Shows
Yoga MedicineComfort, Challenge & Compassion: Community Conversations with Aisha FakhroIn the yoga world, as elsewhere, opinions seem more polarized than ever. Today we're making space to explore one popular all-or-nothing topic in the wellness sphere: whether our practice is intended to create comfort or offer challenge. Host Rachel explores the delicate balance yoga teachers seek between challenge and comfort and the compassion required to do so with returning guest Aisha Fakhro LAPHP, LNRPC, a licensed psychotherapist and yoga teacher who specializes in working with anxiety, trauma, grief, relationships, stress management and personal growth. Listen in as we compare, and perhaps reconcile, the case for...
2024-01-1831 min
Yoga MedicineApproaches for Anxiety: Community Conversations with Caroline WybarAnxiety tends to go under-recognized and under-treated, and yet is one of the most common mental health challenges faced today. It is also a key reason many students are drawn to yoga practice. Today host Rachel speaks with Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist Caroline Wybar about how those factors inspired the capstone project of her 1000-Hour Teacher Training qualification: a pilot study on individual therapeutic yoga approaches for anxiety. Caroline shares the details of her pilot study, offers her tips for building trusting relationships with one-on-one students, and highlights the takeaways that most surprised her. Listen...
2023-04-0654 min
Yoga MedicineYoga Tools for Anxiety with Aisha FakhroAnxiety is a normal response to life stress — until it isn't. Today, host Rachel talks with Aisha Fakhro, a Bahrain-based UK-licensed psychotherapist and yoga teacher who specializes in working with anxiety, trauma, grief, stress management, and personal growth. In this episode, we learn more about anxiety and how yoga can help. Aisha jokes that she could have a PhD in personal experience with anxiety. She shares how practicing and teaching yoga inspired her to study psychotherapy, by changing the way she, and her students, responded to stressors in their lives. Aisha explains how the natural ex...
2022-05-051h 07
Conversations with Fahad45. Aisha Fakhro on mental health and well-beingAisha Fakhro (@aishafakhro) is a psychotherapist, podcast host (Soft Strength), and student of life that's been diving deep into mental and physical well being over the last decade of her life. In this conversation, we explore some of her key takeaways from hosting her own podcast, what it's like to be a psychotherapist and having to navigate through difficult situations, her understanding of different emotions and how they serve us, and many more topics in between.
2021-03-311h 43
Soft StrengthEp 17 Improv and Playful Wisdom with Andrew CainWhat if the benefits of mindfulness could be accessed in a fun, playful and relational way? What happens when we work with what is right here and dare to drop the planning, lean into vulnerability, and embody joy? A conversation about acting improv and how this accessible practice enables anyone to cultivate freedom, creativity, richer relationships, and expanded possibilities. Life wisdom in a joyful, playful practice of stepping into the unknown.(You can find Andrew and learn more about his taster improv classes at https://playconnect.co.uk/)
2020-12-0552 min
Global perspectiveLet’s talk about mental health with UK registered psychotherapist Aisha Fakhro🙏🏻Hello everyone , welcome back to Global Perspective 🌍! In today’s episode Psychotherapist, somatic specialist, and yoga teacher Aisha Fakhro answers my questions about mental health. I hope you all enjoy this episode!
2020-11-2926 minSoft StrengthEp 16 Donuts and Feeling Good with Maryam SharafWhat makes donuts important for our health and what are some of the main components that enable us to truly feel good? A conversation with an emphasis on a life of balance and training that empowers you to get to do more of what you enjoy doing. Unpacking some of the shame many people are conditioned to carry about their bodies, debunking a whole bunch of fitness-related myths, exploring post-partum recovery, and celebrating the value of strength-training and humor.
2020-11-1559 minSoft StrengthEp 15 Children as Teachers with Zoe JarvisWhat goes on in a child's internal world and how do we support children to be able to communicate, thrive and flourish? A reflective journey into the many ways children guide us back into ourselves and the deepest aspects of our own humanity
2020-11-0149 minSoft StrengthEp 14 Breaking Limitations with Ahmed AlAnzoor(This episode is in Arabic)A whole new mindset of looking at the body, understanding pain, exploring the power of language and subtlety and the role of the nervous system in the health of our bodies. This conversation seeks to celebrate the individuality of the human body, and to rekindle our connection to our body as a living, breathing entity as opposed to being a machine we inhabit, and offers that as a key to transform how we move.
2020-10-1859 minSoft StrengthEp 13 Courage to Connect with Lena SlachmuijlderReflections around bridging divides and coming together to honor our shared humanity and the inherent goodness that can be rekindled in each and every one of us. This conversation reflects on insights from the world of peace-building and conflict resolution with the hopes of rediscovering a more peaceful world in the days ahead.
2020-10-0459 minSoft StrengthEp 12 Mindful Motherhood with Penny WhitePeeling away the guilt and shame narratives as we examine how being a great mother is all about doing the best you can and that being more than good enough. This episode examines maternal mental health through validating reminders for parents and the people around them, simple tools that can make a powerful difference, and honest real talk about some of what comes with motherhood.
2020-09-2058 minSoft StrengthEp 11 A Return to Love with Waleed HashimWhat if love had a much broader purpose to it than we've often been taught? How can the way we relate to the people we love become the ultimate spiritual practice, and what are the ways in which we often give our power away in love? A refreshing perspective on navigating spirituality and relationships, and stepping into an expansive life full of joy and humour
2020-09-061h 22Soft StrengthWelcome back to Soft Strength Season 2Yaay we're back! Sharing a few reflections from my time off and my personal experience as a podcast listener on mindsets that enable us to find more resonance and value in what we listen to
2020-09-0607 minSoft StrengthEp 10 Stepping into our Potential with Mohsin FaleeAn exploration of how movement disciplines shape our character, mindset and motivation. Looking into the power of simplicity, the value of connecting to a larger purpose, how joy and trauma can coexist, and the importance of trying different things and stepping out of our conventional boxes.
2020-05-1059 minSoft StrengthEp 9 Body Mapping with Caitlin CasellaA fun (and highly informative!) exploration of how we can reconnect to the inherent wisdom and movement intelligence in our bodies, so we can thrive as we move through our lives. A multidisciplinary dive into empowered, pain-free movement addressing myths about posture, flexibility, pain and more
2020-04-271h 07Soft StrengthEp 8 Anatomy of the Self with Vincent CubittA journey into the power of choice and the formation of our sense of self. How do we break free from the control of our thoughts, feelings and external circumstances? How do we develop a healthier relationship with our triggers and patterns, and overcome self-limiting beliefs? This conversation empowers us to remember the essence of who we are beyond our perceived limitations
2020-04-1359 minSoft StrengthRekindling Resilience - Cultivating Vitality and Connection in the Face of Collective TraumaWhat aspects of ourselves are vital to nurture at a time when the world as we knew it is shifting completely and all illusions we had of control are up in the air? This episode contains reflections and practical explorations of some of the areas where the deepest wells of our resilience lie
2020-04-0226 minSoft StrengthEp 7 Nature As Scripture with Tariq Al-OlaimyWhat have we lost by turning away from the natural world, and what do we stand to gain back by reestablishing lost connections? A reflective, spiritual and philosophical dive into our inextricable connection with this wisdom-filled teacher, the incredible marvel it holds (even amidst the devastation) and how it shapes us into better humans
2020-03-1459 minSoft StrengthEp 6 Slowing Down Time with Teodor ArdeleanuWhat does it mean to have internal strength? An inquiry into internal martial arts that takes us on a reflective journey into the power of imagination, slowing down the mind’s storms to find harmony, how we can break out of habits and beliefs, and the wisdom of the body.
2020-03-0157 minSoft StrengthEp 5 Training that Empowers with Esraa JanahiWhat influences our inner dialogue and our coping mechanisms when we're being challenged? How do we tackle the ever-growing challenges around body image? How does dieting end up being counterproductive? Examining how training empowers us to shift away from chasing an elusive 'ideal' and develop an appreciation for who we are instead
2020-02-1654 min
The Yoga Addiction59: Jivana Heyman: How to Make Yoga Teachings Accessible to All CommunitiesToday we take a deep dive into Jivana Heyman's amazing yoga mind: his views on yoga philosophy, ego, the teacher-student relationship, the use of touch and adjustments in the practice, just to name a few of the topics we cover. And of course, we dive into his new book, Accessible Yoga, and gain insight on why he wrote it, and who he wrote the book for. About Jivana:
Jivana is the founder of Accessible Yoga, co-owner of the Santa Barbara Yoga Center and an Integral Yoga Minister. With over twenty years of training and teaching in a traditional yoga lineage...
2020-02-121h 06
The Yoga Addiction59: Jivana Heyman: How to Make Yoga Teachings Accessible to All CommunitiesToday we take a deep dive into Jivana Heyman's amazing yoga mind: his views on yoga philosophy, ego, the teacher-student relationship, the use of touch and adjustments in the practice, just to name a few of the topics we cover. And of course, we dive into his new book, Accessible Yoga, and gain insight on why he wrote it, and who he wrote the book for. About Jivana:
Jivana is the founder of Accessible Yoga, co-owner of the Santa Barbara Yoga Center and an Integral Yoga Minister. With over twenty years of training and teaching...
2020-02-1200 min
Practice HumanEp 027: Aisha Fakhro | Embodied PsychotherapyAisha Fakhro is a yoga teacher, psychotherapist, and hypnotherapist. She teaches embodied movement practice blended with neuroscience to tap into the body and brain’s capacity to adapt, rewire, and transform to overcome difficulties. Her podcast, Soft Strength presents her philosophy for life on and off the mat—one lived with with insight and ease, that celebrates unique individuality, but also our deep interconnectedness.Find out more about Aisha's work at aishafakhro.com, on Instagram @aishafakhro, and check out her podcast Soft Strength.
2020-02-0958 minSoft StrengthEp 4 When Buildings Speak with Sara AbdullaWhat stories do buildings have to tell? How can we connect to aliveness in what may seem lifeless? How can we use this life within spaces to transcend social barriers and connect more deeply? An illuminating story that connects architecture, grief and climbing mountains to remind us of the power of listening deeply, and our capacity to find meaning and resilience in the face of loss
2020-02-011h 09Soft StrengthEp 3 Adventure Surrender with Amal JaffarWhat happens when we allow ourselves to trust life's unfolding instead of resisting the unpredictable? And how on earth do we even get there?A delightful conversation on creativity, courage, resilience, fear, grief, healing and a romance with life that makes all its different colors a worthwhile part of the ride.
2020-01-1856 minThe Yoga Addiction51: The Placebo EffectWe often hear about the placebo effect in conjunction with a new drug, treatment or protocol in modern medicine. Placebo is the positive effect people get from a sham treatment when they are being told the treatment is real. Mostly, scientists and health practitioners ignore placebo: after all, how can we package or universalize a sympathetic bedside manner and a caring attitude? Yogis, however, have long been using the power of belief, visualization and mood to encourage self-healing. No pills necessary. The power of our brains, whether in a meditation, mantra or asana practice, has a powerful effect on...
2020-01-1500 min
The Yoga Addiction51: The Placebo EffectWe often hear about the placebo effect in conjunction with a new drug, treatment or protocol in modern medicine. Placebo is the positive effect people get from a sham treatment when they are being told the treatment is real. Mostly, scientists and health practitioners ignore placebo: after all, how can we package or universalize a sympathetic bedside manner and a caring attitude? Yogis, however, have long been using the power of belief, visualization and mood to encourage self-healing. No pills necessary. The power of our brains, whether in a meditation, mantra or asana practice, has a powerful effect on creating...
2020-01-1557 minSoft StrengthEp 2 Embracing Our Humanity with Eman NooruddinAre finding your purpose and positive thinking overrated? Why are we always chasing more and how can we find satisfaction? In this episode we dive into the ways we shape our own experiences and explore finding peace with emotions in order to be more compassionate towards ourselves and those around us
2020-01-0459 minSoft StrengthThe Paradox of "Caring" Less to Care More DeeplyThis one's for the empaths.How can we show up fearlessly for the people we care about?Exploring potential narratives underlying our sense of "caring too much" and the importance of removing ourselves from the story to more productively support the people we love
2019-12-2912 minSoft StrengthEp 1 The Stories we Choose to Live with Weam ZabarWhat shapes our personal realities? Weam guides us through an exploration of deconstructing our beliefs and values, acknowledging the personas we've created for ourselves and where we create our own limitations.
2019-12-2256 min2019-12-0907 minThe Yoga Addiction34: Meghan Johnston - Your Brain and Nervous System on Restorative YogaIn this episode, we interview Meghan Johnston about the power of restorative yoga. Meghan talks about her experience with burnout and how it led her to find restorative yoga for a personal healing practice and also how she sought out several trainings in restorative yoga, the nervous system, and brain health. We discuss how restorative yoga and the relaxation response is the gateway to recovery with respect to all our body's systems. If you are interested in the link between science and how yoga works its magic, this episode is worth a listen.
// IN...
2019-09-2500 min
The Yoga Addiction34: Meghan Johnston - Your Brain and Nervous System on Restorative YogaIn this episode, we interview Meghan Johnston about the power of restorative yoga. Meghan talks about her experience with burnout and how it led her to find restorative yoga for a personal healing practice and also how she sought out several trainings in restorative yoga, the nervous system, and brain health. We discuss how restorative yoga and the relaxation response is the gateway to recovery with respect to all our body's systems. If you are interested in the link between science and how yoga works its magic, this episode is worth a listen.
// IN THIS EPISODE //
Meghan tells us about ho...
2019-09-251h 14The Yoga Addiction27: Aisha Fakhro - Neuroplasticity, Harnessing Resilience, and Transformative PotentialWe got so excited when our friend and fellow yoga teacher Aisha Fakhro suggested we talk about neuroplasticity. It's a topic that electrifies us with excitement and possibility, this idea that the brain constantly changes and adapts according to inputs from your life, your attention, and environment. In this episode, Aisha, who is also a psychotherapist, dives deep into how she uses neuroplasticity within a modern yoga class setting. We talk about social engagement, nervous system regulation, and teaching and appealing to all the different learning styles. This interview is loaded with practical tips about how to address your...
2019-08-0700 min
The Yoga Addiction27: Aisha Fakhro - Neuroplasticity, Harnessing Resilience, and Transformative PotentialWe got so excited when our friend and fellow yoga teacher Aisha Fakhro suggested we talk about neuroplasticity. It's a topic that electrifies us with excitement and possibility, this idea that the brain constantly changes and adapts according to inputs from your life, your attention, and environment. In this episode, Aisha, who is also a psychotherapist, dives deep into how she uses neuroplasticity within a modern yoga class setting. We talk about social engagement, nervous system regulation, and teaching and appealing to all the different learning styles. This interview is loaded with practical tips about how to address your classes...
2019-08-071h 05