Episode 108: Here's Your Permission Slip! - A Discussion of Movement as Medicine with Ashley Brown - a podcast by Jennifer Brookman, MFT and Audriannah Levine-Ward, Psy.D.

As podcasters in an ever-fluctuating world, Audriannah and Jenn chose to shift the order of episode releases in the wake of George Floyd's murder in order to address the more pressing issue of racial injustice.  This episode - "Here's Your Permission Slip!" - was recorded immediately preceding Floyd's death, and is a deep dive into movement as an integral aspect of holistic health.  Audriannah and Jenn sit down with yoga, dance, and movement practitioner Ashley Brown to discuss yoga & movement as medicine for the mind, body and spirit.  Topics include: Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE), dance as collective healing, moving past internal judgment and prejudices about our bodies, the role of discomfort in healing, and giving yourself "permission slips" to move joyfully, authentically, and intuitively.  In a time where we are all navigating "relative degrees of stuckness" in our minds, bodies, and spirits, we at HDTMYF hope that this helps you to move stagnant energy and grow through your discomfort. 
RECORDED: 5/22/20.  
NOTE:  All episodes contain guided meditation and grounding.  Please skip these exercises if you're driving.
INTERVIEWEE BIO:
Ashley Brown has been working with her body for the past 20 years in many different dance styles and body therapy modalities. In 2015, Ashley completed her 200hr yoga certification from Square One Yoga Collective. Ashley’s approach to teaching is alignment and anatomy based, suited for the individual practitioner; investigating how the body can move to the fullest range of motion with awareness of placement and breath. Using the body as a vehicle to process this human experience to feel more free, creative, and grounded to connect to the divine. Ashley’s classes encompass all aspects of the yoga with chanting, mudras, and pranayama (breathwork) honoring the tradition with its many different branches to self-awareness. Drawing from the deep well of Hatha yoga, Ashley also draws from many lineages in yoga. Besides practicing asana, chanting, and meditation, Ashley teaches dance and yoga throughout the Bay Area. Ashley is continuing her education with trauma-sensitive trainings from Niroga Institute, TRE with Brooke Deputy and currently, completed her 500hrs Teacher Training in 2018. Ashley would like to acknowledge that she stands on the shoulders of the teachers and ancestors before her. She is and continues to learn about the harm that has been caused by her ancestors. Her liberation process works to align with the liberation of ALL beings: BIPOC, LBGTQIA+, Animals, and the Elements and recognizes that the health and wellness community disproportionately exclude BIPOC and Queer folks. She recognizes the lineage and practice of yoga has been capitalized and appropriated from its original context and lineage, Sanatana Dharma, and from it's original land, India. Ashley does not claim to have created any of the healing practices she talks about, but only occupies the space of a lifelong student. All of these healing practices are freely accessible to all no matter age, race, ability, socioeconomic status. Website: www.ashleybrowndanceandyoga.org. Facebook: @ashleybrowndanceandyoga.  Instagram: @abdanceandyoga.  

Further episodes of Therapedia the Podcast

Further podcasts by Jennifer Brookman, MFT and Audriannah Levine-Ward, Psy.D.

Website of Jennifer Brookman, MFT and Audriannah Levine-Ward, Psy.D.