss the history of nature-based contemplative practices, the difference between concentration and awareness meditation, and how the elements can support our personal growth. Mark shares why practicing meditation outdoors can enhance mindfulness, how nature fosters a deeper sense of self, and what to do if you don’t have access to outdoor spaces. We also confront a common dilemma—how to process the guilt of not doing enough to protect the environment while still finding joy and presence in nature. You will learn: *The difference between concentration meditation and awareness meditation *How the elements can support and deepen your meditation practice *Why meditating outside may feel more easeful and natural than meditating indoors *How nature helps awaken the senses and cultivate a more connected sense of self *Ways to use nature to aid in trauma recovery *Practical ways to bring nature into your meditation when you can’t be outside *The role of mindfulness in navigating eco-anxiety and environmental guilt *How to walk through the natural world with greater reverence and respect Mark has trained extensively both in the Insight meditation and Tibetan tradition. He is a senior teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and has taught insight meditation retreats since 1997. Mark is passionate about guiding people to meditate in nature. He has led wilderness nature retreats for over twenty years worldwide. Through his organization Awake in the Wild Mark leads year-long nature meditation teacher trainings in the US and Europe. Co-founder of the Mindfulness Training Institute Mark also leads year-long mindfulness teacher trainings. He is the author of many books including Awake in the Wild - Mindfulness in nature as a path to Self-discovery; Make Peace With Your Mind - How Mindfulness and Compassion can free you from the Inner Critic; From Suffering to Peace The True Promise of Mindfulness; and his recent book A Field Guide to Nature Meditation - 52 mindfulness practices for joy, wisdom and wonder. Find out more about Mark’s work at www.markcoleman.org & www.awakeinthewild.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

74 | Feeding Your Mind: Nutrition's Profound Role in Mental Health | Dr. Bonnie J. Kaplan

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In this fantastically informative episode with Dr. Bonnie J. Kaplan, we explore the direct connection between mental health and nutrient intake. The evidence detailed in this episode and in Bonnie's book, The Better Brain is clear and consistent across populations. It is my hope that by releasing this episode folks will be inspired to change their diets and see for themselves the mental health benefits that transpire. I believe that a proper diet can keep us off medications or help us decrease them, but if you are on psychiatric medications make sure to work with a professional if you plan to take micronutrients. You may need medication adjustments. In this episode, we uncover: * what happens to our mental health when we eat processed foods * the definition of what Bonnie calls a "hungry brain" * how the brain gets vitamins and nutrients and what it does with them * the ways focus changes the brain's needs * what it means to eat your cofactor * why focusing on one single nutrient or vitamin will not fix your brain health * why eating whole foods isn't always enough for brain health and what to do about it * how minimally processed foods could be better than nonprocessed * what to look for in a broad spectrum multi-nutrient * cases of psychosis and trauma being modulated by micronutrients * what Bonnie hops all mental health clinics will tell their clients when they're first referred * and so much more... Bonnie's formal training and degrees (masters, PhD, postdoc) were from the University of Chicago, Brandeis University, the West Haven, Connecticut, VA Hospital Neuropsychology Laboratory, and Yale University Department of Neurology. When Bonnie is asked how she became interested in Nutrition and Mental Health, she explains that her training in psychology and neuroscience led her to focus on the biological basis of human behaviour. For many years she studied the role of nutrition in mental illness and brain development. Three awards that she feels very honoured by: are her election in 2017 as one of 150 Canadian Difference Makers in Mental Health, the Dr. Rogers Prize for excellence in complementary and alternative medicine because of her research on nutrition and mental disorders, and in 2021 chosen as one of the top7over70 in Calgary. As Bonnie approached retirement, she decided to focus on two tasks. One was knowledge translation -educating the general public about the role of diet in creating vulnerability to mental health problems. From that goal, her book The Better Brain emerged, written for the general public with Professor Julia Rucklidge, and published in 2021 by Harper Collins. Her second goal was to raise funds to support her junior colleagues who were leaving the field because of their inability to convince government funding agencies that scientific research on nutrition and mental health was worthwhile. She established two charitable funds, one in Canada (managed by the Calgary Foundation) and one in the U.S. (managed by the FJC Foundation in New York City). So far, the two funds have attracted over $1 million CAD. All of it has been distributed, mostly to support clinical trials and biomarker research in relation to nutritional treatment of mental health. Scientists in Canada, the U.S., and New Zealand have been recipients of those funds, and now additional money is being sought for further assays of epigenetic, microbiome, and metabolomic indicators of the benefit of micronutrient treatment. Follow Bonnie on Instagram. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

73 | From Pain to Progress: Breaking Toxic Cycles | Dr. Samantha Harte

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In this immensely informative episode with Dr. Samantha Harte, we discuss the kind of work it takes to break our toxic cycles and make changes that last for the long run. Samantha talks about the role our pain plays in helping us to identify the places we need to change and the importance of looking deeply and honestly at our patterns if we want those adjustments to last. She describes the multiple ways we can deceive ourselves, from fixing others to trying to control and perfect ourselves, and offers an alternative that modernizes and incorporates the 12 steps of recovery as a trajectory for spiritual growth. In this episode, we cover: Ways family patterns get passed down through generations. The signs you are ready for change. How to identify your true inner voice. What growth really looks like. Why spirituality is integral to personal development. Plus... Samatha shares the 5 part check-in practice she has been doing daily for the last decade! Dr. Samantha Harte is a physical therapist, author, performing artist, podcast host and sober mom of two. She has been featured on abc7 and CBS and has been written up in People magazine, Time magazine, Best Life and The New York Post for her expertise on the intersection of mind-body health and wellness. Her self-help memoir, Breaking The Circuit: How to Rewire Your Mind for Hope, Resilience and Joy in the Face of Trauma is a reinvention of the 12 steps of recovery so that anyone, addict or not, can turn heartbreak into hope. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

72 | Applying Polyvagal Theory in Yoga | Dr. Arielle Schwartz

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

This deeply informative episode is recommended for therapists, yoga instructors, yoga practitioners, and anyone interested in managing their stress levels. Licensed clinical psychologist and certified complex trauma professional, Dr. Arielle Schwartz offers insight into her tremendous work combining the modalities of therapeutic yoga, polyvagal theory, and trauma healing. Arielle shares the central elements necessary for creating a therapeutic space for healing trauma and how she has used these elements to create a vibrant online yoga community. Dr. Schwartz also explains and makes relatable polyvagal theory, mapping it onto ancient yoga and ayurvedic models and providing some accessible two-minute practices that we can use to regulate our nervous systems and offer either calm or energy depending on our body’s needs. In this episode, you will learn: What is optimal vagal tone. How to "talk to" your vagus nerve. Which systems of yoga asana are in alignment with nervous system regulation and when to practice them. The central components of creating a safe enough space for healing And so much more... Dr. Schwartz shares specific stories of individuals she has helped using polyvagal theory and provides two-minute practices we can all do to align our nervous systems. Dr. Arielle Schwartz is a clinical psychologist and a leading voice in the healing of trauma. She is an internationally sought-after teacher and author of seven books including The Complex PTSD Workbook, The Post-Traumatic Growth Guidebook, EMDR Therapy and Somatic Psychology, and Applied Polyvagal Theory in Yoga. As the founder of the Center for Resilience Informed Therapy, she offers a mind-body approach to therapy for trauma and informational mental health and wellness updates through her writing, public speaking, social media presence, and blog. She believes that the journey of trauma recovery is an awakening of the spiritual heart. Follow Arielle at her links below: Website | YouTube | Instagram -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

71 | Balancing Safety & Strength; The Next Chapter In Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness | David Treleaven

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In this nuanced and elevated episode of Beyond Trauma, David Treleaven shares the core of his findings on best practices for trauma sensitivity in mindfulness and how his recommendations have evolved since his book, Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness, came out five years ago. David gives suggestions for what mindfulness and meditation teachers and practitioners can do if they become stuck in their practice to proceed safely while honoring the tradition of mindfulness. In the self-paced The Complete Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness Training, David has compiled recommendations from the best in the field including Tara Brach, Rich Hanson, Rhonda Magee, and others who are a part of his guest faculty. This two-part, twelve-module course sets the foundation for safety and distills advanced tools for practicing and teaching mindfulness. It has been fundamental for me in my work. David is now offering $400 off this training when you use code: Lara at check out. David’s current focus which you will hear about in this episode is the combination of Mindfulness and Internal Family Systems for trauma healing. His Internal Family Systems for Trauma Sensitive Practitioners course starts TOMORROW, January 7th, and runs every Tuesday for four weeks. Recordings and hand-outs are available after each session. David Treleaven, PhD, is a writer, educator, and leading expert on the intersection of mindfulness and trauma. Author of Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: Practices for Safe and Transformative Healing, David trains mindfulness, yoga, and mental health professionals to integrate trauma-sensitive principles into their work. With over a decade of experience, he has collaborated with organizations like the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion and universities including Brown and UCLA, helping practitioners create safer and more effective spaces for healing. You can learn more about his work at www.davidtreleaven.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

70 | Raw and Real: Rage Prayers and the Power of Honest Healing | Rev. Elizabeth Ashman Riley

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 09:02:02 +0000

In this powerful conversation with Rev. Elizabeth Riley, we discuss what it means to get raw and real in our prayers, something Elizabeth has become well known for on TicTok where she Rage Prays for all to see. We discuss why religion appealed to Elizabeth from a young age and how she sees her place advocating for marginalized communities through her work in the church. Working with Elizabeth's prayers has helped me to open up and reconnect to my spirituality. I hope you might find the same and gain some direction for where to find social justice in the spiritual community. In this episode, we cover: The importance of community in one's healing What kinds of communities to seek out and how to find them Why messy prayer is the best prayer How toxic positivity is weaponized against women How to fit prayer into your day Ways to pray authentically Tips for healing the impacts of trauma with prayer Rev. Elizabeth Ashman Riley is an Episcopal priest serving in the Diocese of Olympia, WA. The former rector of Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Mercer Island, she was called as their first female rector at the age of thirty. An Alaska native, Riley was ordained through the Diocese of Alaska as a deacon in 2012 and as a priest in 2013. She received her bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s College of California, and her Master of Divinity from Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley. Rage Prayers is her first book. It’s based on her “rage praying” videos on TikTok, where she has more than 60,000 followers. Find @therevriley on TikTok, Instagram, and Threads, -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

69 | Starting Softly: A Gentle Approach to Self-Compassion | Shawna Emerick

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In this especially informative and timely episode with Mindful Meditation Coach Shawna Emerick, we deeply investigate self-compassion, an important practice, especially during the holiday season. You will learn: How to define self-compassion Why to practice self-compassion Misconceptions about self-compassion Methods for eliminating blocks to self-compassion How to start your self-compassion practice even if it feels impossible How to use mindfulness as a pathway to self-compassion What healers can do to support their clients in building self-compassion How to get your new practices to stick What special accommodations should be made for trauma survivors when working with self-compassion Shawna Emerick is a Yogini‚ Dancer‚ Thai Yoga Bodywork Therapist‚ Life Coach‚ and Dreamer who loves to look out the window of a plane; a Spiritual Activist; an Explorer; a Lover; a Woman; Ohioan; New Yorker; Daughter; Sister; Mother; Wall Fly; Leader; World Traveler; Planner who likes to Improv; Contemplative; Human Being. She guides yoga classes, facilitates workshops, and hosts retreats of various flavors. I continue to have the humbling honor to connect with others through yoga, Thai massage, coaching, and more so that we don’t feel like “other” but feel our Oneness. Follow Shawna on Instagram. Learn more about Three and a Half Acres Yoga. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

68: How to Talk with Anyone; Cultivating Emotional Safety in Relationships | Harville Hendrix & Helen LaKelly Hunt

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 12:55:00 +0000

In this episode with world-famous relationship experts Harville Hendrix and Hele LaKelly Hunt, we get into the interpersonal nature of trauma and how to set the stage to heal it (or at least not retrigger it) in your most intimate relationships. We discuss: How to foster safety in your relationships The difference between how we usually talk to each other and true dialogue What nature can teach us about communication The biggest problem most couples have What our childhood trauma does to predict our future partner How to diffuse tension in your relationship Why we should make an appointment when we want to discuss our needs with our partner And so much more... Harville Hendrix Ph.D. and Helen LaKelly Hunt Ph.D. are internationally-respected couple's therapists, educators, speakers, and New York Times bestselling authors. Together, they have written over 10 books with more than 4 million copies sold, including the timeless classic, Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples and their newest book How to Talk with Anyone about Anything. In addition, Harville has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey television program 17 times! Harville and Helen co-created Imago Relationship Therapy to promote the transformation of couples and families by a creating relational culture that support universal equality. In addition, they've developed resources that help couples, families, and educators strengthen their relationship knowledge and skills. They are the co-founders of Imago Relationships International, a non-profit organization that has trained over 2,000 therapists and educators in 51 countries around the world. Harville and Helen are co-creators of Safe Conversations®, which helps people learn how to talk without criticism, listen without judgment, and connect beyond differences. Using a simple three-step process, they teach people how to become more present in all of their relationships. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

67 | The Dangers of Compassion Fatigue | Juliette Watt

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In this riveting episode with Juliette Watt, we get detailed about why every one of us needs to become more aware of compassion fatigue. This debilitating syndrome has spread as more and more of us are being asked to care for parents and children while maintaining demanding careers and trying to run a home. Compassion fatigue can be hard to recognize, and it’s imperative we do, because it has a high correlation with both physical illness and suicidal ideation. In this episode you will learn: Signs you or someone you know may be experiencing compassion fatigue. The most dangerous point in the timeline of compassion fatigue. The differences between trauma and grief and how they co-occur with this syndrome. Steps you can take to reduce compassion fatigue. Tips for folks who aren’t into meditation. Juliette Watt has been an ATP airplane pilot and Master Flight Instructor; a Playboy Bunny; a soap opera writer for ABC Television and a theater writer/performer. She has won two Writers Guild Awards and has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy. She also is an animal rights advocate who worked for Best Friends Animal Society for almost a decade. Juliette most recently added TEDx Fargo speaker to her extensive resume. Her current mission is twofold; to help people who are struggling with the debilitating and potentially lethal symptoms of Compassion Fatigue; the emotional and physical burden created by caring for others in distress or neglecting your own life-stress and guiding people to create the true life of their dreams. Purchase Juliette’s book, In Between the Magic. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

67 | Social Anxiety, Assertiveness, and the Quest for True Authenticity | Dr. Aziz Gazipura

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this compelling conversation with Dr. Aziz Gazipura, we unpack the risk factors for, symptoms of and remedies for social anxiety. Dr. Aziz offers a creative, multi-faceted approach to supporting folks in breaking harmful patterns. We discuss his techniques and how they can help anyone who is on the path to becoming more true to themselves and more honest in their relationships. This conversation addresses the ways all of us are programmed and how the pressure to conform gets in the way of our deeper desire to be loved and accepted for who we are. You will learn about: Assertiveness Training Authenticity as a Moving Target Surviving verses Thriving How Anxiety and Avoidance Work Together How to Determine how much Social Interaction is Right for You Questioning Norms and Breaking Patterns How to become Skilled at Hard Conversations Dr. Aziz Gazipura is a clinical psychologist, best-selling author, and host of the popular podcast Shrink for the Shy Guy. With over 20 years of experience, he specializes in helping people overcome social anxiety, self-doubt, and people-pleasing. His best-selling books, including Not Nice and Less Nice More You, provide actionable tools to build confidence and express one’s true self. Through his programs like Confidence University and his mastermind groups, Dr. Aziz has empowered thousands to break free from fear and live boldly, both socially and professionally. As the founder of the Social Confidence Center, Dr. Aziz has developed coaching programs, courses, and books that help individuals eliminate their fear of rejection and develop lasting self-esteem. His approach blends psychology with practical tools, creating transformative results in the lives of his clients. His dynamic and supportive style allows people to cultivate boldness, connect authentically, and thrive in their relationships and careers. Dr. Aziz is known for his insightful and transformative messages. Whether through his podcast or programs, he inspires audiences to overcome social anxiety, break through self-limiting beliefs, and live with more confidence and authenticity. His work, including Confidence University and mastermind programs, has become a beacon of hope for those looking to break free from self-doubt and live life on their terms. Social and Web Links: Website: https://www.socialconfidencecenter.com/ Podcast: https://www.socialconfidencecenter.com/podcasts/shrink-for-the-shy-guy Books: https://www.socialconfidencecenter.com/books Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GetMoreConfidence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drazizconfidencecoach/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAzizGazipura/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

65 | Overcoming Anxiety, Panic Attacks, & Phobias | Dr. Edmund J. Bourne

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this episode with Dr. Edmund J. Bourne we address the epidemic of anxiety and anxiety related disorders. Edmund has been researching panic, phobias, anxiety and OCD for over three decades and has a comprehensive program for overcoming each one. Edmund is highly researched and detailed and in this episode he describes each detail of the various disorders and the most evidence based research for how to reduce their symptoms and live free of their hold. Edmund has combined best practices to create a holistic prevention, healing, and maintenance plan for these common conditions. You’ll want to get your pen out and be taking notes for this one! We cover: Which personality types are more likely to have anxiety and panic Lifestyle changes for decreasing anxiety Which types of physical exercise are most highly recommended for anxious personality and for how long we should move our bodies. How to do progressive relaxation What to do before trying interoceptive exposure. The importance of alternative coping statements The four-step process to dealing w panic attacks Exposure response prevention and the differences between incremental exposure, coping exposure, full exposure and flooding. When medication is recommended for the anxiety related diagnosis. And so much more… Make sure to listen all the way to the end where Dr. Bourne shares some important final thoughts on anxiety. Dr. Edmund Bourne, Ph.D. has specialized in the treatment of anxiety disorders and related problems for more than three decades. For many years he was director of the Anxiety Treatment Center in San Jose and Santa Rosa, California. His best-selling anxiety workbooks, which have helped hundreds of thousands of readers throughout the world, include The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, Healing Fear, Beyond Anxiety & Phobia, Coping With Anxiety, and Natural Relief for Anxiety. Dr. Bourne is frequently interviewed by the media, and his work has been featured in numerous magazines, such as Psychology Today, Natural Health, Cosmopolitan, Fitness, and Bottom Line Personal. Dr. Bourne currently lives and practices in California. He maintains a commitment to helping create world peace by teaching people how to create greater peace in their lives. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

64 | A Long Term Perspective on Loving-Kindness | Sharon Salzberg

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this long anticipated conversation, Sharon Salzberg joins the Beyond Trauma Podcast to discuss the ways in which loving-kindness practice can shift our reactivity over time. Sharon takes us back to her discovery of loving-kindness practice, fourteen years into her meditation journey and how it changed her life forever. Sharon shares the benefits of this practice including when and where one is most likely to discover them and gives recommendations for how to adjust your practice if you are feeling triggered or experiencing pain. We talk about the famous loving-kindness phrases and the difference between loving-kindness practice and the loving awareness that she believes is central to mindfulness. Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She is among the first to bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture 50 years ago, inspiring generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon is co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and the author of thirteen books, including the New York Times bestseller Real Happiness, now in its second edition, and her seminal work, Lovingkindness. In 2023, Sharon released two books: Real Life, from Flatiron Books in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats, and Finding Your Way, a small gift book from Workman Publishing in hardcover , ebook and audiobook formats. Sharon’s podcast, The Metta Hour, has amassed seven million downloads and features interviews with thought leaders from the mindfulness movement and beyond. www.sharonsalzberg.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

63 | Teaching Trauma Sensitive Yoga | Rose Wippich

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000

On today's conversation, previously released on Chat off the Mat, Lara Land speaks with Rose Wippich about the profound impact trauma can have on the nervous system and how yoga can serve as a pathway to recovery. Lara guides us through the differences between trauma-sensitive yoga and traditional yoga classes. We explore how this specialized approach creates a sanctuary for students who have experienced trauma by emphasizing safety, choice, and non-judgemental exploration. Our discussion covers the spectrum of trauma responses, acknowledging that each student's healing journey is unique. Lara illuminates how trauma-sensitive practices such as gentle asana, breathwork, and tristana can facilitate reconnection with the body and a sense of empowerment. Lara is a deeply compassionate yoga teacher trainer, author, and trauma-sensitivity coach. She is the Executive Director of Three and a Half Acres Yoga, a nonprofit whose mission is to broaden access to yoga, breathing, and mindfulness techniques focusing on communities who have experienced trauma. Three and a Half Acres Yoga offers trainings for yoga teachers who want to create safer classes for their students. Their next trauma-informed virtual training is being held September 27th-29th. Lara also travels to yoga studios nationwide to train yoga teachers in trauma sensitivity. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Connect with Lara! www.laraland.us Instagram. Facebook. YouTube. Podcast. The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga My Bliss Book

62 | Yoga Evolution: Healing and Revolution Through Practice | Greg Nardi

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this in-depth conversation with longtime friend Greg Nardi, we discuss the ability yoga has to facilitate healing at every level. Greg walks us through the ways yoga enhances healthy embodiment and personal power. He then connects how restoring these aspects of self leads to a more just world. Greg details what one can expect from a yoga therapist and from a trauma-informed yoga teacher and where those modalities overlap. He shares recommendations for yoga teachers, practitioners, and trauma survivors who may have an interest in the ancient practice of yoga and yoga philosophy. Greg Nardi, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500 began his yoga journey in 1996 when a good friend asked him to “try” yoga. From that first class he knew that this was something he was meant to do. Yoga helped him feel healthy after years of childhood illness, anxiety and depression and most importantly yoga gave him a sense of meaning and purpose. He dedicated himself to a yogic lifestyle as part of his healing journey. Greg took four separate teacher trainings in the United States and Europe between 1997 and 2003. He took a dozen extended trips to Mysore, India between 1999-2016 to learn yoga with a focus in asana, yoga history and philosophy, pranayama, meditation, and chanting. Greg is a graduate of the Kripalu School of Integrative Yoga Therapy and was formerly authorized level 2 with the KPJAYI in Mysore, India. Since resigning his authorization in 2018 Greg has dedicated himself to educating yoga practitioners about power dynamics and consent-driven, person-centered, and trauma-informed approaches to the teaching and practice of Yoga. Greg has always considered yoga to be both a form of individual healing and social healing justice. He is the South Florida Program Director for Yoga 4 Change, a trauma-informed yoga services non-profit organization, and sits on the Board of Directors for Chainless Change, a community of recovery offering second chances to those negatively impacted by the criminal legal system. Greg believes in the healing power of yoga for all. IG: @Greg Nardi, FB: Greg Nardi, Yoga 4 Change: www.y4c.org, Chainless Change: www.ccifl.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lara Land is a trauma-informed yoga teacher trainer, author, mindfulness coach. IG Laralandyoga, www.laraland.us, www.threeandahalfacres.org

61 | Fostering Meditation | Demetrius Napolitano

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this brave and transparent conversation, Fostering Meditation founder Demetrius Napolitano shares how his experiences in foster care and detention systems caused him trauma and how he was able to foster various seeds of light and hope to heal himself, make meaning, and support others. We discuss: *typical trauma reactions to abandonment *the impact of the environment on healing *race and belonging *spirituality *yoga in schools *Three and a Half Acres Trauma-Informed YTT *trauma-informed considerations for meditation *and so much more... When he was under a year old, Demetrius Napolitano was placed in New York City's foster care system. He was adopted at ten and then put back into foster care three years later before getting adopted a second time at 20. After experiencing 30 different placements, he transitioned from the system when he was 22. During his time in foster care, he was physically, verbally, and sexually abused; placed on psychotropic medications to treat depression, ADHD, and PTSD; and he experienced a short stay inside juvenile detention and a psychiatric hospital before deciding to take charge of his life. After graduating from St. John's University with his associate's in business management, he graduated from New York University with a bachelor's in political science. In 2019, after being introduced to the practice of meditation, he started a GoFundMe, raised over $17,000, and traveled to India to study further how to use Yoga and Meditation to help him heal from the complex trauma he incurred from the foster, criminal and mental institutions. Once Demetrius returned from his healing journey in June 2020, he founded Fostering Meditation (FM) to help young people nurture their mental development through the same tools he would later call "The Five Steps 2 Wellness": Meditation, Yoga, Expressive Writing, Community, & Nutrition. Demetrius envisions brining FM to youth within and without the foster care system nationally, creating more communities of people breathing, meditating, and healing together! Support Demetrius at www.fosteringmeditation.org Instagram -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lara Land is a trauma-informed yoga teacher trainer, forest therapist, death doula and mindfulness coach. Lara is the founder of Three and a Half Acres Yoga (THAY) nonproft. THAY trains yoga teachers in trauma-sensitive yoga and places them in organizations that serve survivors. Their next training is September 27th- 29th. Connect with Lara at www.laraland.us or on Instagram. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

60 | What is a Death Doula? | Henry Fersko-Weiss

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this connected conversation with Henry Fersko-Weiss, the creator of the first End-of-Life Doula program in the United States, we discuss what it means to be a Death Doula. Rather than focus on the technical services a Death Doula can provide, Henry and I dive into the spiritual and generational support that can come from this uniquely powerful role in the dying person's life. We talk about legacy work, about agency in the dying process, and about why and when you might want to hire a Death Doula. In addition, Henry and I speak at length about the Death Doula training and how going through it has helped me and so many others to live life more meaningfully, gratefully, and expansively. Henry Fersko-Weiss is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) as well as a death doula. He has worked with hundreds of dying individuals and their loved ones as a hospice social worker, volunteer coordinator, and manager. As a doula he has been at the bedside of a great many people as they journeyed through the dying process. He has also maintained a private practice for 25 years, focused on helping people face death and grieve their losses. In 2003, while working at a large hospice in New York City, Henry created the first end-of-life doula program in the U.S. to serve people in the months before death, through the final days of life, and to guide loved ones into the early days of their grief. The training he developed then was based on what he learned from birth doulas and his experience with the dying. Henry is the author of Finding Peace at the End of Life, A Death Doula’s Guide for Families and Caregivers. Henry has a number of trainings coming up which can be found on his site. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lara Land is a trauma-informed yoga teacher trainer, mindfulness coach, death doula, forest therapist, and crisis counselor. Follow Lara: Website / Instagram. Lara is leading her next trauma-informed yoga teacher training through the nonprofit Three and a Half Acres Yoga virtually from 9/27-9/29. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

59 | Therapeutic Journaling | Kate Thompson

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this very special and meaningful episode with Kate Thompson, we discuss the role of journaling in healing wounds and softening the impacts of trauma. Kate shares in such depth, the unique benefits of journaling and recommendations for how to incorporate it into ones health practice. She shares her favorite journal prompts including two beautiful poems. Through her invitation, I share I very personal poem called "Cherry Tomatoes"* that I recently wrote to process a trauma. Kate also advises therapists who would like to include journaling the healing resources they share with clients. We talk about existential and narrative therapy in particular and how journaling supports these theoretical frameworks. Kate Thompson, MA, CJT is a BACP (British Association of Counseling and Psychotherapy) senior accredited Supervisor & amp; Counsellor who trained at The Center for Journal Therapy. Her first degree was in English Literature after which she taught and lectured for several years before re-training. he is a registered psychotherapist in Colorado as well as a journal therapist and writer. Kate is a faculty member at The Therapeutic Writing Institute and The New School of Psychotherapy. Her publications include: Therapeutic Journal Writing: an introduction for professionals, Writing Works: a resource handbook for therapeutic writing workshops and activities, and Writing Routes: a resource handbook of therapeutic writing. She works with adults both online and in person to help them to tell their story and understand their life. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *"Cherry Tomatoes", by Lara Land will appear in the summer 2024 issue of Maintenance of the Species, a journal devoted to practices of care. It will be available for purchase online at www.bushelcollective.org

58 | Exploring Boundaries | Sharon Martin

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this thorough episode with Dr. Sharon Martin, we explore the different types of boundaries people have and how to determine if yours are healthy. Sharon breaks down the questions you should ask yourself in order to decide if the boundaries you are setting are the right ones for you and if they are working or need to be adjusted. We suggest doable ways for reforming your boundaries and what to do before you set new ones in place to ensure success, how to evaluate if your boundaries are working and a process for adjustment. Sharon details boundary considerations within personal relationships, with children, and at the workplace and gives special attention to how to implement these boundaries in a safe and long lasting way. Sharon Martin, DSW, LCSW is a psychotherapist and author specializing in codependency recovery. For the past 25 years, she’s been helping adult children recover from difficult childhoods, overcome feelings of unworthiness, and learn to set boundaries. Dr. Martin is the author of The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism and The Better Boundaries Workbook. She also writes the popular blog Conquering Codependency for Psychology Today and has been featured in various media outlets including PsychCentral, Web MD, Women’s World, Therapy Chat, and the Adult Child Podcast. For more information, visit her website: LiveWellwithSharonMartin.com. Instagram. Facebook. YouTube. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

57 | Let's Talk Anxious Attachment | Chris Rackliffe

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this enlivening episode with Chris Rackliffe, we discuss the four attachment styles with a deeper examination of the anxious style. We discuss how to determine your attachment style and how to become more securely attached. We talk about social media and texting habits and how those play into attachment. We also discuss what your romantic history might be telling you about your attachment style, common triggers for the anxious personality type, and what anxious and avoidant attachment types have in common. We also investigate how anxious and avoidant attachment types can build better relationships, our feelings through this process, and concrete ways to work on and practice better communication. Chris shares the biggest trap with folks when it comes to healing, the one question you should ask yourself to regulate your nervous system right now, and his favorite practices for self-healing. Chris Rackliffe is a trauma healer, mental health advocate, anxious attachment style coach and author of the self-help book, It's Good to See Me Again; How to Find Your Way When You Feel Lost. Chris has worked with hundreds of people around the world to help them heal their anxious attachment style and grow more secure. With a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Miami- and an honorary Ph. D in the "School of Life". Chris can be found at https://www.crackliffe.com/ and at @crackliffe on Instagram and TikTok -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

56 | Narcissism Unmasked | Adriana Bucci

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this important episode with Adriana Bucci, we discuss narcissistic personality disorder. Adriana walks us through the signs that you are dealing with a narcissist. We detail what the narcissist wants and how they go about getting it. Adriana unpacks the specific cycle the narcissist takes their targets on and the emotional states they put you through to gain control. She explains the layers of this abuse and how it culminates in a trauma response for its targets. We go through the signs that you are suffering from repressed trauma, the connection between chronic pain and previous trauma, learned hopelessness and so much more. Plus, the only three boundaries you can have with a narcissist. And how to start getting away from a narcissist including techniques that you can use immediately to change their behavior towards you. Adriana is the founder of Let's Get Your Shift Together. After nearly 3 decades of enduring narcissistic abuse and 4 years of dealing with severe chronic pain, she made the choice to embark on her own healing journey. Doing her inner work not only helped her heal from the physical pain, but it also helped her heal from the narcissistic abuse she endured from being raised by a narcissistic mother, other close relationships, and even colleagues/toxic workplaces. She is a certified professional life coach, mind-body fitness coach, stress management coach, and SafeSpace trauma informed practitioner. Her goal is to empower survivors of narcissistic abuse to heal, set boundaries, and live life on their own terms! Links: https://linktr.ee/letsgetyourshifttogether Main website: https://www.letsgetyourshifttogether.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsgetyourshifttogether/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@letsgetyourshifttogether Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/letsgetyourshifttogether YouTube: https://youtube.com/@LetsGetYourShiftTogether?si=Y0rxxB2QqcYA2N8p -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

55 | Disordered Eating, Performance, Exposure Response Prevention | Alicia Racine

Mon, 27 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this riveting episode with Alicia Racine, we go deep into a number of important therapeutic topics. We cover the incredible overlap between developing oneself as an artist and as a therapist. The root of most eating disorders and the kinds of therapeutic interventions that work best for folks with an ED. The crucial element of the therapeutic process that is often missed and how that causes eating disorders to return. The difference between eating disorders and disordered eating. Modalities such as brain spotting, EMDR, DBT, and Exposure Response Prevention. Trauma and policing. Co-occurrence of OCD and trauma and the current therapeutic standards. Going to the places that scare us. And so much more! Alicia Racine is an accomplished performance artist and therapist, who has worked with several demographics including people diagnosed with schizophrenia, eating disorders and more recently, high profile clients dealing with traumas ensued by the media. During her time working with eating disorders, she created a group that supported women and their relationship with food called Sexy Delicious Healthy. She hosted a retreat in Bali for those struggling with Eating Disorders and served as a board member for the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp), Los Angeles chapter. Her private practice began with a focus on ed until the pandemic where she could no longer practice her two-session weekly method of talk therapy and exposure meals. During the pandemic, she created a consulting program that placed hundreds of people in therapy with a clinician that matched them. Her self-imposed criteria included economics, treatment style, expertise in their diagnosis, temperament match, and cultural appropriateness. As a lifelong performer, Alicia is currently using humor to make mental health more accessible, She creates fun and often irreverent meditations that are aware of their own woo wooness, and is about to launch a mental health podcast where she collaborates with stand-up comedians. She is also insanely passionate about supervising associate clinicians in her group practice. Alicia has a Tedx talk coming out within the next few months created for the Gex z population. Website - Instagram -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

54 | Ask Me Anything | Angela & Yana

Mon, 13 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this special second-anniversary episode of Beyond Trauma, Lara is joined by Three and a Half Acres Yoga Trauma Informed Teachers Angela and Yana as we flip the script and take questions from the audience for host, Lara Land. Lara bridges the gap between Ashtanga and Trauma Informed Yoga, discusses her experience teaching kids yoga and her Chloe the Yogi song and app, and shares her insights on yoga retreats, workshops, and festivals. Make sure to listen all the way through to the second half where we discuss discipline, marriage, self-development, mindfulness, boundaries, and breaking harmful cycles. Lara Land shares many upcoming and ongoing offerings in this episode including: The Complete Introduction to Ashtanga Yoga, Universal Power Yoga, Omega Institute, Catskill Mountain Yoga Festival, and coaching opportunities, plus her books, My Bliss Book and The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga. Yana is a certified trauma-informed and Vinyasa yoga instructor, photographer, and artist. Angela is an intuitive healer, herbalist, philanthropist, and resolute wellness guide. holds certifications in Core Power Yoga, THAY Trauma-Informed Yoga, Core Strength Yoga, Vinyasa Hot Yoga, and is a continued student in life. RYT Yoga Alliance --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All

53 | The Essentials of Trauma Sensitivity | Tessa Tovar

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

For this first anniversary of the publication of my book, The Essential Guide to Trauma-Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All, I'm releasing the Outside the Studio episode I was featured on with Tessa Tovar. We discuss suggested language for shifting power in group settings, how to create after environments, how to practice to reach yoga in a way that includes all, as well as other topics. The Essential Guide to Trauma-Sensitive Yoga has received outstanding reviews and remains an important resource for yoga teachers and practitioners as well as an intro for the yoga curious. "I was so excited to receive this book in the mail. I am an amateur yogi and an aspiring school counselor who believes that trauma-informed ANYTHING is important. I especially love that photos were added to this book for added clarification. I am excited to use this book as a guide for myself and looking forward to eventually sharing this knowledge with others! This book is essential for any instructor who wants to be trauma-informed and very helpful to anyone who practices yoga or wants to start but doesn't know how. I would give this book more stars if I could!" - Melissa Smith “The Essential Guide for Trauma Sensitive Yoga is a comprehensive resource for teachers to understand the complex nuances of trauma and the subtle and overt ways it can present itself in our students. As teachers, we have a responsibility to serve the whole person and that includes sensitizing ourselves to the various ways that trauma lives uniquely in each body, how it influences the mind and perceptions and can affect one's health and emotional wellness. Lara Land deftly provides the necessary guidance, insights, and best practices so that facilitators can support their students on their journey toward healing with more mindfulness, awareness, and skill. This excellent resource should be required reading in any teacher training course.”—Seane Corn, Yoga Teacher, author of Revolution of the Soul ----------------- Tessa received her degree in Human Communication with honors at the University of Southern Oregon in Ashland. It was at Southern Oregon University that Tessa found and developed her passion for the practice of Yoga. Since 2001 she has been practicing Yoga and in 2015 she acquired her first 200HR RYT. Since then she has accumulated over 500HRS of accredited teaching certifications with a focus on Vinyasa, Nidra, Restorative, Reiki Level I&II, Pranayama, and guided meditation. Lara Land is a deeply compassionate life coach, consultant, and yoga teacher trainer specializing in trauma sensitivity. Her work is in helping to heal trauma both subtle and significant and train others using trauma-sensitive yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and breathing practices. Lara has spent the last 25 years studying Ashtanga yoga and sharing yoga asana, chanting, meditation, and philosophy directly from her teachers in India. -------------------- Coming UP! Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training, Universal Power Yoga, MA, 5/17-5/19 Forest Therapy Walk, Steady Slope, NY, 6/22 Catskill Mountain Yoga Festival, NY, 7/27 Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training, Omega Institute, NY, 8/9-8/11 Virtual Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training w/Reggie Hubbard and Jivana Heyman, 9/27-9/29

52 | Unpacking Attachment | Annie Chen

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this pivotal episode featuring Annie Chen, we delve deep into the fundamental concepts of attachment theory and the distinct indicators of each attachment style. Annie illuminates how early life experiences, particularly traumatic events, can shape these attachment styles and influence recurring patterns within our relationships as we mature. We explore strategies to mend negative behavioral cycles and emphasize the paramount importance of prioritizing healthy relationships. Additionally, we dissect the role of the nervous system and stress in our interactions, examining the profound impact of triggers on relationship dynamics. Our conversation extends to the correlation between relationship quality and overall happiness, alongside insights into the neuroscience behind our learning processes. Annie Chen is an author, therapist, consultant, and coach who holds two master’s degrees in counseling and psychology. With over 17 years dedicated to studying the mind, nervous systems, and relationships, Annie has developed a unique approach to relationships and working with people. Her work integrates research from neuroscience to help clients navigate the complexities of relationships and emotional safety. Annie maintains a practice of seeing individuals and couples in Berkeley, CA, and virtually. Her books, The Attachment Theory Workbook and I Want to Connect, have inspired over 100,000 people to work towards healthy relationships and promote a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All

51 | Beyond the Chill: Cold Water Swimming for Trauma & Depression | Dr. Mark Harper

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

This detailed episode with Dr. Mark Harper, author of breaks down the benefits of cold water swimming for trauma, chronic pain, depression, bipolar disorder, and other illnesses plaguing so many of us these days. Dr. Mark Harper shares the findings of his cold swimming studies and the direction his research is going. We discuss the various reasons you might consider cold water swimming as a priority in your wellness habits and how to start, if, like me, you are terrified of being cold and unable to breathe. Mark explains how cold the water should be to be effective, how long one should stay immersed, and how often to engage in cold water swimming to receive its benefits. He shares the many stories of those whose health has been drastically improved by cold water swimming and many other recommendations for blue therapy, and why this therapy works to reduce stress in all areas of our lives. Dr. Mark Harper is a consultant anesthetist. His first field of research was investigating the best way to keep patients warm during surgery and thereby reduce the incidence of postoperative complications. The results of these studies have been incorporated into national and international guidelines and Mark was invited to be an expert clinical adviser to NICE, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence. Shortly after taking up his consultant post in Brighton in 2003, he started swimming in the sea throughout the year. Around the same time, whilst working on his PhD, he brought together his clinical research and the physiology of cold-water adaptation to show how outdoor swimming could be employed to reduce surgical complications. Further insights – both from his personal experience and the experimental literature - led him to propose that cold water swimming might be an effective intervention for mental health problems. In collaboration Dr Chris van Tulleken and the Extreme Environments Lab in Portsmouth, he had the opportunity to test this in practice on the BAFTA award-nominated BBC television program “The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs.” Following this success, he set up and ran the first-ever clinical trial using sea swimming as a clinical treatment - for anxiety and depression – the outcomes of which were incredibly positive. In the process, he helped set up Chill UK which now provides outdoor swimming courses for hundreds of people around the UK. His book, ‘Chill – the cold water swim cure’ was published in 2022 and is being translated into three other languages. Website | Instagram | Book ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All

50 | Cult Recruitment, Vulnerability & Recovery | Dr. Steve Eichel

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this riveting conversation with cult expert Dr. Steve Eichel, we uncover the common recruitment strategies of some of the most notorious cults. Dr. Eichel shares his personal experience infiltrating a cult and the tactics they used on him and the rest of his cohort. That early encounter with cult culture informed his decades-long work supporting survivors of cult trauma and their families. We cover human psychology and how it impacts politics, signs you might be in a high-demand organization, and the parallels between intimate partner violence (IPV) and cult practices. Dr. Steve Eichel has been a licensed psychologist since 1982. He received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania after which he spent many years as a child and family psychologist and as a director of child and family services. Currently, in addition to his private practice, Dr. Eichel serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Delaware. He has a specialty in drug and alcohol counseling and cultic practices, a subject he has written many articles dissecting. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All

49 | The Complexities of Adoption and the Trauma of Separation | April Dinwoodie

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

It was an honor to sit down with April Dinwoodie to learn more about a topic I am admittingly not enough informed on. Until recently, I had not considered how innately traumatic the relinquishing of a child is both for that child and the birth parents. In this episode, we discuss both the personal and political implications of adoption. We talk about what happens when a child is taken away from their family of origin especially if their family of experience (as April likes to call them) is a different race. We interrogate trauma adaptions and how many of those show up later in life to protect against future abandonment. April clarifies how that word sits for her and the difference between processing the initial relinquishment from her mother of origin and her mother of origin's inability to be able to build a relationship with her later in life. We discuss what both individuals and society as a whole can do better in terms of adoption advocacy and April's number one recommendations for families considering adoption. Plus April and I dive into our favorite healing modalities and the layered approach to healing we both subscribe to. April Dinwoodie is an Adoption Activist, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Consultant, and Parent Coach. Dinwoodie’s podcast Born in June, Raised in April: What Adoption Can Teach the World! helps facilitate an open dialogue about identity, relationships, and differences of race, culture, and class. April is fiercely dedicated to helping individuals, companies, and organizations develop stronger teams, and ultimately find even more purpose in our individual and collective work. Follow April: @juneinapril (x, IG, FB) @April Dinwoodie (LinkedIn/Threads/YouTube) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All

48 | Trauma-Informed Herbalism | Dr. Elizabeth Guthrie

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In this information-packed conversation with Dr. Elizabeth Guthrie, we discuss the incredible power of herbs in assisting with nervous system regulation. Elizabeth shares ways to work with herbs as a beginner including special herbal considerations for trauma survivors. She describes the benefits of teas versus tinctures and other herbal creations and goes into detail about specific herbs such as Rhodiola, Ashwagandha, Dandelion, and many others. Elizabeth and I explore the importance of nature as part of healing, the power and the dangers of slowing down, polyvagal theory, and the three gunas. We also talk about titration, diet and so much more... Elizabeth Guthrie is the founder of Herbal Somatics. She is a clinical herbalist, certified aromatherapist, and yoga teacher with a Ph.D. in Natural Medicine with a specialization in Naturopathic Psychology and a Master’s of Public Health in Functional Nutrition. They are also the best-selling author of The Trauma-Informed Herbalist and hold multiple other certifications from conventional and traditional schools. Elizabeth’s personal experiences led them to begin studying trauma and its effects on the body and mind. Now they help others to learn how natural wellness and somatic herbalism practices can be safely implemented as part of a trauma recovery journey. Check out Elizabeth's work: Website/Instagram/Facebook ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All

47 | Ending the Stigma: Suicide Awareness | Dr. Jessa Navide´

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 05:00:00 +0000

In this very vulnerable and candid conversation with esteemed psychologist Dr. Jessa Navide´, we dive into the truth of about suicidality. Jessa details who is at the highest risk for suicidal attempts, the signs that someone you know might be suicidal, as well as how to approach a loved one you suspect is having suicidal thoughts. Jessa shares deep insights from her own experience as a survivor of multiple suicide attempts and what she wishes someone would have done for her. We discuss ways out of these thoughts including the particular power of trauma-sensitive yoga and the science behind why Ashtanga yoga may be so supportive a practice for suicide attempt survivors. This episode comes in advance of a longer virtual Suicide Prevention training Jessa is leading for the nonprofit Three and a Half Acres Yoga on February 8th, 6-8 pm Eastern time. This training is designed to have you walk away with core skills for showing up if a loved one in your community is experiencing these thoughts. Jessa recommends Three and a Half Acres Yoga trauma-sensitive classes and trauma-informed yoga teacher training in this episode. Suicidal thoughts do not have to be dealt with alone. If you, or someone you know needs immediate support, please contact the National Crisis Hotline at 988. Dr. Jessa Navidé is a licensed clinical psychologist who has a passion for suicide prevention stemming from lived and professional experience. She believes that by teaching skills to engage in compassionate conversations with those experiencing suicidal thoughts, everyone can play a role in suicide prevention. This belief led her to become an ASIST (Applied suicide intervention skills) trainer. Dr. Jessa is a graduate of Three and a Half Acres trauma-sensitive yoga teacher training and has experienced that this form of yoga is a powerful healing resource in suicide prevention work Find Jessa at https://www.claritytherapynyc.com/nyc-therapist/jessa-navide-psy-d/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All

46 | Scientific Foundations of Trauma-Informed Yoga | David Emerson

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In this detailed and important conversation with Dave Emerson, the man who coined the term trauma-sensitive yoga, we get insights into Dave’s extensive research on the impacts of trauma-informed yoga for survivors including his most recent paper comparing trauma-sensitive yoga and cognitive processing therapy. We explore the difference between Complex Trauma and PTSD and the implications of those differences on survivor validation and services. We discuss the harmful power dynamics that occur within abusive relationships and the importance of healthy interpersonal encounters in yoga spaces which propose to heal trauma adaptations. Dave shares why yoga is one of, if not the strongest embodied practice for healing the impacts of trauma and just how much of this style of practice is needed as well as other deep insights from his work and what he’s learned about research and forming research studies for yoga claims. Dave Emerson (he/him/his) is the founder of Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) for the Justice Resource Institute in Massachusetts, where he coined the term “trauma-sensitive yoga”. from 2009-2011 he was responsible for curriculum development, supervision, and oversight of the yoga intervention component of the first-of-its-kind, NIH-funded study to assess the utility of yoga for survivors of trauma. Dave has developed, conducted, and supervised TCTSY groups for rape crisis centers, domestic violence programs, residential programs for youth, active duty military personnel, survivors of terrorism, and Veterans Administration centers and clinics, and more. He is the co-author of Overcoming Trauma through Yoga, released in 2011 by North Atlantic Books, and Author of, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga in Therapy (Norton, 2015). In 2018, Dave Emerson co-founded the Center for Trauma and Embodiment at JRI. Instagram: @tctsy & @centerfortraumaandembodiment Web: https://www.traumasensitiveyoga.com/ & https://www.healwithcfte.org/ Yoga vs Cognitive Processing Therapy for Military Sexual Trauma-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All

45 | What to expect in 2024 | Lara Land

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode, I share the most impactful moments of 2023 and a preview of guests and topics you can expect in the coming year, including the exceptional first guest of the year! I also share some of my own experiences this year and the modalities I have been using to release stress and heal. Thank you to all my listeners, especially those of you who have been reaching out with specific comments about episodes. This enlivens me so much. Please keep commenting, reviewing, and sharing the podcast! Coming up in 2024 I'll be releasing the on-demand training of The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga! Make sure to get your copy and reach out to be on my list for when the course drops! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All

44 | Trauma Bonding and Yoga Teacher Trainings | Michelle Lehrman

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

I get asked on almost a daily basis for recommendations for yoga teacher training programs. You would think that after 25 years in yoga, I would have some, but the truth is very different. Yoga teacher training programs vary widely, change regularly, and come with a host of problems. On this episode with my friend and colleague, Michelle Lehrman, we discuss some of the biggest issues with YTTs, including forcing participants to make and accept hands-on adjustments, shaming people who hold different opinions or do things differently, and forcing a one-way approach to this ancient, adaptable practice. Michelle Lehrman is a certified 200-hour and trauma-informed yoga instructor who has been teaching in New York City since 2016. She currently teaches at Crunch (yoga and spin), Sacred Space Astoria, and Lionheart Health, and works with private clients. I met Michelle when she participated in the Three and a Half Acres Yoga Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training a 20-hour supplemental training for teachers with a 200 + hour yoga teacher certification. This training hopes to undo some of the damage caused by many YTTs and offer a safer approach to teaching yoga. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

43 | Equine Therapy | Deborah Draves-Legg

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode with Deborah Draves-Legg, we discuss the healing power of horses, how they communicate, and what it looks like to receive coaching in partnership with a horse. Deborah shares some secret horse language and some out-of-this-world experiences she has had witnessing horses lead her clients to healing. She also does a session of her Quantum Physics coaching on me! Deborah is a certified Transformational Presence Coach, ICF Accredited Associate Coach, RN, Certified Death Doula, Advanced Eponaquest Facilitator, and author of Pony's Girl Parables. Her coaching philosophy centers around the concept that the power within us lights the way to realize our purpose, potential, and reason for being. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

42 | Are the Kids Alright? | Joy Holden

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Joy Holden is a long-time member of the Margaretville Central School staff. She was a special education teacher for 19 years and then transitioned into an administrative role in 2017. Joy's responsibility as Director of Pupil Services is to support all students with learning and accessing school programming, including being the CSE/CPSE/504 chairperson and Dignity Act Coordinator. Recently, Joy has been taking the lead in training staff on supportive responses to students when they are struggling emotionally and unable to use socially appropriate coping strategies. In 2022, Joy was certified to train staff for Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Schools (TCIS). She is enthusiastically working towards training all staff on the principles of TCIS. In this episode, we discuss how to identify a child who is in a trauma response and what we can do within a school setting to help that child. We also explore the stress, trauma, and burnout of adults in the school system particularly since Covid-19, and specific techniques teachers can lean on to reduce burnout and frustration. As an aid in this school, I particularly enjoyed this episode and a chance to learn more about my supervisor. To bring trauma-sensitive training to your school reach out to me here. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

41 | Coining Ambiguous Loss | Dr. Pauline Boss

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Grab a cup of tea, a notebook, a pen, and a quiet spot, for today you and I have the chance to sit down with a legend. Dr. Pauline Boss coined the term Ambiguous Loss as part of her thesis in the 1970s and has pursued and expanded its definition and treatment ever since. At 89 years old she is still writing, still learning, and as we get into in this talk, has seen quite a large amount of trends come and go in society and in the way we parent, teach, and treat. We discuss all different kinds of ambiguous loss including identity change, loss of a relative to dementia, and those who go missing and are never found. We also talk about the COVID-19 pandemic and the losses we are still suffering as a world community. I have never been so honored and so touched to have a guest make time for me. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do. Pauline Boss, PhD, Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota is a Fellow in the American Psychological Association and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and a former president of the National Council on Family Relations. She practiced family therapy for over 40 years. With her groundbreaking work in research and practice, Dr. Boss coined the term ambiguous loss in the 1970s and since then, developed and tested the theory of ambiguous loss, a guide for working with families of the missing, physically or psychologically. She summarized this research and clinical work in her widely acclaimed book Ambiguous Loss: Learning to Live with Unresolved Grief (Harvard University Press, 2000). In addition to over 100 peer reviewed academic articles and chapters, her other books include Loss, Trauma, and Resilience: Therapeutic Work with Ambiguous Loss (W. W. Norton, 2006) and Loving Someone Who Has Dementia: How to Find Hope While Coping with Stress and Grief (Jossey-Bass, 2011). Her most recent book is The Myth of Closure: Ambiguous Loss in a Time of Pandemic and Change (W. W. Norton, 2022). Her work is known around the world wherever ambiguous losses occur, and thus her books are now available in 18 different languages. For more information about Dr. Boss, her writings, and the ambiguous loss online training program, see www.ambiguousloss.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

40 | The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga Audio Version Part 2 | Lara Land

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Part 2 of my audio gift to you! Please enjoy the next 25 pages of my book, The Essential Guide to Trauma-Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All read to you by me! If you haven't heard the first pages make sure to go back to the last episode of this podcast. If you do enjoy this reading, please support with your purchase of the book which has over a hundred photos and and many more chapters not read to you here. Other ways to work together are to hire me as a coach, bring me to your yoga studio to train your teachers in trauma sensitivity, and purchase my first book, My Bliss Book, a life purpose planner, and my on-demand course, The Complete Introduction to Ashtanga Yoga. You can find me on Instagram and YouTube. Lara Land is a deeply compassionate life coach, consultant, and yoga teacher trainer specializing in trauma sensitivity. Her work is in helping to heal trauma both subtle and significant and train others using trauma-sensitive yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and breathing practices. Lara has spent the last 25 years studying Ashtanga yoga and sharing yoga asana, chanting, meditation, and philosophy directly from her teachers in India. Her commitment is to honor the traditions of yoga by responding to the needs of each individual, using a unique combination of practices and techniques that are appropriate for their personal growth. In addition to providing trauma-sensitive workshops and training for facilitators of all types, Lara guides folks in awakening, deep connection, and healing practices through Mindful Outdoor Guiding and Forest Therapy. Lara has been featured in and contributed to New York Magazine, Huffington Post, Yoga Journal, Apartment Therapy, and on Fox5, CBS, NY1, and SiriusRadioXM. She is the author of My Bliss Book and The Essential Guide to Trauma-Sensitive Yoga. She is also the host of the Beyond Trauma Podcast.

39 | The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga Audio Version Part 1

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

An exciting gift for you! Today, listeners can enjoy the first 25 pages of my book, The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All read by yours truly, Lara Land. I hope you will enjoy and support my first book with Shambhala Publications by purchasing and reviewing your hard copy which includes over 100 photos! Other ways to support/work with me include hiring me as your coach, to lead a workshop in trauma sensitivity for your school, studio or business or purchasing my first book, My Bliss Book, an undated life-purpose planner or my on-demand course, The Complete Introduction to Ashtanga Yoga. You can find me on Instagram and sometimes on YouTube. Lara Land is a deeply compassionate life coach, consultant, and yoga teacher trainer specializing in trauma sensitivity. Her work is in helping to heal trauma both subtle and significant and train others using trauma-sensitive yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and breathing practices. Lara has spent the last 25 years studying Ashtanga yoga and sharing yoga asana, chanting, meditation, and philosophy directly from her teachers in India. Her commitment is to honor the traditions of yoga by responding to the needs of each individual, using a unique combination of practices and techniques that are appropriate for their personal growth. In addition to providing trauma-sensitive workshops and training for facilitators of all types, Lara guides folks in awakening, deep connection, and healing practices through Mindful Outdoor Guiding and Forest Therapy. Lara has been featured in and contributed to New York Magazine, Huffington Post, Yoga Journal, Apartment Therapy, and on Fox5, CBS, NY1, and SiriusRadioXM. She is the author of My Bliss Book and The Essential Guide to Trauma-Sensitive Yoga. She is also the host of the Beyond Trauma Podcast.

38 | Birth Trauma Part II : My Story | Lara Land

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

In this episode, I detail my own experiences with birth trauma and the ways multiple people in different areas of the medical field have used unskillful methods and communication along the way. I hope that the telling of my story helps others. You can find me on Instagram and sometimes on YouTube. Lara Land is a deeply compassionate life coach, consultant, and yoga teacher trainer specializing in trauma sensitivity. Her work is in helping to heal trauma both subtle and significant and train others using trauma-sensitive yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and breathing practices. Lara has spent the last 25 years studying Ashtanga yoga and sharing yoga asana, chanting, meditation, and philosophy directly from her teachers in India. Her commitment is to honor the traditions of yoga by responding to the needs of each individual, using a unique combination of practices and techniques that are appropriate for their personal growth. In addition to providing trauma-sensitive workshops and training for facilitators of all types, Lara guides folks in awakening, deep connection, and healing practices through Mindful Outdoor Guiding and Forest Therapy. Lara has been featured in and contributed to New York Magazine, Huffington Post, Yoga Journal, Apartment Therapy, and on Fox5, CBS, NY1, and SiriusRadioXM. She is the author of My Bliss Book and The Essential Guide to Trauma-Sensitive Yoga. She is also the host of the Beyond Trauma Podcast. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can support this podcast with any level of donation here.

37 | Birth Trauma & The State of Maternal Health | Bintou Diarra

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0000

You are going to want to sit back and take notes for this one. Today's guest Bintou Diarra and I get in-depth about birth trauma and the current state of maternal health care in the US. We discuss the origins of the issues infecting the medicalized birth system which has taken hold today, including our earliest indoctrination into the female body as pathology in sex ed and structural racism and implicit bias. Bintou details the culture most physicians are steeped in and how it leads directly to negative outcomes in the birthing process. She explains why having a doula may help mitigate some of this and also why a doula can not fix it all. We discuss preeclampsia, endometriosis, and the horrific birth outcome inequities for people of color. Finally, we cover power inequity and imagine a restructuring of the system which would allow for empowering birth stories for all. In this episode, Bintou references and recommends the book Birth Control by Allison Yarrow and the documentary Below the Belt, the Last Health Taboo both of which are excellent resources for continued education on this topic. Make sure to check out both Bintou's individual links and the work she does at MamaGlow. https://beacons.ai/bintouhq instagram.com/bintouhq mamaglow.com instagram.com/mamaglow -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

36| Healing our Relationship with Self | Harmony Slater

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0000

In this heartfelt conversation with my longtime friend and colleague, Harmony Slater, we discuss many life transitions that can result in a trauma response and loss of sense of self. Harmony details her own personal experience with divorce and why divorce or any significant relationship end can trigger our most primal survival instincts and leave us in a fight or flight mode for long after the separation has passed. We also get into a deep discussion about different types of practice and how some of even the "best practices" can end up taxing our nervous system or numbing us out. We talk about finding balance, self-acceptance, and love, especially as women, the toxic wellness culture, and the small practices that make the most difference. Harmony is a Certified Ashtanga Yoga Teacher. She is one of less than 20 women in the world to hold this honor. Harmony is also a National Board Certified Wellness Coach. She began traveling to East Asia in 2002 to study Buddhism and Indian philosophy and spent five years living between India and Thailand. She holds BA degrees in both Philosophy and Religious Studies and founded two yoga schools in Canada. For the past 20+ years Harmony's been focused on sharing the deeper teachings of yoga to support greater health and spiritual integration with students around the world, and has taught workshops in over 30 different countries. She’s the host of the Finding Harmony Podcast and has been featured in two anthologies on yoga, pregnancy, and motherhood: ‘Yoga Sadhana for Mothers’ and ‘Strength and Grace: A collection of Essays by Women of Ashtanga Yoga.’ Harmony is also a contributing editor for SONIMA online magazine. Currently, she's actively helping individuals design their unique Spiritual Wellness practice to find deeper fulfillment both personally and professionally. Harmony can be found teaching online within her Inner Circle Community and her Ancient Breathing 2.0 course. Website/Instagram -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

35 | Love, Loss, & Leaning In | Whitney Lyn Allen

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0000

In this honest and raw conversation, Whitney Lyn Allen shares the details of her husband's tragic accident and later death in service of others also dealing with trauma and loss. Whitney used her experience to catapult her into a career and life change and became a certified grief coach. She shares her extensive knowledge in this episode of what survival mode is and feels like, grief hijacking and how to maintain boundaries, tips for flashbacks, and her feelings on finding love after loss. Whitney is an author, attorney, and certified grief educator. Her book, Running in Trauma Stilettos is about grief and life after loss and is available everywhere books are sold. Instagram/TikTok-@whitneylynallen -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

34 | Post Traumatic Growth | Dr. Edith Shiro & Linda Sparrowe

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0000

In this powerful episode, we discuss a potential outcome of trauma that is often ignored: Post-traumatic growth. Discover how to get through a traumatic experience to growth and the difference between post-traumatic growth and resilience. Learn what makes the difference between people who remain stuck in trauma response and those that are able to make the leap forward. Trauma is relational and generational. Understand how we are all connected to it and impacted by it as well as why the body is so important in relation to our own trauma. Gain new insights you may not have heard before including the importance of and how to create safety as a friend, family member, yoga teacher, or therapist so that survivors can move forward using Edith's powerful stages. We also discuss the impact. of working with folks with terminal diagnoses and how loss and death can lead to meaning-making. If you or someone you know is going through the end of life, or you are interested in understanding more about how recognizing the inevitability of death can allow you to live more fully and meaningfully, check out my work as an End of Life Doula and upcoming workshop on learning to live life more fully by embracing death. Dr. Edith Shiro is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Miami, Florida. She specializes in trauma nd posttraumatic growth, holding space and guiding her patients to achieve greater potential and higher consciousness. Dr. Shiro is a cofounder of the Trauma and Resilience Center, a board member of the World Happiness Foundation, and an active member of Cadena International, providing humanitarian aid and disaster prevention worldwide, and is on the advisory board of international humanitarian organization HIAS. She has worked at the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture, the Cambodian refugee clinic at Montefiore Medical Center, and the Human Rights Clinical Support Network at REFUGE, among others. Dr. Shiro offers workshops on trauma-based therapy for mental health professionals and is a frequent guest on various TV shows, podcasts and radio programs. Follow her on Instagram. Linda Sparrowe, author, mentor, and teacher, with deep roots in both ancient and contemporary yoga and meditation, specializes in practices for physical, emotional, and spiritual health. She has served as editor-in-chief of Yoga International and Natural Solutions magazines and as managing editor, acting editor, and contributing editor of Yoga Journal. She has lent her writing and editing skills to a variety of book projects, from celebrity memoirs to spiritual self-help books; from the psychology of pleasure to posttraumatic growth. She has authored six books of her own including the award-winning Yoga At Home: Inspiration for Creating Your Own Personal Practice (Rizzoli Publications); A Woman’s Book of Yoga and Health: A Lifelong Guide to Wellness (Shambhala Publications, Boston); and Yoga for Healthy Bones (also a Shambhala publication). Outside the office, Linda has continued her commitment to holistic health. She was instrumental in launching the Courageous Women, Fearless Living retreats for women with breast and reproductive cancers (her heart’s work) and she also speaks about and leads workshops on grief and loss, moving through the stages of our lives, and how yoga helps us learn to love ourselves. Follow her on Instagram. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

33 | Play Therapy | Ann Beckley-Forest & Annie Monaco

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we discuss how to work with kids and teens in a way that opens them up instead of closing them off. The information my two guests share so generously is applicable to therapists, parents, teachers, or anyone with a child in their life. Learn what it means to attune to the young people in your life. Some areas of interest are the importance of early intervention, correct attachment, and coregulation. From listening to this episode you will gain a greater understanding of how trauma specifically affects those affected in childhood, about soothing a child and how we might be getting it wrong, and the right and wrong ways to repair harm. Discover how play therapy and how it is used to learn and teach things, regulate the body, and explore big feelings. Ann Beckley-Forest, LCSW, RPT-S, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in private practice in Buffalo, New York. Her specialties include attachment and child and adolescent trauma, and she also works with adult survivors. She is certified in EMDR and is an EMDR Approved Consultant and Trainer and a faculty member of the Child Trauma Institute, as well as a Registered Play Therapist and Supervisor and Approved Provider of play therapy continuing education through the Association for Play Therapy. She provides consultation in person and remotely, and gives trainings locally and internationally and is the co-founder of Playful EMDR, an online hub for training and consultation. Her primary interest is in the intersection of play therapy and EMDR and has published on this topic including as co-editor of EMDR with Children in the Play Therapy Room: An Integrated Approach (2020). Annie Monaco, LCSW, RPT, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Registered Play Therapist and a faculty member of both the Child Trauma Institute and of University at Buffalo School of Social Work. Annie travels throughout the US and internationally providing trauma-informed trainings and agency and therapist consultation. She is a trainer of EMDR, Progressive Counting and Attachment & Dissociation. She a contributor and co-editor of the 2020 book, EMDR with Children in the Play Therapy Room: An Integrated Approach. She has extensive training in complex trauma, family therapy, play therapy, and restorative justice and over 25 years’ experience in serving children, teens, families and adults. Her private practice in Amherst, New York includes complex issues such as foster care, out of country adoptions, juvenile justice and dissociation. She is also the co-founder of Playful EMDR, an online hub for training and consultation. Join the Virtual Playful EMDR Summit for EMDR therapists who work with children or teens and want to incorporate EMDR: https://cvent.me/0Xz3wz -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

32 | How to Become Trauma Informed | Lara Land-Harmony Slater-Russel Case

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +0000

This episode of Finding Harmony Podcast with Harmony Slater and Russell Case- aired in Feb to promote the pre-sale of my book, The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga which is now available everywhere. If you haven’t gotten your copy please go to my site www.laraland.us and order. If you have ordered- THANK YOU - I appreciate you. Please take a minute to go on Amazon or Goodreads or both and write a review! Reviews make a big difference in getting this work viewed. If you are feeling really generous you can do one here of the podcast while you are on that review train! In this podcast, I think you will enjoy this flip of the script as Harmony and Russell interview me about my experience of generational trauma, insights from my yoga practice, and how I coach folks to be more trauma-sensitive in any field. You will witness me in action coaching Russell a bit in this show. It’s pretty cool! I also wanted to let you know about my upcoming trauma-sensitive Ashtanga weekend training- at Miami Life Center from August 18th-20th. This training is a yoga informed training for teachers and long time practitioners using essential Ashtanga techniques. More details and registration HERE. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

31 | The Sound of Change | Reggie Hubbard

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0000

In this conversation with activist and healer Reggie Hubbard, we discuss how to be real as a yoga teacher by using your true voice, sound bowls, gongs, and DJs. This truth (Satva) when the students experience it disrupts and creates real change which Reggie has termed “Active Peace”. Reggie illustrates this through his story and his actions. Tune into this episode to grow a deeper understanding of the chakra system and how it helps to express truth with love, how to find your community, get out of hopelessness, wake up, and make change. Reggie is the founder/chief serving officer of Active Peace Yoga. His yoga and meditation practice has served as a sanctuary of peace and perspective while navigating the stresses of being a black man in the world, serving in pressure-filled jobs at the height of politics, and have helped him navigate complicated emotions (anger, grief, disappointment) to find and nurture peace of mind and ease of spirit. Reggie shares his practice in service to helping people navigate this thing called life with more creativity, authenticity, peace, and ease. He has extensively studied with leading teachers in yogic, meditative, and dharmic disciplines while also remembering that the best teacher is an eternal student. He is a graduate of the MMTCP (Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program) 2023 cohort and is always seeking new ways of sharing ancient wisdom with modern audiences. Through Active Peace Yoga, he offers asana and meditation classes to help others nurture peace of mind, creativity, and equanimity in spirit and physical health - helping people nurture well-being as foundational, rather than an afterthought. Reggie has taught Members of Congress, Congressional Staff, major labor unions, leading progressive organizations, and individuals from all walks of life - simple tools for managing stress and bringing peace to mind, body, and spirit. Active Peace also offers strategic guidance on creating healthier cultures and organizational norms rooted in well-being, compassion, and results. Reggie's life work sits at the intersection of bringing more peace and balance to activists; guiding the wellness community toward being more engaged, concerned citizens; and, enhancing the well-being of all walks of life. Achieving this balance is how we catalyze transformative change in our society, which we are desperately in need of at this moment. He also is passionate about justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI); normalizing grief and loss; and, sharing healing rituals with marginalized communities to enhance our collective well-being. He received a B.A. in philosophy from Yale University and an MBA in international strategy from the Vlerick Business School in Belgium. You can find out more at www.activepeaceyoga.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I also wanted to let you know about my upcoming trauma-sensitive weekend - at Kripalu supporting survivors with embodied practices - for all to look into grief and trauma and stress held in your body and grow more compassionate toward yourself and others also holding these tensions and reacting from them- all about Kripalu- food, extra yoga classes, nature walks, quiet, etc. - June 20th - July 2nd so coming into July 4th time and a great gift to give yourself or come to the campus w a friend you will feel serene just arriving there. I'll also be leading a three-day retreat and trauma training workshop in the western Catskills. This ecological area is very healing and special to me. Details on that July 28th-30th. Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

30 | Identifying Secondary Trauma | Dr. Trudy Gilbert-Eliot

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0000

In this episode, author and clinician, Dr. Trudy Gilbert-Eliot, explains how exposure to other people's trauma can cause post-traumatic stress. She breaks down how that occurs in the brain of the person exposed, the signs one will experience, and what to do both to prevent against it and help heal it. We talk about the specific professions most likely to encounter that exposure and practices such as mindfulness and CBT for helping change the narrative of one exposed. Dr. Gilbert-Eliot is rich with knowledge and deeply impressed me during our hour together. We will be working on the prevention of and healing of secondary trauma using embodied practices at my Kripalu workshop from June 30th-July 2nd. If you enjoyed this episode consider registering for that experience HERE. Trudy Gilbert-Eliot is a consultant and mental health practitioner. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor. She also obtained a Ph.D. in General Psychology from Capella University in Minnesota. Her book, “Healing Secondary Trauma”, was released May 2020. She has served as an expert witness for psychiatric court commitments, provided assessments in Emergency Room’s for those who recently attempted suicide, worked as a pediatric therapist in residential treatment, as Director of Admissions for a psychiatric facility, Director of Therapeutic Services for an outpatient clinic, and worked as an Adjunct Professor of Psychology. In the course of her work she has spoken at various conferences and as a workshop presenter on such topics as Critical Incident Response in Mental Health, Trauma-informed Care, Co-occurring Disorders in Treatment, Advanced Clinical Supervision, ASAM, Working with the Military in Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Burnout/Compassion Fatigue/Secondary Trauma for First Responders, Clinical Applications in Trauma, PTSD, and a presentation as part of the recertification of CIT personnel for LVMPD. Dr. Gilbert-Eliot has trained extensively in Trauma and is EMDR certified. She has also trained with the Gottmans in couples therapy and in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy with Behavioral Tech Research (Marsha Linehan, Ph.D.) and Alan Fruzetti, Ph.D. She is a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and the American Psychological Association. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Any amount helps with production costs for the show. You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

29 | Understanding Family Constellations | Katarina Wittich

Mon, 29 May 2023 04:00:00 +0000

I discovered Katarina "Kato" Wittich in Gwyneth Paltrow's documentary series “Sex, Love and Goop” episode five, where she guides a client through a Family Constellation session which allows them to understand and process family trauma. It was and remains one of the most powerful moments of television I've ever witnessed, so I was deeply honored when Kato agreed to be in conversation. In doing my research for this interview, I learned much about Kato's dedication to healing through practices that demand deep acceptance and reverence for the interwoven body-mind system. In this conversation, we discuss the Rosen and Family System techniques, the importance of touch, and how ancestral trauma informs our lives. We talk about the need to feel all our feelings and how critical it is to have someone that can allow us to be with those vibrations no matter how strong or seemingly negative. It was a meeting of spirits being in shared space with Katarina. I hope you will benefit from our musings. Katarina Wittich, known as ‘Kato’, is a certified Rosen Method Practitioner, Conscious Dance facilitator, Yuen Practitioner, and facilitator for the group transformational modality called Family Constellations. She has had the great privilege to spend the last 25 years using her practices to help other humans voyage past the limitations that come from survival patterns created by trauma, toward wholeness and resilient self love. Rosen Method is a form of somatic therapy which uses touch as well as verbal interaction in order to contact the contractions in our bodies which we have created in order get through trauma when we do not have enough support to remain open and flexible. In accessing these contractions in the body, we also access all the unconscious patterns that have been necessary to move through the world, but may no longer be useful, and instead now holding us back from living fully. Family Constellations work directly with the unconscious inheritance of survival patterns created to handle trauma by our ancestors. Often we are more susceptible to the difficult things that happen in our lives because of the epigenetic and family culture patterns once needed for survival of the family system, but now hindering us without our knowledge. Constellations are mysterious and incredibly powerful because they function through the group practice of resonance, in which perfect strangers with no knowledge of the client’s issues or family system, will easily and accurately be able to represent the client's family members and ancestors, unveiling what was hidden and allowing flow back into the system. Kato's Family Constellations work is currently featured in Episode Five of Gwyneth Paltrow's documentary series “Sex, Love and Goop”, available on Netflix. She is grateful to have had the opportunity to facilitate in the first mainstream television exposure for this profound and life changing work, in which you can witness the impossible wonder of our interconnectedness, unlimited by time or physicality. For more information on Kato’s practices go to her website - RosenConstellations.com In the rest of her life, she is a screenwriter, director, painter, dancer and general lover of all things creative, embodied and human. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

28 | How to Heal Yourself | Amy B. Scher

Mon, 15 May 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Amy B. Scher had a debilitating case of Lyme Disease that resulted in her being bedridden in her twenties. She tried every available solution from intravenous antibiotics to flying all the way to India. Though some of the medicines she tried helped, in the end, she only became completely healthy and relapse-free when she began looking at her traumas, thoughts, and beliefs and neutralizing them. In this conversation, Amy describes her core healing practices which she has taught countless others via workshops, private sessions, her YouTube, and books. Many of these practices I have personally tried and incorporated into my daily protocol to stop stress from building in my system and causing negative health outcomes. As Amy details, if you can catch and deal with the "little" stuff, you can heal a lot. Amy B. Scher is an expert in mind-body healing and helping people release blocks to become their happiest, healthiest, and most creative selves. She’s the award-winning and bestselling author of four books which are translated into 20 languages and endorsed by notable authors such as Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray Love), Sanjiv Chopra, MD, Harvard Medical School and (Brotherhood with Deepak Chopra), and more. Her work has been featured in Oprah Daily, CNN, CBS, Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Good Morning America, and more. She lives in New York City with her beautiful wife and bad cat. Amy can be found online at AmyBScher.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

27 | A Journey Into Curiosity | Timothy Lewis

Mon, 01 May 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Timothy Lewis walked into my yoga studio, Land Yoga on one New Year's Eve and never turned back. He became a regular and dedicated yoga practitioner, got his yoga teacher certification, and then did his Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training with Three and a Half Acres Yoga where he now teaches classes for trauma survivors. Timothy is a born scientist, full of a curiosity which he allows to take him on the journey of life. He is featured in my book, The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga which is out TOMORROW. Make any level donation to Three and a Half Acres Yoga and receive an invite to our special private book event on Saturday, May 13th where you will have the opportunity to meet Timothy and many others who were involved in this project. Purchase the book today (May 1st) for the final day to receive your online BONUSES. Timothy Lewis is a Jay Shetty certified mindfulness coach and educator at heart with over 20 years of dynamic experience honoring unique individuality and nurturing innate curiosity. An avid researcher of epigenetics, human psychology, and the new human biology, he allows a love for learning and growth to fuel his zest for life. Timothy is a 200-h RYT with training in the foundations of Yin and trauma-sensitive yoga. Timothy teaches an Everyday Mindfulness & Meditation course, works with individuals and groups looking to explore how mindfulness can neutralize the effects of stress and modern living, and offers embodied movement classes including yoga and capoeira. Timothy enjoys training and teaching, traveling, and exploring the contrast of being deeply drawn to nature while embracing the hustle and bustle of New York City. Learn more about Timothy and his offerings here. Also, Timothy shares short practices and insights on Timothy Lewis (@mindfulnesswithtimothy) • Instagram photos and videos, and LinkedIn. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Pre-order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

26 | The Brain Changing Appeal of EMDR | Rotem Brayer

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Not everyone can talk about neuroscience and make it make sense, but Rotem Brayer certainly can. During our time together he showed me why EMDR has become his number one go-to modality for helping his clients process trauma. In this episode, Rotem explains the neuroscience behind this practice and how it can help with trauma and sleep disorders. We also discuss the other elements that need to be in the room to make EMDR most impactful. Finally, Rotem also breaks down the reasons he feels we are seeing such a crisis in mental health and what we can do about it. I learned so much from this conversation and I know you will too. Rotem Brayer, MEd, LPC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, certified EMDR therapist, EMDR consultant, and an advanced EMDR trainer. He is the founder of The EMDR Learning Community (https://emdr-learning.com/), a community that brings EMDR therapists together and provides education on EMDR therapy and the integration of this modality with other treatment approaches. As the co-founder of EMDR Denver, a practice that helps clients heal with an “EMDR first” approach, Rotem spends his time consulting on cases, coaching EMDR therapists, and helping his clients heal from the effects of trauma and attachment wounds. Website - Instagram -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Pre-order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

25 | Mindfulness Strategies for Pain | Dr. Christiane Wolf

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 04:00:00 +0000

In this incredible conversation with Christiane Wolf, MD, PhD, we separate out different kinds of pain. Christiane shows us how by learning to differentiate between types of pain, we can plan an appropriate course of action. We discuss when the approaches of mindfulness and compassion may help and how to implement them to feel less stress and suffering when experiencing uncomfortable sensations. Christiane and I also talk about birthing pain, the differences in giving birth in Germany (her home country) and the United States, and how that changes the pain experience. We also touch on the basics of and importance of sangha and Christiane's striking balance of the scientific and spiritual realms and ability to translate each one to the other. In this episode, Christiane references a study from Science Daily you can access HERE. Christiane Wolf, MD, Ph.D. is a former physician, internationally known mindfulness (MBSR, MSC) and Insight (Vipassana) meditation teacher. She is the author of “Outsmart Your Pain” and the coauthor of “A Clinician’s Guide to Teaching Mindfulness”. Dr. Wolf is the lead-consultant and teacher trainer for the VA’s (US Department of Veteran Affairs) National Mindfulness Facilitator Training. She was trained as a Dharma and retreat teacher through Spirit Rock Meditation Center and the Insight Meditation Society under Jack Kornfield and Joseph Goldstein. Originally from Berlin, Germany, she is a senior teacher at InsightLA in Los Angeles, where she lives with her husband and their three teenagers. Visit Christiane's website for more on her offerings. Check out her class on working with pain. ----------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Pre-order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

24 | The Path to Liberation | Jacoby Ballard

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 04:00:00 +0000

In this extraordinary conversation with Jacoby Ballard we cover a wide range of topics from black feminism to queer identity to parenthood and what each of these lenses can teach us about processing our feelings and finding our way to forgiveness. As you will no doubt witness through our very live and in real-time process together, Jacoby is a "calling in" centered person who has done his work to become the fearless, aware, forgiveness-based being he teaches others to be. In this episode, we explore specific yogic and Buddhist practices which can help with dispelling anger and moving toward forgiveness. We talk about the importance of self-regulation and self-love, especially for folks committed to social justice and the potential it has to bring people together. Jacoby Ballard is a social justice educator and yoga teacher on Shoshone, Ute, Paiute and Goshute land now known as Salt Lake City, Utah. He leads workshops and trainings around the country on diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a yoga teacher with 24 years of experience, he leads workshops, retreats, segments in teacher trainings, teaches at conferences, and has been an artist-in-residence on dozens of college campuses. In 2008, Jacoby co-founded Third Root Community Health Center in Brooklyn, to work at the nexus of healing and social justice. Since 2006, Jacoby has taught Queer and Trans Yoga, a space for queer folks to unfurl and cultivate resilience and received Yoga Journal's Game Changer Award in 2014 and Good Karma Award in 2016. Receiving prenatal yoga training in 2021, Jacoby now offers a Queer & Trans Centered Prenatal Yoga online and LGBT inclusion workshops in prenatal yoga teacher trainings so that queer families can be anticipated and supported in their process. Jacoby has taught in schools, hospitals, non profit and business offices, a maximum security prison, a recovery center, a cancer center, LGBT centers, gyms, a veteran’s center, and yoga studios. His first book, A Queer Dharma: Yoga and Meditations for Liberation, was released in 2022. Check out Jacoby's website. Follow Jacoby on Instagram. ----------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Pre-order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

23 | Trauma Sensitive Jiu-Jitsu | Dr. Jamie Marich

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Dr. Jamie Marich discusses why the martial art Jiu-Jitsu is so specifically good for healing trauma. We discuss in detail the overlaps with yoga and where these practices differ. We offer some ideas for why all facilitators should have trauma sensitivity training and what that might look like. We talk about exposure to triggers, and breathwork, and finally get into some really clarifying discussions about disassociation. Dr. Jamie Marich (she/they) describes herself as a facilitator of transformative experiences. A clinical trauma specialist, expressive artist, writer, yogini, performer, short filmmaker, Reiki master, TEDx speaker, and recovery advocate, she unites all of these elements in her mission to inspire healing in others. She began her career as a humanitarian aid worker in Bosnia-Hercegovina from 2000-2003, primarily teaching English and music while freelancing with other projects. Jamie travels internationally teaching on topics related to trauma, EMDR therapy, expressive arts, mindfulness, and yoga, while maintaining a private practice and online education operations in her home base of Warren, OH. Jamie is the author of numerous books on trauma recovery and healing, with many more projects in the works. Marich is the founder of The Institute for Creative Mindfulness. Jamie is the author of Transforming Trauma with Jiu-Jitsu. Her new book Dissociation Made Simple is now available. Check out Jamie's website. Follow Jamie on Instagram. ----------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Pre-order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

22 | Trauma Healing with the NYPD | Annie Labrada

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 05:00:00 +0000

In this deeply touching and sensitive episode, I'm in conversation with a long-time friend and colleague, former Sergeant for Transit District One, Annie Labrada. In this conversation, we discuss Annie's time at the New York Police Department (NYPD) and the traumas she and her colleagues experienced. She shares her coping mechanisms, her journey to becoming a certified yoga teacher, and her and her colleagues' efforts to bring yoga to the NYPD through NYPD Blue Karma Yoga and NYPD Health and Wellness. We talk about one particular officer, Aaron Lohman who has a very inspirational health story. We also dive into how we met and my work with Three and a Half Acres Yoga (THAY) to bring yoga to the NYPD. Annie is a graduate of the (THAY) Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training. We have our next training coming up on March 4th and 5th. You can find more info on that HERE. In 2019 after the department lost ten members who died by suicide, Annie decided to join the founders of NYPD Blue Karma Yoga. Realizing how much her yoga practice helped regulate stress, handle intense emotions and find the peace she knew it would only help others. Annie completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training in May 2020 and taught her first class for BKY on May 18 on Instagram live. In-person classes would follow, and often officers were surprised by how good they felt after class. Introducing several officers to their very first taste of yoga was one of the most rewarding parts of her career. She was promoted to Sergeant in July 2021 and served for Transit District One in Columbus circle. Stepping into a supervisory role was challenging but fulfilling. Again Annie fell back on her yoga practice. The Labrada family is living in Mal Pais, Costa Rica. ----------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Pre-order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

21 | Humanwork | Betsy Polatin

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 05:00:00 +0000

In this conversation, I interview my former teacher, Betsy Polatin who taught me Alexander Technique at Boston University as part of my theater studies. Those teachings had a profound impact on my life, helping me to recognize where I was making unuseful efforts both with my body and in my life. I began to understand personal responsibility in a new way and my relationships shifted. Twenty years later those lessons are still with me and resonate strongly as I prepare to release my first book. Here we talk about the mind-body connection and Betsy's expanded model for releasing trauma with her clients. Internationally recognized breathing/movement specialist and best-selling author, Betsy Polatin, MFA, SEP, has been teaching for more than forty-five years. She was a master lecturer at Boston University’s College of Fine Arts for twenty-five years. Her background includes many years of movement education and performance, as well as training in the Alexander Technique, music, dance, yoga, meditation, trauma resolution, and the broader healing arts. Her work is greatly influenced by the teachings of Spiritual and Meditation Masters. Betsy leads international trainings where she presents her unique and revolutionary fusion of ideas: scientific knowledge combined with ancient wisdom and intuitive human creativity. A sample of her teaching experience includes Berklee College of Music, Touch and Movement in Trauma Therapy for PESI, Kripalu, The Embodiment Conference, Tanglewood Music Festival, Opera Institute of Boston, Psychotherapy Networker, Performing Arts Medicine Association, U.S. Association for Body Psychotherapy, Science and Nonduality Conference, and International Trauma and Yoga Conferences in the US and abroad. Since 2016, she has been co-teaching ongoing traveling workshops, themed “Trauma and the Performing Artist” and “Trauma in the Public Eye,” with Peter A. Levine, PhD. She also teaches “Returning to Ourselves, the Wisdom of Trauma,” with Dr. Gabor Maté. Betsy is the author of the best-seller, HUMANUAL, an Epic Journey to your Expanded Self, and The Actor’s Secret. As a well-known educator, she has published numerous articles in the Huffington Post. She maintains a private practice online internationally. Please visit: HUMANUAL.com ----------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Pre-order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

20 | The Trauma of Caste | Thenmozhi Soundararajan

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 05:00:00 +0000

In this deeply important conversation with Thenmozhi Soundararajan, we discuss the often overlooked, devastatingly real trauma of caste. Thenmozhi's eye-opening work exposes how the brutal creation of caste is still harming so many, both in South Asia and here in the states. Her personal story of surviving religious trauma and her insights into the ways caste-oppressive rituals are steeped in our yoga culture are a must for any yoga practitioner or teacher. Thenmozhi Soundarajan is a Dalit Civil rights artist, organizer, and theorist who has worked with hundreds of organizations to better understand the urgent issues of racial, caste, and gender equity. Working across disciplines, she is an innovative strategist and thinker who has built bridges between many communities around the world. Through her work at Equality Labs, Thenmozhi has mobilized the South Asian American community to confront their historical trauma and to break the silence about caste, and to commit to ending caste apartheid, gender-based violence, white supremacy, and religious intolerance. Thenmozhi previously co-founded Third World Majority, an international media training organization and collective that supported people from disenfranchised Her intersectional, cross-pollinating work—research, education, art, activism, and digital security—helps to create a more generous, global, expansive, and inclusive definition of South Asian identity, along with safe spaces from which to honor the stories of these communities. Her new book The Trauma of Caste, A Dalit Feminist Meditation on Survivorship, Healing, and Meditation is available now where books are sold. Find Thenmozhi at https://dalitdiva.com/ and on her Instagram ----------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Pre-order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

19 | Womb Healing | Sabrina Vedete Elmaliah

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Sabrina Vedete Elmaliah and I discuss the power of intention especially as it applies to healing generational trauma. Sabrina shares her family's trauma history and how this informs who she is and how she works on herself. We explore group healing and the power of combining crystals, yoga, chanting, nature, and group work to heal. Sabrina's Jeweled Womb Membership starts January 20th in divine timing with the New Year. Learn more at: https://www.sacredlotusyonisteam.com/certification Sabrina and I met at Steady Slope AirBnB Sauna & Camping Experience. Please check them out: and support https://www.steadyslope.com/ Sabrina Vedete Elmaliah, M.A.; is the Founder of Sacred Lotus Yoni Steam, a leading brand in herbal wellness. She is a Vaginal Steam Therapist, Sensual Arts Guide, 200RYT Yoga Teacher, and published writer committed to reviving the divine feminine womb to liberate, inspire and remember Goddess. Her sacred works are yoni centric and focus on healing deep wounds to release ecstatic bliss. She is a Ceremonialist who shares the benefits of ancient women's medicine traditions through Sacred Ritual, Temple Dance, and Nature Therapy to unlock your sacred mission and devotional passion with private clientele and in workshops and retreats around the world. Her heart and soul have been illuminated by the birth of her first daughter, Ayalah Rana. Through her journey into Motherhood, a deep calling has arisen to gather with women and their children to heal the trauma of the feminine through the portal of the womb. Find Sabrina at https://sacredlotusyonisteam.com/ and on Instagram ----------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Pre-order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

18 | Exploring Psychedelics | Rachel Aiden

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 05:00:00 +0000

In this conversation, I speak with prosocial entrepreneur, Rachel Aiden about what we know about the use of psychedelics on healing the impacts of trauma. We discuss what steps and precautions one should talk before embarking on the world of plant medicine, what one can expect if one decides to go on a journey with her company Synthesis and the roles of the guides, group work and integration in the process. Rachel Aiden is a prosocial entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience working on projects across the U.S., East Africa, and Europe. Currently, she’s the CEO at Synthesis Institute, a legal psilocybin retreat and practitioner training center with locations in Amsterdam and Oregon. Rachel holds a B.A. in Transformative Education & Leadership, M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Trauma-Informed Leadership, and is completing her Ph.D. in Integral/Transpersonal Psychology at California Institute of Integral Studies, where her research focused on psilocybin-assisted treatment for PTSD and Complex Trauma. Find Rachel at https://www.synthesisretreat.com/ and on Synthesis on Instagram ----------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Pre-order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

17 | Seventeen Years of Incarceration | Chris Wilson

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Chris Wilson had a normal childhood with a loving and nurturing mom who gave him many of the lessons and skill sets he uses today, but when gun violence started showing up in his neighborhood everything changed for Chris. In this podcast, we discuss the traumatic stress young Chris had to go through surrounded by so much violence both from kids on the streets and the folks who were supposed to be protecting him, how that landed him with a life sentence, and how he got free both literally and mentally. We cover the specific tools Chris used and continues to use to change his way of thinking and achieve accomplishments that most would find impossible outside the confines of prison. There is so much to learn here from Chris's single-minded focus, use of rewards and deterrents, journaling, and vision boarding. I'm so glad I got to have this conversation with him. Chris splits his time between Baltimore, Maryland, and New York City and works as a visual artist, author, film producer, and social justice advocate. Through his work, he investigates societal injustices, human relationships, and public policies. His book, The Master Plan, continues to inspire people from all walks of life. His artwork is collected and displayed internationally and his production company, Cuttlefish, has produced several successful films, including The Box which was featured at the Tribeca Film Festival. He is also the founder of the Chris Wilson Foundation, which supports social entrepreneurs and prison education, including re-entry and financial literacy for returning citizens, as well as art-related programs. Find Chris at https://chriswilson.biz/ and https://www.chriswilsonfoundation.com/ and on his largely popular Instagram where you can see his outstanding art. ----------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Pre-order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

16 | War Veterans and Sleep | Pamela Stokes Eggleston

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 05:00:00 +0000

In this wonderful conversation with my long-time friend and yoga service comrade, Pamela Stokes Eggleston, we discuss her experience with secondary trauma which she faced after taking care of her husband who returned from service with PTSD. We talk about the signs of trauma and how she's been able to take what she's learned to heal herself with yoga practice and help war veterans and their families. We also explore the importance of sleep and Pamela's core work helping folks to sleep better using the practice of yoga. Pamela Stokes Eggleston, MBA, MS, C-IAYT, E-RYT-500, YACEP is the founder and Director of Yoga2Sleep, Co-Founder of Retreat to Spirit, and Clinic Faculty at the Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH). She's a certified yoga therapist, meditation teacher, and end of life doula with specialized training in plant-based nutrition, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), and trauma-informed yoga to work with service members, veterans, their caregivers, and insomnia sufferers. Pamela has a Master of Science in Yoga Therapy and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus. She has served on the board of the Accessible Yoga Association, the advisory board of Yoga Unify, the Grant Advisory Committee of the Yoga Alliance Foundation, and on the editorial board of the Journal of Applied Yoga Studies. An accomplished consultant, advisor, published author and international speaker, Pamela has worked for numerous agencies including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, the Veterans Administration, the Department of Labor, as a yoga therapy intern for Johns Hopkins Medical Center, and as an advisor on Congress-supported publications centering on substance abuse, mental health, criminal justice, and military and veteran family matters. Find Pamela at www.yoga2sleep.com and www.retreattospirit.today and on Instagram ----------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Pre-order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

15 | Facing Grief | Michelle C. Johnson

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode with Michelle Casandra Johnson, we cover the importance of the grieving process and having practices that support it. We discuss how our practices have shifted since Covid-19 and the things we hope will not go back. Michelle talks about working with our ancestors and learning from their traumas and resistance as well as her special connection to her honey bees. Michelle wrote the foreward for my forthcoming book, The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga out with Shambhala Publications in May 2023. It was wonderful to connect with her here. Michelle C. Johnson is an author, yoga teacher, social justice activist, intuitive healer, and Dismantling Racism trainer. She approaches her life and work from a place of empowerment, embodiment, and integration. As a dismantling racism trainer, she has worked with large corporations, non-profits, and community groups, including the ACLU-WA, Duke University, Google, This American Life, Auburn Seminary, Kripalu, Mercedes, Spotify, Lululemon, and many others. Michelle published Skill in Action: Radicalizing Your Yoga Practice to Create a Just World in 2017; the second edition of Skill in Action, published by Shambhala Publication, comes out November 2nd, 2021. She teaches workshops in yoga studios and community spaces nationwide. Michelle’s latest book, Finding Refuge: Heart Work for Healing Collective Grief, published by Shambhala Publications, came out in July 2021. Her upcoming book, We Heal Together: Rituals and Practices for Building Community and Connection, published my Shambhala Publications, is available for pre-order now and comes out in April 2023. Whether in an anti-oppression training, yoga space, individual or group intuitive healing session, the heart, healing, and wholeness are at the center of how Michelle approaches all of her work in the world. Michelle's Website & Instagram ----------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

14 | Transcending Sexual Trauma | Zahabiyah Yamasaki

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0000

In this conversation, Zahabiyah Yamasaki and I talk about how trauma-informed yoga can help survivors of sexual trauma, the power of the fully accepting, non-judgemental relationship, and tips for yoga teachers including trauma-informed language and the energy trauma-informed yoga teachers should bring into the classroom. Zabie shares why a survivor might choose yoga over talk therapy, the limitations on resources for survivors on college campuses and how she has been able to launch her 8-week trauma-sensitive yoga program in Universities nationwide. Zabie Yamasaki is the Founder of Transcending Sexual Trauma through Yoga which is an organization that offers trauma-informed yoga to survivors, consultation for universities and trauma agencies, and training for healing professionals. Zabie has trained thousands of yoga instructors and mental health professionals and her trauma-informed yoga program and curriculum is now being implemented at over 30 college campuses and trauma agencies including the University of California (UC) system, Stanford, Yale, USC, University of Notre Dame, and Johns Hopkins University. She is a survivor, mother, partner, daughter, sister, friend, and activist. She has received countless awards in victim services and leadership, including the Visionary in Victim Services award from one of the largest rape crisis centers in California and the Voice of Courage Award from Exhale to Inhale. She is the author of the book and affirmation deck published by Norton: Trauma-Informed Yoga for Survivors of Sexual Assault: Practices for Healing and Teaching with Compassion and forthcoming children's book published by PESI, Your Joy is Beautiful: The Magic of Knowing You Are Enough, Just as You Are. ----------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

BONUS EPISODE: The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000

In this special BONUS episode, I share a bit about the writing of my forthcoming book, The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All due out this May for Shambhala Publications. I also detail what you can expect to find inside the book and how you can get a first look at the cover and a chance to WIN a free copy! Make sure to listen to find out how! Follow me at laralandyoga for more updates!

13 | I Am Capable | D'Angela Alberty

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0000

In this bravely vulnerable interview, D'Angela Alberty shares what it was like to grow up in an abusive family. Her story helps us understand how abuse follows an individual and just what it takes to disrupt that cycle. D'Angela's story is a gift for both folks going through abuse and for those who care enough to understand and look out for it. She details the people, resources, and questions that helped her escape and the practices she uses now to stay in tune with her self-worth and inner peace. Please note that this episode could be triggering. D’Angela Alberty (she/her/hers) is a lifelong learner, Criminal Justice graduate, Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse Advocate, Meditation & Yoga Teacher, Energy Healer, & business owner. Choosing to focus on her physical wellness, D’Angela became a Certified Health & Wellness Coach in September 2021. D’Angela has 200+ hours of yoga training, ranging from vinyasa focus to trauma-informed practices. D’Angela completed the Three and a Half Acres Yoga training virtually in September 2021. D’Angela is a survivor of Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse and has been free from all of the abuse for over a year now. She is also a solo parent to three young children ages 6, 3, & 2. D’Angela has opened her own business, Emotional Rebirth, LLC, to help trauma survivors break free of their story by reconnecting to their personal power. Find D'Angela on her Instagram or highly popular TicToc page. ----------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

12 | The End of Duality | Lama Rod Owens

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0000

In this deep episode with Lama Rod Owens, we discuss the what it means to face the reality of life and do the hard work of coming to know and love ourselves. We discuss the difference between practicing for comfort verses freedom, the wise message in anger, and how becoming more expansive actually leads to better boundaries. Plus, the roles of the teacher, the student and the teachings along this path. Lama Rod Owens is an author, activist, and authorized Lama (Buddhist Teacher) in the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism. Lama Rod is the co-founder of Bhumisparsha, a Buddhist tantric practice and study community. He holds a Master of Divinity degree in Buddhist Studies from Harvard Divinity School where he focused on the intersection of social change, identity, and spiritual practice. He is the author of Love and Rage: The Path of Liberation Through Anger, and a co-author of Radical Dharma, Talking Race, Love, and Liberation, which explores race in the context of American Buddhist communities. Lama Rod has been a teacher with the Daishin Zen Buddhist Temple, the Urban Yoga Foundation, Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme), a visiting teacher with Natural Dharma Fellowship and the Brooklyn Zen Center. He has been a faculty member for the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s professional education program in mindfulness for educators and has served as a guest faculty member for the school’s course Mindfulness for Educators. Lama Rod has been published and featured in several publications including Buddhadharma, Lion’s Roar, Tricycle, The Harvard Divinity Bulletin, Spirit Magazine. He has offered talks, retreats, and workshops for many organizations and universities including New York University, Yale University, Harvard University, Harvard Law School, Columbia Law School, Tufts University, University of Vermont, and Boston College. Website | Instagram ----------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

11 | Healing Trauma Through Nature | Micah Mortali

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 04:00:00 +0000

Micah Mortali and I discuss how nature immersion, rewilding, survival, ancestral skills can support our circadian rhythms, and proper release of melatonin, regulate our nervous systems and ease the impacts of trauma. We talk about the impact of technology on our psychies and that of our children, especially teens, the minimum unnegotiable outdoor time a human needs each week (so start tracking) and I share my personal experiences learning from Micah and how they helped me through some tough dysregulated times. Micah’s life’s work is about helping modern humans reconnect with their deeper, truer selves through mindfulness, rewilding, and immersion in the natural world. Micah is a lifelong student of the world’s great spiritual traditions whose undergraduate work was in comparative world religions. In his 20’s, he was a wilderness counselor and outdoor educator with young adults, guiding back country expeditions on both land and water. For the past 17 years, Micah has been leading retreats, trainings, and programs at Kripalu. Micah was the Director of the Kripalu Schools for 7 years, and it was during this period that he was inspired to create the groundbreaking Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership and write the book Rewilding: Meditations, Practices and Skills for Awakening in Nature published by Sounds True. Mich is a lifelong archer and in 2022 launched Mindful Archery at Kripalu and began work on his next book which will focus on archery as a spiritual practice. Micah holds a master’s degree in Health Arts and Sciences from Goddard College. He is dedicated to the idea that human beings are a self-aware expression of the living earth, and that our future depends on awakening to this reality, and remembering how to communicate more effectively with the systems that govern life on this planet. He lives with his wife and kids in the Berkshires, where he enjoys getting out into nature, listening to the Earth, and sitting by a crackling fire or a laughing brook as often as possible. Website Kripalu Instagram Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

10 | The Exceptional Potentiality of Yoga | Seane Corn

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 04:00:00 +0000

Seane Corn is an internationally-acclaimed yoga teacher, author, and public speaker who has been at the forefront of yoga, activism, and community service for 28 years. In this episode we delve into the significance of the tension we carry in our bodies, our addiction to holding onto it, and what happens when we begin to release it. We examine the specific medicine that yoga offers in allowing us to release past trauma, how it works, and the awakening to true self and to love that lies on the other side. Seane details her own ongoing process of coming to know herself and the shifts she is making as a result of this inner knowing. She has some special messages for yoga teachers and the yoga community. Known for her social activism and impassioned teaching style, Seane is raw, honest, articulate, and spiritually inspired in her self-expression. Her leadership and commitment to justice for all beings, along with 30+ years of yoga practice, have galvanized thousands to practice, pray, find more purpose, and activate change from the inside out. A longtime student, Seane models authenticity in her yoga journey and is considered an artist in her craft. Seane has chosen to use her platform to bring awareness to global issues, including social justice, sex trafficking, HIV/AIDS awareness, and animal rights. In 2005, she was named “National Yoga Ambassador” for YouthAIDS, and in 2013 received both the Global Green International Environmental Leadership Award and the Humanitarian Award from the Smithsonian Institute. She co-founded the organization Off the Mat, Into the World®, which trained leaders in community activism. Seane also co-founded the Global Seva Challenge, which raised over $3.5 million by activating yoga and wellness communities in fund and awareness-raising efforts. Her first book Revolution of the Soul, was published in Fall 2019. Her online program, Align With Source, has a global reach of thousands and has been a touchstone of community support during the pandemic. Seane's Website Revolution of the Soul Seane's Instagram Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify. Your support is deeply appreciated! Visit My Site Make a donation Instagram

9 | Learning to Pause | Lara Land |

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 04:00:00 +0000

In this solo episode of the Beyond Trauma Podcast, I take a look back at the wisdom our guests shared with us in Season 1 as well as drop some hints about Season 2 and who is to come...(hint... some MEGA stars) I also make some announcements about what I have been working on and how we might work together! Join me as usual for our next guest episode in two weeks! Lara Land is a deeply compassionate coach, consultant and yoga teacher trainer specializing in trauma sensitivity. Her work is in helping to heal trauma both subtle and significant and train others to do the same using yoga, meditation, mindfulness and breathing practices. Lara has spent the last 25 years studying and sharing yoga asana, chanting, meditation, and philosophy directly from her teachers in India. Her commitment is to honor the traditions of yoga by responding to the needs of each individual, using a unique combination of practices and techniques that are appropriate for their personal growth. Some of her many certifications include: trauma informed mindfulness, life coaching, therapeutic fasting, and mindfulness in nature. Lara has been featured in and contributed to New York Magazine, Huffington Post, Yoga Journal, Apartment Therapy and on Fox5, CBS, NY1 and SiriusRadioXM. As always, you can find me at: www.laraland.us www.soulfestrevolution.com www.threeandahalfacres.org www.buymeacoffee.com/CoachLara

8 | The Wellness Gap | Kerri Kelly

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 04:00:00 +0000

In this conversation with community organizer, wellness activist and author, Kerri Kelly, we talk about the perpetual and often unspoken trauma present in our country due to the systems in place that have created and sustain a health, education, wealth, and wellness gap where some are able to seemingly thrive and others are given so little. We also talk about about what it does to us to be on the privileged side of that chasm and the ways it trains us to be isolated, numbed out, scarcity focused, and lonely. We also discuss an evolving definition of the word wellness and the importance of the agency to decide what that word means for us. Kerri is the founder of CTZNWELL, a movement that is democratizing wellbeing for all. She’s been teaching yoga for over 20 years and is known for making waves in the wellness industry by challenging norms, disrupting systems and mobilizing people to act. A community organizer, wellness activist and author of the recently released book American Detox: The Myth of Wellness and How We Can Truly Heal, Kerri is recognized across communities for her inspired work to bridge transformational practice with social justice. She is a powerful facilitator, TED speaker and is the host of the prominent podcast, CTZN. You can learn more about her work at kerrikelly.co and ctznwell.org. Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify. Your support is deeply appreciated! Visit My Site Make a donation Instagram

7 | We All Have Addictions | Nikki Myers

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 04:00:00 +0000

Nikki Myers is the creator of Y12SR Yoga of 12-step recovery. She is an expert on the subtle nature of addition and the ways to apply both cognitive and embodies practices to fully address addiction. We discuss how addiction is a part of us all and the ways we use it to find relief from being uncomfortable. Nikki is such a wealth of knowledge quoting Patanjali’s yoga sutras like pie and making the connections between the cognitive, somatic, and spiritual that we ALL NEED. Nikki is an accomplished speaker and teacher, yoga therapist, somatic experiencing practitioner, addictions recovery specialist and Ayurvedic specialist and founder of Y12SR a relapse prevention program that weaves yoga and the 12-step program. Her Y12SR meetings are available internationally and online! And her curriculum has become a feature of addiction recovery treatment centers. She was named a Yoga Journal Game Changer and is an honored recipient of the esteemed NUVO Cultural Visionary Award.She was named a Yoga Journal Game Changer and is an honored recipient of the esteemed NUVO Cultural Visionary Award. Nikki's Website | Instagram Find me, Lara on my website / instagram Enjoying this podcast; Buy me a coffee here! Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

6 | The hidden Cost of "little t" trauma | Dr. Liz Cohen

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 04:00:00 +0000

Dr. Liz Cohen discusses how the field of trauma research is changing and helping us understand more about neuroplasticity, the rewiring that happens to our brains from ongoing "small t traumas" that we may not have thought about as impacting us. Childhood situations where our needs were regularly unmet can result in responses which are more likely to be chronic. Do you find yourself in patterns with your partner or kids you can’t seem to get out of? We dissect how to get to know and understand our survival mechanisms and break those patterns. Dr. Cohen also shares great insights on how she combines clinical psychology, cognitive behavioral therapy and Somatic Experiencing, what she does in a session when she doesn’t know what to do next, and what we we are likely to see if we don’t take the time to feel deeply and reflect upon what happened in the last years with the covid crisis. Dr. Cohen, a clinical psychologist, is the author of, Light at The Other Side of Divorce: Discovering the New You. She is the CEO and founder of the online divorce course and membership Afterglow: The Light at the Other Side of Divorce. Dr. Cohen is the CEO of the Center for CBT in NYC. Dr. Cohen received her PhD in clinical psychology from Boston University. She was the recipient of the prestigious American Psychological Foundation Research Award for her research on the emotional effects of 9/11. She has been featured on the Tamron Hall Show, the Wall Street Journal, NBC News, Women’s Health, Huff Post, Thrive Global, Daily Beast and Good Housekeeping. Dr. Cohen is a weekly contributor to Psychology Today with her “Divorce Course” column. Dr. Cohen’s Divorce Doctor podcast which shares people’s divorce stories hit 10,000 downloads in only 3 months. Website / Instagram Your support is greatly appreciated! Find me, Lara on my website / instagram Enjoying this podcast; Buy me a coffee here! Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

5 | Redefining Resilience | Devika Shankar

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 04:00:00 +0000

I am honored to be in conversation with Devika Shankar, a transnational feminist, organizer, and advocate interested in supporting activists and organizers of color in building an embodied practice and increasing their capacity for resilience in the face of long-haul social justice work. In this conversation we talk about what happens when our nervous system over reacts and the subtle practice of becoming more aware when that occurs. We discuss how to find practices which regulate us and why this self regulation is important for social justice movements to survive and thrive. We also dig into activism, resilience and how you can get involved in making a difference! Devika has over 13 years of experience in the field of domestic violence, working with survivors of color, immigrants, youth, and LGBTQ survivors. She’s an organizer with AF3IRM, and In her work at Lumos Transforms, Devika provides and training on trauma-informed and resilience-oriented approaches. Your support is deeply appreciated! Visit My Site Make a donation Instagram Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

4 | Softening after Trauma | Samantha Lucas

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 07:00:00 +0000

As you will hear in this episode, Samantha Lucas is the survivor of multiple traumas which have impacted her life and for which yoga and meditation have been great practices on her path to healing and softening. In this episode Sam shares some of the ways the traumas she’s experienced have shown up in her personality and how yoga has shifted that, the ways she was able to practice when in the hospital, a realization she had in a previous interview with me about her body and her practice, and the number one advice she would give yoga teachers when sharing the practice with students with trauma. Plus, hear what Sam has to say about the folks drawn to Ashtanga Yoga and the number one tool she used to cure the “phantom pain” she experienced after losing her leg in a horrible motorcycle accident. Samantha Lucas has been practicing Mysore style ashtanga yoga since 2006 which she found after six years practicing other styles. Since her first trip in 2008 Samantha has returned almost yearly to continue her studies at KPJAYI, the Ashtanga Yoga Institute which authorized her to teach in 2014. *Please note that this episode does touch on those traumas and their affects including suicidal thoughts. Make sure to take care you are in the right space to listen. If you are, there are some great take aways for both yoga practitioners and teachers for how you can tailor the practice to reduce harm and promote healing. Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify. Your support is deeply appreciated! Visit My Site Make a donation Instagram

3 | Stress, Yoga & Epigenetics | Alexandra Seidenstein

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode with my dear friend, Alexandra Seidenstein, we discuss the study of epigenetics, a biological science which tracks patterns of activation or deactivation of our DNA expression. Ali's work and our conversation revolves around the changes in expressions of genes as a result of PTSD and her hypothesis of how those same genes might express themselves differently after longterm yoga, meditation, and mindfulness practices. We also talk about the importance of science in validating what we yoga practitioners know to be true, the loops associated with pain and trauma and how yoga can shift those, and what Ali sees happening in the future of science. Ali’s insights from her personal life experience with and scientific research of yoga and trauma are unparalleled. Her understanding of and belief in eastern and western healing modalities and systems of measurement puts her in a unique position to share wisdom with all of us. Alexandra Seidenstein is a yoga teacher with nearly 20 years of experience. She was previous on the faculty at NYU in the Biomolecular Engineering program, where she remains a premedical advisor. She is all but dissertation for her PhD with Dr. Brad Aouizerat at the Bluestone Clinic at NYU where her thesis research is focused on epigenetic, particular gene expression changes in response to PTSD. She is currently a 4th year medical student pursuing Orthopaedic Surgery. She holds a B.S in neuroscience and an M.S in molecular. biology. As the founder of the non-profit, Kids Who Care, Inc., Ali holds over 20 years experience in advocacy and leadership. Alexandra Seidenstein Introduction to Yoga and Physiology Yoga for back pain. Transform the global food system Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify. Your support is deeply appreciated! Visit My Site Make a donation Instagram

2 | A Trauma Survivors Guide to Teaching Yoga | Marcy Tropin

Mon, 23 May 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Yin/Restorative yoga teacher Marcy Tropin does not just help others heal through the teachings of yoga, she has survived multiple traumas herself. In this conversation she offers some really important insights she's had through her own experience taking ownership of her healing and her own narrative. We discuss the importance of right effort in maintaining a longterm yoga practice. As you listen, I encourage you to think about places in your yoga practice and life you could increase or reduce effort for a better result. If you are a yoga teacher, there are some really good tips in here for how you can create and attract a safe space for your students by remembering and understanding what the experience is like from the student’s perspective. Make sure to listen closely for the equalizing way Marcy starts every class she teaches and the other resources she uses to support her and her students. Marcy Tropin is certified in Alan Finger's ISHTA Yoga, Ancient Thai Healing, as a Relax and Rew Trainer through Judith Lasater, in Yin Yoga with Paul Grilley, and completed Shiva Rea's Advanced Teacher Training. Marcy is an intuitive healer, and works with students to release pain, and recover from injuries through private bodywork sessions. In 2017 she self-published Yin Yoga Master Class: A Memoir. In 2021, Marcy launched Thumbsky, an apparel brand with original designs combining yoga, humor, equality, art and writing. Follow Marcy's instagram here. Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify. Your support is deeply appreciated! Visit My Site Make a donation Instagram

1 | A New Relationship to Stress | Hala Khouri

Mon, 09 May 2022 07:00:00 +0000

In this inaugural episode Hala and I dissect the core components to creating a safer, more trauma sensitive environment when teaching yoga. Hala offers invaluable advice about what yoga teachers should ask themselves before stepping in the yoga room and what we need to understand about the nervous system so that we don't cause harm to our students. Hala also offers outstanding advice about how to navigate different stress levels within the yoga space and how to understand where yoga fits in in the range of tools available for stress management. Hala Khouri, M.A., SEP, E-RYT (she/her), is a sought-after speaker and trainer on the subject of trauma, embodiment and social justice. She has been teaching yoga and movement for over 25 years and has been doing clinical work and trainings for 15 years. Hala is a co-founder of Off the Mat, Into the World, a training organization that bridges yoga and activism within a social justice framework and an Adjunct Professor at Pitzer College. She leads Collective Resilience trauma informed yoga trainings nationally. Hala also trains direct service providers and educators to be trauma informed and culturally responsive. She leads a monthly, online membership program called Radical Wellbeing. She is the author of Peace from Anxiety: Get Grounded, Build Resilience and Stay Connected Amidst the Chaos (Shambhala). Follow Hala's instagram here. Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify. Your support is deeply appreciated! Visit My Site Make a donation Instagram

Coming this May!

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 17:45:12 +0000

We have all been touched by trauma and we have all experienced trauma and its impacts in very varied degrees and ways. Uncovering and understanding our own traumas whether generational, racial, sexual, medical or any combination of these or others, is the first step in identifying and eventually broadening our patterns and reactions. This is the commitment necessary for being better in our lives and more positively impacting others. Whether you are a yoga teacher or practitioner, body worker, or coach, you'll want to tune in to broaden your understanding of trauma and the embodied practices we can use to soften its impacts. Visit My Site Make a donation Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs compliments of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.