In this deeply moving and powerful episode, Amy sits down with Nicole Fitch, a yoga therapist-in-training and future occupational therapist from Brisbane, Australia. Nicole shares her inspiring story of transformation—from losing her father in a tragic accident at age 15, through years of shutdown, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, to a life of purpose, connection, and embodied healing.

Nicole’s story is not just one of overcoming trauma—it’s a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the healing power of integrative practices. We explore how her early experiences shaped her nervous system, her years of navigating mental health systems, and how yoga became her refuge, offering her hope, empowerment, and the tools to reclaim joy.

From teaching yoga in community centers and mental health hospitals to stepping away from teaching to focus on self-care and finishing her degree in occupational therapy, Nicole's journey is a rich example of conscious healing, radical self-compassion, and the winding, non-linear path to wholeness.

Topics Covered:

• The moment that changed her life: a tragic loss at age 15
• Trauma, nervous system dysregulation, and dorsal vagal shutdown
• The dark period of numbing, partying, and intrusive thoughts
• OCD diagnosis and navigating the biomedical mental health system
• The turning point: a dream, a move to Queensland, and discovering yoga
• The power of japa, prāṇāyāma, and meditation in finding peace
• Yoga as a tool and a potential bypass—why integration matters
• Teaching yoga in non-traditional spaces and building community
• Balancing being a mother and maintaining a personal identity
• Why she’s taking a pause—and how she’s preparing for what’s next
• The connection between OT and Yoga Therapy in mental health care

Key Takeaway Quote from Nicole:

"You can't rush your healing. Even if you are in complete darkness, there's always that glimmer of light through the clouds."

Connect with Nicole:

Nicole's offerings are currently on pause while she finishes her Occupational Therapy degree, but you can follow her journey and future updates via

Embodied Wisdom Therapies-https://www.embodiedwisdomtherapies.com.au/

In this heart-opening and deeply insightful episode, Amy Wheeler welcomes Jeffrey Shoaf—yoga therapist, Kripalu-trained teacher, bodyworker, and retreat leader—to explore the profound personal and professional transformation yoga brought into his life beginning at age 48. Jeffrey shares how yoga reawakened his childhood love of movement, helped him reconnect with his body after decades as a general contractor, and opened a gateway to breathwork, meditation, and spiritual integration. His story is one of rekindling wonder, embracing vulnerability, and learning to feel fully.

Together, Amy and Jeffrey dive into:

• How Jeffrey found yoga at age 48 and became instantly hooked
• Why the mind-body connection through āsana was life-changing for him
• The role of breathwork in emotional regulation, anxiety, and physical recovery
• Why “less is more” when it comes to prāṇāyāma and nervous system regulation
• The power of meditation in everyday life—without needing to sit cross-legged
• The emotional intelligence of yoga: learning to respond rather than react
• Why “anger is present” is more skillful than “I am angry”
• His inspiring work with men’s groups and mentoring at-risk youth through the Joshua Project
• His upcoming Wander to Wonder yoga and reflective writing retreat in Portugal (September 2025)
• How nature, presence, and embodied practice continue to be his spiritual path

Jeffrey reminds us that healing happens when we give ourselves permission to feel, breathe, and move authentically—whether on the mat, at the kitchen sink, or walking in the woods.

Connect with Jeffrey Shoaf

Website: www.jeffreyshoaf.com

Join The Breathing Club: Thursdays at 7:00am ET

Explore Portugal Retreat: Wander to Wonder – September 2025

Instagram: @jeffreyshoaf

If this episode touched your heart, please share it with a friend and leave us a review.

Stay connected with Amy at www.TheOptimalState.com

Master of Science in Yoga Therapy https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/master-of-science-in-yoga-therapy/

Explore MUIH’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices, designed specifically for licensed healthcare professionals. https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices/

Try our Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at MUIH: https://muih.edu/academics/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification/

In this episode, Amy Wheeler welcomes back Kimberly Searl, a faculty member at Maryland University of Integrative Health’s M.S. in Yoga Therapy program. Kimberly brings decades of experience in teaching anatomy, kinesiology, and physical assessment through the lens of yoga therapy. Together, Amy and Kimberly explore what it truly means to assess the physical body in a therapeutic context, challenging old paradigms and illuminating a more holistic, compassionate approach rooted in curiosity, embodiment, and lived experience.

They dive into the concept of an “anatomy story”—how each of us comes to understand and inhabit our bodies through both joy and injury, and how this narrative becomes essential for therapeutic healing. Kimberly shares her journey from a farm girl fascinated by animal movement to a yoga therapist who now mentors students and clients in discovering safety, strength, and integration within their own bodies.

This episode is packed with powerful questions and insights:

• What does a yoga therapist actually need to know about anatomy and kinesiology?
• How can we responsibly assess the physical body without overstepping into diagnostic territory?
• Why does “interoception” matter, and how does it affect mental health and healing?
• How do we hold space for a client’s goals, instead of imposing our own agenda?
• What role do breath, motor planning, and functional movement play in therapeutic sequencing?

Amy and Kimberly also discuss the changing needs of the aging body, the myth of alignment as perfection, and how being "medically adjacent" is a unique strength of yoga therapy—not a limitation.

This episode is for:

• Yoga therapy students and educators
• Clinicians seeking to understand yoga therapy’s scope
• Clients on their healing journey looking to feel more at home in their body
• Anyone ready to trade rigidity for resilience

Listen in to hear:

The difference between fixing and guiding

What a co-assessment really looks like

How slowing down transforms the healing process

The role of yoga therapy in addressing the whole person—body, breath, and mind

Why resilience might be the new word for “safe, strong, and integrated”

Guest Bio:

Kimberly Searl, M.S., C-IAYT, is a certified yoga therapist and educator who teaches anatomy, kinesiology, and physical assessment in the M.S. Yoga Therapy program at MUIH. With more than 33,000 hours of experience in teaching movement and body awareness, Kimberly is passionate about helping others rediscover safety and empowerment in their bodies. She is also the founder of Integrative Sustainable Movement, a healing center rooted in the values of lifelong, accessible, and mindful movement. Website: https://ism.health/

Yoga is not an exercise program—it is a healing philosophy.

Join Kimberly and Amy as they redefine what physical assessment can look like when guided by the principles of yoga therapy and the lived reality of the human experience.

Master of Science in Yoga Therapy https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/master-of-science-in-yoga-therapy/

Explore MUIH’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices, designed specifically for licensed healthcare professionals. https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices/

Try our Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at MUIH: https://muih.edu/academics/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification/