What does it actually mean to live in accordance with your dharma, and how do you figure out what your dharma actually is?

In today’s episode, I sat down with Myra Lewin, an incredible yoga and ayurvedic teacher and founder of Hale Pule, to explore the concepts of dharma and swadharma. 

In our conversation, Myra shares her personal journey from the medical industry to discovering Ayurveda and yoga, which transformed her life and health. Together, we delve into the importance of understanding one's purpose and living in alignment with it, including the role of yoga and ayurveda in achieving balance and clarity.

Listen in to hear:

• Myra's journey from feeling chronically unwell to finding healing through Ayurveda and yoga
• The concept of dharma as a collective and individual purpose
• How past experiences contribute to our current path and understanding
• The importance of self-inquiry and listening to one's eternal self
• Practical Ayurvedic practices to support living your dharma
• The role of joy, acceptance, and serenity in recognising alignment with dharma.
• Myra's personal daily practices that support her life

Connect with Myra Lewin at https://halepule.com

Get on the waitlist for the Yoga Psychology Mentorship at https://www.yogapsychologymentorship.com 

Watch the How to Teach Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Masterclass at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/how-to-teach-yoga-for-nervous-system-regulation

Be the first to hear when the dates of our next programs are announced and gain instant access to our curated Spotify playlist for nervous system regulation at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join

This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

How can we regulate our nervous system, ease anxiety, and create lives of greater connection and wellbeing?

In this heart-opening conversation, I sat down with Dr Kaitlin Harkess (she/her) to explore the transformative role of somatic practices, compassion, and lifestyle medicine in supporting mental health.

Together, we dive into:

• The importance of connection for mental health and wellbeing
• How understanding the nervous system can help us manage anxiety
• Practical somatic strategies from her new book for regulation and grounding
• The role of physical activity, nature, and recreation in reducing stress
• Why relationships, community, and service are pillars of wellbeing
• How a compassionate perspective reduces stigma around anxiety
• The power of flexibility and personalisation in health practices

Dr Kaitlin N. Harkess, PhD, is the author of The Somatic Workbook for Nervous System Regulation and Anxiety Management, host of the Wisdom for Wellbeing podcast, and founder of the holistic therapy practice Wisdom for Wellbeing. A Clinical Psychologist and long-time yoga and meditation teacher, Kaitlin has helped hundreds of individuals experiencing anxiety, overwhelm and burnout reconnect with their bodies and build resilience through integrative, evidence-informed practices.

Kaitlin’s new Somatic Workbook offers step-by-step, body-based strategies that complement psychological tools—an empowering resource for anyone navigating anxiety or stress and wanting to live with more balance, presence, and resilience.

Watch the How to Teach Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Masterclass at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/how-to-teach-yoga-for-nervous-system-regulation.

Be the first to hear when the dates of our next programs are announced and gain instant access to our curated Spotify playlist for nervous system regulation at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join.

Find out more about our wonderful sponsor:

• Organic India at https://www.organicindia.com.au - use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next order

This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

In this episode, I sit down with the incredible East Forest to explore the profound connections between music, mental health, spirituality, mushrooms, gratitude and collective awakening.  

Together, we dive into some truly thought-provoking topics, including:

• How music can be a powerful tool for healing and self-expression
• The importance of vulnerability in creativity and connection
• The role psychedelics can play in mental health and enhancing spiritual experiences - and how to approach them safely and legally
• Why inner work is essential for personal growth, activism, and collective awakening
• The magic of storytelling and its ability to inspire and connect us

We also reflect on how spirituality can be woven into the fabric of everyday life, finding gratitude in the simplest of moments - like the warmth of sunshine or the presence of a loved one. This conversation is a beautiful reminder of the transformative power of connection, compassion, and presence.

We do speak about suicide and drug use, so if these are topics you don’t want to hear about today, you might like to skip this episode.  

Connect with East Forest at https://eastforest.org/

For crisis support in Australia, contact Lifeline at http://lifeline.org.au or 13 11 14, or find support from anywhere in the world at https://befrienders.org.

Watch the How to Teach Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Masterclass at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/how-to-teach-yoga-for-nervous-system-regulation

Be the first to hear when the dates of our next programs are announced and gain instant access to our curated Spotify playlist for nervous system regulation at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join


This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

Will AI take over from yoga teachers?

Join Lizzie Lasater and me as we explore this new frontier of AI in yoga practice, teaching and education.

I’ve been watching as Lizzie has embraced AI in her yoga teaching lately, and was delighted to dive into this somewhat controversial topic with her. I think you’re going to love it!

In this conversation, you’ll hear about the reservations we’ve both had about AI and how we’re now using it very intentionally in our lives and work. 

We also dive into the practicalities of living a restful life, amidst the demands of mothering and working, and how we’re both using AI, not as a way to enhance productivity and achieve more, but to claim back more spaciousness for ourselves, our families and the people we serve.

Lizzie Lasater teaches all about creativity, functional movement, somatic strength, and Restorative Yoga. In this season of her life, she is focused on her yoga practice, family life with her twin boys, and designing online courses. 

Connect with Lizzie Lasater at https://www.lizzielasater.com.

Watch the How to Teach Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Masterclass at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/how-to-teach-yoga-for-nervous-system-regulation.

Be the first to hear when the dates of our next programs are announced and gain instant access to our curated Spotify playlist for nervous system regulation at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join.

Find out more about our incredible sponsor Organic India at https://www.organicindia.com.au - use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next order

This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

Join Elena Brower (she/her) and I as we explore her incredible new book, Hold Nothing. This conversation is an invitation to slow down, reflect and embrace the beauty of letting go.

We talk about the transformative power of gratitude, the courage it takes to navigate life’s hardest conversations, and the lessons death can teach us about living fully. Elena also shares her journey through addiction and sobriety, offering wisdom on self-discovery, healing, and the meditative rituals that bring us back to presence.

This episode is deeply personal, soulful, and a reminder to hold space for yourself as you navigate life’s complexities.

What You’ll Take Away:

• How gratitude can anchor you in life’s toughest moments
• Why letting go is essential for personal growth
• The role of yoga, meditation, zen and tea in cultivating presence
• How death awareness can inspire meaningful living

I hope this episode resonates with you as much as it did with me. If it does, please share it with someone who could use a little more presence in their life. And don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review, it helps us bring more meaningful conversations like this to you.

Pre-order Elena Brower’s book at https://elenabrower.com/holdnothing/ 

Join our incredible, thriving community of seekers, dreamers, yoga teachers, health professionals and curious humans. Be the first to hear when the dates of our next programs are announced and gain instant access to our curated Spotify playlist for nervous system regulation. Go to https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join. 

Download a free chapter of my book Mental Health Aware Yoga: A Guide for Yoga Teachers at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/book.

Learn more about the Coming Home to Yourself Mentorship at https://www.laurentober.com/cominghome.

Find out more about our wonderful sponsor, Yoga Australia, at https://yogaaustralia.org.au. 

This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

So many people keep asking me if I have an audio version of my book, Mental Health Aware Yoga, so I’m doing something a little different today, and reading the first chapter of the book on the podcast!

So, pour yourself a cuppa, snuggle into your favourite comfy chair and let me read you a story! In the first chapter, I share all about my journey with yoga and mental health, how and why I came to create this program, and why I think it’s so important that all yoga teachers understand mental health.

While the book is written for yoga teachers, this chapter in particular is for anyone interested in the intersection of yoga and mental health, or for anyone, like me, who loves to learn about people’s journeys and how they came to be doing the work they’re doing.

If you would prefer the written version instead, you can also download the first chapter for free at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/book.

To get your hands on a copy of the book, including all the additional resources that you can access in our online Shala, head over to your favourite online independent bookstore or go down to your local bookshop and ask them to order it in. You can also find links to purchase at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/book.

And to join our incredible thriving community of seekers, dreamers, yoga teachers, health professionals and curious humans, and gain instant access to our curated Spotify playlist for nervous system regulation. Go to https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join. This playlist is designed to help you feel calm, focused and grounded in minutes, and might just become your go-to tool to create balance in your day.

Find out more about our wonderful sponsors:

• Organic India at https://www.organicindia.com.au - use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next order
• Yoga Australia at https://yogaaustralia.org.au

This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

You don’t often hear the words sexy and menopause in the same sentence, so when my friend Lisa Fitzpatrick told me she was writing a book on the topic, I knew that I had to get her on the podcast to tell us all about it.

Lisa (she/her) is a pelvic and sexual health educator, speaker, physiotherapist, yoga teacher and writer devoted to helping women reclaim their sensuality, self-worth and personal power, especially in midlife and beyond.

While my intention for this conversation with Lisa was to dive right in and talk about sexuality and intimacy in menopause, we went a bit off script, and Lisa shared, quite vulnerably, about her recent mid-life crisis and descent into the underworld.

In the episode, you’ll not only hear about sexuality and intimacy in menopause, you’ll also hear Lisa share about what triggered her dark night of the soul, how she navigated through these devastating times, what brought her back, and the gifts that this deeply challenging time brought her. 

I don’t think we talk enough about sexuality, menopause and traversing life's deeply challenging times, and I’m so grateful that Lisa shared her experience with us.

Connect with Lisa at https://www.sexymenopause.com

The 2025 Yoga Psychology Mentorship has closed for registration. Get on the waitlist for the 2026 mentorship at https://www.yogapsychologymentorship.com

Watch the How to Teach Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Masterclass at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/how-to-teach-yoga-for-nervous-system-regulation/

Jump on our free email newsletter and be the first to hear when new offerings and episodes are announced at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join/

Find out more about our wonderful sponsors:

• Organic India at https://www.organicindia.com.au - use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next order
• Yoga Australia at https://yogaaustralia.org.au

This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

Why are so many yoga teachers in crisis and questioning their path?

Join Theo Wildcroft, co-editor of The Yoga Teacher’s Survival Guide, and I as we deep dive into some of the challenges that yoga teachers are facing right now, including cultural appropriation, how to best honor the roots of yoga, the trauma embedded in sanskrit, the lack of pedagogy in contemporary yoga teaching, the tension between yoga and capitalism, what post-lineage yoga actually means and more.

But there’s hope! Theo brings such joy and generosity to this conversation and shares a way through the minefield, including leaning on the three sources of authority - inner wisdom, expert advice and community.

Theo Wildcroft (she/her), PhD, is a teacher, writer and scholar working for a more sustainable relationship between our many selves, the communities that hold us, and the world that nourishes us. Her research considers the democratization of yoga post-lineage, and meaning-making in grassroots communities of practice. She’s a lover of vulnerable people, of wild things and wild places, and of the simple miracle of life itself. 

Theo is the author of Post-Lineage Yoga: From Guru to #MeToo, co-editor of The Yoga Teacher’s Survival Guide, co-editor of Yoga Studies in Five Minutes, and editor of the forthcoming Religion and the Sense of Self.

Connect with Theo Wildcroft at https://theowildcroft.com/

Join the Yoga Psychology Mentorship starting 8th August 2025 at  https://www.yogapsychologymentorship.com

Watch the How to Teach Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Masterclass at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/how-to-teach-yoga-for-nervous-system-regulation/

Jump on our free email newsletter and be the first to hear when new offerings and episodes are announced at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join/ 

Find out more about our wonderful sponsor, Yoga Australia, at https://yogaaustralia.org.au 

This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

Mindfulness without compassion can be pretty bleak at times. 

In this heartfelt and insightful conversation, I’m joined by yoga teacher, author, and mindfulness facilitator Anna Taylor (she/her) to explore the deeper layers of yoga, compassion, and the human experience.

Anna shares her personal journey through yoga and mindfulness, the vulnerable process of writing her new book, and how compassion has become a foundational element in both her teaching and life. 

Together, we explore the intersection of neuroscience, emotional wellbeing, and spiritual practice - offering practical tools and gentle reminders for anyone navigating the highs and lows of being human.

You’ll hear about:

• The brain’s negativity bias and how it impacts our self-perception
• Why compassion, not just self-improvement, is at the heart of yoga
• What it really means to hold space for others and ourselves
• How to meet difficult days with grace and presence
• The difference between fixing ourselves and truly caring for ourselves

Whether you're a yoga teacher, a mental health professional, or someone seeking more ease and authenticity in your life, this conversation is a balm for the soul.

Connect with Anna Taylor at https://www.mindbodybalance.co.uk

Join the free info session for the Yoga Psychology Mentorship on the 25th July 2025 at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/yoga-psychology-mentorship/#info

Watch the How to Teach Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Masterclass at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/how-to-teach-yoga-for-nervous-system-regulation/

Sign up for the Embodied Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Workshop in Mullumbimby on the 26th of July 2025 at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/calendar/

Jump on our free email newsletter and be the first to hear when new offerings and episodes are announced at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join/ 

Find out more about our wonderful sponsor, Yoga Australia, at https://yogaaustralia.org.au 

This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

Have you ever noticed how the same sequence, repeated with care, can feel brand‑new every time?

In this episode, I sat down with Karen Fabian (she/her) to explore the unexpected magic of practising and teaching one carefully crafted flow again and again. 

Karen shares the story of integrating her work as a health professional and a yoga teacher, and discovering how gratitude, creativity and straight‑up perseverance wove those threads into a career in yoga education.

Together we unpack:

• why predictability in class can lower anxiety and build learner confidence
• how to design a signature sequence that meets your own needs, and if you’re a teacher, shares your unique voice
• practical ways yoga supports emotional regulation and overall wellness
• the role of relentless curiosity—questioning cues, philosophy and the industry itself—to keep your teaching fresh
• the evolving dance between personal practice and professional service

Karen is a yoga teacher, podcast host, author, and founder of Bare Bones Yoga. With a background in rehabilitative medicine and healthcare, she integrates her deep knowledge of anatomy and movement into her teaching and empowers yoga teachers to lead confident, accessible classes while understanding the why behind their cues.

Connect with Karen Fabian at https://barebonesyoga.com/

The Yoga Psychology Mentorship opens for registration tomorrow. Get on the waitlist at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/yoga-psychology-mentorship/

Watch the How to Teach Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Masterclass at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/how-to-teach-yoga-for-nervous-system-regulation/

Sign up for the Embodied Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Workshop in Mullumbimby on the 26th of July 2025 at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/calendar/

Jump on our free email newsletter and be the first to hear when new offerings and episodes are announced at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join/ 

Listen to Dr Lauren’s interview on Karen’s podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/meet-dr-lauren-tober-ep-355/id1432716189?i=1000713093686

Find out more about our wonderful sponsors:

• Organic India at https://www.organicindia.com.au - use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next order
• Yoga Australia at https://yogaaustralia.org.au

This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.