Stretched!

Liz and Mads get reallllllly real with Yoga and Body Image Coalition (YBIC) founder Melanie C. Klein in our S2 Bonus Episode, exploring what the Stretched! podcast name means at this point in time. For Mel, talking about the word "stretched" helps her recount her latest personal period of stretching and how it birthed her current experience of inner wisdom and peace. Paired with Mads' guest contribution for YBIC,  we uncover how times of deep change and hardship often lead to resilience, and when experienced in community, can lead to greater compassion, empathy, and closeness. Keep up with all things YBIC, Mel's latest book, and Mel's new adventures in Carpinteria on Instagram: @MelMelKlein  and @YBICoalition.Learn more about YBIC.Learn more about Mel & check out her new book.Book discussion guides & resources: http://www.yogaandbodyimage.org/, http://www.yogarisingbook.com/Stretched! is proudly powered by Core to Coeur.

Mads and Liz wrap up Season Two with a Hot Take about our getting-hotter-by-the-day planet, Biz Tips for bodypreneurs, and a discussion about some terrible marketing in the yoga and Pilates worlds that turns away more people than it invites in (#SorryNotSorry). We also drizzle in our favorite moments of Season Two.  Plus!- M and L cover the recent IPCC report on climate change and our responsibility to respond to this "code red for humanity" - The importance of using gender neutral language in the movement classroom (and everywhere) - How to have (or attempt to have) hard conversations, and why doing less and crying are great therapeutic tools for all! How does this all apply to creating access and equity in movement and yoga!? Listen to find out (and for a few surprises re: the future of Stretched!), and be sure to add your thoughts on our Instagram page where we'll continue the conversation. Thanks for being a part ofStretched!, fam. We love ya.Stretched! is powered by Core to Coeur.

This week we chat with Mary Beth Ray, E-RYT500 and YACEP, to discuss the incredibly important, yet often overlooked, topics of bone health and yoga and movement for older adults. Mary Beth is a powerhouse teacher and educator who left a 30-year career in educational publishing to help folks understand, nourish, and strengthen their bones to enjoy a long life of mobility and independence. Her continuing education and certifications include Accessible Yoga, Opening Yoga Level I & II, and Yoga for Osteoporosis. Our convo answers various questions, including "What are some of the best yoga poses for bone health?" and "What does age bias look like in the modern-day yoga world--both online and off?" Learn more about Mary Beth at 3GreenCircles.com, and catch her Yoga for Vital Bones class virtually every Wednesday.Stretched! is proudly produced by Core to Coeur.

Take a few minutes to pause, breathe, and ground. Lord knows we could all use a bit more of that these days. Liz guides us through a heart-centered, metta-inspired meditation that invites us to recall our shared connection, embody a sense of radical love for self and others, and remember that "nobody's free until everybody's free," in the words of the great Fannie Lou Hamer.This minisode, and all Stretched episodes, are powered by Core to Coeur.  #GetStretched

Listeners, you're in for a treat this week! This conversation with Accessible Yoga founder Jivana Heyman will give you all of the feels -- and leave you with more questions than answers. Mads, Liz, and Jivana touch on so many complicated, nuanced topics. Is it okay to have your creative process flourish because you're at home, while the pandemic is ravaging our communities? Do we teach our children about the yogic philosophies, or do we let them find it on the path of life? How do we keep up with a constantly evolving change of culture, identities and shifting privileges? How do we learn to understand where we have privilege and where we don't?  Jivana, Mads and Liz unpack the latest term "rainbow washing" that the internet has coined in time for Pride month, and how we can thoughtfully, lovingly acknowledge our queer selves and community members (and how to use the rainbow flag emoji).  We finish with how Jivana's makes sense out of all these dialectics:  unity in diversity.You can follow Jivana at AccesibleYoga.org. And keep your eyes peeled on his Instagram for when his newest book "Yoga Revolution" drops later this year!This podcast was proudly produced by Core to Coeur.

This week, we sit down with the incomparable Hala Khouri, a sought-after speaker and trainer on the subject of trauma, yoga, and social justice. Originally from Beirut, Lebanon, Hala has dedicated her life to the study of trauma, justice, and building resilience and is a co-founder of Off the Mat, Into the World, a training organization that bridges yoga and activism within a social justice framework. Hala reads a passage from her new book Peace from Anxiety: Get Grounded, Build Resilience and Stay Connected Amidst the Chaos (Shambhala) and offers an honest and insightful take on how to have hard conversations re: racism, science and spirituality, fatphobia/body image, politics, and more. Hala's recipe for success lies in the title of this episode: "Reflect, Regulate, Relate, and Repair." Plus, we share our latest Zoom fails and even experience a real-time fail/embarrassing moment during our recording. Find Hala's offerings, including her upcoming book club with Peace from Anxiety, at www.HalaKhouri.com.This episode is proudly powered by Core to Coeur.

Powerhouse teacher and educator Anusha Wijeyakumar joins us to chat about her new book Meditation with Intention: Quick & Easy Ways to Create Lasting Peace, why practicing our humanity is a form of practicing yoga, and how the rise of white supremacy in yoga holds us all back--white folks included. Anusha is a sought-after motivational speaker on the science of mindfulness and meditation and the intersection of yoga and social justice. She co-founded the movement Womxn of Color + Wellness (@wocandwellness), which is focused on decolonizing wellness and making yoga and wellness more equitable, accessible, and inclusive. Our convo covers these critical topics and more. Listen to the end to learn some Bravo TV-related news that Anusha hasn't shared with anyone yet... And be sure to follow Anusha on Instagram at @ShantiWithin to learn more about yogic philosophy and how to decolonize your yoga practice. Let us know what you think about the podcast and connect with us on Instagram. Stretched!  is powered by Core to Coeur, the leading platform for exceptional live movement and wellness classes. 

Galina Denzel grew up in one world breaking down and transforming into another in communist Bulgaria, which is an apt metaphor for her work in trauma, nervous system regulation, and healing people affected by disordered eating. Galina is the founder of Pure Belonging, a somatic approach to healing food disorders with roots in nervous system and relational research. She views food and disordered eating patterns as traumas, often developed in early childhood, as feeding and co-regulation of the nervous systems are inextricably connected. Using group cohorts so her students can be seen and held and supported in a safe container, together, she shows how trauma happens and heals in relationship. Galina's loving recognition in the dignity of all peoples' stories had Liz and Mads taken aback. Join in after the healing conversation as Galina guides us through a 5 minute nervous system regulation exercise you can use in the midst of anxious or unpleasant moments. Galina's Peace with Self Peace with Food book comes out this summer. Check out her website for more information on her work: https://purebelonging.com/.Let us know what you think about the podcast and connect with us on Instagram. Stretched!  is powered by Core to Coeur, the leading platform for exceptional live movement and wellness classes. 

This week Liz and Julio consider the phrase “blissfully divorced” with our inspiring guest Carrie Scattergood, Esq., an integrative and holistic lawyer based in Liz’s home state (and favorite state), New Jersey. Carrie works at the intersection of law and life, using trauma-informed practices, mindfulness, and inclusiveness in her legal practice. Does she help guide clients through their divorce in downward facing dog? Not exactly, but her work is just as cool, if not more so. Liz and Carrie’s divorce and healing trajectory is eerily similar, which makes for a pretty good—albeit emotionally-charged—episode. Carrie is currently pursuing her 300-hour certification with former Stretched! guest and Core to Coeur teacher Michelle C. Johnson. Follow her journey on Instagram at Carrie_Esq and online at https://Scattergood.Lawyer.Let us know what you think about the podcast and connect with us on Instagram. Stretched!  is powered by Core to Coeur, the leading platform for exceptional live movement and wellness classes. 

This week we interview another Stretched! family member, Liz's partner Clarinda! We get the inside scoop about how they met (so sweet!), the challenges they've faced living in the mountains of North Carolina, the magic of Nature, and what Clarinda thinks would make the ideal yoga space. (Hint: Safe, diverse, non-commercialized, and with a hint of "flavor.") Clarinda lights up our podcast world with her vibrant, energetic personality, adaptability, and forward-thinking outlook on issues of race, sexual identity, and gender expression. We love C! And you will, too. Let us know what you think about the podcast and connect with us on Instagram. Stretched!  is powered by Core to Coeur, the leading platform for exceptional live movement and wellness classes. 

Ever wanted or needed to go walking, but lacked a buddy to get moving? Let Mads guide you on a twenty minute mindful walking experience--our first movement minisode! Together, you'll safely traverse the most magical land of all - your own body. We hope you'll stretch your body and your mind in our first ever movement minisode! Lace up your walking shoes, go out barefoot or simply tune in for a relaxing audial experience from wherever you are.Hungry for more movement? Maddy teaches a sliding scale 45 min. virtual Pilates mat class Mondays 4:00pm PST right here.  Let us know what you think about the podcast and connect with us on Instagram. Stretched!  is powered by Core to Coeur, the leading platform for exceptional live movement and wellness classes. 

We're kicking off Season 2 with a bang! Our guest Raudhah Rahman, E-RYT 500, is the Founder of Digital Incubator for Yoga Teachers and a  bad a** teacher in her own right. Raudhah is a creative, yoga teacher,  immigrant, and designer who refers to herself as a varied, multi-hyphenate. (We ask about what that means, and the answer is pretty great.) Our conversation is goofy, refreshing, serious, and thought-provoking. We cover marketing, MLMs, authenticity, people-pleasing, digital accessibility, and why humans are really just plants figuring out a way to provide for our basic needs. We can't recommend following Raudhah enough! Find her at @Raudhah.Rahman on Instagram and www.RaudhahRahman.com on the World Wide Web.Let us know what you think about the podcast and connect with us on Instagram. Stretched!  is powered by Core to Coeur, the leading platform for exceptional live movement and wellness classes. 

Without our beloved producer Julio--he's on paternity leave!--Mads and Liz crafted a raw, uncut Season 1 finale that includes takeaways from our previous 11 episodes, a special message and gift to Julio and fam, and a meditative moment with Liz. We reflect on our gratitude for our Stretched! guests and how we're continuing to "Do It Differently" as entrepreneurs and yoga and movement teachers. We'll be on break for a few weeks. Catch up on Season 1, and we'll catch ya in March! Surprise Easter Egg- Take a movement class with Mads in February by entering restore 27 when you sign up for one of her classes on Core to Coeur.Let us know what you think about the podcast and connect with us on Instagram. Stretched!  is powered by Core to Coeur, the leading platform for exceptional live movement and wellness classes. 

We are humbled and honored to share this week’s episode with Michelle C. Johnson, author of Skill in Action: Radicalizing Your Yoga Practice to Create a Just World. Michelle is an author, yoga teacher, social justice activist, intuitive healer, and Dismantling Racism trainer who approaches her life and work from a place of empowerment, embodiment, and integration. Our conversation takes us from social work and racial justice, to collective grief, to the symbolic and spiritual nature of Michelle’s bee hives. Plus, Michelle reads a passage from her new book Finding Refuge: Heart Work for Healing Collective Grief. Whether in an anti-oppression training, yoga space, individual or group intuitive healing session, the heart, healing, and wholeness are at the center of how Michelle approaches all her work in the world. And that’s definitely the case on this week’s show. Don’t miss it. Follow Michelle at @SkillInAction and pre-order her upcoming book, set to release this July, at www.MichelleCJohnson.com.Let us know what you think about the podcast and connect with us on Instagram. Stretched!  is powered by Core to Coeur, the leading platform for exceptional live movement and wellness classes. 

This week Mads meets up with a fellow female founder moving and shaking things in up in the boxing industry - CEO and Founder of Society Nine's Lynn Le. Society Nine is a modern femme sports brand providing boxing gear and sportswear to empower you and your fight. The two leaders talk on defining entrepreneurial traits Lynn absorbed in her decade long practice in kick boxing, Krav Macaw and other martial arts practices. Lynn details the importance of malleability, treating the business like a marathon, or a fight, and the willingness to listen to feedback of all kinds from all kinds of people, with pretty great advice for how to treat "couch couches"- people who have an opinion on everything in your business (more on that in the show). They also touch on some staggering statistics about fundraising numbers for women and women of color - noting how limited funding can impact the founders' execution and inability to make mistakes during the course of growing the business. Part driven, part compassionate with a willingness to collaborate, listen to Lynn take a deep dive in the world of femme-centered start ups and how to carry oneself with grit and grace. Liz was on vacay this week, so Mads held down the fort and the jokes with Julio.Society Nine will be opening their new digital channel featuring a few of their kick ass brand ambassadors leading boxing classes with no experience needed kicking off February 3rd. Head to societynine.com for more details, and be sure to follow their journey on IG: @societynine Let us know what you think about the podcast and connect with us on Instagram. Stretched!  is powered by Core to Coeur, the leading platform for exceptional live movement and wellness classes. 

The siege at the Capitol and continuing political unrest has us thinking about the best ways to show up as accomplices and advocates for social and racial justice. We know this work goes well beyond social media, but part of our consideration includes how and when we hop online to share our thoughts (sometimes) and amplify voices of color (always). Papa Bill closes the show with a few choice words for the outgoing administration. As always, we’d love to know how you're feeling and what thoughts are bubbling up for you. Tweet us at @StretchedPod or send us a DM on the gram.Stretched!  is powered by Core to Coeur, the leading platform for exceptional live movement and wellness classes. 

Our guest this week is THE Papa Bill himself. That’s right; Papa Bill of our segment “Papa Bill’s Limerick Roundup.” He’s also Liz’s dad and a pretty great guy. The rest of the world might know him as Bill Getman, but he’s Papa Bill to us. Bill spent most of his adult life as a Presbyterian minister, challenging religious fanatics and using his platform as a way to spread kindness, build awareness about racial and social justice, and share his own form of liberation theology. He was once called the Hand Servant of Satan, and you bet we ask about that one. Now in retirement, he likes to read, walk, work on his old house, hang with his dog Chip, and write limericks. We chat about the brokenness of the world, the importance of compassion, and how to combine justice work with spirituality. Papa Bill’s not on social media, so you can’t follow him there, but sometimes he pops up on @LizGetman’s page and @StretchedPod.Let us know what you think about the podcast and connect with us on Instagram. Stretched!  is powered by Core to Coeur, the leading platform for exceptional live movement and wellness classes. 

A Brazilian by birth and citizen of the Universe by choice, Cristiane Machado is a mother, dreamer, humanitarian, dancer, yogini, and bodyworker who founded the nonprofit YogaLoka to transform mental illness into mental wellness. A firm believer that all humans are worthy of love, compassion, and the transformative practice of yoga, Cristiane has been exploring and offering the numerous benefits of yoga, meditation, and self-love practices for more than a decade. She guides retreats, yoga classes, and sacred cacao ceremonies across the globe. One of Liz’s close friends and collaborators, Cristiane shares how she lives in flow with the energy of the Universe and seeks to see the good in all people. She also offers an epic Zoom fail that puts all our embarrassing moments so far to shame. Follow her at @MachadoBlisson IG and learn more about her adventures at CristianeMachado.com.

We get a little fired up about this week’s Hot Takes: QAnon, anti-vaxxers, and white privilege. We explore the boundaries of individualism and collectivism as yoga and movement teachers and regular old human beings. Julio graciously chimes in more than usual—we hope that continues!—for this rousing chat that gets Liz especially fired up. Mads offers her best Biz Tips (by the way, we’re still on the lookout for a better segment name; @ us on IG or Twitter), and Papa Bill rounds us up with a few choice words. We welcome opposing opinions and your take on the COVID-19 vaccine and pandemic. Share your thoughts with us @StretchedPod on the ‘gram. And be sure to read the Elephant Journal and Medium articles that helped inspire this episode.

Alison Waldman is the founder of Available Wellness, a company dedicated to facilitating adaptive movement and mindfulness experiences to support an embodied response to the curiosities, celebrations, and challenges of healthcare settings. Available Wellness uses a democratized and de-mystified approach to movement and mindfulness, and helps the healthcare system evolve and meet the demands and circumstances of our time. Alison is a certified Accessible Yoga instructor and movement artist trained in trauma-informed yoga. She facilitates community building through movement in unexpected spaces and bodies including those with multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, post-top surgery scars, and cancer. She specializes in moving with golden-agers, people with limited mobility, and those who haven’t felt celebrated in mainstream yoga or fitness spaces. Alison invites practitioners to bring their curves and curiosity; to come as they are to her adaptive, radically inclusive sessions that are equally playful and practical. Learn more about Alison on IG at @AlisonInMotion  & on Available-Wellness.com.Let us know what you think about the podcast and connect with us on Instagram. Stretched!  is powered by Core to Coeur, the leading platform for exceptional live movement and wellness classes.