Advertise on podcast: After Class

Dr. Gail Parker, author of Restorative Yoga for Ethnic and Race-based Stress and Trauma, sits down with Kacee to discuss the importance of self-study as it relates to our own personal relationship to race and healing emotional wounding from our past. One of Dr. Parker's gift is to approach this topic with compassion and understanding. Dr. Gail and Kacee both share personal stories about their own healing and wounding throughout the conversation.  Dr. Gail Parker is the president of the Black Yoga Teachers Alliance (BYTA) Board of Directors. Dr. Parker is a faculty member in the Kripalu School of Integrative Yoga Therapy teaching in the Mental Health Module of the curriculum. Her broad expertise in behavioral health and wellness includes forty years as a practicing psychologist. Dr. Parker is a lifelong practitioner of yoga and is well known for her pioneering efforts to blend psychology, yoga, and meditation as effective self-care strategies that can enhance emotional balance, and contribute to the overall health and wellbeing of practitioners. Interested in learning more? Sign up for Dr. Parker's Online Practice + Discussion with Citizen Yoga, May 9, 2023, 5:30-8:30pm EST. Register: Self-Study + Restorative Practice for Ethnic and Race-Based Stress and Trauma Join Kacee, Dr. Parker and Dr. Christine Maren in Desert Hot Springs, CA in May 2023 for a Medicine + Movement retreat.

Kacee sits down with her close friend Dr. Jennifer Leyton-Armakan, who is a clinical psychologist specializing in acute and developmental trauma, anxiety disorders, depression, grief and loss, substance use disorders, and issues related to major life transitions. Dr. Jen provides individual and family therapy to adolescents and adults, she proudly integrates mind-body approaches and evidence-based techniques within the therapeutic process. Note: This podcast was recorded on June 1, 2022.

Kacee sits down with Aymey Kinney, an Experience Manager at the Citizen Yoga studios, as she shares her story of why she chose to shave her head. They delve into bucking beauty standards and the process of redefining yourself confidently.

Kacee returns to podcasting from maternity leave with special guest and Licensed Therapist, Annie Phillips, LMSW, PMH-C. Kacee and Annie discuss the importance of women's mental health especially during the pregnancy, birth and post-partum experience. Connect with Annie and learn more about her work: https://healinghomegroup.com/  https://www.instagram.com/healinghomecounselinggroup/

Kacee and Alyson McAdams, MPH, RDN explore what drives the compulsion to compare ourselves to an often unrealistic ideal. Alyson shares tools to reduce comparison.  Alyson McAdams is a non-diet, weight inclusive dietitian specializing in disordered eating, intuitive eating, and family nutrition. Alyson works with families and individuals to develop a strong, flexible, and positive relationship with food. She is passionate about helping you discover peace with food and your body so you can show up fully for what matters to you in life. Learn more here https://www.alysonmcadams.com/

As a Citizen teacher known for his challenging sequences and HIIT series (high intensity interval training), Paul Witherspoon strives to enhance his students’ physical and mental well-being through creativity, integrity and teaching from the heart. Diving into how he found yoga, Paul and Kacee connect over loss of a sibling, the transformational qualities of grief, and their passion for change and innovation as a means of helping the community. Take a LIVE Zoom or in-studio class with Paul, check out his schedule here. Practice with Paul anytime, anywhere on Citizen On-Demand. 

How do you create a yoga culture that is more reflective of what yoga is all about — healing, justice, and anti-oppression? In this episode, Avery Kalapa (they, them), a community weaver, wellness organizer, and a Certified Iyengar Yoga teacher, eRYT500, YACEP, BFA, unpacks identity with clarity, inspiration, and affirmation to empower yoga practitioners and students to create more welcoming and inclusive places for everyone. From starting with an analysis of what makes a space exclusive to inner and outer work that frees ourselves from social conditioning, together we can  help shift how we relate to each other so everyone can come as they are.

Growing up in an active, health-conscious family, Dr. Maren always knew that she wanted to practice a more holistic and integrative version of medicine, but this took a turn when she suffered from miscarriages and pregnancy complications. She struggled to understand what was "wrong" with her body when she has always taken care of herself and experts didn't have any answers. She eventually came across functional medicine. As a patient she finally got answers to her health issues and as a physician she was able to fuse traditional and integrative practices. Listen to Dr. Christine Maren, D.O., IFMCP and Kacee discuss the complexities of preconception mental health.

In 2005, 5% of people used social media. Now that number is almost 80% and we spend an average of 2 hours and 24 minutes on social media each day. Unpack how social media has changed how we communicate and contributed to loneliness with Kacee and Jessica Malek, who has almost 10 years of experience in the social media industry. They'll leave you with tools to minimize your technology usage and truly connect with those around you.

In this episode, Kacee sits down with Kerry Biskelonis, founder of Reset Brain and Body in Plymouth, Michigan. As a former Type-A who glorified being busy herself, Kerry saw first hand the benefits of yoga and meditation on her mental and physical health. Kerry then decided to work more directly with her chronically stressed peers after completing her 200hr yoga teacher training. Listen to them explore topics around social anxiety, social media, and how to reignite joy in your life, especially after the pandemic. 

Monni Must, Kacee's mother, tells her life story. Monni details her own childhood abuse, its affect on her as a mother, and how she healed the trauma of losing her own child to suicide 12 years later. It is a story of hope and vulnerability. They're also joined by Cricket Alexander, Clinical Director at BLND health, who explains how EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) Therapy can help heal trauma and who it could benefit. Watch on-demand mental health care videos with BLND Health, check out Citizen On-Demand.

In this episode, Kacee continues her conversation with Angela Wisniewski, the owner of Coup D'état, a design gallery in Michigan that curates one-of-a kind vintage and antique pieces form artisans around the world. Listen to their honest conversation on authenticity and how Angela expresses herself in a way that is true to who she is.