#72 - Yoga For Body Liberation with Vivian Selles

This week, we’re talking to Vivian Selles about yoga as a path to body liberation in eating disorder recovery and beyond! 

Vivian Selles is an experienced registered yoga teacher and Yoga Alliance continuing education provider. Yoga is action, and Vivian cultivates positive change in the yoga community through her practice and teachings. Vivian’s intention as a yoga teacher is to create and hold safer, accessible spaces for all people on their path to liberation. Vivian combines her extensive education and experiential expertise teaching yoga philosophy and practices in eating disorder recovery treatment centers and through national/international online trainings. She also teaches for Yoga For Eating Disorders and holds certifications in a number of modalities, including chair yoga, trauma-informed yoga, and as a Be Body Positive Facilitator. She obtained her 200 hour certification in 2014 and is currently studying to become a certified yoga therapist. Vivian’s passion is mindful, conscious living of her yoga practice on and off the mat.

We had an amazing conversation with Vivian about...

• how yoga can be supportive & accessible in eating disorder recovery, even when movement is out of reach
• how yoga can help us cultivate safety, autonomy & compassion
• the importance of taking the diet culture & white supremacy out of the mainstream understanding of yoga & its philosophy 
• why yoga can be a great entry point for conversations about diet culture as a social justice issue
• how the experience of long Covid has intersected with her work in yoga & her understanding of yoga philosophy
• yoga as a lived practice that goes well beyond movement or "wellness"
• and why it's important to bring a modern lens to the ancient yoga texts.

Want to learn more? Vivian is participating in a panel discussion called "Can Movement Be a Part of Recovery in BIPOC Bodies?" as part of the BIPOC Eating Disorders Conference from 7/19-22/23. Click here to learn more & register!

You can find Vivian on Instagram at @justanotheryogateacher or on Twitter at @ateacherofyoga.

Stay in touch with the pod on IG @satisfactionfactorpod!

And here's where you can continue to find us:
Sadie Simpson: www.sadiesimpson.com or IG @sadiemsimpson
Naomi Katz: www.happyshapes.co or IG @happyshapesnaomi