A Grateful Life

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.

Join us for a deeply transformative conversation about yoga as a path of self-remembrance and coming home to ourselves. 

In this episode, I sit down with Tracee Stanley (she/her) to explore the profound practice of yoga nidra and how it can guide us back to our true essence.

In the episode, Tracee takes us on a journey into how she discovered yoga after a spontaneous experience on a balcony watching the sunrise in South Africa, and how she now weaves yoga and yoga nidra so deeply and intimately into her life and work. 

She shares with us about yoga nidra as a practice, as a goddess and a state of consciousness, and guides us through a beautiful protective practice to support us through difficult times. 

Tracee is the author of the bestselling book Radiant Rest: Yoga Nidra for Deep Relaxation and Awakened Clarity and The Luminous Self: Sacred Yogic Practices & Rituals to Remember Who You Are. She is also the founder of Empowered Life Circle, a sacred community and portal of practices, rituals, and Tantric teachings inspired by more than 28 years of studentship in Sri Vidya Tantra and the teachings of the Himalayan Masters. As a post-lineage teacher, Tracee is devoted to sharing the wisdom of yoga nidra, rest, meditation, self-inquiry, nature as a teacher, and ancestor reverence. 

This is a delightful and thoughtful episode, and I am so honoured to have delved into this conversation with Tracee and to share it with you here today.

Connect with Tracee Stanley at https://www.traceestanley.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/

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/

Find out more and get on the waitlist for the Yoga Psychology Mentorship at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/yoga-psychology-mentorship/

Find out more and get on the waitlist for the online Mental Health Aware Yoga training at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/online/

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.

We often talk about adolescence but what about matresence? 

In today’s podcast episode, I sat down with Claire Holloway (she/her) to talk about all things pregnancy, birth and beyond. Claire is a yoga teacher, mother of two and the founder of the Centre of Bright Beginnings, where she holds space for women and parents to explore their own transformative journey, feeling supported and empowered towards autonomy in parenthood.

A few episodes ago, I spoke with Jane Hardwick Collings on the topic of sagesence, and in today’s episode Claire and I talk about matrescence and the role that yoga plays in supporting us during this perinatal period of our lives. 

While the focus of perinatal yoga is often on asana, the physical practice of yoga, in this episode we explore how other facets of yoga can support the perinatal journey, including pranayama, mantra, yoga nidra, the yamas and niyamas and having an understanding of the koshas.

This is an episode for anyone anywhere on the perinatal journey, and for those who love or work with people in this phase of their life.

Connect with Claire Holloway at https://www.yourbrightbeginning.com.au/

Be the first to hear when our new online Shala opens 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.

In today’s episode, I sat down with Leslie Kaminoff, to talk about the evolution of yoga and the power of breath in emotion regulation.

Leslie is a yoga educator inspired by the tradition of T.K.V. Desikachar, and for five decades has been leading workshops and trainings in the fields of yoga, breath anatomy and bodywork. He also is the co-author of the book Yoga Anatomy which has sold over a million copies, and is a staple on the bookshelf of many yoga teachers worldwide.

In the episode today, Leslie shares about his journey into yoga, learning from his father, becoming a Swami in India, then a householder in New York. 

We also unpack:

• the role of lineages and teachers in yoga,
• the trap of the ego and siddhis,
• the value of experiential learning over academic credentials,
• the power of the breath in self-enquiry and changing our emotional state,
• why he has no problem with things like goat yoga and hot naked yoga, and
• why Leslie believes it’s important to practice kriyas like kapalabhati before we practice pranayama. 

And stay right to the end to hear about Leslie’s personal practice these days, and how it’s evolved over the years.

Connect with Leslie Kaminoff at https://yogaanatomy.org

Join our email newsletter at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join/ 

Take Kajabi for a 30-day free spin at https://app.kajabi.com/r/HYb6mxhy/t/z2wqe6j9 

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.

As a new mum, Belinda Haan (she/her) knew all about the power of self-compassion as she’d been teaching other mums all about it in her work. But she had a little secret. She wasn’t being compassionate to herself, despite having all the knowledge and tools at her fingertips.

In today’s podcast episode, you’ll hear about how Belinda overcame this barrier to self-compassion, both back then as a new mum, and more recently as she’s navigated a big, scary challenge in her life.

Belinda also shares some simple and powerful ways we can overcome our own barriers to self-compassion, cultivate more of it in our own lives, and she guides us through a beautiful and very accessible self-compassion practice.

Belinda is a compassion ambassador, mindfulness teacher, and multidisciplinary coach and creator working as a bridge between science and spirituality to help people navigate the full joy, catastrophe and sacredness of life.

She has decades of study, research and applied experience across a broad range of modalities and approaches under her belt, including coaching, psychology, neuroscience, mindfulness, sacred space holding, compassion, embodiment practices, and matrescence and motherhood.

An Ambassador of Compassion with Stanford University, Belinda founded The Compassion Project to develop resources, partnerships and creative projects with the mission of bringing more compassion to the world.

Connect with Belinda Haan at www.thecompassionproject.au, use the code Agratefullife10 to get 10% off the Emotional Support for Mothers toolkit.

Join the Meditation, Pure + Simple online course with Dr Lauren Tober to try iRest Yoga Nidra at https://www.meditationpuresimple.com 

Be the first to hear when the doors of our new online Shala opens 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.

Jane Hardwicke Collings (she/her) works for the goddess and I’m delighted to introduce you to her in this latest podcast episode, as we talk about women’s mysteries and rites of passage.

I have been following Jane’s work for many years and last year, had the pleasure of attending one of her workshops on perimenopause. I was blown away, not only by what she was sharing, but also by the commanding way that she held the space for the biggest circle of women I have ever seen.

Jane is a grandmother, a former homebirth midwife for 30 years, a teacher, writer, and menstrual childbirth and menopause educator. She founded and runs The School of Shamanic Womancraft, an international Women’s Mysteries School and has created the first holistic menstrual cycle charting app called Spinning Wheels.

In today’s episode, we talk about:

• What it means to work for the goddess,
• What inspired Jane to devote her life’s work to women’s mysteries,
• Why it’s so important for us all to understand the seasons and cycles of a woman’s life,
• Sagescence and the wisdom that can come, both for women and men as we age, 
• Whether this wisdom is a given, or something that we need to cultivate in order to achieve, and
• Jane’s everyday practices to support her life

Connect with Jane Hardwicke Collings at https://janehardwickecollings.com/

Join our email newsletter to be the first to hear when our new online Shala is unveiled and our next program dates 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.