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The Inner Practice-Stories of Healing from the Yoga mat into Life
Real people. Real stories. Real healing.
The Inner Practice Podcast shares heartfelt journeys from the yoga mat—authentic stories of presence, practice, and personal transformation. Through honest, emotional conversations, host Jackie Vandertuin explores how the healing power of yoga reaches far beyond physical poses, touching everyday life in meaningful and unexpected ways.
Each episode dives into real experiences of pain, anxiety, grief, resilience, and growth—revealing how yoga, mindfulness, and breathwork can become tools for grounding, strength, and hope. These are stories of becoming: stories that remind us that healing is possible, transformation is real, and no one walks this journey alone.
Join Jackie as she connects with guests who share powerful narratives of struggle turning into insight, suffering turning into strength, and everyday practice turning into deep personal awakening. Discover how lessons learned on the yoga mat translate into life—building resilience, emotional wellbeing, and a path back to the self.
May these stories remind you that hope exists. May they help you feel rooted, supported, and empowered to continue your own healing journey.
Yoga is more than movement—it’s a way of life that can change you forever.
About the Host:
Jackie Vandertuin, MSc, CAT(C), is a certified Athletic Therapist, professor, and student yoga therapist. Her personal journey with yoga began as simple exercise but quickly became a lifeline during a period of anxiety and depression. Yoga continues to be her anchor and her healing modality of choice.
Learn more at jackievandertuintherapy.com
Follow on Instagram: @jackie_vandertuin_therapy
The Inner Practice-Stories of Healing from the Yoga mat into Life
S1 E12: From People-Pleasing to Personal Power: Mel Grime on Healing Through Yoga
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In this episode, Mel Grime shares a courageous and deeply personal story of growing up in England with an alcoholic father, navigating a culture of “stiff upper lip” expectations, and learning to survive by becoming the good, people-pleasing girl.
A move to Australia gave her room to breathe—to drop the mask, build a life with her husband, and reconnect with who she was beneath the conditioning. But a later move to Canada brought new challenges: losing her career role, lacking community, and experiencing the resurfacing of old insecurities and familiar inner voices.
Everything shifted during a quiet moment with her young son, who tenderly tried to comfort her. In that instant, Mel realized something profound: she needed to reclaim her life.
Listen as Mel opens up about how yoga became the tool that helped her peel back layers of perfectionism, heal childhood wounds, release people-pleasing beliefs, and reconnect with her authentic self. She now channels her experience into empowering other women on their own healing journeys through movement, mindfulness, and compassionate self-inquiry.
This episode explores:
✨ Growing up with alcoholism and emotional suppression
✨ People-pleasing, perfectionism & identity loss
✨ Motherhood as a mirror and catalyst for change
✨ Yoga as a path to self-worth, grounding & emotional healing
✨ Rebuilding community and belonging after relocation
✨ Supporting women through healing retreats and embodied practices
If you’re drawn to stories of resilience, women’s empowerment, inner child healing, authenticity, and yoga as a path home, this conversation will resonate deeply.
Learn more about Mel’s offerings and upcoming retreats at melaniegrimerhn.com or connect with her on Instagram @melaniegrimerhn.
If you enjoyed this show, make sure you like, subscribe, follow and download the episode or simply leave a comment. I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to share your thoughts, episode ideas or simply to say "hello"!
This episode is sponsored by Jackie Vandertuin Therapy. With over 30 years of practice as a Certified Athletic Therapist and professor of Athletic Therapy, coupled with her experience as a yoga therapist, Jackie Vandertuin MSc, CAT(C), will help guide you in the management and treatment of various disorders including: low back pain, sprains, strains, anxiety and depression. Reach out www.jackievandertuintherapy.com for a free discovery call.
If would like to be a guest of this podcast, please reach out to jackie@jackievandertuintherapy with a short bio of your story and how yoga has helped you in your journey of healing.
If you are interested in sponsoring an episode or this podcast, reach out to Jackie Vandertuin at jackie@jackievandertuintherapy.com.
Stay in touch at:
Website: https://www.jackievandertuintherapy.com
Instagram: jackie_vandertuin_therapy
Facebook: Jackie Vandertuin Therapy
To support the show, feel free to buy me a coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/theinnerpractice
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