The Optimal State

Our new book is coming out August 10th!!!! We hope that it has a positive effect on helping to get therapeutic yoga and yoga therapy into healthcare.

Applying Therapeutic Yoga in Integrative Health: A Guide for Re-Imagining Well-Being by Amy Wheeler & Marlysa Sullivan

This comprehensive resource and text book highlights that yoga is more than postures―it is a powerful therapeutic system that belongs in the future of healthcare. This book bridges ancient wisdom with modern science, offering clear and practical guidance for using yoga as complementary care for well-being in a way that aligns with evidence informed approaches in neuroscience, psychology, and integrative health.

Exploring Complex Trauma, Yoga Therapy, and Emotional Healing with Michelle Fury Episode Summary: In this powerful episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, host Amy Wheeler welcomes psychotherapist and yoga therapist Michelle Fury for an in-depth discussion on complex trauma, emotional healing, and the role of yoga therapy in mental health. Michelle shares her deeply personal journey, how yoga helped her navigate complex trauma, and how she now integrates yoga therapy into her work with children, adolescents, and families. Michelle was a pioneer in the field, practicing yoga therapy before it was even a recognized profession. She discusses her time at Colorado Children's Hospital, where she worked alongside art and music therapists, supporting young individuals dealing with self-harm, eating disorders, and trauma. Michelle recounts how her journey led her to develop therapeutic tools, including the use of Optimal State emotional regulation charts, to help children and families reconnect with their emotions and sensations. We explore topics such as: How trauma disconnects individuals from their bodies and emotions The impact of yoga therapy on young people in psychiatric care Differentiating between dissociation and embodied awareness How yoga therapy bridges the gap between mental health and somatic healing The process of guiding clients through self-awareness and emotional literacy The power of pranayama and mantra in deepening healing practices 🎧 Listen to the episode on all major podcasting apps: Apple Podcasts: https://buff.ly/WGJ8cQF Spotify: https://buff.ly/nWhGM2Y Michelle also discusses her upcoming book Yoga Therapy for Complex Trauma, set for release in August, which offers an integrative approach to healing through yoga. She emphasizes the importance of teaching both yoga professionals and mental health practitioners how to incorporate yoga safely and effectively within their scope of practice. If you're a yoga therapist, psychotherapist, or someone interested in using yoga as a tool for healing, this episode is packed with insights that will deepen your understanding of the mind-body connection. Resources Mentioned: Michelle’s first book: Using Yoga Therapy to Promote Mental Health in Children and Adolescents Upcoming book: Yoga Therapy for Complex Trauma (August release) Optimal State mobile app for self-regulation and emotional tracking The Minded Institute’s Yoga Therapy for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Training Learn More: Michelle Fury’s website (Launching February): buff.ly/pCzj8J3 The Minded Institute Training: buff.ly/Q9l1nry Optimal State Mobile App (iOS & Android) Connect with Amy Wheeler: www.theoptimalstate.com Listen & Subscribe: Find The Yoga Therapy Hour on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Follow Us on Social Media: Instagram: @optimalstate LinkedIn: Amy Wheeler Yoga Therapy YouTube: The Yoga Therapy Hour Podcast Support the Podcast: If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your support helps bring these important conversations to a broader audience! Connect + Take Action: Want to be a guest on Season 10? Email Amy with your desired topic from the 8 Limbs series! Explore Amy’s offerings at TheOptimalState.com Subscribe and leave a review if this episode touched you. Support the show by sharing this episode with a friend or colleague in the healing arts.