In this thought-provoking solo episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy Wheeler explores the profound topic of safety in human relationships, drawing from recent co-creative discussions with seasoned therapists and yoga practitioners, as well as insights from Polyvagal Theory.

Episode Highlights:

• The Foundation of Healing: Amy emphasizes that safety—both internal and external—is the essential foundation for healing, transformation, and authentic human connection.
• The Role of Nonjudgment: A central theme of this episode is how nonjudgmental presence, both in therapy and daily life, fosters safety and allows people to open up and be themselves.
• Artificial Intelligence & Safety: Amy reflects on the surprising role AI therapy bots play in creating a nonjudgmental space, and what this teaches us about human interaction.
• Key Qualities that Foster Safety:
• Comfort with silence and emotional presence.
• Ability to repair ruptures in relationships, not just avoid them.
• Unconditional positive regard without creating stories about others.
• Transparency balanced with cultural sensitivity.
• Openness to new experiences and flexibility in thinking.
• Clear and honest communication that eliminates guesswork.
• Self-awareness and the ability to reflect and take responsibility.
• Consistency, calm regulation, and respect for time and commitments.
• Attunement to the emotional state of others, with empathetic mirroring.
• A melodic, regulated voice that supports co-regulation.
• Genuine listening that seeks to understand, not just respond.
• Familiar rituals and environments that offer predictable support.
• Respect for diverse perspectives and willingness to stand up for justice.

Key Takeaways:

• Safety isn't just about avoiding harm; it's about creating conditions where authenticity, trust, and transformation can thrive.
• Even positive judgments can feel like evaluations, reducing the sense of safety in a relationship.
• Sacredness in connection—showing up mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepared—amplifies the healing potential of every interaction.

Resources Mentioned:

• Polyvagal Theory – A framework for understanding how safety and social engagement are wired into our nervous system.
• Book Recommendation: Necessary Endings by Dr. Henry Cloud – Understanding when and how to bring closure to relationships in a healthy way.

Connect with Amy Wheeler:

For more episodes, resources, and information about Yoga Therapy, visit TheOptimalState.com

Support the Show:

If you found value in this episode, please rate, review, and share it with others who may benefit from these insights into creating safer, more authentic relationships.

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/

Episode Summary:

In this deeply moving and powerful episode, Amy Wheeler sits down with Dr. Steffany Moonaz—yoga researcher, author, educator, and founder of Yoga for Arthritis—to discuss her professional contributions to the field of yoga therapy, and the personal story that nearly shattered everything she knew about herself.

What begins as a conversation about the CLARIFY Guidelines and the evolution of yoga research quickly transitions into a vulnerable and heartfelt dialogue about grief, identity, traumatic brain injury (TBI), caregiving, and the long, often invisible road to healing.

Dr. Moonaz shares the inspiration behind her memoir Driving Home: Cancer, Concussion, Mom and Me, and invites us into the emotional terrain of a year marked by tragedy, disorientation, and ultimately, profound transformation. Through the lens of yoga, neuroscience, and lived experience, she offers wisdom on surviving loss—not just the loss of loved ones, but the loss of self as we once knew it.

If you've ever questioned how the tools of yoga serve us not just in theory, but in the darkest moments of real life, this conversation is for you.

Topics We Explore:

• The origin and impact of the CLARIFY Guidelines for yoga research
• What makes yoga research replicable, credible, and useful for clinicians
• Dr. Moonaz’s academic leadership in yoga therapy at MUIH and SCUHS
• The backstory of Yoga for Arthritis and its public health mission
• Living through a year of compounded loss: traumatic brain injury, caregiving, and grief
• Navigating healthcare systems and trauma while healing
• Writing a memoir as a healing process and reflective practice
• The psychological and somatic experience of losing identity through injury
• Yoga therapy for grief, loss, and identity reconstruction
• Steffany's personal tapas (discipline) and her decision to keep showing up
• Reclaiming wholeness post-trauma: a new “A-prime” version of self

Featured Book:

Driving Home: Cancer, Concussion, Mom and Me

Now available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats.

Audiobook coming soon—narrated by Dr. Steffany Moonaz herself

Connect with Steffany Moonaz:

Website: https://arthritis.yoga

Explore professional trainings in Yoga for Arthritis, mentoring opportunities, research publications, and continuing education courses.

Upcoming offerings include:

• Online cohort: Yoga for Arthritis Level 1 Training (starting July 15, 2025)
• Self-paced options in yoga, Ayurveda, and pain science
• In-person retreat at Yogaville, Summer 2026

Quote from the Episode:

“I had to grieve the things about me that I had lost, at the same time as grieving the loss of my mother... But I also believe that I have made up for the loss of function with who I have grown into as a human.” — Dr. Steffany Moonaz

Special Thanks:

To Dr. Moonaz for her honesty, strength, and generosity.

And to our listeners—may this story remind you of your own resilience, your own wisdom, and the power of bearing witness to the full spectrum of the human experience.

Information on Amy:

www.amywheeler.com

www.TheOptimalState.com

In this episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, Amy Wheeler is joined by Tamala Floyd, LCSW, to explore the powerful integration of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and ancestral healing. Tamala, author of Listening When Parts Speak, discusses how generational trauma can be healed through connecting with our ancestors and unburdening our exiled parts. She shares her journey into the world of IFS, the importance of working with both personal and ancestral wounds and how healing these parts can reveal hidden gifts within us.

Key Takeaways:

• Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy: IFS teaches that we are made up of different parts or subpersonalities, each with its own roles and functions. Protectors guard vulnerable parts, which are often exiled due to past trauma. Healing occurs when these protectors are unburdened, allowing the exile to heal and the person to reclaim their wholeness.
• Ancestral Healing: Tamala introduces the concept of healing ancestral trauma by connecting with well-healed ancestors who are willing to release burdens passed down through generations. This process also allows individuals to access the gifts and heirlooms from their family line.
• The Role of Protectors: Protectors (e.g., people-pleasing, anger) arise as a response to exiled parts. These protective roles often result in behavior that feels out of control or unbalanced but are essential in safeguarding the individual from deeper wounds.
• Connecting with Gifts: Healing the generational wounds allows individuals to access the gifts of their ancestors, such as creativity, intuition, and emotional depth, that were previously blocked by trauma.
• Practical Tips for Exploring IFS: Tamala provides insights on how to begin the journey of identifying and interacting with your parts, including the use of externalizing exercises where others embody these parts to create a tangible, experiential understanding.

Tamala Floyd’s Upcoming Events:

• Retreats & Workshops: Tamala leads transformative retreats and workshops around the world. She shares information about her upcoming retreat in Costa Rica for women healing generational trauma and her upcoming retreats in Morocco and California.
• Book & Audiobook: Listening When Parts Speak is available in both written and audiobook formats. Tamala is also releasing Healing the Wounded Mother, an audiobook focused on healing the mother’s wounds to create healthier relationships with children and others.

Learn More & Connect:

• Website: Tamala Floyd
• Social Media: Follow Tamala for more insights on healing and personal growth.

Related Resources:

• Listening When Parts Speak
• Healing the Wounded Mother (available May 6, 2025)

Join Us: If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share with friends who might benefit from this healing work.

Contact Us:

For more information, questions, or comments, please visit www.theoptimalstate.com or email amy@theoptimalstate.com.

Tune in next time for more on yoga therapy, emotional intelligence, and holistic healing!

Would you like to receive your Masters Degree in Yoga Therapy?

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/