Driving Home to the Self: Yoga, Research, and Recovery with Dr. Steffany Moonaz

Episode Summary: In this deeply moving and powerful episode, Amy Wheeler sits down with Dr. Steffany Moonaz—yoga researcher, author, educator, and founder of Yoga for Arthritis—to discuss her professional contributions to the field of yoga therapy, and the personal story that nearly shattered everything she knew about herself. What begins as a conversation about the CLARIFY Guidelines and the evolution of yoga research quickly transitions into a vulnerable and heartfelt dialogue about grief, identity, traumatic brain injury (TBI), caregiving, and the long, often invisible road to healing. Dr. Moonaz shares the inspiration behind her memoir Driving Home: Cancer, Concussion, Mom and Me, and invites us into the emotional terrain of a year marked by tragedy, disorientation, and ultimately, profound transformation. Through the lens of yoga, neuroscience, and lived experience, she offers wisdom on surviving loss—not just the loss of loved ones, but the loss of self as we once knew it. If you've ever questioned how the tools of yoga serve us not just in theory, but in the darkest moments of real life, this conversation is for you. Topics We Explore:The origin and impact of the CLARIFY Guidelines for yoga researchWhat makes yoga research replicable, credible, and useful for cliniciansDr. Moonaz’s academic leadership in yoga therapy at MUIH and SCUHSThe backstory of Yoga for Arthritis and its public health missionLiving through a year of compounded loss: traumatic brain injury, caregiving, and griefNavigating healthcare systems and trauma while healingWriting a memoir as a healing process and reflective practiceThe psychological and somatic experience of losing identity through injuryYoga therapy for grief, loss, and identity reconstructionSteffany's personal tapas (discipline) and her decision to keep showing upReclaiming wholeness post-trauma: a new “A-prime” version of self Featured Book: Driving Home: Cancer, Concussion, Mom and Me Now available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats.  Audiobook coming soon—narrated by Dr. Steffany Moonaz herself Connect with Steffany Moonaz: Website: https://arthritis.yoga Explore professional trainings in Yoga for Arthritis, mentoring opportunities, research publications, and continuing education courses. Upcoming offerings include:Online cohort: Yoga for Arthritis Level 1 Training (starting July 15, 2025)Self-paced options in yoga, Ayurveda, and pain scienceIn-person retreat at Yogaville, Summer 2026 Quote from the Episode: “I had to grieve the things about me that I had lost, at the same time as grieving the loss of my mother... But I also believe that I have made up for the loss of function with who I have grown into as a human.” — Dr. Steffany Moonaz  Special Thanks: To Dr. Moonaz for her honesty, strength, and generosity. And to our listeners—may this story remind you of your own resilience, your own wisdom, and the power of bearing witness to the full spectrum of the human experience. Information on Amy: www.amywheeler.com www.TheOptimalState.com