Thriving Together with Erin Alexander

In this episode, host Michele Lawrence sits down with certified yoga therapist, Inner Peace Yoga Therapy graduate, and founder of Soul Power Sangha, Erin Alexander. Grounded in Erin’s article in the Summer 2026 issue of Yoga Therapy Today—"Thriving Together: Healing Through Posttraumatic Growth and Sangha in Personal Challenge, Postwar Uganda, and a U.S. Women’s Shelter"—this heartfelt conversation examines why individual practice alone cannot replace social safety, what indigenous communal wisdom reveals about stress resilience, and how clinicians can create trauma-informed healing containers. In This Episode, We Discuss: The Biology of the "Pack" vs. Modern Isolation: Why the nervous system registers persistent loneliness as an active biological threat that solitary asana practice cannot simply override. Navigating "Yoga Teacher Shame": Erin's personal story of postpartum dislocation and climate stress in Northern California, and releasing the expectation that clinical expertise grants immunity from trauma and dysregulation. Grief Resourced by Community Care: How communal rituals, food deliveries, and shared storytelling created an oasis of safety during profound loss. Vagal Toning Through Indigenous Culture: Lessons in resilience, song, dance, and daily living (tapas, svadhyaya, ishvara pranidhana) learned from the Acholi people in postwar Northern Uganda. Philosophy as Active Therapy: How applying Samkhya philosophy (Purusha vs. Prakriti) and the gunas empowers women navigating trauma, addiction, and recovery at Acres of Hope. The Architecture of Posttraumatic Growth: Integrating the clinical stages of Dr. Joyce Mikal-Flynn’s Anatomy of a Survivor alongside bottom-up somatic tools. Foundational Agreements for Sangha: Concrete ways yoga therapists and educators can build non-judgmental, culturally appreciative containers where clients feel seen, held, and safe. Resources & Links Mentioned Read the Article: "Thriving Together: Healing Through Posttraumatic Growth and Sangha in Personal Challenge, Postwar Uganda, and a U.S. Women’s Shelter" (Yoga Therapy Today, Summer 2026) Connect with Erin Alexander: Wild Temple School Erin’s Community: Soul Power Sangha Community Initiatives: Support the Acholi people via Peace Harvest Support women in recovery at Acres of Hope Books Mentioned: Anatomy of a Survivor: Building Resilience, Grit, and Growth After Trauma by Dr. Joyce Mikal-Flynn Ignite Your Yoga: How to Live, Practice, and Teach as an Authentic Yoga Steward by Susanna Barkataki Support the show Connect with Inner Peace Yoga Therapy Email us: [email protected] Website Instagram Facebook