.png){kind=logo}
Mandy Ingber on Yoga, the Body, and Finding Inner Peace
Celebrity yoga instructor and author Mandy Ingber joins Dr. Sherry Ross and Dr. Tammy Nelson to explore the transformative power of yoga — not just as physical practice, but as a path to self-acceptance, emotional regulation, and inner peace. The conversation covers body image, the mind-body connection, and what it means to truly inhabit your own life.
About This Episode
Mandy Ingber is one of the most sought-after yoga instructors in the world. Her clients have included some of Hollywood's most recognizable names, but her message is for everyone: yoga is not about achieving a certain body or a certain level of flexibility. It is about coming home to yourself.
Yoga as a Mind-Body Practice
Topics covered in this episode include the science behind yoga's effects on the nervous system, the research on yoga's benefits for mental health, and the ways a consistent practice can change not just the body but the relationship one has with it. Dr. Ross brings a medical perspective on the physical benefits of yoga, including its effects on flexibility, strength, cardiovascular health, and hormonal balance.
Body Image and Self-Acceptance
One of the most important topics covered in this episode is body image — and the ways yoga, when practiced with the right intention, can become a powerful tool for self-acceptance rather than self-criticism. Mandy discusses the cultural pressures that shape how people relate to their bodies and what it looks like to develop a genuinely compassionate relationship with your physical self.
Emotional Regulation Through Movement
Dr. Tammy Nelson brings her expertise in trauma and relationships to explore the ways movement — and yoga in particular — can serve as a tool for emotional regulation. Topics covered include the role of the body in processing emotion, the ways yoga can help people access and release feelings that are stored somatically.
Finding Inner Peace
Topics covered in this episode include Mandy's personal journey toward inner peace — including the challenges she has faced and the practices that have helped her navigate them. The conversation explores what inner peace actually means and how yoga supports it.
Yoga for Every Body
The episode closes with a practical discussion of how to begin or deepen a yoga practice — including how to find the right teacher, how to adapt the practice to your body's needs, and how to approach yoga as a lifelong practice rather than a performance.
5 Key Takeaways
- 1
Yoga is a mind-body practice with measurable benefits for mental health, emotional regulation, and the nervous system — not just physical flexibility.
- 2
When practiced with the right intention, yoga can become a powerful tool for self-acceptance and a more compassionate relationship with the body.
- 3
Movement can help process and release emotions stored in the body — making it a valuable complement to traditional therapy.
- 4
Inner peace is not the absence of difficulty; it is a practice of returning to yourself, again and again, through whatever arises.
- 5
Yoga is for every body, at every stage of life — the goal is not performance but presence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the health benefits of yoga?
Topics covered in this episode include the physical benefits of yoga (flexibility, strength, cardiovascular health, hormonal balance) and the mental health benefits (stress reduction, emotional regulation, improved mood and sleep). Dr. Sherry Ross provides medical context.
How can yoga help with body image?
Mandy Ingber discusses how yoga, when practiced with the right intention, can shift the relationship with the body from one of criticism and comparison to one of acceptance and gratitude.
Can yoga help with trauma or emotional processing?
Topics covered in this episode include the ways yoga and movement can help process emotions stored in the body. Dr. Tammy Nelson discusses the research on somatic approaches to trauma and how yoga fits into a broader healing practice.
Where can I listen to this episode?
This episode is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Links are at the top of this page.
Related Episodes
Brooke Burke: Cancer, Body Image, and Coming Back
Entrepreneur, fitness expert, and health advocate Brooke Burke opened up about her experience with thyroid cancer, her relationship with her body, and what it really takes to feel like yourself again after a diagnosis.
Ep 6Gabor Maté: When the Body Says No
World-renowned physician and bestselling author Dr. Gabor Maté joins us for a profound conversation on how trauma, stress, and unmet emotional needs manifest in the body — and what true healing actually looks like.
Meet Dr. Sherry Ross & Dr. Tammy Nelson
Two experts. Zero filters. Whole truth.