This episode is an exploration of what it means to be truly seen. Michele sits down with world-renowned photographer and yoga practitioner Robert Sturman to discuss the intersection of art, trauma, and the human spirit. Robert doesn’t just document yoga; he captures what he calls "figurative poetry." From the halls of maximum-security prisons to the lives of breast cancer survivors and veterans living with PTSD, Robert’s lens serves as a mirror for dignity, helping his subjects reclaim their wholeness.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• The Power of Being Seen: How the act of being photographed serves as a therapeutic intervention for those who have felt unseen or broken by society.
• Body as a Battlefield: Reclaiming dignity and wholeness through the lens when the physical body feels like a place of trauma or illness.
• The Stillness of San Quentin: What men in maximum-security prisons have taught Robert about the ability to shift an internal state from bracing to being.
• The Photographer’s Assessment: The visual cues Robert looks for that signal when a person has finally dropped into their own internal home.
• The Warrior & Vulnerability: Robert’s extensive work with the Veterans Yoga Project and how visual storytelling bridges the gap between military service and trauma healing.
• Positive Propaganda: How capturing yoga in unlikely places can shift the cultural and clinical narrative around recovery and resilience.
• Clearing the Residue: How Robert uses his personal practice to process the heavy environments he enters so he can continue pointing to the beauty.

Visit Robert’s Website: RobertSturmanStudio.com

Follow Robert on Instagram: @RobertSturman

Learn more about the Veterans Yoga Project: VeteransYogaProject.org

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