Today on the How We Can Heal Podcast, Lisa Danylchuk chats with Love Story Yoga Founder, Stephanie Snyder. The pair dive into yoga's role in trauma recovery, Stephanie's work with the San Francisco Police Department, and incorporating yoga philosophy into everyday life for personal growth. So let’s get talking about how we can heal.
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About Stephanie Snyder:
Stephanie is based in San Francisco, CA where she has been teaching for over 22 years. In 2017 she founded Love Story Yoga in San Francisco and in 2020 opened a second location in Marin, CA. When she is not in San Francisco with her two sons Wolfgang and Soren and their dog Slayer, she is traveling the world as an expert guest teacher for studios, conferences, and festivals where she offers classes, workshops, and trainings. She was a longtime content creator and editorial contributor for Yoga Journal Magazine and Yoga Journal online in her early career. When the online yoga industry emerged she was an early adopter as one of the founding teachers for glo.com where she created original content for the 100s of classes she filmed for the site. Currently, Stephanie is spearheading the online VOD library for Love Story Yoga and continuing to develop and innovate as a leader in the yoga and wellness space both virtual and IRL.
As a teacher, Stephanie is known for her commitment to the practice of yoga both on and off the mat. Students appreciate her inspirational and unique ability to combine philosophy, conscientious alignment, strategic sequencing and heart-felt humor into every class. She is known as a teachers teacher and enjoys mentoring and supporting younger professionals in their efforts to succeed and thrive.
Stephanie's down-to-earth, generous and dynamic vinyasa classes are living labs for self-discovery, acceptance and truth. There are two requirements for attending Stephanies classes: a desire for positive change and a good sense of humor. This approach has led her beyond the yoga studio and into non-traditional settings from board rooms to first responder headquarters. She has successfully coached Silicon Valley executives through philosophy and meditation in order to enhance their personal and professional development. She developed and spearheaded a tactical breathing program for the SFPD that was the first fully activated program of its kind in the USA. And she is dedicated to offering the practice- wether it be the physical form, meditation or philosophy to anyone who is thirsty for a deeper understanding of who they are and how they can thrive in a way that is both individually and collectively positive.
Lastly, her teachers are the foundation of all she has to offer and she is a humble and grateful student. The krishnamacharya lineage including both Astanga and Iyengar methods have supported her teaching for all of these years. In particular, Stephanie continues to study asana with Ramanand Patel and philosophy through the lease of Vedanta.
Outline of the episode:
03:58 When yoga entered Stephanies life
15:54 Stephanie’s path to teaching yoga
20:12 Teaching yoga to the San Francisco Police department
33:25 Do you cut and run?
47:10 Moving through trauma we can’t control
50:18 What gives Stephanie hope
Resources:
Website: www.stephaniesnyder.com
Upcoming in-person workshop with Lisa at Lovestory Yoga in San Francisco!
Healing Trauma & Promoting Resilience Through Yoga — Love Story Yoga
Transcription:
Stephanie Snyder 0:04
But you know, there were a lot of problems I'm aware of. But until I actually knew them and talked to them, like, I couldn't have the level of compassion that I do now. And I think like, what you're saying is true is everyone needs to like talk more. And you need to see each other as like complete human beings who all of us are suffering sometimes. And all of us have joy and all of us, you know, and I think that that is something that's like, really missing in our society right now really missing and it's, it's damaging for everyone.
Lisa Danylchuk 0:44
Welcome back to Season Two of the How We Can Heal podcast. I so enjoyed sharing season one with you. And we have some incredible guests coming on for season two. I created this podcast because the hard times seem to just keep on coming these days. These guests and I have committed our lives to healing work, and to fostering health and joy in the world, even as we work through the impacts of trauma and face deep challenges. So let's dive in and let's all keep talking about how we can heal.
Lisa Danylchuk 1:17
Today, our guest is Stephanie Snyder. Stephanie has been teaching yoga for over two decades. In 2017, she founded lovestory yoga in San Francisco, and in 2020 opened a second location in Marin, California. She has successfully coached Silicon Valley executives through philosophy and meditation. And she developed and spearheaded a tactical breathing program for the San Francisco Police Department, which she taught prior to the pandemic. Steph was a longtime content creator and editorial contributor for Yoga Journal magazine early in her career, and was one of the founding teachers for glow.com, where she created and filmed hundreds of classes for the site. Currently, Stephanie is spearheading the online library for Love Story yoga, as well. When she's not in San Francisco with her two sons and their dogs Slayer. She's traveling the world as an expert guest teacher for yoga studios, conferences and festivals. Stephanie and I connected decades ago in San Francisco when I was working for a local nonprofit teaching yoga to youth in juvenile halls. As a teacher, she's always been full of compassion, and I so appreciate how she incorporates song devotion and love into our classes and studios. If you don't know stuff yet, you're in for a treat. Let's welcome Stephanie Snyder to the show. Snyder Welcome to the How we can heal podcast
Stephanie Snyder 2:38
Happy to be here. It's good to see you. It's been a while.
Lisa Danylchuk 2:41
So good to see you. Yeah, I know. I was trying to think of like when we first met. And you know when I think it actually was I can't figure out which came first. But you and I were in the same Lululemon spread a long, long time ago in like 2003 maybe,
Stephanie Snyder 3:02
Like Talhalla store, then?
Lisa Danylchuk 3:05
Yeah, I was in Newport Beach. And they opened a store in Newport Beach. And me and this guy named Gio and this woman named Peggy who did yoga with surfers. We were like, the first ambassadors down there. And then we came out in a magazine and then your face was on the San Francisco and or there was like a picture of his like, you know, on the Golden Gate Bridge or something. Yeah, I wish I still had a copy of it somewhere. I don't think I do anymore.
Stephanie Snyder 3:32
It's lifetimes ago. We were babies
Lisa Danylchuk 3:34
Lifetimes ago. Yeah, I'm pretty sure you had your head shaved at that point. So that would have been 2000. Yeah. Back in the day a long time ago. Yeah, for sure. So you've been doing yoga teaching yoga for decades now. I'm really curious about like your first memory of yoga, whether it was a class or it was just like seeing it somewhere when did yoga first come into your life?
Stephanie Snyder 3:58
First First was college. I think there was like a course where it was like yoga, tai chi and some other thing and it was just it just seemed like an easy a so it felt like a movement requirement or something. And I was really into it. I liked it a lot. It didn't really take great hold until later but I remember just feeling like and I was willing to exercise too and college very active at the Charleston—College of Charleston in South Carolina. So mostly we were outside of the beach and running around so indoor movement wasn't really a thing for me, but I remember really really enjoying it and also feeling like it was really hard.
Lisa Danylchuk 4:47
Yeah, what was hard about it? Do you remember?
Stephanie Snyder 4:51
Ah, being still unopposed was hard for me. Yep, being more rajasic you know, pitta, vata and um When I wasn't, I mean, I am naturally flexible, like just genetically for sure. But I wasn't at that time, I hadn't access that at all. So it just was like touching my toes hurt. backbending seemed like a really bad idea. It seemed like something was definitely wrong. You know what I mean? So it was challenging physically, but also more so I'd say like, mentally, you know?
Lisa Danylchuk 5:22
Yeah, that stillness that like, Okay, let me just sit here and be with myself and not move on to the next thing and keep moving. And yeah, our culture supports that too. Like, just keep doing stuff, keep doing stuff. And then you're like, oh, stay here for five more breaths. And you're like.
Stephanie Snyder 5:37
No, I ended up really, when I've got serious about yoga going for ashtanga. You know what I mean? Like that? fit my personality. So
Lisa Danylchuk 5:45
totally. So when you do yoga become more of a thing for you. When did it become more central in your life?
Stephanie Snyder 5:52
I was. So I did a little bit throughout college. And then after college, I came out to San Francisco, so I've been here forever. And I took a class because there's like yoga on every corner, then and now. Oh, and I just had this. I was I was in my like, crazy chaotic. 20s. Like, you know, like temping working like a bunch of jobs bartending sometimes at night. Like, you know, that's sort of like, I don't know who I am or what I'm doing my life yet. partying and having a lot of fun. But I remember doing this yoga class, two things that were really good one was it was it was a more rigorous like sweaty, like fit. It was vinyasa. So that was interesting to me. I found that satisfying, but it was kind of challenging physically and a little sweaty. And then suboxone I mean, it's the most cliche thing, you know, but I just remember. And I've had like, depression anxiety stuff for forever. I feel like you've been saying that now is so like, who who hasn't? But, um, but I do remember in Suboxone, I was like, a one moment and then it was like gone, you know, but I remember thinking, like, I don't know what just happened, but I think that's what like, piece might feel like, I'm not sure, really hooks me that that really helps me that the two components sort of together. And I got really into it. And I mean, then I was like, full on into it. You know, I was doing all the way to quitting my job and going to yoga teacher training, and it just never stopped from there. Really.
Lisa Danylchuk 7:40
Yeah, definitely, I can totally relate to just that little moment of peace and then going, maybe there's more of that, right? And then it's like, you just plow in that direction, especially with the majestic, like pitta, vata, right? You're like, let's go, let's go. Let's get it. And diving in. I mean, you're still in it, you know, so many people, like, especially in my world, yoga is mostly about, you know, just like managing mental health wise and using it for just coping with life. And so, so many people are like, Yeah, I use it for, you know, because I have depression, I have anxiety and you have a nervous system. Like, it runs hot, it runs cold, it goes this way, it goes that way. And I mean, we know over the years, and we can figure out for ourselves that, like yoga can really help us to tune into that and to tap into it and to figure out, you know, sometimes to figure out specifically what you need, and other times just to like, show up and do a practice and know that it's, you have the experience and the trust to know that this is going to help me feel better. Right? A little bit today and a lot over the long haul.
Stephanie Snyder 8:42
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think that's one of the gifts of the practice is insight. Well, no, we don't get insight first versus observation, you know, but I'm sort of honing that skill on the mat. You know, honing the skill of observing, you know, what's happening? How am I doing this? You know, what are the thoughts that come come along with the successes and the failures? You know, why do I get emotional in this pose all the time, or, you know, whatever, like, having that opportunity to observe without the distraction of like, you know, I'm not doing if I'm in an office job, and I'm in a meeting, I'm not also thinking like, Well, how am I doing this? So what's going on, you know, anything on that you do have that opportunity. So that observational skills really important. And then the gift of observation is insight. So like, you're saying, you know, the management sort of self assessment that all sorts of being with, you know, really learning to just not have to fix or change, but acknowledge sometimes is the fix, you know what I mean.
Lisa Danylchuk 9:43
Yes, yes. Right, and just being able to be with it, you know, and with that, distraction sort of tendency that I think our culture enables in a lot of ways, you know, oh, well, you don't feel good, just do something else or, you know, numb it or whatever. But, but the practice of yoga helps us learn to just oh, this is what's happening right now. And I can be with it I can be with the grief I can be with the discomfort I can be with the anxiety or the excitement or the overwhelm or whatever it is and, and also kind of dip in and out of it like, okay, well, that's, that's enough. And that's too much just like we do with our bodies, right? We're like, okay, that's too far today. And this is just the right amount. And now I'm gonna come back out of it. Right. So, yeah, there's so many. I mean, we can probably talk the whole time just about all the like, emotional resourcing of yoga, but I'm curious for you, how has your yoga practice changed over time?
Stephanie Snyder 10:36
Oh, my gosh, so much. I like I said, you know, I started with a shunga. I loved it, because you know, very type A, so you get sort of like, burn. So for Ashtanga, I mean, I'm sure most people listening this know what ashtanga is. But it's, you know, you have to master a pose, and then you get given the next pose. And there's a sequence and it's set up the same sequence every day. And as you progress, you get to see your progress. And every pose, in my young mind, it was about progress. It wasn't really about like, observing, or it was about, you know, how am I doing this day, and that day, you practice every day, almost. And so for me, it was very, my experience of it, you know, and I was a bit immature as practitioner was very product based, not so much processed, you know what I mean? It was, but it was absolutely the perfect thing for me at the time. I mean, that's what's so great about yoga, there are so many different ways it is expressed through us. And so I was really, really into Ashtanga. I did that for several years, I practice with Punjabi Joyce one time. And this is how like, hardcore I was. It was in the States and like, you had to be there were sort of a hierarchy in that world. So you, you can like really free, I guess you can register but you couldn't, there was like, there was like an order of things. So you had to be like invited to be in the front row or something like that. I didn't really know that. So I just wanted to be as close to the teacher as possible. So I, and it was at this big theater. I got myself to the theater at 230 in the morning, and I sat there until it opened at six.
Lisa Danylchuk 12:15
Wow.
Stephanie Snyder 12:17
I know. And there were always people mad that I was first in line.
Lisa Danylchuk 12:21
I mean you got there first.
Stephanie Snyder 12:24
But I remember, like thinking like it was in San Francisco, and I just like, oh, I didn't realize there were like sex workers on this street at night. Like there was so much going on. You know, that's sort of like I was very, very hardcore about it. Super committed. I loved it. I loved the practice. I loved the song. I loved everything about it. And so that's sort of when I got really, really into it.
Lisa Danylchuk 12:47
And then so from then until now, do you still practice with Ashtanga, I know you teach vinyasa.
Stephanie Snyder 12:52
Yeah, I did that for a while. And then when I started to teach, I didn't really want to. I did you know, primary series for a minute, and I just was not, it wasn't doing it for me at all. I also sort of like, there were some repetitive stress things happening in my body and I just was branching out a little bit and found just vinyasa not necessarily strong vinyasa. To be a little more of a creative outlet for me. And also like intellectually developing sequences, I became really obsessed with that still one of my favorite things about teaching. And so I moved away from Ashtanga and just started into more of like the vinyasa world. And from there too, that's what I started to. Like when I first started yoga. I had a light on yoga book, you know, it's like the Bible for Yogi's and I anger all the poses, and I had all the poses I couldn't do yet earmarked. Like, gonna get them all, I guess, you know, that was like my goal. I mean, that's like, where I was going on. So funny. And so I moved sort of from that into starting to get curious about the philosophy and the seeing the way that the, you know, integrating even a little bit of a philosophy and in the beginning, it sort of went through me, but it was really interesting. It makes sense to me. It tended to help me answer my own questions, some of the philosophical teachings and so I became much more I softened up a lot. I would say my practice, and still today, I primarily practice vinyasa. But I would consider myself just a wholehearted, Bhakti yogi, you know, for me, the philosophy and the chanting and the devotional aspects of it are the most profound and beneficial for me now, and that's really what I tried to share. I teach vinyasa, but I really share that, you know, the bhakti the philosophy, and I try to offer in classes in a way that's like, as accessible as possible and most of it really is accessible. So
Lisa Danylchuk 14:54
yes, you know, that reminds me I took a class with my friend Carrie recently in I think it's green yogi and Berkeley that took over where your country used to be where YogaWorks used to be. And the teacher was trained by you and I swore I gotta close my eyes and you're teaching. She started with the chat. And she had the harmonium. And I was like, oh, this is nice. I don't have to go all the way into San Francisco. I got a little stuff class over here. You know, she's doing on Oman. And when NASA was just like, oh, yeah, you got so many me's running around. In a beautiful way, I was like, I love this. I love this. So what caused you to teach? I know you were just like diving in to yoga? And as many of us do, did you plan to teach? No, I just wanted to teach your training. Like, I just want to deepen my practice where it was that like a vision for you, like I'm gonna open studios, or how did that happen? No.
Stephanie Snyder 15:51
I mean, I just wanted to deepen my practice, I had no intention of teaching yoga at all. And it really did just it was sort of a dharmic thing where, I guess a karmic, karmic and dharma thing where I was in this training, there was a sangha base, actually, and I hadn't gotten another. I'd quit my job do this training. It was 30 days, I was like, I'll just and then it was like one of the only trainings like, in the Bay Area at all. I mean, it's such a different time. And I hadn't done I was just getting ready to finish the program. I hadn't gotten a new job yet. But I figured I would figure it out. And I had been in like sales I was I was an advertising sales. I was a technical recruiter for a while, stuff like that. And a friend of mine called and said, Hey, didn't you just say that you are like finishing up your yoga teacher training? And I said, Yes, she goes, well, I have a friend who's opening a yoga studio. It's a massage place in a yoga studio, and she really needs teachers. And I was like, well, I, I mean, I haven't been taught like I just in this program, she and she was like, she doesn't care. You don't have to be good. Nice. And we're saying that it was so funny. So I went and did that. And I started teaching there. And it just, I mean, honestly, it just never stopped from there. I mean, there was never even a pause for me to consider. Maybe I should change gears or when am I going to move on to going back to working in more of the corporate world like that? Never. I never even had a breath to take in that direction. Because it just from there, you know, kind of went and I loved it. And I did tons and tons more training. And so it just sort of happened that way. It just sort of took me for a ride.
Lisa Danylchuk 17:36
Energy and yeah, just keeps going. Right. You're still now you've got the two studios, right in San Francisco and Larkspur. Yeah, and tons of trainings and everything going on. So it's still accelerating it seems like.
Stephanie Snyder 17:51
Yeah, I mean, I think you always have to be evolving as a teacher too. Otherwise, it becomes just, I don't know, I would become very bored. And it yoga is supposed to be alive within us, right? So if we're living and growing and integrating all the time, it it, it loses its life. And so I don't know how you teach without evolving as a teacher, and you only evolve as a teacher, because you're evolving as a student. I mean, students ship is the most important thing for any teacher. So yeah, I mean, these I have a Love Story Yoga and Larkspur and in San Francisco, and that's just been like a total heart project. And, I mean, it's been a great experience, I've learned a ton. So it's, it's been really, really wonderful. I feel grateful that we made it through the pandemic. And everything to that was, yeah,
Lisa Danylchuk 18:44
That's huge. A lot of studios shut down and have been really impacted. But it seems like you guys, you know, went into hibernation a little bit as everybody had to, but came out strong. So it's beautiful to see.
Stephanie Snyder 18:56
Yeah, I'm really grateful. We have a great community.
Lisa Danylchuk 18:58
It's its own whole practice to I mean, from what I've seen as a teacher in studios, managing a studio running everything. I mean, that's its own level of yoga practice right there, like everything on the mat applies.
Stephanie Snyder 19:11
But I do have a really good team of people. So honestly, that's true. I really tried to keep to protect, like my time and my role in this as yoga focused and have a really, really great, incredible team of people who helped manage a lot of the other things, because that was important to me also, because you're right. I mean, I've seen a lot of teachers open the studio, and you just get so bogged down, that they stopped teaching, and I just was wary of that. So I tried to you know, I tried to do what I'm great at and then you know, to the best of my ability and then recruit people who are really great at stuff that I'm terrible at and that I don't I don't do at all, that's for sure.
Lisa Danylchuk 19:52
Yeah. You've been doing something interesting lately. Laurel, who are is one of these wonderful people that works with you who used to work With YogaWorks, when I was teaching there, she was telling me you were doing some work with is it the San Francisco Police Department or the sheriff's office? I think it's the police department.
Stephanie Snyder 20:09
Yeah, um, this was before the pandemic, the San Francisco Police Department, we have a station right down the street from us and Valencia on Valencia Street in the mission in San Francisco. And they, you know, walked in or called and just said, hey, you know, we're wondering if we, if you guys kind of do any kind of like, you know, anything to help with stress reduction, and didn't even know what to ask for it. So they didn't really know about yoga or anything, but it was just, it was something that they were looking for. So Laurel, let me know, I got in touch with them immediately. Because that was like very intriguing to me. And it was such an incredible experience. And we haven't gotten back on track since the pandemic. But it was I would go in once a week, and they called me the breathing lady. And I'd go in right after their, like their meeting, and where they sort of get, like the download of everything going on, when they were changing shifts, and I would sit down with them, and they would close their eyes, and I would take them through pranayama exercises. And to help them you know, build resiliency build, you know, heart rate variability, that kind of thing. I explained to them how the breath could help them with that in stressful situations and why that's beneficial. And it was just such an incredibly rewarding experience. I mean, you know, I got to be friends with a couple of these guys. And one of them said, you know, you don't really you don't realize what a big deal it is for a roomful of cops to have guns on them, too, for you, and they're on duty. So they're in hyper village vigilance already when they're on duty, right. And a lot of them have trouble getting out of that, too. He said, you know, to ask a group of cops who are on duty to sit down and close their eyes
Lisa Danylchuk 22:04
It's seems almost impossible.
Stephanie Snyder 22:08
I didn't even that part didn't even occur to me. So I learned so much just from working with them, talking with them understanding more of like, what they're exposed to, and what the demands of their job. I mean, you know, all all symptoms of just being like I say, hyper vigilant all the time. And they're not the only profession that struggles with this. I mean, incredibly high rates of suicide. So yeah, I mean, it gave me a lot of, of insight and compassion, you know, I'm, there's definitely bad apples in every group about whatever group but, you know, by and large, great guys really dedicated to their job. And, you know, I give them credit for coming to us and asking for this. I mean, that's amazing. And I know, it's San Francisco. So there is that, but then it was just very successful, and other stations started asking for it. And I had a meeting with the chief of police. They actually gave me an award, which is really nice for like, just because we did an all volunteer. We were in several stations all over the city. And it was like the only place in the country that adopted a program like that at that scale. So it was really exciting. And, you know, hopefully we'll get back to that, but it was rewarding, and they found it helpful. The police officers really helpful. So that's all that mattered to me.
Lisa Danylchuk 23:22
Yeah, if you get that going again, and you know, have that team of teachers, I'd be happy to contribute some training, or at least, you know, books or audio book, if they're, you know, just on yoga for trauma recovery as a backdrop to everything else you're doing. Because, yeah, we don't think asking someone to close their eyes is a big deal as yoga teachers, you know, a lot of us that are teaching, that's a resourceful space for us, like me, close my eyes, and, you know, feel into that little shavasana feeling you're talking about before and connect with myself. But you know, when you're in or also any kind of emergency response, I think of people who work for ambulances, for example, it's like when you are in these emergency situations, and you're on. That's a big ask. And also, if you've had, which lots of folks going into emergency professions do they're like, oh, I just happened to work really well in chaos. And you're like, well, let's, where did you grow up? And what was that? Like? Oh, it was a civil war? Oh, isn't that interesting? Oh, there was a lot of abuse. Isn't that interesting? So you asked folks to that have a history of their own personal trauma to close their eyes and kind of go inside. And that's a big ask. And so I think, you know, it says a lot to your building relationship with them and everything you said in terms of explaining, hey, this is how this can help you. This is how this can help you do what you're trying to do better. It's like, oh, okay, you know, then there's some connection and then there's some like, this is worth it, even though it still might be hard right to actually like, I have guns on me and let me close my eyes when your eyes are such a resource for safety.
Stephanie Snyder 24:51
Right, right. I mean, they're scanning for danger all the time. That's their job, and it's hard for them to not do that. When they're not on duty. It just becomes you know, it's a really tough job. I mean, they really there's so much wear and tear emotionally and psychologically that they go through. So yeah, it was a great learning experience, for me extremely rewarding. And I just felt like, you know, at least part of a tiny part of a tiny part of a solution, you know what I mean, with all of the violence and everything going on, that we were able to contribute in a way that was helpful, you know, to help them manage the stress that sometimes can go wrong, you know, and that professions, it was, it was really rewarding. I hope we get it back back on track.
Lisa Danylchuk 25:32
Yeah, I run an online training program. And within that group of students and graduates, there was a rich conversation in the last couple of years around, there are folks in there who to go to law enforcement, and there are folks in there, who to go to people who have been negatively impacted by law enforcement, right. And so there's this really rich conversation in that. And I think what you just mentioned, and what came out of that conversation was just this, this perspective of compassion, of what, what everyone is going through, right. And I think there's an extra layer in San Francisco, you know, I'm familiar somewhat with the sheriff's department and some of the systems there and help get some small yoga classes that, you know, stayed for a few years and left in different places, but it's a really diverse community, the staff there, like the people who work for SFPD, or the sheriff's department or who work in the, the jails in the hospitals there. It's a really diverse community. So there's so many layers to this, especially when we started talking about race and police brutality and all those things. And so this was a really rich conversation. And I do feel like that piece of compassion for everyone who's impacted by violence, and, and trying to build more awareness of the things that you're talking about heart rate variability, stress tolerance, oh, I am in hyper arousal all the time. How might that impact me? If I have guns, right? Like just basic awareness like that, and I don't mean to, you know, to insinuate that people aren't thinking about these really obvious things, but we're not either as teachers, we're not thinking about, oh, close your eyes, it's going to be hard. So there's sometimes these things that are become apparent and become sort of obvious, but they're not right away, right? We're so caught up in whatever we're caught up in that it's not obvious right away that there's a lot of trauma going on behind the scenes, and there's tools and yoga that can help with that. And so, again, in this conversation was kind of like, why not give the tools that can heal? Everywhere? Like that's going to help everybody, right?
Stephanie Snyder 27:43
Yeah, I like the compassion piece, that what, what you just said is, is also, it's so easy for us to be and we're so like, in such camps these days, you know, in terms of like, other and you know, I am pretty, I have a generally like, anyway, I didn't have anything huge against please put it that way. Okay. But, you know, there were a lot of problems I'm aware of, but until I actually knew them and talked to them, like, I couldn't have the level of compassion that I do now. And I think like, what you're saying is true, as everyone needs to like, talk more. And we need to see each other as like complete human beings who all of us are suffering sometimes. And all of us have joy and all of us, you know, and I think that that is something that's like, really missing in our society right now really missing. And it's, it's damaging for everyone. So I put you out of my heart. It's damaging for you, but it's more damaging for me, actually. So I think that that compassion piece and really, like you're saying, like you have two sides of that coin. But for them to be able to see each other and talk to each other and understand each other. I mean, the, you know, I would come in, I had to finally be like, um, like, I came in one time. And this one officer, Mike was like, he just told me a story is like, oh, yeah, this is what happened last night, some of the guys are really off, you know, and I will repeat it. And I
Lisa Danylchuk 29:12
And it's like, the biggest, most traumatic thing you've heard in a long time.
Stephanie Snyder 29:17
Ever, I still never can. It's in me forever now. Like, you know, and so that was just like, wow, he's just like, reporting that and, and yet how I was feeling it, you know, so that also gave me a whole nother level of compassion. I mean, that's it. They're, they're supposed to so much all the time that they have to manage. Anyway, so yeah, the compassion piece is huge. I think just like seeing each other and talking to each other and having conversations, being able to ask questions and being able to be wrong, and being able to make it right and apologize. But in general, you know, the whole cancel culture and all that kind of thing. You know, the way that we're just immediately ready, you know, as a society to, you know, put someone in the guillotine in the town square and that's that and The big problem with that, that I see is it completely adds communication. So there's so much fear around asking the wrong question or doing something. People do things wrong things or have bad judgment, like all the time. And we have to have the space, I think, to acknowledge and make amends, whatever that means. And, and, and, you know, it's important for the person who has been traumatized in some way, maybe to have the opportunity to hear that or to have the opportunity, if they want that, to have the opportunity to have that conversation, it can be healing for them as well. So I just feel like that conversation has, has completely it's been, it's been diluted to almost nothing now. I mean, it's just, there's no conversation, it's like, you're right, or you're wrong. And that's that no one person is all the way right and all the way wrong, no one person is, is all the way perfect. And all we imperfect, like it just doesn't work that way. So it's very painful for us as a society to live in that kind of, you know, binary existence that is just not rooted in any kind of reality, you know? Oh, I think it's, it's just, it's stunted us in such a way that is created a lot of collective pain.
Lisa Danylchuk 31:18
Yes, it stands out to me as you're talking. I mean, we're making so much progress around gender inclusivity and sort of, uh, you know, being non binary in that sense. And so can we like, let that feed other ways we're thinking in terms of, and it's, you know, I say this a lot in cognitive behavioral therapy. In cognitive therapy, one of the biggest cognitive distortions is all or nothing thinking, like, it's always right, or it's always wrong, or this or that. It's like, it's just so rare. Right? That somethin is it maybe in coding when it's like a one or zero or something, right? But, but when we start talking about humans, we're so complicated and complex, and life is so complicated and complex. And so when we can get into more of the nuance and ask questions, and especially when you talk about me holding you, in my heart, you know, and how that benefits me. How that benefits you. How that benefits us as a collective. And I've seen it a million times where people start to get to know each other and ask questions and go, oh, I didn't think that of you. At first, I totally had you in this box, especially if they're wearing a uniform or especially, you know, it can be based on how we're dressed, it can be based on our skin color, it can be based on all these things. So I agree that the curiosity and the compassion and the conversations are helpful, and they're not. That's not that different than what we're doing individually as a single person on on a yoga mat. Right. Let me be curious, let me try to put these judgments aside, let me try to be with what's happening without this is one thing I remember, you know, he always remember certain things that teachers say. I remember you talking about cutting and running without cutting and running, right? Like, let me be with this about just being like, well, I'm cutting, read, cutting run. I don't think we talk about that enough these days of how much of an impulse that is to just put up a wall and go a different direction. I don't know if that was something I remember you talking about? Was that, is that like a big theme for you? Or is that something you still think about cutting running?
Stephanie Snyder 33:20
Well, I think, you know, I'm in the teaching context, I one of the things I'll bring up now, and that is, you know, there are because I teach a reverse practice, too. It's demanding physically, and generally, we're either like someone who's going to push harder than we should or need to was a waste of energy. And damaging, I think, you know, energetically and psychologically on some level and or we're like a baler, you know, we cut run when it's uncomfortable. So that's kind of what you know, on the mat. Notice, like, what's your pattern? Like? What's your your flavor that you always pick and tried something else, you know, if you're someone who wants to bail, you know, cut and run or just want to, like really push, maybe you soften back? And if you want to cut and run maybe you stay with it, but without that aggression? You know, just try a different way. And it's just interesting to notice, because the way we do things group, the late great Larry Schultz always used to say he was a star teachers. He used to say, he was sort of New York when we were on the mat, doing a pose he'd go the way you do this here is the way you do everything everywhere, you know, and it was so true. And it was so true. So that's just speaks to that you know, observing on the mat. How are we handling challenge? What happens when we're bored? What happens when we don't get what we were expecting or think we needed or wanted, you know, and we get to watch how our it's always a habit. You know, what our habits are showing up in the Have those moments and then we can decide? Do I want to change that? Or not? And then then there's power in that. And that's why we don't usually even know we have a choice because we're not paying attention.
Lisa Danylchuk 35:10
Right? It's just happening in the background. But then once you realize, oh, this is what's happening, you get that observation, that insight that choice. Like, well, why would I choose the thing that causes me more suffering? Right, and sometimes we can be really attached to the things that cause us suffering to really attach to that judgment are really attached to that pushing, because it's gonna get me somewhere that's better, even though I'm learning that it's actually not my
Stephanie Snyder 35:34
self worth is attached to it, or, you know, there's so that those questions are really so valuable, because you can I mean, in yoga, you know, the cliche is place, your karma is like, you know, we're meant to go back to trace back to like, where that started. And then we can work with that. Sometimes, and sometimes we can't, sometimes we can't trace it back. But that is information that's really valuable, and that we can use to heal.
Lisa Danylchuk 36:03
It's so much like therapy too. I mean, it's just without the other person's sort of insight and feedback from their observations of you. But it's still that, you know, projection onto your mat onto the person next to you on to the teacher. And I think when we at least have that umbrella of awareness of let me just observe all this stuff as it's happening, then there's so much we can learn, like you said, about everything that happens off the mat, oh, well, maybe I'm doing that here. Maybe I'm pushing, maybe I'm judging, maybe I'm being critical. Maybe I'm being self critical. Maybe like, I'm starting to sort of piece those patterns apart that yeah, for many people, many lifetimes, just like, it's not a point of, of observation. It's not a point of awareness. Right. It's just plow forward. And keep doing that.
Stephanie Snyder 36:52
Which is, you know, I think that requires tools. I mean, not many people are just naturally going to step back like that, especially in today's world, it's so busy, you know, but I think being able to pay attention, and get interested in it, I mean, for me, that's one of the things I love about the philosophy, like, it's so interesting, it's there's so many ways in to that observation that are that are smart, and gentle, and sometimes difficult, but never damaging. And, like, so therapy wise, you know, when you say that, I mean, that's another reason why I love to teach the philosophy and teacher training in particular, you know, we spend a lot of time on, you know, for instance, just the yamas and niyamas. Those are like the ethical sort of guidelines of living as a yogi. And so for the Yamas, let's just say, you know, Satya is the second one, that's honesty. And so when you first you know, or you're in the group, and you think, okay, so I mean, pretty much everyone's like, I'm an honest person, you know, and but what does that mean? So what happens if someone asks you a question? And the answer is uncomfortable, like, do you tell the truth? Or do you sort of skirt around it? Well, that would violate Satya. Well, why do you do that? Well, how could you do it better. So you know, we spent an entire week on a Ahimsa an entire week. Then on Satya down the line, and it's just just for self assessment to say like, to really like, hold ourselves accountable, because it's easy to say, I'm an honest person, or whatever. And that relates back to the childhood thing, too, you know, when we're kids, we just take on the world view of the world around us. So we don't question it. And it becomes part of who we are until we decide to question it. So you know, working with the philosophy in that way, too. It's a real sadhna. You know, sadhana is very specific, dedicated practice. I'm gonna practice Satya honesty, to the best of my ability to be my one like primary focus for an entire week. And then at the end of every day, it helps what Yeah, yeah, you know, self assessment, basically, I would just write down like, how did it go, and not in a judgy way, but in a way that I can learn? And if something went wrong, I would just ask myself, how would I do it differently next time. And then I would write down, and the read and the way that I just took a minute to pay attention to it. I took a minute to contemplate what I might do differently next time. And then I wrote it down is a way of a commitment. And the reason why that's important is not because we want to become these, like, you know, you know, we don't have to become these puritanical, sort of like, you know, monks in the world, but because that process the next time that situation comes up, and it always will, you have that in your consciousness, and you might do the different thing, you know, or you might think of doing a different thing, but not do it, but the next time you'll think of it and you know, so it works like that. So it's really constructive. It's a great philosophy is a great way to help us take those observations actually put them to practice. So it's important that we, we, I mean, me this, I already said this part, but that that observation I get from that, you know, looking at that in a focused way, gives me information that I can then use to a I'm actually put the insight that I gain into practice in my day to day life in a way that's real. And oh, so we don't just want to recite the sutras, we want to live the sutras, you know. And so that's, that's the key. And so that's where, you know, yoga is, at some point, the rubber has to meet the road. And, you know, that happens, you know, different pace for everyone, of course, but it's a, it's, the gift is there for us, you know, when we want to move towards it, and you can apply the, you know, if there's any pain point in my life, you know, I turn toward the techs and ask myself like, okay, what tool can I use, and then I make a sadhana. I mean, it's a commitment, if the, if we want to make change in our lives, or change your behavior that's maybe damaging or change for me or someone else, or whatever it is, there are tools and I can go and really engage those tools, and then apply the teachings in a way that helps me actually change the way I'm living in the world. That's all that matters really, for us at this point, you know. It's really important.
Lisa Danylchuk 41:08
Yeah. 100% and I love what you're sharing, because it really centralizes the focus of yoga on the philosophy, which is so much more accessible, right? Like having a conversation with yourself about non harming or truthfulness, like that something I think most of us can access, right? Just having that conversation just asking, well, am I practicing ahimsa? Am I practicing Satya? What do those concepts mean to me? What do they mean in the context of my life, like, those are things we can chew on individually and together? And we don't have to be super mobile, we don't have to take a certain shape in our body. We don't even have to lie down and do suasana. Right. And I think all there's so many different things within yoga, the physical Asana, the breathing practices, the philosophy, there's all these tools in there. And sometimes I hear this, like, you know, the classic like, well, I'm not flexible, so I don't do yoga, which there's that. But then there's also just the right then there's the intimidation factor, or the accessibility factor of well, that's like not working for my body or not what feels doesn't feel right for me right now. Well, there's all these other angles that that I think can be immensely helpful. Even sound yas yas, right. Like the self study, that might be going to therapy that might be writing in a journal, but that can be part of your yoga practice. And, and if or when the other things become helpful, great. But we don't have to just judge it based on like, how long can you hold your hand stand or whatever it is, like things that sometimes as a yoga culture, we can kind of get distracted even with like, like, you were saying, like, I'm gonna do every pose like that. Wow. There's someone who was in there. I remember like, the first time I looked at light on yoga, I was like, well, that's not gonna happen. There's a whole other like, thought and response, right, that I can work with. So you've said a lot of things already that I think are helpful, but what would you say to someone who we've been going through it the last few years, I mean, it's been it's been kind of nonstop in terms of processing trauma in terms of just going through hard times. And, you know, I know it's unique in a lot of ways. But like, also, that's life. Like, there's, if you look back, I think about my grandma's life. I'm like, she went through World Wars. Like there's, there's hard stuff. So what would you say to people who are really just struggling right now?
Stephanie Snyder 43:15
Oh, people and me hello, like, who's not I mean, I'm in a struggle, I think. I think it's difficult because I've, you know, my sense is that we all want to move on, you know, from from what just happened, and we don't talk about it anymore. Like, we're like, let's get back. But we really, we do need to spend time processing the trauma of the last few years of the social isolation of the incredible, you know, as a mother, like, you know, just the homeschooling and turning my house into a yoga studio and the, like, the insanity of managing all of that, of, you know, the great and deep loss that the entire world experienced. And so I do think that it's important when something comes up, you know, that feels uncomfortable a memory about that, or just to like, you know, acknowledge that it was very, very difficult. It was extremely painful. It was uncharted territory for anyone who is alive and to just give give ourselves permission to, phew, that was a lot. And, I still am carrying that. And I will, unless I, phew, when it comes up, over and over and over until I'm, you know, found that homeostasis again in some way. So there's that you know, just acknowledging what we've all been through and letting it come up and grieve when that happens or feel grateful when that happens, but be with you know, there's gonna be a lot of residual just everything from this. So just acknowledge that. And then the other thing I would say is, you know, one thing that I've been working with is when we like, for instance, we just open the studios back up. And then there was another variant that we did go back off and on. And then you know, it's like monkey pox or whatever, you know, I do, I found because we went so far from one direction to another and pandemic of like being shut down. And, and there's a longing for the past, that became hardened a little bit, I'd say, and I don't think I'm alone in that. And it's become a bit of a like, thought pattern, you know, so everything, something even goes wrong little, it's, it's like triggers this, like, oh, you know, like, here we go again, or something like that, instead of just recognizing, yes, like you said, this is like, it's always something that's true. And to just to unhook from that, feeling very restricted by I'm restrained by circumstance that doesn't necessarily feel ideal in the moment. That's, that is this moment, it's not the pandemic moment. But I often like that's coming through the trauma of that of things being different or not working out, or whatever it is. So I would say, you know, I'm practicing just really trying to be present with what's in front of me and recognize when that's coming through as just sort of some, some, still some trauma that needs to be processed for the pandemic. And it's important to recognize that because otherwise, you know, I will react in a way that's inappropriate, right? If it's informed by something that's not actually happening right now. So it's important to just take a moment and then, okay, you know, what, this is a thing, it's not that big a deal. And we're going to carry on, and I think I had a lot easier time doing that before the pandemic. And I just noticed, it's harder for me now, to bounce back from things that are stressful. And so that's a practice, it's a practice, I know, helped me both heal from the pandemic, and also helped me moving forward into this, you know, whatever it is, right now, you know.
Lisa Danylchuk 47:10
and there really is always something I just relatively recently saw some memory on social media or something that popped up that was like, it's I know, it's been a rough year for so many people. And it was like, I don't know, 2014 or so that's like a random year that I don't remember why that was a hard year, I remember why 2020 was a hard year. But like, I think there's something about how we're not only looking inward and processing our own trauma, which I hopefully, hope we're doing. We're doing to the degree we can, that because we're so interconnected, now we are processing, global trauma, and even like back in 2014, or whatever year that was, yeah, I might have been talking about like a terrorist attack in Paris, or I might have been talking about a tsunami in Thailand, or there's always some natural disaster, or some political strife, or a war or a pandemic, or and I'm not, you know, trying to measure these things against each other, because I don't think that's useful. But but just to point out, and I think this kind of goes into Buddhism, a little bit of like, life contains suffering, and what do we how do we react to that? What do we do with that? And I know from my experience, and I think you share this of, like, having a practice that, you know, in our case, and inspired by yoga and yoga philosophy, and moving and breathing, having an embodied practice, having a physiological practice where you're working with to build up your resilience in your body. Like it helps, it really helps. It doesn't mean Oh, yeah, I went through a pandemic, and I'm totally fine. But it means that we have some tools that we can share with each other that we can use that we can remind each other when we forget, we can come back to, you know, and sometimes coming back to those basics and just being a beginner again, and again, is is hard, but it's helpful to have somewhere to land. Right? It's helpful to go I haven't really been aware of my breath today. And I'm feeling really off just like it's helpful to say, I'm feeling really often I haven't eaten anything today. Like let me go back to those basics or let me go back to how I'm talking to myself and and where's the Ahimsa there. Right? So I think there's these really solid touch points within yoga and you can share them with people being impacted by police brutality, you can share them with people in law enforcement, you can share them far and wide. And I think the impact of those is like you describe yourself that that softening, and that in that softening, we have more of an opportunity to to connect and hopefully move through, right be with move through resolve, you know, and just and just keep living and remaining connected to our hearts right.
Stephanie Snyder 49:40
you know, accepting the world for what it is, you know, we do what we can to make it better but a lot is out of our control and we have a hard time accepting that and accepting you know, however long it takes for us to process trauma and so you know, a lot of the acceptance to like we don't we're fighting with ourselves internally. Often. I'd say So that acceptance that's another practice of youngest santosha. You know, practicing contentment is a really strong muscle to build, because it helps us, it gives us a stronger container to do the hard work.
Lisa Danylchuk 50:12
know, what gives you hope these days
Stephanie Snyder 50:18
I mean, my children, my dog, any sunny day. And I feel, I mean, generally, it's ironic because I, you know, have dealt with depression anxiety my entire life, like since I was like eight years old. And, but the funny thing is, I kind of always have a feeling like things are gonna work out, though at the same time. So you can analyze that I don't even want to begin. But I still generally have kind of an optimistic outlook globally, I guess you would say my struggles are more like internal free flowing for no reason, kind of, you know, mental stuff. But so generally, I think I'm a hopeful person, but I guess I feel like, you know, we've come through so much, and we've made it through that. And we are human beings are phenomenal, and capable of anything that we want. And the potential is unlimited. And I think that just remembering that, you know, like, whatever it is, we figure it out eventually. So that gives me hope, and just seeing all the people coming back to the studio. And, you know, I mean, you know, still even now there are some people are still just coming back to their first class. But I can't tell you how many times over the last like, few months, couple of months, someone has come up to me after class, just bawling. And saying, This is my first in person class back. And they've been doing online, like all of us were and you know, you forget. They also say the same thing, I forgot. Like, I thought I'm just doing it online, and it's good, it's great. I like it, that's fine. But when you come in, you're with people and you're bringing together and you're moving together and you're singing together, it's easy to forget. And when they come back, it's just they're so overwhelmed with gratitude, and hope. So I think you know, us coming back together, being together see each other, loving each other forgiving each other, you know, there's like a huge labor shortage, and everybody's there. So a lot of residual issues. And so like, be kind, when the service is slow. Be kind when the person behind the desk is crabby, but they're the only person on staff, you know, and so you know, just to be grateful and be kind and so that gives me hope, like us being able to come back together and slowly piece everything back together gives me a lot of hope. And I just generally sort of believe in people, but also come to the yoga practice, I have to say that also comes from the yoga practice and the other, you know, aspect of the practice that always gives me hope, because I am, you know, a believer in sort of this greater, you know, consciousness that we're all part of, and I don't suffer. It helps. I don't suffer the finite as much I'd say. And, and so that's something that I turn to often is just knowing that I'm really part of something infinite. And, you know, it's just this constant cycle of, you know, creation and sustaining and destruction and never ends. And that's, you know, our day, and that's our life. And that's what it that's our breath. It's everything so.
Lisa Danylchuk 53:21
Right, it's all the cycles. You were talking about opportunity in there. And I remember when you're opening love story in San Francisco, he said something about, like, if you want something like this, like it's no problem, just like, ask for it and like, lean, you know, lean in that direction and see what shows up. Because like you said, I mean, you you've founded this whole studio, but it's a team of people. It's, it's more than just this one singular consciousness, it's a collective, it's a collection, a collective, that creates something and I know a lot of people who want to create a healing center and have this vision. And then also have as we do, right, the resistance along the way, or the, oh, it's too good to be true, or it's never gonna happen, or I can't find the resources. And I think tapping into that sense of being a part of a greater whole can help ease the burden of feeling like I have to do everything, and can help just with that feeling of possibility and hope of like, well, let me just lean into this, this wanting or let me lean into this curiosity or this dream, or whatever it is, and just, you know, take a few steps in that direction, which can be really scary, but can also be amazing. I mean, then years later, you have folks coming up and crying because they're finally back in person. I mean, you never would foresee any of that at the beginning. And there's so much that it takes to create something like you've created but it's it's possible, right?
Stephanie Snyder 54:45
I think it's it's important to just, you know, for most of anything in a relationship in my career and whatever that has been successful. It's been more about me just saying yes. Then pushing or reaching or and then after yes, there's a lot of work usually has mostly been about me saying yes and being open to the opportunity and being curious. And that that's kind of, I think gives you this great momentum, you know?
Lisa Danylchuk 55:18
Yes. percent it totally does. Yes. Yeah. Even this podcast. I was like, Yes. What's coming up for you next, are there any sort of you're getting back in person, any big plans on the horizon, or full swing.
Stephanie Snyder 55:34
We start teacher training in January and cert, Cisco, then we have teacher training, starting in Larkspur in February. And that'll be like a once a month program. I'm really excited about that in modules. And yeah, you know, I'm, I've a retreat in Mexico, that's sold out. But I'm going to be in London, and I haven't been in like three years. So I'm so excited to finally go back. I'll be there. March 17 to 19. So I'm really excited about about that. And I'll teach so yeah, all that and you know, trying to raise some good, good human beings and take care of an amazing dog who takes care of me mostly.
Lisa Danylchuk 56:14
Yes. Oh, good. Well, I will hopefully see you in person October 1. We'll talk about some of the things we talked about today, and all kinds of fun stuff. And I'm really excited for in person too, because hugs for whoever's comfortable with them. Hugs are just amazing. And that energy that comes from physically being in a group is just palpable.
Stephanie Snyder 56:37
Yeah. Well, there's a lot of science around that though, too. About singing in a group and that kind of thing, too.
Lisa Danylchuk 56:43
Yes, all of the above. Definitely discussion and asana and definitely some, just some anchor points of, you know, things that help the practice be healing things we can anchor to, as we're searching for our own resilience. I mean, we talked about a lot of those little tidbits here, too. But yeah, I mean, I really, this is something we talked about, like I really believe that when we understand trauma, it's hard not to have compassion for other people, because you just sort of see. I mean, if you know their history, that helps, too. But you also get to recognize patterns of how people respond to trauma. And then you might just be Yeah, at a ordering lunch or something at a cafe and someone's like, really tense. And then instead of being like, Oh, well, that person's this and that you're like, Oh, they're carrying a lot of tension right now. I wonder what they're going through, right. So you start to notice, like, when we go hyper arousal, when we go hypo arousal, what we do in response to hard things, and then it's just harder. It's harder to not have compassion for people. It's easier just to feel a little bit of that softening in your heart so.
Stephanie Snyder 57:48
And that softness to begin with comes from doing your own practice and your own work, like you said, with your own trauma. And I want to say one other thing, you know, because I teach the places a lot which the trauma comes up with that they're psycho emotional triggers. And, you know, I always say to everyone in the group that you know, everyone has trauma, life is traumatizing. Like, if you've been born, that's traumatic, okay. Like, you know, coming into the world is traumatic. So, I also like to just sort of like normalize that word, and let everybody know that we all have stuff that we're dealing with everybody. And that's the compassion piece, too, you know?
Lisa Danylchuk 58:20
And once we learn about it, then we see it, because if we just think of trauma as a concept, maybe we were like, oh, PTSD, well, I haven't been to war. And then we learn, like, what is trauma? And how does it impact us? We're like, Well, that seems like me. And that seems like my family. And that seems like my friends. And that seems like everybody I know, and why don't we all know this? It's like, yeah, exactly. This is really helpful information just to that there is that informational component that like psycho education, just like, oh, this is how we work. And then it just normalizes so much. I mean, even in terms of mental health diagnoses, it just normalizes so much. And then we just go, Oh, you have a body? Oh, you're a human. Welcome to the club.
Stephanie Snyder 58:58
We're here doing it's so important. And I'm so glad that you're out there doing it. And yeah, just to sort of normalize a lot of this and I love the movement of neuro diversity. Is that what they're calling it now? Like, I'm a big believer in that. It's, you know, I guess, cuz systems have a hard time, you know, dealing with lots of different diverse learners and emotional psychological, but I think that's probably why but I mean, it's, you know, that we're all very diverse in that way too. And you start to learn, like you said, like, how our brain works, how, what's going on and why and then we can move from there. So I love that you're doing this work, and I'm so glad that you're out there doing it.
Lisa Danylchuk 59:36
Yes. And I'm so glad to be doing it in person at love story. That's going to be really, really nice. I can't again, I can't remember the last time I was there in San Francisco. I think it was like New Year's Eve. A couple friends. We went to uh yeah, it was a long time ago. It was definitely pre pandemic. I don't know. 2018. Maybe we did like a New Year's Eve practice there. It was sweaty. It was nice. Well, thank you so much stuff. It's wonderful to have you here and to see your face and I still look forward to seeing you in person giving you a hug. And thanks for everything you've done to create healing spaces in the world. I know it makes a big difference. And I know you're human and dealing with all this stuff, too. And so I just think it's a beautiful thing to create that space for, to share what you've experienced in a healing way. So thank you.
Stephanie Snyder 1:00:21
Thank you so much for having me. It's so good to see you. And
Lisa Danylchuk 1:00:25
Thanks so much for listening. My hope is that you walk away from these episodes feeling supported, and like you have a place to come to find the hope and inspiration you need to take your next small step forward. For more information and resources, please visit howwecanheal.com There you'll find tons of helpful resources and the full transcript of each show. Thanks so much for your messages, feedback, and ideas about the podcast. I love hearing from you and I so appreciate your support. There are lots of ways you can support the show and I'm grateful for every little bit of love you share. If you love the show, please leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, Audible, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also subscribe on YouTube to get updates every week. You can always visit howwecanheal.com/podcast to share your thoughts and ideas I love hearing from you. So keep your comments coming. If you'd like to stay connected in between episodes, you can also text me text the word heal to 888-858-0811. That's 888-858-0811. That number has a lot of eights in it. I'll send you some inspiration and support a few times a month and you can text me back there too. Before we wrap up, I want to be clear that this podcast isn't offering any prescriptions. It's not advice or any kind of diagnosis. Your decisions are in your hands. And we encourage you to consult with any relevant health care professionals you may need to support you through your unique path of healing. I'd also like to send thanks to our guests today to Christine O'Donnell and Celine Baumgartner of Bright Sighted Podcasting, and to everyone who helps support this podcast directly and indirectly. Alex, thanks for taking the dogs out while I record. Last week, I'd love to give a shout-out to my big brother man who passed away in 2002. He wrote this music and it makes my heart so happy to share it with you now.
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