In this powerful episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy Wheeler sits down with Chris Sax, President of Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH), to discuss one of the most significant transformations in the field of integrative health education: the merger of MUIH into Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU). Together, they reflect on the opportunities, challenges, and leadership lessons that come with navigating such a historic transition.

Chris shares openly about:

· The vision behind the merger and how it positions NDMU as the first comprehensive university in the U.S. with a School of Integrative Health.

· The unique opportunities this merger brings for interprofessional collaboration between integrative health programs and conventional disciplines like pharmacy, occupational therapy, nursing, physician assistant studies, and art therapy.

· The personal and professional realities of leadership during change—from high-stakes decisions to the very human challenge of guiding teams through uncertainty.

· Why cultivating compassionate leadership and emotional steadiness is just as essential as strategy, and how Chris has grown in this area throughout the pandemic and the merger process.

· The importance of knowing yourself as a leader—your strengths, your limitations, and the “sweet spot” where passion, skills, and natural wiring intersect.

· How to navigate burnout, resilience, and self-regulation while sustaining the long, slow work of higher education leadership.

· The future of higher education, why mergers are becoming more common, and how adaptability, possibility-thinking, and resilience will be critical skills for leaders moving forward.

Added Insights

Through stories of self-assessment, professional pivots, and the emotional labor of leadership, Chris offers grounded wisdom about what it takes to lead well in times of uncertainty. She speaks candidly about the loneliness of leadership, the value of knowing your own wiring, and how burnout shows up in subtle ways. Her reflections on ego, failure, and service illuminate a path toward authentic, purpose-driven leadership.

Together, Amy and Chris explore:

• Why self-awareness is the cornerstone of sustainable leadership

• How tools like the FIRO-B helped Chris realize she didn’t need to “be like everyone else”

• The internal cues that signal burnout—and how to respond to them

• The ego's role in both success and failure

• How higher education is shifting—and the mindset shifts required to keep up

• What it means to lead from service, not self

This is a conversation about leadership as a practice of svādhyāya (self-inquiry), vairāgya (non-attachment to outcome), and tapas (disciplined effort)—rooted in humility, honesty, and care.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

· Master of Science in Yoga Therapy at MUIH/NDMU: Learn more - https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/master-of-science-in-yoga-therapy/

· Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices (for licensed healthcare providers): Learn more - https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices/

· Post-Baccalaureate Ayurveda Certification: Learn more - https://muih.edu/academics/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification/

· Optimal State Mobile App – for daily check-ins and simple interventions to stay balanced: Visit here - https://optimalstateapp.com/

· Online Community with weekly yoga therapy classes & full class library: Join here - https://theoptimalstate.com/monday-yoga-therapy-clinic/

In this solo episode, a passionate Amy Wheeler shares candid reflections on the current state and future direction of the yoga therapy profession, with a specific focus on scope of practice, ethics, trauma care, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Now serving as the Chair of the Department of Yoga Therapy and Ayurveda at Maryland University of Integrative Health, Amy is teaching a course on ethics, code of conduct, and scope of practice for yoga therapists. This class has reignited critical questions about the growing responsibilities—and limitations—of yoga therapists as the field matures into a recognized profession.

Amy explores the nuanced distinction between yoga teaching and yoga therapy, why a tighter scope of practice means doing less (not more), and how trauma-informed care requires collaborative oversight with licensed healthcare practitioners. She also addresses ethical dilemmas in integrating somatics, psychotherapy, and nervous system regulation into yoga therapy sessions—and the risks of unintentionally appropriating Indian philosophical roots by stripping out the foundational teachings of Yoga.

With humility and experience, Amy examines the difference between salutogenic models (focused on wellness and whole-person care) and pathogenic models (focused on illness and symptoms), and encourages yoga therapists to find clarity in their role within an integrated care system.

Key Topics:

• Why the scope of yoga therapy is narrower than yoga teaching
• Understanding the ethical boundaries of trauma-informed yoga therapy
• The importance of interdisciplinary referrals to LHCPs (Licensed Healthcare Practitioners)
• How yoga therapists can avoid burnout and emotional overextension
• The difference between pathogenic and salutogenic models of care
• Why Indian philosophy must remain central to yoga therapy (and not be replaced by neuroscience alone)
• The relevance of Yoga Sūtra teachings such as svādhyāya, viveka-khyāti, and īśvara-praṇidhāna in trauma-sensitive practice
• Thoughts on training requirements for both LHCPs entering yoga therapy and yoga therapists working in mental health contexts

Resources Mentioned:

• Amy’s blog: The Yoga Therapy Bridge
• www.amywheeler.com → Blog section
• Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali, Bhagavad Gītā, Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā (as foundational sources)
• Spotify for accessible Upaniṣadic and Yogic philosophy podcasts to share with clients

Takeaways:

• Yoga therapy is becoming a true profession, and with that comes greater responsibility, structure, and accountability.
• Trauma-informed work requires caution, training, and often, referral partnerships—it cannot be done in isolation.
• It’s time for the yoga therapy field to develop clear referral guidelines, codify trauma care policies, and ensure practitioners are supported in their own healing journeys.

Connect with Amy Wheeler:

• Website: www.amywheeler.com
• Learn more about her academic work at www.optimalstate.com

Master of Science in Yoga Therapy https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/master-of-science-in-yoga-therapy/

Explore MUIH’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices, designed specifically for licensed healthcare professionals. https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices/

Try our Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at MUIH: https://muih.edu/academics/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification/