Sixteen months ago, one of our beloved Mental Health Aware Yoga mentors, Sandra Palmer (she/her) was diagnosed with stage four cancer, and was told that it was likely that she had less than two years to live.In today’s episode, Sandra talks about what it was like when she was first given this diagnosis totally out of the blue, how she has navigated the landscape of grieving, treatment, the medical system, communicating to others about her diagnosis, learning to listen to her own needs, and how yoga has helped. Sandra told me that when she was first diagnosed she was seeking other people’s stories about living and thriving with cancer, and part of her reason for coming on the podcast was to share her own story to help others who are traversing similar terrain.As a psychologist and yoga teacher, Sandra also shares ways in which teachers and therapists can support their clients and students who are living with cancer through yoga.We are delighted that Sandra is feeling vibrant and well and has returned to mentoring with us for the online Mental Health Aware Yoga training, and currently supports our students in New Zealand, USA and Canada.Connect with Sandra Palmer at https://www.integrativetherapy.co.nz Sign up to the online Mental Health Aware Yoga training starting on March 25th 2024 at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/onlineJoin our Mental Health Aware Yoga Facebook community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mentalhealthawareyogaVisit the Yoga Psychology Institute at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.comFind the Yoga Psychology Institute on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yogapsychologyinstitute Download the free Patañjali's Eight Limbs of Mental Health Aware Yoga ebook by Dr Lauren Tober at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/8limbsFind 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. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Have you ever wondered why you tend to get sick after a busy or stressful period, and wished you could do something about it?I certainly do! If you joined me for the Mental Health and Yoga Summits that we held in 2022, you might have noticed towards the end of each of the week-long Summits that my voice was getting pretty scratchy. After each Summit I came down with a cold, and spent a few days in bed afterwards recovering.My guest today, Dr Kaitlin Harkess (she/her) researched yoga, stress and the immune system for her PhD thesis and is on the podcast today sharing about psychoneuroimmunology and yoga.Kaitlin is a Clinical Psychologist and Yoga Teacher and the host of the wonderful Wisdom for Wellbeing podcast. She loves to help people develop the psychological skills they need to overcome burnout and change their life for the better. If you are interested in stress, spirituality, science, movement, health and living a good life, you are going to love this episode!Connect with Dr Kaitlin Harkess at www.drkaitlin.comSign up to the online Mental Health Aware Yoga training starting on March 25th 2024 at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/onlineJoin our Mental Health Aware Yoga Facebook community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mentalhealthawareyogaVisit the Yoga Psychology Institute at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.comFind the Yoga Psychology Institute on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yogapsychologyinstitute Download the free Patañjali's Eight Limbs of Mental Health Aware Yoga ebook by Dr Lauren Tober at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/8limbsFind 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. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

How can yoga help us to dissolve our addictive patterns?Today I’m joined by Lissie Turner (she/her), CEO of the The Prana Project, to talk about addiction recovery and yoga.In this moving interview, Lissie shares her own journey with transforming what she describes as a 22-year drinking career during her time as a presenter on Triple J Radio, into a thirst for a profoundly calmer and more humble life.We also explore a yoga therapy perspective on overcoming addiction and what we can all do to move through our addictive patterns.Connect with Lissie Turner at https://www.lissieturner.comConnect with the Prana Project at https://www.thepranaproject.comFind out more and join the 2024 online Mental Health Aware Yoga training today at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/onlineFind 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.

Have you ever gone through a time that feels impossibly difficult? When you just can’t find a way out? I know I have. In today’s episode, I sit down with Anneke Sips, a psychiatric nurse and yoga therapist in the Netherlands, to talk about the dark night of the soul. In this episode Anneke guides us on how to prepare for a dark night of the soul, how to tell when you’re experiencing one, and some powerful ways to move through a dark night of the soul experience, when you’re right in the thick of it. Connect with Anneke Sips at https://annekesips.com Read my article on the Hero’s Journey at https://www.laurentober.com/blog/the-heros-journey/ Find out more about the online Mental Health Aware Yoga training and sign up today at www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/online Visit our Mental Health Aware Yoga Teachers Directory at https://shala.laurentober.com/mhay-directory/ 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.

Join Dr Lauren Tober (she/her) and Anand Mehrotra (he/him) for this intimate conversation, recorded live in a yurt at the Sattva Sanctuary on Bundjalung country in Australia.Hear Anand speak about his journey in becoming a yoga teacher and spiritual leader, the role that he sees yoga playing in mental health and how we can live a life of meaning and purpose.If you listen right to the end of the interview, you will also hear Anand’s answer to Lauren’s question about cultural appropriation and his thoughts on non-Indian yoga teachers sharing the wisdom and practices of yoga.Just a few small topics!Anand Mehrotra is one of the youngest known spiritual masters in the world to develop and present the Himalayan yogic tradition in its pure and raw form. He has dedicated his entire life to bringing the original teachings of the Himalayan yogic tradition to the world and does so in a unique and powerful way. His Sattva Yoga teachings come from the Vedic tradition and merge with the pure Tantric roots as taught by the ancient Masters in the far reaches of the Himalayas.Anand was born and raised in Rishikesh, which is recognized as the yoga capital of the world. Rishikesh is one of the most sacred places in India. It calls thousands of pilgrims and spiritual seekers from around India and many countries of the world.Connect with Anand Mehrotra at https://anandmehrotra.inFind out more about the Sattva Academy at https://sattvayogaacademy.comDownload the free Patañjali's Eight Limbs of Mental Health Aware Yoga ebook by Dr Lauren Tober at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/8limbsFind out more about our wonderful sponsor, Yoga Australia, at https://yogaaustralia.org.auVisit the Yoga Psychology Institute at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.comFind the Yoga Psychology Institute on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yogapsychologyinstituteThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

In this enlightening episode, I sit down with Fuyuko Sawamura-Toyota (she/her), a renowned expert in iRest Meditation, to explore the profound impact of yoga on mental health and delve into the transformative philosophy behind iRest. Fuyuko's vast knowledge and experience offer a unique perspective on how iRest can support healing and empower individuals from all walks of life.We begin by delving into Fuyuko's personal journey of how yoga has played a pivotal role in transforming her own mental health. With candid insights, she shares the ways yoga has nurtured her inner life to create peace and resilience, inspiring us to discover the potential yoga holds for our own lives.As the conversation flows, Fuyuko introduces us to iRest, an evidence-based meditation technique that has gained prominence over the years, and a practice that I personally love! Fuyuko guides us through its principles and practices, including the teachings that iRest is based upon, Sankhya, Patanjali, Advaita Vedanta and Kashmiri Shaivism, and she sheds light on how iRest has become a promising approach for overcoming trauma.As a recent graduate of the Mental Health Aware Yoga training, Fuyuko also shares valuable insights from the program, and how she has skillfully integrated the principles of Mental Health Aware Yoga into her own yoga teaching since taking the training. Join us on this insightful episode as we dive deep into the transformative pathways of iRest Meditation with Fuyuko Sawamura-Toyota. Discover the immense potential of yoga in enriching mental health, finding inner peace, and embracing a life of well-being and wisdom.Find out more about Fuyuko Sawamura-Toyota at https://premayoga.com.auDownload the free Patañjali's Eight Limbs of Mental Health Aware Yoga ebook by Dr Lauren Tober at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/8limbsFind out more about the Mental Health Aware Yoga training at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com Get started on the Meditation, Pure + Simple online course with Dr Lauren Tober at https://www.meditationpuresimple.com Visit the Yoga Psychology Institute at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.comFind out more about our wonderful sponsor, Yoga Australia, at https://yogaaustralia.org.auThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with Kate Pippos, the Head of Yoga at Virgin Active, to talk about all things yoga, mental health, parenting, boundaries and consent.Kate is also a Mental Health Aware Yoga graduate, and you will hear her talk a little about what stood out for her most from the training, and how she’s bringing this into her teaching and leadership at Virgin Active.The online Mental Health Aware Yoga training is opening for registration on Monday 26th of June 2023, so if you are a Yoga Teacher or Yoga Therapist, then you are wholeheartedly invited to join us for the next online Mental Health Aware Yoga training, before registration closes on Friday the 7th of July.Or if you are listening to this before or after registration is open, jump on the waitlist instead and download our free ebook.Find out more and sign up to the Mental Health Aware Yoga online training at www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/online Connect with Kate Pippos on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/kate-pippos-0280b6248/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. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with Dr Elise Bialylew from Mindful in May to hear about her journey from working in a psychiatric hospital setting to running a global mindfulness campaign, as well as how much meditation we actually have to do to start feeling the benefits.Dr Elise Bialylew is the author of the #1 bestselling meditation book, The Happiness Plan and founder of Mindful in May, the world’s largest online global mindfulness fundraising campaign that teaches thousands of people each year to meditate while raising funds to build clean water projects in the developing world.A doctor trained in psychiatry, turned social entrepreneur and mindfulness expert, she’s passionate about supporting individuals and organisations to develop inner tools for greater well-being and flourishing.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with Lissa Rankin to talk about sacred medicine and healing.Lissa Rankin, MD, is a mind-body medicine physician, author of 7 books, founder of the Whole Health Medicine Institute, and mystic who researches radical remission, trauma-informed medicine, and spiritual healing. Her TEDx talks have been viewed over 5 million times, and she starred in two National Public Television specials- Heal Yourself: Mind Over Medicine and The Fear Cure. Lissa’s interest in the link between loneliness and disease led her to spearhead her latest project, Heal At Last, a non-profit organization which aims to bring effective trauma healing and spiritual healing methods to anyone ready for the deep dive of healing.Find out more about Lissa at www.lissarankin.com .Find out more about Awake Psychology at www.awakepsychology.com.au.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober is going solo on the podcast for this episode, talking about how to listen well.We’ve all been through SO much over the past few years. And sometimes it just feels like it just keeps coming!We all have a real human desire to be seen and heard, and to share our stories, our experiences, our grief, our heartache and our joy.But how do we listen to others when they’re sharing with us?How do we get out of our own heads and into the world of another, so they feel like we really care?Join Dr Lauren Tober for this episode where she explores what gets in the way of listening well, and three very do-able techniques for effective listening, so we can show up for our communities and the people we love in time of need.Download the free Blissful Sleep Meditations and the Deep Mindful Relaxations at www.laurentober.com/giving-backThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with Stephen Cope to talk about dharma and living a life of meaning and purpose.Stephen is a best-selling author & scholar specialising in the relationship between Eastern contemplative traditions & Western depth psychology. A Scholar-in-Residence at the Kripalu Center for 30 years, Stephen is the Founder & former director of the Kripalu Institute for Extraordinary Living, and named as one of the most influential thinkers, writers & teachers on the current American yoga scene by Yoga Journal.This interview was recorded as part of the 2022 Mental Health and Yoga Summit, but we loved it so much that we wanted to share it with you here on the podcast.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with Anneke Sips.Anneke is a psychiatric nurse, a yoga teacher, yoga therapist and the founder of Network Yoga Therapy in Amsterdam. In this episode they speak about Anneke’s less than straight-forward journey marrying yoga with psychiatry, how we seek health and get lost in cures, the challenges with the mental health system, the role of the so-called ‘expert’ and the importance of digital health and wellness.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with Kate Reed to talk about sister circles, her journey from a mainstream education to working the spiritual realm, why it’s so important for women together with intention and the important ingredients of a women circle, in case you would like to hold one yourself.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with herbalist and nutritionist Erin Lovell Verinder. Erin is the author of some truly wonderful books on plant medicine, including Plants for the People and The Plant Clinic. In this episode you’ll hear about Erin’s own journey and recovery from burnout, her Six Pillars to Thrive, Erin’s go-to suggestions for plants to support with healing from exhaustion, as well as anxiety, and some practical tips on dried vs fresh plants, and just how many times you can pour water over the same herbs in your tea pot.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with Psychologist Dr Renee Cachia to talk about her new book, Parenting Freedom. They explore why it’s more important to nurture parents than it is to provide them with parenting advice, and dive into a discussion around meditation, intuition, self compassion and co-regulation.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with Psychologist and author Robin Grille, to talk about the relationship between gut health and mental health, the evolution of parenting, how the way we parent our children changes the world, what needs to happen on a society and policy level to really make changes for children and families, and the ecological benefits of parenting well.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with KC Baker to talk about how public speaking helped her to rediscover her self confidence after she lost it as a young women, why it’s so important that women’s voices are heard in the world, and KC shares some very practical, and fun strategies for speaking up, whether it’s in the workplace, on stage or having a difficult conversation with a loved one.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with Edo Kahn to talk about music, depression, life, death and spirituality.Edo is an acclaimed musician, social entrepreneur and yogi, and is passionate about transforming lives, empowering individuals and uniting communities. He’s the co-founder of A Sound Life, an Australian charity to transform the lives of people in need through free music, yoga and meditation programs, and in this latest episode episode we talk about his journey through music, depression, opening to spirituality and his guru in India, how this supported him when his wife Jo died of cancer a few years ago, and much much more.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with Dr Arne Rubenstein to talk about rites of passage. Arne is a father, medical doctor, the CEO of the Rites of Passage Institute and the author of ‘The Making of Men’. In this episode, we talk not only about the importance of rites of passage for young people in our communities, but also about rites of passage at all ages, the three key elements in rites of passage, the stages we move through from youth, adult to elder, and what to do if your adult partner is stuck in what Arne calls ‘boy psychology.’This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with Dr Deb Roberts, a writer, speaker and yoga teacher who is committed to normalising mental health challenges. Deb is an Adjunct Faculty member at Monash University in Australia and an ambassador, writer and speaker for Beyond Blue, an Australian mental health service.In the interview, Deb speaks about about her journey with depression and anxiety during her teenage years and into adulthood, how yoga has been supportive for her in overcoming mental health challenges, the role that medication and ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy) has played in her life, and what we can do, as a society to reduce the stigma of mental illness and improve mental health.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with Annalee Atia to talk about pregnancy, birth and beyond. Annalee is a producer, co-founder of the non-profit PBB Media, the current National President of Maternity Choices Australia and is a fierce advocate for women, and human rights in childbirth. In this intimate conversation, Annalee shares her own birth story in Israel, where her parents had an illegal home birth, and we discuss pregnancy, birthing, continuity of care, advocacy and trusting your own body and intuition in the process.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with Zenith Virago, to talk about death, dying well, what happens after we die, and living a life well lived.Zenith is a deathwalker, the co author of the book The Intimacy of Death and Dying, and the subject of the documentary, Zen & the Art of Dying. Zenith has been at the forefront and a leading pioneer of dying well, family led body care, meaningful and appropriate ceremony, and informing and educating communities to reclaim and be empowered before, during and after death.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with Ella Noah Bancroft, talking about decolonising the mind, returning to country and overcoming racism. Ella is a Bundjalung woman based in the Byron Shire in Australia. She is an artist, storyteller, director, mentor and founder of The Returning. Ella is a poetic feminist, passionate about re-wilding the world and the feminine force from the multifaceted lens of culture, heritage, gender, politics, identity and sexuality. Her work discusses themes of identity, intersectionality, culture, the feminine force and living a life of integrity, connection and creativity.And at the end of the interview, Ella reads to us her favourite poem from her new book It Takes Courage to Tell the Truth, called A Letter to My Daughter.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober sits down with Yoga Teacher and Ayurvedic Practitioner Chara Caruthers to talk about her journey from working as an Engineer to teaching yoga, and why it’s not such a big jump!We also speak about the science of Ayurveda and how to figure out your own ayurvedic constitution, her number one tip for bringing the teachings and wisdom of ayurveda into your daily life, and why it’s so important to eat like you love yourself.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Tune in as Dr Lauren Tober sits down to chat with Correne Wilkie, long time manager of the iconic band The Cat Empire, and co-creator of Super Bloom Festival in Melbourne, Australia.Correne talks about the family gathering that set her on a new career path, how the #metoo movement affected her in the male dominated music industry, postnatal depletion, real equality in relationships and how she manages to do it all.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober interviews Amy Weintraub, author of Yoga for Depression and founder of Lifeforce Yoga on depression, yoga and gratitude.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober interviews Dr Oscar Serrallach, Integrative Doctor and author of the Postnatal Depletion Cure. Listen in as they speak about identifying, preventing and overcoming Postnatal Depletion, as well as iRest Yoga Nidra, Sleep and Gratitude.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober interviews Gemma Perry on the science and spirituality of mantra.Gemma is a yogi and a PhD candidate at Macquarie University in Australia, where she’s researching the effects of mantra on mental health and wellbeing.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober interviews Rick Hanson, Psychologist, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, New York Times best-selling author and a guest teacher on Lauren's online course A Daily Dose of Bliss.In this interview, Rick and Lauren go on a wild adventure, speaking about deeply personal experiences, about psychology research and neuroscience, about self compassion and gratitude, and how gratitude for a tomato can take you into to a vast connection with the cosmos. You will not look at the humble tomato the same ever again after listening to this episode.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober interviews international yoga teacher Rachel Zinman on yoga, diabetes, gratitude and practicing yoga in your pajamas.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober interviews Elena Brower, Author of Practice You and founder of Teach.Yoga about addiction and recovery (and parenting through it all), cultivating a regular morning yoga practice and (of course) gratitude.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober interviews Restorative Yoga Queen Judith Hanson Lasater to talk about gratitude, yogic parenting and dealing with the fact that we're all going to die.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober interviews Restorative Yoga advocate Lizzie Lasater on gratitude, contentment and the joy of slowing down.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober interviews Clinical Psychologist, Yogic Scholar and the founder of the Integrative Restoration Institute, Richard Miller to talk about gratitude, meditation, San Francisco in the 70s and how enlightenment could happen to any of us at any moment.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober interviews internationally acclaimed author Don Miguel Ruiz Jnr to talk about gratitude, domestication, unconditional love and raising our children to be authentic and loving human beings.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober interviews internationally acclaimed musician Ben Lee to talk about gratitude, death and living in the mystery.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Dr Lauren Tober interviews Wake Up Project founder Jono Fisher to talk about kindness, gratitude and presence.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.