Dr. Yoga Momma

We interviewed Dr Arielle Schwartz on the Tend Her Podcast last year (episode 83). I felt like I had met a kindred spirit as she is a psychologist, yogi, and trauma expert.

I saw on social media that she had been in europe presenting at a conference.

I was at the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam yesterday and passed a woman on an escalator who looked vaguely familiar. After we passed, I wondered if it was Dr Schwartz so I turned around and chased her down.

My instincts were right! It was so great meeting in person for the first time in the least likely of places!

Thirty years ago I studied in The Netherlands and was placed with this dear family. From the moment I met them there was a deep connection.

In all these years we remain close with lots of travel back and forth over the years to visit. Time gets more precious as I get older and the 24 hours I just spent with them was priceless.

You never know who may come into your life (and ❤️) and change it forever.

Happy 16th birthday Heartland Yoga! 🧘‍♂️These photos are a blast from the past - long before the remodel and entry space.

This studio has brought so much expansion into my life! Yes, it has had its definite moments of stress, BUT the deep and life changing relationships I’ve made and the community that has been built are so worth all the challenges.

When I started it, I told myself “give it 5 years” which felt at times like an eternity! Now hard to fathom that we’ve reached the sweet 16.

Deepest gratitude to all the committed students, all the people who have dropped in over the years, and the many beautiful and skilled teachers who have lent their talents and time. None of this would have been possible without all of you dear people! ❤️💙🩵

Swoon worthy moment with these handsome young men. ❤️💙

Rod Stryker, Kate Moreland and I in a hotel room….one of the deepest conversations we’ve had yet on the podcast. It also happened to be one of Rod’s favorite podcasts that he has ever done (listen all the way to the end!)

We talk about bliss and we use the example of skiing for me, but really conversations like this where we dive into the bigger questions of life is bliss to me!

Thank you Rod for sharing your time, wisdom, and heart. ♥️

Happy day! Pieter graduated with honors! Feeling a momma-mix of happy/sad/proud!

Off to Luther College this fall to sing. And OMG….is this young man actually going to be doing his own laundry in a few months?! I still have some lessons left to teach in the coming months….🙀

How do you feel about dreams?

Watch the replay of this Wisdom Wednesday and others at the link in bio.

What do Barbies, murder and bioluminescent animals have in common?

They have all showed up in my dreams!

Join me today @ noon CST for Wisdom Wednesday as I talk about the power of dreams as a portal between our inner and outer worlds.

Bring a dream and I may even help you interpret it live!

Info about how to register for this monthly free talk in bio.

Join me tomorrow on Wisdom Wednesday for a discussion of DREAMS! My relationship to my own dream life opened during my early 40s while going through my mid life awakening.

The deep wisdom and guidance in our dreams astounds me. Bring your dreams to this conversation and there may be an opportunity to understand what it is trying to convey. 🛌🌙

Wisdom Wednesday May 1st at noon

1st Wednesday of the month
@ noon cst via Zoom

Dream Work: Decoding Your Authentic Truth

Dreams can reveal powerful and useful information to us when we make sense of their symbolic meaning. They exist to help us, and when we learn the language of them, there is great potential for personal transformation. Consider them portals between our inner and outer world.

In today’s Wisdom Wednesday we will cover:

Why remembering and understanding your dreams can be an opening to deeper awareness and guidance.
Different models of dream interpretation.
How to begin working with your own dreams.
Real time dream interpretation with a Wisdom Wednesday participant’s dream (If you have a dream you would like Betsy to work with, email [email protected] with the subject line: DREAM FOR WISDOM WEDNESDAY).

Lyz Lenz, author of this New York Times best selling book, took time to sit down and chat with me and Kate on the podcast amidst her busy schedule promoting this book (including her Today Show appearance)!

I love this conversation. ❤️ First is a comedian and I laughed A LOT. Second, she has a way of talking about edgy stuff and backs it up with data and research. Third, she made me think about the “institution” of marriage and how it is often not supportive of women. Finally, in our pre-conversation before starting to record, I figured out we went to the same small liberal arts college in Minnesota. Go Gusties!

Please listen, and go out and buy her book “This American Ex-Wife”. It is entertaining, eye-opening, and freeing.

Wisdom Wednesday

The Inner Child: Bringing Awareness to Old Patterning that Keeps us Stuck

Wednesday, April 3 @ Noon CST



It is common to hear the importance of ‘healing your inner child’. What does this even mean and is it even possible? What if I cannot even remember my childhood? I have enough challenges as an adult to deal with, why would I want to go back to my childhood when I cannot change any of it?



In this Wisdom Wednesday, we are going to explore the archetype of the inner child and how to work with this part of us.



You will learn:

· What the inner child actually is, and why the first 10 years of life are so important.
· Why all of us have an ‘original wound’ and how to know when this wound is triggered.
· The 7 different roles we often take on as children to cope when our needs are not getting met.
· How codependence is always a reflection of a wounded inner child.
· The core tools for working with the inner child, and a guided meditation with Dr. Betsy.

Join today at noon with this link
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_H8wwFXQgQjW8Kc0RRBL2sQ #/registration

A Brief Practice to Clear the Heart

· Hold Vajrapradama Mudra, a great mudra for depression, which directs breath and awareness into the heart space and chest, cultivating a sense of openness and trust in ourselves and in life. It is thought to “reawaken us to the joy of living”. To make this mudra, open fingers and interlace them so left little finger is on bottom, and both thumbs are extended upward.
· Close your eyes and envision that above you, behind you and all around you is a sea of light. Feel as if you are surrounded on all sides by goodness, benevolence, and peace. On an inhale, draw some of this light down through the crown of your head into your heart. As you exhale, allow your heart to open and expand. On the next inhale, any darkness, heaviness, or pain in the heart lifts to the crown of the head, and as you exhale release it. Repeat this 2 breath cycle 2-3 more times.


For even deeper healing of the heart, join me for Wisdom Wednesday tomorrow at noon as we explore healing the inner child.

Link to register in bio. Image from yoga journal.

Getting out of my comfort zone! That beak was sharp! 🦜🦜

New Tend Her Wild podcast just dropped about the upper limit problem and the ways we subconsciously sabotage feeling good by staying safe in our comfort zone.

Listen on all the podcast platforms! ❤️💙🤩

This wise woman showed up in my life right when I needed her guidance the most. ⚡️It was 2017. Cathy Pagano is a Jungian therapist, dream analyst, astrologer, and expert on feminine consciousness.

I had been following her blog and finally reached out for “mid-life coaching”. What unfolded was a 5 year depth journey into my dream life - and WOW! I learned firsthand how dreams hold deep guidance.

I will forever be grateful for this wise wild woman’s entrance into my life and am so excited for people to hear Cathy’s take on dreams, the wild woman archetype, the astrology of this coming year and why we need to stop the fear mongering and tap into mother earth.

Check out this week’s Tend Her Wild podcast anywhere you listen to podcasts. ❤️⚡️⚡️💙

We are baaaaack!!! Season 2 of Tend Her Wild has begun. Check it out wherever you listen to podcasts.

This week we reflect on the power of the wild woman archetype.

We’ve already been interviewing some amazing guests…listen, follow, rate, review!

Grateful to all who are listening! 🙏💙

Free Webinar with Dr. Betsy
Finding Truth in the Body
Friday, February 16 @ 3PM CST

I started to disconnect from my body quite early in my life, around the age of 5 after a traumatic event

I wasn’t even aware of this disconnect because it happened so early, but in retrospect I can see how it resulted in anxiety, body hatred, indecisiveness, and an overemphasis on my intellect and rationality.

Then around the age of 40, the symptoms came on hard: migraines, brain fog, sleep problems, fatigue, and GI distress. My body was speaking to me louder, calling for my full attention.

This autoimmune wake-up call forced me to my knees, and opened my eyes to fully embracing the connection between the symptoms my body was giving me, and the awakening I most needed to experience.

Do you feel distant from your body? Are you having body symptoms you cannot quite figure out? Have you recently received a diagnosis? Do you have a sense your body is talking to you but cannot figure out what it wants you to know?

Join me a conversation tomorrow, on how the body is a portal of truth. We’ll explore what it means to listen, understand, and decode the symptoms our body presents.

(Spoiler alert: Judgment is not apart of this conversation. Too often we judge ourselves and fall into shame when the body is displaying symptoms. The body is a beautiful messenger if we can receive it's wisdom.)

Here is what you will learn:
How to Unravel Constriction: Learn techniques to release the tightness that masks your true self.
Understanding Symptoms as Signals: Learn how to interpret physical symptoms as messages for transformation and healing.
How to Overcome Detachment: Identify the causes of dissociation and how to reassociate for well-being and health.
The Body as a Portal of Truth: Recognize the body as a powerful portal of truth that guides mind-body healing and personal transformation.

If you cannot make it live, please register anyway and we will send you the recording.

Register for class at link in bio.

Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️💙🩷

Free class

Finding Truth in the Body: The "Unfolding Experience"
Friday, February 16, 3PM CST

Discover the Messages Your Body is Trying to Send

During this Masterclass You’ll Learn…
How to Unravel Constriction: Learn techniques to unfold your body and mind, releasing the tightness that masks your true self.
Understanding Symptoms as Signals: Learn how to interpret physical symptoms as messages for transformation and healing.
How to Overcome Detachment: Identify the causes of bodily detachment and how to reassociate with your physical self for holistic well-being.
The Body as a Portal of Truth: Recognize the body as a powerful portal of truth that guides mind-body healing and personal transformation. Link to register for this zoom class in bio.

Finding Truth in the Body: The "Unfolding Experience"

Friday, February 16, 3PM CST


Discover the Messages Your Body is Trying to Send

During this Masterclass You’ll Learn…

How to Unravel Constriction: Learn techniques to unfold your body and mind, releasing the tightness that masks your true self.
Understanding Symptoms as Signals: Learn how to interpret physical symptoms as messages for transformation and healing.
How to Overcome Detachment: Identify the causes of bodily detachment and how to reassociate with your physical self for holistic well-being.
The Body as a Portal of Truth: Recognize the body as a powerful portal of truth that guides mind-body healing and personal transformation.

https://dryogamomma.com/body-trust-webinar/

Join me at noon cst, Today!

If you cannot make it live, please register anyway and we will send you the recording.

Wisdom Wednesday with Dr. Betsy
February 7th @ Noon CST

Bridging Psychology + Yoga:

Unlock A Body Based Approach to Mental Health

Here is what you will learn:

The Intricate Symphony of Mind, Body, and Spirit: Discover why true healing transcends the mind alone and requires a harmonious alignment of our entire being.
Fostering a Mindful Bodily Connection for Holistic Health: Learn why this deep connection is not just beneficial, but essential, serving as a cornerstone for returning to a state of comprehensive health and well-being.
Embodiment — The Key to Systemic Healing: Understand the new science behind why more awareness of the body may be a protective factor against mental health challenges.
Harness the Body’s Innate Wisdom Through Somatic Tools: Gain access to specific, body-based techniques that unlock and leverage the body’s inherent wisdom.
Integrating Yoga and Psychology for a Revolutionary Healing Approach: Learn how the fusion of yoga and psychology, offers a new paradigm for understanding and treating psychological distress, providing a more holistic and effective path to healing.

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_H8wwFXQgQjW8Kc0RRBL2sQ

My journey through a personal health crisis led me to a revelation: healing is a blend of mind, body, and spirtit alignment. It’s this discovery from my own life, coupled with over 20 years as a psychologist and 16 years of teaching yoga and mediation, that inspired this masterclass.

Here, I share not just professional insights but life lessons. From my deep dive into the psychology of the mind to embracing the physicality of yoga, each step has been about connecting these worlds. My published research on the mind-body connection is a testament to this journey.

Join me as we explore holistic healing, and learn more about ‘Yoga for the Mind’, a synthesis of my experiences aimed at transformative wellness. To learn more about this upcoming training, visit linktree in bio.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE YOGA FOR THE MIND

DEEP DIVE
This material is a deep dive into both the esoteric nature of the yoga tradition as well as the scientific evidence of current day research on yoga and mental health.

PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION
It is a priceless opportunity to work with your own inner growth and transformation which then gives you even more credence to teaching this material to your clients.

EMBODIMENT PRACTICES
In addition to each Monday’s lecture material, you will have access to Betsy’s 2 weekly yoga classes (T/S @ 9). Betsy’s yoga themes for the week will typically mirror that content that was shared in the Monday night lecture.

LIVE CALLS WITH DR. BETSY
Weekly live Q & A’s provide time for questions, supervision about current cases you might be working with professionally, and discussion of the week’s topic.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION
We will have a private FB group where you can post and share with others in the training. Additionally, you will be assigned to a small cohort of no more than students. This is a powerful opportunity to create lifelong colleagues and connections.

LEARN AT YOUR PACE
You have life-time access to the Videos and Practices. It is recommended that if you want the certification, that you complete the course in the 5 month period as we will have by our final celebration / graduation day early July.

Registration for this signature course begins Monday, February 5th.

Yoga for the Mind

Mental health problems are at an all time high in our culture. The stress of our lives has caught up with us. We need to start expanding our ideas of treatment. Addressing the body, energy, mind, wisdom, and spirit of a person is essential, and yoga does just this.

Registration for this signature course begins Monday, February 5th

We are meant to experience more love, more forgiveness, more compassion, more stillness, more fun, more reverence, more faith, more optimism, and more miracles.

“My retreat with Betsy and her team at Blue Spirit was everything I hoped and more. An infusion of goodness for my total body-mind-spirit. Betsy offers so much heart and soul in her teaching and curates every aspect of the programming with care. The retreat center and food is fabulous. If you only go on one yoga retreat in your life, make it this one!”

Susannah N

Saturday Yoga for Mental Wellness with Betsy & Friends

Saturday(s) @ 9 am cst

If this time of year feels especially heavy, join Betsy for this class series focused on bringing awareness to the 5 layers of our being for enhanced mental well being.

This series is recorded. If you cannot join live, you have access to an online site where all the classes are saved and can be accessed indefinitely. Register at https://linktr.ee/dryogamomma