Dancing With Our Selves: Yoga, Trauma & Ego Alchemy with Brittany Hopkins Switlick

In this powerful episode of the Ladies Who Leap podcast, host Lisa Andria sits down with best selling author, speaker, and seasoned yoga teacher trainer Brittany Hopkins to explore how trauma, yoga, and ego awareness can transform the way we live, love, and lead. Brittany shares the deeply personal story of uncovering a repressed memory of childhood sexual abuse in her late 30s—while leading a yoga teacher training—and how that revelation disrupted everything: a 16-year relationship, old beliefs about her upbringing, her body, and her sense of safety. Through therapy, yoga philosophy, and profound self-inquiry, she learned to hold space for “little Brittany,” honor her body’s wisdom, and reclaim her power as a creator in her own life. Drawing on ancient yoga philosophy, texts like the Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita, and modern psychology, Brittany walks us through: How trauma often lives in the body as pain, illness, or dis-ease The connection between conditions like fibroids/endometriosis and unresolved experiences The drama triangle (victim, rescuer, persecutor) and how it keeps us stuck The empowerment dynamic (creator, coach, challenger) and how to shift into it How yoga, breath, posture, and mindfulness become practical tools for nervous system regulation and healing Why naming her ego “Brandy” changed everything—and how you can name your ego, too The subtle but life-changing difference between rescuing people and truly coaching or challenging them with love How to use body cues (tight chest, jaw clench, slumped posture) as signals that ego is running the show What it really means to “dance with ourselves” and use every part of us—even the messy parts—for growth Brittany also shares stories from her adventurous life: from professional dance to driving a car that ran on waste vegetable oil, living in a straw bale house she helped build, running a yoga studio and teacher trainings, and now writing Dancing With Our Selves, her book on self-awareness, ego, and empowerment. If you’ve ever felt “too much,” “not enough,” stuck in old patterns, or afraid of your own power, this conversation will help you see your ego and your past through a more compassionate lens—and give you tools to stand taller, breathe deeper, and create your life on purpose. 💫 In this episode you’ll learn: How repressed memories can surface when your unconscious mind finally feels safe Why posture and breath are some of the fastest ways out of drama and into clarity Simple language cues that reveal when you’re in victim, rescuer, or persecutor mode How to move from “Why is this happening to me?” to “What can I create from here?” Why self-awareness is the first step in any transformation 🔗 Connect with Brittany Hopkins Website & offerings (yoga, meditation library, 40-day programs, teacher trainings, book & speaking): 👉 brittanyhopkins.com 📚 Brittany’s book: Dancing With Our Selves – learn how to recognize your ego, name it, and dance with it instead of letting it run your life. 🔗 Connect with your host, Lisa Andria – Ladies Who Leap Coaching Coaching, retreats, programs & podcast: 👉 LadiesWhoLeap.com 👉 Instagram: @ladieswholeap 👉 LinkedIn: Lisa Andria 🎧 If this episode resonated with you: Follow / subscribe to the podcast Leave a rating & review to help other women find these stories Share this episode with a friend who’s on her own healing and self-love journey ✨ Remember: You are not “too much” or “not enough.” You are powerful beyond measure—and you get to dance with every part of you.