Regulate First: The Missing Link in Health Behavior Change

In this episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy Wheeler is joined by Sara Klute Behn, a yoga therapist and health coach based in Iowa, for a thoughtful conversation about nervous system regulation, sustainable health behavior change, and the deep overlap between yoga therapy and health coaching.

Together, they explore why willpower alone rarely leads to lasting change—and why regulation, safety, and support matter far more. Sara shares her personal journey through anxiety, life transitions, and healing, and how those lived experiences shaped her work supporting women who feel overwhelmed, overextended, and stuck in cycles that no longer serve them.

This conversation invites listeners to slow down, reconsider how change actually happens, and reflect on what it means to create a regulated life—one small, compassionate step at a time.

In This Episode, We Explore

• Why health behavior change is not a motivation problem, but a nervous system issue
• How yoga therapy and health coaching naturally complement one another
• The role of self-regulation in eating, movement, sleep, and emotional resilience
• Why consistency grows from safety, not force
• Reframing identity as a pathway to sustainable change
• Letting go of all-or-nothing thinking around movement and wellness
• How slowing down can actually increase effectiveness and clarity
• The importance of creativity, joy, and ritual in healing
• Supporting women through burnout, anxiety, and overachievement without self-judgment

About Sara

Sara Klute Behn is a yoga therapist and health coach who supports women in reconnecting with their bodies, values, and inner wisdom. Her work integrates yoga therapy, nervous system regulation, and holistic coaching to help clients move out of overwhelm and into steadier, more nourishing patterns of living.

She offers individual coaching, group programs, corporate wellness, and seasonal offerings designed to support long-term change with compassion and clarity.

Website: https://www.yourwiseselfwithsara.com

Closing Reflection

If you’ve ever felt frustrated by your inability to “stick with” healthy habits—despite knowing what to do—this episode offers a reframing worth sitting with. Regulation precedes change. Support matters. And slowing down may be the most strategic step forward.

Contact Amy Wheeler:

www.TheOptimalState.com

School of Integrative Health at NDMU:

https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health

Master of Science in Yoga Therapy at NDMU:

https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy

Explore NDMU’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices, designed specifically for licensed healthcare professionals:

https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices

Try our Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at NDMU:

https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification

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Optimal State App for iPhone:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/optimal-state/id1604424804