Yoga Therapy Hour with Amy Wheeler

Guests: Kenya DeJarnette , Yoga Therapist and Cancer Survivor Tina Paul , Yoga Therapist and Instructor at Memorial Sloan Kettering and MUIH In this powerful episode, host Dr. Amy Wheeler sits down with yoga therapist Kenya DeJarnette and her former professor Tina Paul for a deeply moving conversation on healing, resilience, and finding one’s path through cancer and beyond. Kenya shares her transf...

Episode Summary: In this deeply moving and honest episode, Amy Wheeler welcomes Lisa Becks—a yoga teacher, clinical social worker, and long-time practitioner—who shares her lifelong journey with yoga as a steady companion through grief, motherhood, cancer, and healing. Lisa recounts how she first encountered yoga in her early twenties while grieving the sudden loss of her mother, and how that one...

In this thought-provoking solo episode of  The Yoga Therapy Hour , Amy Wheeler explores the profound topic of  safety in human relationships , drawing from recent co-creative discussions with seasoned therapists and yoga practitioners, as well as insights from Polyvagal Theory. Episode Highlights: The Foundation of Healing : Amy emphasizes that safety—both internal and external—is the essential fo...

Episode Summary: In this deeply moving and powerful episode, Amy Wheeler sits down with Dr. Steffany Moonaz—yoga researcher, author, educator, and founder of  Yoga for Arthritis —to discuss her professional contributions to the field of yoga therapy, and the personal story that nearly shattered everything she knew about herself. What begins as a conversation about the  CLARIFY Guidelines  and the...

In this episode of  The Yoga Therapy Hour , Amy Wheeler is joined by Tamala Floyd, LCSW, to explore the powerful integration of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and ancestral healing. Tamala, author of  Listening When Parts Speak , discusses how generational trauma can be healed through connecting with our ancestors and unburdening our exiled parts. She shares her journey into the world of IF...

In this deeply moving and powerful episode, Amy sits down with Nicole Fitch, a yoga therapist-in-training and future occupational therapist from Brisbane, Australia. Nicole shares her inspiring story of transformation—from losing her father in a tragic accident at age 15, through years of shutdown, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, to a life of purpose, connection, and embodied healing....

In this heart-opening and deeply insightful episode, Amy Wheeler welcomes Jeffrey Shoaf—yoga therapist, Kripalu-trained teacher, bodyworker, and retreat leader—to explore the profound personal and professional transformation yoga brought into his life beginning at age 48. Jeffrey shares how yoga reawakened his childhood love of movement, helped him reconnect with his body after decades as a genera...

In this episode, Amy Wheeler welcomes back Kimberly Searl, a faculty member at Maryland University of Integrative Health’s M.S. in Yoga Therapy program. Kimberly brings decades of experience in teaching anatomy, kinesiology, and physical assessment through the lens of yoga therapy. Together, Amy and Kimberly explore what it truly means to assess the physical body in a therapeutic context, challeng...

In this deeply moving and enlightening episode of  The Yoga Therapy Hour , host Amy Wheeler welcomes Bobbi Lalach, a kinesiologist and yoga therapist from Cranbrook, British Columbia. Bobbi shares her powerful story of recovery after a traumatic car accident left her with a concussion—and a life turned upside down. At first, Bobbi didn’t realize she was injured. As a mother of five and a healthcar...

Opening Paragraph In this solo episode, Amy Wheeler invites listeners into a conversation about the intersection of childhood religion and the lifelong path of yoga therapy. What happens when the grace-filled teachings of Lutheran Christianity (insert your belief structure here) meet the depth and systematization of Indian philosophy? Can we honor both? Amy explores her own journey—from growing up...

Episode Summary: In this compelling episode of  The Yoga Therapy Hour , host Amy Wheeler sits down with Alyssa Morales, a yoga therapist and registered nurse based in Rochester, NY. Alyssa shares her deeply personal journey of overcoming an eating disorder and how yoga became the catalyst for profound healing and self-empowerment. She also discusses how she mindfully integrates her background in n...

Episode Description: In this deeply moving and profoundly insightful episode, Amy Wheeler welcomes yoga therapist, author, and pelvic health expert Cheri Dostal Ryba to share her personal story of healing, embodiment, and reclamation. Cheri’s journey touches on intergenerational trauma, family estrangement, caregiving for a parent in crisis, and the body’s remarkable wisdom in processing, protecti...

Welcome to this heartfelt episode of  The Yoga Therapy Hour , where we dive deep into the complex terrain of  grief, loss, and healing  with author and Ayurvedic practitioner  Sweta Vikram . In this vulnerable and profound conversation, Sweta shares her personal story of losing both her father and father-in-law within days of each other and how her yoga and Ayurveda practices carried her through t...

In this episode of  The Yoga Therapy Hour , host Amy Wheeler welcomes Jenna Schissel, a yoga therapist based in Des Moines, Iowa, who brings a deeply personal and integrative perspective to the field. Jenna shares her journey of self-discovery, shaped by her experiences with social anxiety and introversion. She discusses how yoga became a natural path for inner healing, providing her with a struct...

Welcome to the Yoga Therapy Hour in 2025! Host Amy Wheeler kicks off the year by diving deep into Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1.33, which offers a framework for improving relationships and cultivating inner peace. Amy reflects on how yoga has helped her heal physically, emotionally, and in her relationships, emphasizing the transformative power of clarity, compassion, and discernment.   This episode fo...

In this inspiring episode of  The Yoga Therapy Hour , host Amy Wheeler sits down with Tracy Stonaker to explore her journey of healing and transformation through yoga and Ayurveda. Tracy shares her deeply personal story of navigating a challenging divorce, overcoming fear, and finding her inner strength through her yoga practice. She discusses the pivotal moments in her life that led her to Ayurve...

In this deeply insightful conversation, Amy Wheeler sits down with yoga therapist Mandy Henderly to explore her personal journey of healing and embodiment. Mandy shares her story of being diagnosed with a brain tumor at 13, how her nervous system responded to the medical trauma, and how yoga eventually became a key tool for reconnecting with her body and navigating mental health challenges. From d...

Episode Summary: In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour , host Amy Wheeler welcomes Alex Sabbag, author of Soul Dive: My Journey Into the Deep , yoga studio owner, and soulful entrepreneur. Together, they explore the transformative power of life’s most challenging moments and the lessons learned along the way. Alex shares her powerful personal story, including how...

Welcome to the Yoga Therapy Hour in 2025! Host Amy Wheeler kicks off the year by diving deep into Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1.33, which offers a framework for improving relationships and cultivating inner peace. Amy reflects on how yoga has helped her heal physically, emotionally, and in her relationships, emphasizing the transformative power of clarity, compassion, and discernment.   This episode fo...

Welcome to 2025 and an inspiring new episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour . Amy Wheeler kicks off the year with a heartfelt conversation with renowned yoga therapist, biomechanist, and movement expert, Susi Hately. As an accomplished athlete and founder of Functional Synergy, Susi shares her transformative journey from high-performance sports to a deeper understanding of the power of rest, recovery, a...

In this short and sweet solo episode, host Amy Wheeler reflects on an incredible year of The Yoga Therapy Hour as we prepare to go on winter break. Join Amy as she: Expresses Gratitude: Amy reviews some of the amazing guests we’ve had on the show in 2024, thanking them for their invaluable contributions to conversations about yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda. Encourages Exploration: Didn’t catch e...

This week on The Yoga Therapy Hour , Amy sits down with Halli Faulkner, a trauma-informed yoga therapist and trainer specializing in working with survivors of sexual assault and violence. Halli shares her deeply personal journey of healing from childhood trauma and how it led her to develop workshops and one-on-one sessions designed to create safe, empowering spaces for survivors. With a focus on...

In this episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour , we welcome Elizabeth Ralph, founder of The Spiritual Investor, a podcast and community dedicated to transforming our relationship with money through spiritual and energetic principles. Elizabeth shares her unique approach to managing finances with clarity, intention, and an elevated consciousness that aligns deeply with the values of yoga practitioners. T...

In this solo episode of  The Yoga Therapy Hour , Amy Wheeler dives into the transformative science of Polyvagal Theory. Drawing on her experience as a pod leader for the Polyvagal Institute, Amy explores how understanding the body’s response to perceived threats can guide us to greater self-awareness, embodiment, and healing. This episode is a powerful resource for anyone looking to deepen their c...

Welcome to this enlightening episode of the Yoga Therapy Hour! Today, we have the pleasure of hosting Ella Davar, RD, a longevity nutritionist whose work delves deep into the intersection of nutrition, lifestyle, and longevity. Ella brings a wealth of knowledge about gut health, the brain-gut axis, and the role of the vagus nerve in managing our stress response. She discusses how a well-functionin...