Yoga Therapy Hour with Amy Wheeler Podcast By Amy Wheeler cover art

Yoga Therapy Hour with Amy Wheeler

Yoga Therapy Hour with Amy Wheeler

By: Amy Wheeler
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Welcome to "The Yoga Therapy Hour Podcast," a harmonious blend of ancient wisdom and modern science, brought to life by Amy's expertise in psychology and public health. With over 100,000 downloads, this podcast delves deep into the principles of yoga therapy, offering expert interviews, practical solutions, and profound insights into real-life challenges.

From its inception, the first four seasons have been instrumental in elevating the domain of yoga therapy, emphasizing the pivotal role of lifestyle medicine in addressing both our mental and physical well-being. As we transition into Season 5, 6 & 7, Amy broadens the horizon, reaching out to the masses. Here, listeners will unravel how yoga therapy, when intertwined with lifestyle engineering, can serve as a powerful tool for holistic healing, touching the realms of the mind, body, and spirit.

Subscribe now and be part of a transformative journey that bridges the essence of embodied mental health with the spirit's depth. Join Amy in redefining mental and physical wellness. Also, leave us a review if you are enjoying the podcast and consider supporting us at the Optimal State & Yoga Therapy Hour Patreon page -https://www.patreon.com/yogatherapyhour


Go to www.TheOptimalState.com for more details on how to improve your mental and emotional health!

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Episodes
  • “All Life is Yoga”: Chen Or Bach on Joy and Healing

    “All Life is Yoga”: Chen Or Bach on Joy and Healing
    Jan 30 2026
    Episode summary Computer-science-turned-cognitive-science researcher and yoga therapist Chen Or Bach joins Amy to share a candid journey from academia to cancer survivorship, from mat-based practice to living yoga moment-to-moment. We trace how the pañca-kośa model reframed her healing, why standards and accreditation helped yoga integrate into Israeli healthcare, and what it means to let go of familiar tools and still remain fully in the path. It’s a forward-looking conversation about bringing steadiness (sthira) and sweetness (sukha) into real life—mountain trails, laundry folding, and all.Listen forNature as practice: Boulder’s mountains as living teachers of stability in change.Pañca-kośa in plain life: tending annamaya, prāṇamaya, manomaya, vijñānamaya, and especially ānandamaya—not as theory but daily design.When the practice stops “working”: giving yourself permission to let go of certain tools (āsana, set routines) and allow yoga to become how you meet each moment.Healthcare integration: how Israel’s modular 1,000-hour training (500 teacher + 500 therapy with specialty tracks) supported hospital uptake.Karma yoga without burnout: serving the field while protecting one’s vitality (tapas with svādhyāya and īśvara-praṇidhāna—Kriyā Yoga in action).Key takeawaysĀnanda is not optional. Many of us optimize the outer layers (food, steps) and starve ānandamaya kośa. Intentionally design joy-creating activities; the outer layers flourish downstream.Your practice can change shape. If a tool stops serving, it’s not failure—it’s viveka (discernment). Let the aim (clarity, compassion, steadiness) stay constant while methods evolve.Standards serve people. Thoughtful accreditation isn’t bureaucracy—it’s ahimsā and satya for clients and health systems: clear scope, reliable skills, safer care.Karma yoga needs boundaries. Service without self-regulation fuels burnout. Pair tapas with rest, supervision, and community—abhyāsa with vairāgya.Practical micro-practices (try today)Joy audit (5 min): List three ordinary tasks. For each, name one sensory element you can savor (temperature of water while washing dishes, sound of leaves on a walk).Kośa check-in (2 min): Ask: What does my body/energy/mind/wisdom/joy need right now? Choose one small step.Walk as yoga (10–20 min): No metrics. Attend to breath cadence, ground contact, and horizon/sky—let attention, breath, and body cohere.Resources mentionedPātañjala Yoga Sūtra (as study companion during illness)Bhagavadgītā (as a source of resilience and meaning)IAYT-inspired standards and Israel’s modular specialty pathways (trauma, oncology, etc.)About our guest — Chen Or Bach Chen Or Bach blends cognitive/neuroscience training with decades of yoga practice and service. In Israel, she helped advance standards that enabled yoga and yoga therapy to integrate into mainstream healthcare, including rehabilitation settings (e.g., TBI). Now based in Boulder, she continues to teach, mentor, and model a life where all life is yoga.Pull quotes“Once your attention, breath, and body are in the same place, the game changes.”“If one tool stops serving you, the tradition still has a thousand doors.”“I stopped ‘doing’ yoga and started being it—moment by moment.”“Standards aren’t red tape; they’re how we protect people.”School of Integrative Health at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-healthMaster of Science in Yoga Therapy at NDMU https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy Explore NDMU’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices, designed specifically for licensed healthcare professionals. https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices Try our Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification#IntegrativeHealth #HealthcareEducation #InterprofessionalEducation #GraduateSchool #NDMUproud #SOIHproud #SOIHYoga #SOIHAyurveda #NDMUYoga #NDMUAyurveda #SOIHGraduateSchool
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    54 mins
  • Yoga Therapy for Lymphoedema with Debbie Lamond

    Yoga Therapy for Lymphoedema with Debbie Lamond
    Jan 23 2026
    Episode snapshotDebbie Lamond (near London, UK) is a yoga teacher and yoga therapist specializing in support for people living with lymphoedema. After decades of personal practice and training with the British Wheel of Yoga, she blends breathwork, Yoga Nidra, gentle movement, self-care for the lymphatic system, and realistic habit tracking. This conversation feels like tea with a wise friend—practical, hopeful, and grounded in ahiṃsā, svādhyāya, and the steady courage of śraddhā.What we coverDebbie’s path: yoga since 1994, why it offered something team sports and fitness didn’t—time, calm, and coming home to self.Lymphoedema support, plain language: why movement, hydration, skin care, and compression are foundations—and how yoga fits in.Breath changes the body: how diaphragmatic breathing helps down-shift sympathetic overdrive and, anecdotally, can ease night-time swelling enough to return to sleep.Yoga tools that help: slow rhythmic movement, Yoga Nidra for nervous-system recovery, present-moment awareness to interrupt “what-if” spirals.Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD): “open the drains,” then move—pair with water intake and gentle activity.Ayurvedic lifestyle touches: cooling choices when heat aggravates symptoms, morning light, toxin reduction, and a simple habit tracker.Agency and dignity: building a daily routine you’ll actually keep—this isn’t a quick-fix pill.Practical takeaways (save/print)Three-minute reset: recline, elevate legs, one hand on belly; inhale gently through the nose, exhale a little longer; ~15–20 breaths. Notice if sensation and anxiety both dial down.Daily rhythm idea:Brief self-MLD (as taught by a qualified therapist).10–20 minutes of gentle yoga or a short walk.Hydrate and quick skin-check.Yoga Nidra or guided rest later in the day if swelling or fatigue rises.Get support: work with a qualified lymphoedema therapist for compression, self-care education, and monitoring.How yoga philosophy frames this workAhiṃsā (non-harm): move/rest in ways that protect tissue and reduce irritation.Svādhyāya (self-study): track patterns—sleep, flares, foods, stressors—without judgment.Īśvara-praṇidhāna (surrender): accept today’s reality while practicing skillful effort. Together, these form a sustainable sādhana for long-term conditions.Resources mentionedBritish Wheel of Yoga (for teacher standards and CPD)Lymphoedema Support Network (UK)Manual Lymph Drainage (find a qualified therapist)Yoga Nidra recordings for regulation and restWho this episode is forPeople living with primary or secondary lymphoedema; those post-treatment or post-surgery; clinicians curious about integrating breath and gentle movement; yoga therapists seeking condition-specific insights.About our guestDebbie Lamond is a UK-based yoga teacher and yoga therapist focusing on lymphoedema support. She offers one-to-one sessions (including online), small therapeutic groups through a local cancer charity, and a complimentary 30-minute consultation to explore fit.Connect with DebbieWebsite: DebbieLamondYoga.co.uk Initial consultation: 30 minutes, no charge (book via her website)Disclaimer: This episode and show notes are for educational purposes only and are not medical advice. If you have new or worsening symptoms, seek qualified medical care promptly.Plans of Study for NDMU Yoga Therapyhttps://livendm.sharepoint.com/sites/Academics/SitePages/Yoga-Therapy-Plans-of-Study.aspx?csf=1&web=1&share=EeZhGMscDMFOl1Lk0PD6gOsBTxvKkWvbfjhHLmMMuNpLFw&e=ApOX4h&CID=45c542e6-5528-4c68-a8ac-5596fb4fc161 School of Integrative Health at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-healthMaster of Science in Yoga Therapy at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy Explore NDMU’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices: Designed specifically for licensed healthcare professionals: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices Try our Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification #IntegrativeHealth #HealthcareEducation #InterprofessionalEducation #GraduateSchool #NDMUproud #SOIHproud #SOIHYoga #SOIHAyurveda #NDMUYoga #NDMUAyurveda #SOIHGraduateSchool
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    47 mins
  • From Trauma to “Safety in the Body”: Yoga Therapy, Joy, and Scope — with Erin Byron

    From Trauma to “Safety in the Body”: Yoga Therapy, Joy, and Scope — with Erin Byron
    Jan 16 2026
    Episode Summary: Amy sits down with therapist–author Erin Byron for a candid conversation that moves from Erin’s lived experience of trauma to the practical tools that help people feel safe in their bodies again. They explore how yoga therapy complements mental health care, why personalization matters, and how joy, play, and creativity support nervous system recovery. Midway, they wade into today’s hot topic: scope of practice and the identity of “yoga therapist.” Erin offers a clear, compassionate take on keeping sessions yoga-centered while collaborating across disciplines. They close with concrete, do-today practices and a peek at Erin’s free community gatherings and the Women’s Writers Collective in Yoga Therapy.Guest: Erin Byron, MA — psychotherapist, certified yoga therapist, author of Safety in the Body: Foundations in Mental Health Recovery through Yoga Therapy, Expressive Arts, and Neurophysiology; co-author of Yoga Therapy for Arthritis.Key Topics & Takeaways:Coming home to self: How classical yoga practices (breath, relaxation, attention training) quickly shifted Erin’s stress and sleep in early practice.Neurophysiology 101: Why connection, co-regulation, and prefrontal cortex “thickening” matter for trauma recovery.Judith Herman’s 3-stage model: Safety & trust → reconnection with joy/identity → integration and contribution.Joy is not a bypass: Adding play, beauty, and expressive arts prevents rehearsing trauma and accelerates healing.Personalized yoga works fast: Tailoring asana, breath, mantra, and visualization to the individual often yields quick, embodied results.Scope & language: Keeping sessions yoga-centered (practice-forward) while naming scope clearly; how to redirect talk into practice without overstepping.The profession today: Why holding firm to “yoga therapy” as a distinct, skillful discipline matters—and how collaboration (not dilution) serves clients.Practical nugget: Small “yoga snacks” (e.g., a fear-soothing mantra + mudra) can shift state in minutes when practiced consistently.Memorable Quotes:“Yoga didn’t change who I am; it taught me who I’ve always been.” — Erin“Do the hard work in the presence of joy—otherwise we just rehearse trauma.” — Erin“Bring the yoga only you can bring. No other field has these tools in this context.” — AmyResources Mentioned:Safety in the Body by Erin Byron (info and community updates via her newsletter/IG)Yoga Therapy for Arthritis (co-author Erin Byron)IG: @erinbyron.maNewsletter & free twice-monthly community hour: sign up via her website (link in show notes)Call to Action:Share this episode with a colleague who supports trauma recovery.Join the Women’s Writers Collective author spotlight Leave a rating/review if this conversation helped you—your support grows the reach of yoga therapy.Women’s Writers Collective in Yoga Therapy: monthly author spotlights & free book-club style events: · https://happy-back-yoga.teachable.com/p/the-yoga-therapy-book-club Plans of Study for NDMU Yoga Therapyhttps://livendm.sharepoint.com/sites/Academics/SitePages/Yoga-Therapy-Plans-of-Study.aspx?csf=1&web=1&share=EeZhGMscDMFOl1Lk0PD6gOsBTxvKkWvbfjhHLmMMuNpLFw&e=ApOX4h&CID=45c542e6-5528-4c68-a8ac-5596fb4fc161 School of Integrative Health at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-healthMaster of Science in Yoga Therapy at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy Explore NDMU’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices: Designed specifically for licensed healthcare professionals: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices Try our Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification #IntegrativeHealth #HealthcareEducation #InterprofessionalEducation #GraduateSchool #NDMUproud #SOIHproud #SOIHYoga #SOIHAyurveda #NDMUYoga #NDMUAyurveda #SOIHGraduateSchool
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    53 mins
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Amy Wheeler does a wonderful job explaining how Yoga Therapy is different than a yoga class. If you were wondering if you want to become a Yoga Therapist, this is the podcast you should be listening to.

Want to be a yoga therapist?

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I really enjoyed this sincere conversation about change, why we are resistant to it and how we can develop skill and resilience for the inevitable ups and downs of life. I love that @Nina Zolotow's book has practical yoga postures and practices that make this skill set believable and feasible. Thanks to both!

A Thoughtful Conversation About Change

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Listening to Dr. Amy Wheeler discuss and query the many aspects of yoga therapy in these episodes is pure magic. Each guest is expertly interviewed. Dr. Wheeler has a way of allowing her guests to pour the best of themselves into each episode. Excellent information for anyone who has an interest in Life’s magical unfolding.

Every Episode Is Enlightening!

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