Are you a brilliant yoga teacher or therapist who feels paralyzed when it comes to the business side of your practice? You’ve done the trainings, you have the heart, and you’re ready to reduce suffering—but the logistics of running a viable business feel like a separate, cold world.

In this episode, Michele sits down with Erin Alexander and Katie Pine, both graduates of Inner Peace Yoga Therapy and co-creators of the Sacred Success Mentorship. Together, they explore how to stop info-hoarding and start taking embodied action. We dive into why systems are actually an act of nervous system regulation, how to work with the energy of money ethically, and why community is a mandate for your professional success.

If you are ready to move from theory to a tangible, elevated offering, this conversation will show you that your business can be just as sacred as your practice.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• The Training Trap: Why we often seek more certifications as a shield against launching our work, and how to reclaim your inherent worth as a teacher.
• Systems as Self-Care: Katie Pine breaks down why organized structures are actually essential tools for therapist longevity and nervous system regulation.
• Defining Sacred Success: Moving beyond hustle culture to find a business model that honors your values and your unique dharma.
• Somatic vs. Logistic: A real-world look at hurdles like pricing and marketing, addressed through both an embodied lens (Erin) and a practical framework (Katie).
• The Energy of Money: How to stay grounded in your spiritual values while ensuring your business is financially sustainable.
• Finding Your Niche: Why trying to help everyone might be keeping you from helping the people who need you most.
• Community as a Mandate: The importance of the Soul Power Sangha and why we aren't meant to do this work in isolation.

Resources Mentioned:

• Sacred Success Mentorship: A 6-month journey to launch your elevated offering. [https://www.allsoulsyoga.com/business-mentorship.html]
• Soul Power Sangha: Community support for yoga therapists. [https://www.allsoulsyoga.com/virtual-classes.html]
• Inner Peace Yoga Therapy: 300 and 800-hour professional certifications. [https://innerpeaceyogatherapy.com/]

Connect with Our Guests:

• Erin Alexander: [https://www.allsoulsyoga.com/]
• Katie Pine: [https://www.reconnectionyogatherapy.com/]

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• Email us: info@innerpeaceyogatherapy.com
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What happens when deep academic study meets 20 years of dedicated practice? In this episode, Michele sits down with Tova Olsson, a religious studies scholar, author, and PhD candidate at Umeå University. Known for her "user-friendly" approach to yoga and tantra studies, Tova explains how mythology serves as a mirror for our "stuckness," why humor is an essential ingredient for spiritual growth, and how the Tantric view of the body can transform a yoga therapy session.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• The 'Scholar-Practitioner' Balance: How historical context and academic rigor can actually deepen—rather than detach—one's personal relationship with yoga.
• Mythology as a Clinical Mirror: Using the stories of deities to help clients navigate difficult life transitions and internal "stuckness."
• Philosophy for the Skeptic: Grounded ways to introduce complex concepts like Purusha (consciousness) and Prakriti (matter) to clients who are wary of "spirituality."
• The Tantric View of the Body: Shifting the therapeutic goal from "transcending" the body to honoring it as a sacred vessel—especially for those navigating trauma or illness.
• The Evolution of 'Global Yoga': Insights from Tova’s PhD research and the one thing she wishes every yoga teacher understood about the history of the tradition.
• The Power of Humor: Why a lighthearted approach is often the most effective way to bypass the ego’s defenses when dealing with the heavy topics of life and death.
• Personal Anchors: A look into Tova’s personal practice and how she stays regulated while running Saraswati Studies.

Key Resources & Links:

• Saraswati Studies: https://saraswati-studies.teachable.com/
• Follow Tova on Instagram: @saraswati_studies

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• Email us: info@innerpeaceyogatherapy.com
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This episode is a vital deep dive into a life transition that has been underserved and misunderstood for far too long. Michele sits down with Petra Coveney, the pioneering founder of Menopause Yoga™ and author of the new book, Menopause Yoga and Wellbeing.

Together, they explore why standard yoga often falls short during the menopausal transition and how a specialized, therapeutic approach—rooted in both endocrinology and the Five Koshas—can transform a woman’s experience from one of "deficiency" to a powerful "Second Spring."

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• The "Spark" of Menopause Yoga: Petra shares the personal and professional journey that led her to realize the need for a specific somatic protocol for menopause.
• Beyond Hormones: Using the Five Koshas to navigate the physical, emotional, and spiritual shifts of this life stage.
• Taming the "Fight or Flight": How to use the nervous system as an entry point to manage hot flashes, anxiety, and the sudden surges of cortisol common in perimenopause.
• The "Second Spring": Moving away from the medicalized view of menopause as a "decline" and reclaiming it as a season of renewal and power.
• Practicing for the Symptoms: Petra explains how to customize yoga therapy for the "heat and rage" of menopause versus the "brain fog and lethargy."
• Petra’s Personal Sadhana: How the woman who supports the world stays regulated and grounded in her own daily practice.

Resources & Links:

• Petra’s New Book: Menopause Yoga and Wellbeing
• Visit Petra’s Website: Menopause-Yoga.com
• Follow Petra on Instagram: @Menopause_Yoga

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• Email us: info@innerpeaceyogatherapy.com
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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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• Email us: info@innerpeaceyogatherapy.com
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In this episode, I sit down with the legendary Nikki Myers—MBA, Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, and founder of Y12SR: The Yoga of 12-Step Recovery. Nikki has spent decades at the crossroads of addiction recovery and somatic wisdom, teaching us that while the 12-Step meetings provide the "cognitive map," the yoga mat provides the "somatic laboratory" for true healing.

We dive deep into the soul-level work of recovery, discussing how to come home to a body that has been through the fire. If you have ever felt like your body was an unsafe place to be, or if you’ve struggled to find the "space" between a trigger and a response, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, we explore:

• The Birth of Y12SR: Why the "top-down" approach of 12-step programs needs the "bottom-up" wisdom of yoga to facilitate sustainable recovery.
• The Issues in the Tissues: A deep dive into how trauma, heartbreak, and addiction literally manifest in our fascia, our breath, and our posture.
• From Escaping to Befriending: How to stop numbing the body and start trusting it again, even when it feels full of cravings or anxiety.
• The Laboratory of the Mat: Using a yoga pose to practice staying present when things get uncomfortable, building the "resilience muscle" needed for daily life.
• Holding Space for the Healer: Nikki shares her personal practice for maintaining wholeness while holding space for thousands in their darkest moments.

About Nikki Myers

Nikki Myers is an accomplished teacher, practitioner, and speaker who has been featured in The New York Times, Yoga Journal, and Huffington Post. As the founder of Y12SR, she has trained thousands of leaders across the globe to integrate the cognitive tools of 12-step programs with the somatic tools of yoga. Her work is a testament to the fact that recovery is not just a mental shift, but a full-body homecoming.

Connect with Nikki:

• Website: y12sr.com
• Instagram: @nikkimyersy12sr

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In this soul-stirring conversation, I am joined by Mark Gardett, PhD, a yoga scholar, teacher, and author of the transformative new book, A Necessary Joy: Yoga and the Quest for Transformation.

Mark sits at the powerful intersection of trans identity and ancient yogic philosophy. Together, we explore the idea that "transness" is not just a destination, but a spiritual practice of expansion—one that mirrors the yogic journey toward the unchanging Self (Atman). Whether you are navigating a gender transition, a career shift, or the "identity injury" of trauma, this episode serves as a map for coming home to a self that cannot be lost.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Practice of Transforming: Why the act of becoming is more vital than the final destination.
• The Unchanging Core: How the concept of the "Atman" (the witness) provides a steady foundation during profound life shifts and gender transitions.
• Protecting the Inner Light: Strategies for staying open to a turbulent world while preserving your divine spark.
• Redefining Liberation: Is freedom an escape from the world, or a radical new way of being within it?
• Yoga in the Margins: Reclaiming yoga’s roots as a practice for those outside the "mainstream" centers of power.
• Sadhana as Foundation: Mark shares their personal daily practice and how it upholds their work as a coach and educator.

About Mark Gardett

Mark Gardett (they/them) is a transgender practitioner, scholar, and teacher of yoga with over 25 years of experience. They hold a PhD in English and specialize in therapeutic, trauma-informed yoga for individuals navigating PTSD and major life transitions. Mark is the founder of foundingqueers.com, where they coach LGBTQ+ business founders to operationalize their visions with integrity and joy.

Connect with Mark:

• Book: A Necessary Joy: Yoga and the Quest for Transformation (Available via Tehom Center Publishing)
• Coaching: foundingqueers.com

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• Email us: info@innerpeaceyogatherapy.com
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What happens when the goal of yoga isn't to "fix" or "cure," but to navigate the complex reality of a chronic condition with grace, humor, and agency? In this episode, we are joined by bestselling author and health journalist Kayla Kurin.

Kayla shares her global journey of navigating 50+ countries while managing chronic health issues, offering a refreshing perspective on how storytelling, comedy, and travel can reshape our identity. We dive deep into the intersection of journalism and somatic health, exploring how to live an expansive life right now, exactly as you are.

We dive deep into:

• The Power of Narrative: How we can use storytelling to communicate complex therapeutic needs.
• Identity & Stigma: Moving past the "stigma" of illness to live a full, adventurous life.
• Global Wisdom: Practical advice for living expansively, even when your health feels restrictive.
• Sadhana in Action: Kayla’s personal daily practices for maintaining stability.

About Our Guest: Kayla Kurin

Kayla Kurin is a health and travel journalist, comedy writer, and storyteller from Canada. She is the bestselling author of the Yoga for Chronic Illness series. Her work has appeared in prestigious publications such as The Toronto Star, Yoga International, and Matador Network. Having lived and worked in over 50 countries, Kayla draws on a global perspective to communicate complex therapeutic concepts with humor and heart.

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In this episode, Michele Lawrence sits down with wellness coach, author, and ecotherapy trailblazer Carrie Asby to explore the profound journey of remembering our connection to the wild. In an age dominated by digital noise and perfection burnout, Carrie invites us to move toward the power of presence by making nature a formal partner in our healing work.

We dive deep into how Ecotherapy serves as a clinical bridge for the nervous system, transforming routine movement into sacred ritual. Whether you are a yoga therapist looking for new somatic tools or a busy professional seeking a shift in perspective, this conversation offers a roadmap for anchoring your energy and reclaiming your Inner Peace through the natural world.

In this episode, we explore:

• The Journey of Remembering: How a single step home"can shift us from the pursuit of perfection to a state of being.
• Nature as Co-Therapist: The science of how green spaces regulate our nervous system, energy, and focus.
• Self-Love as Activism: Why healing our individual connection to the earth is a vital contribution to the collective health of our world.
• Leadership and the Wild: How green time alters the way we show up in clinics, boardrooms, and our most intimate relationships.
• Practical Rituals: A simple, accessible ecotherapy tool you can use today—even in an urban environment—to ground your energy and reduce burnout.

About Our Guest:

Carrie Asby is a wellness coach, retreat founder, and author dedicated to helping people reclaim their connection to the earth. Through her work in ecotherapy and somatic ritual, she guides individuals and groups through transformative shifts in perspective that foster resilience and wholeness.

Connect with Carrie:

• Website: https://carrieasby.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carrieasby/

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Connect with Inner Peace Yoga Therapy

• Email us: info@innerpeaceyogatherapy.com
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