Trauma-Informed Yoga for Nervous System Healing with Sita Severson - 429
Release Date: 01/29/2026
Trauma-Informed Yoga for Nervous System Healing with Sita Severson - 429
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
What does it mean to heal when the nervous system no longer feels safe in the body or the world? In this episode, Colette is joined by Sita Severson, Director of the Soul of Yoga Institute in San Diego, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Certified Yoga Therapist, and Vedic counselor. Sita’s work lives at the intersection of ancient wisdom and modern trauma science, supporting people through grief, addiction recovery, burnout, and chronic stress with compassion and practicality. Drawing from her own lived experience as well as decades of teaching and clinical work, Sita shares how Ayurveda, yoga, and...
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Winter Wellness - An Ayurvedic Perspective with Dr. Sujatha Kekada - 428
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
Winter is often misunderstood in modern wellness culture as a season to simply endure, yet Ayurveda recognizes it as a powerful time for nourishment, restoration, and deep tissue building. In this episode, Colette is joined by experienced Ayurvedic physician Dr. Sujatha Kekada for a classical and clinical exploration of winter wellness. Together, they move beyond surface-level seasonal advice to examine how winter influences the doshas, dhatus (tissues), srotas (channels), and ojas. Dr. Sujatha explains why aligning diet, routine, and mindset with this season is essential for long-term health...
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Ayurveda and Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) - 427
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
As winter settles in, many of us notice shifts in mood, energy, motivation, and emotional resilience. In this episode, Colette explores Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) through the compassionate lens of Ayurveda, reframing seasonal low mood as a natural response to changes in light, rhythm, digestion, and mental qualities. You’ll learn how winter affects the doshas, digestion, and nervous system, why gut health is central to emotional wellbeing, and how gentle, practical Ayurvedic practices, including a supportive Digestive Reset, can help restore clarity, balance, and resilience during...
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Clearing Holiday Season Stagnation With Ayurveda - 426
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
If you’re feeling heavy, foggy, congested, or more run-down than usual as we move into January, this episode is for you. In Ayurveda, post-holiday sluggishness isn’t just about overindulgence, it’s often a sign that the lymphatic system and rasa dhatu (the body’s primary nourishing fluid) need support. In this episode, we explore why sickness is so common at this time of year and how to gently restore flow, vitality, immunity, and emotional clarity without harsh detoxing. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: How Ayurveda understands the lymphatic system through rasa dhatu Why winter...
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Ayurvedic Cleansing for the New Year: Resetting Digestion, Energy and Intention - 425
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
As we step into a new year, many of us focus on resolutions, but what if a more powerful question is: How do I actually want to feel? In this episode, Colette explores Ayurvedic cleansing not as a quick detox or rigid reset, but as a gentle ritual, a way to digest the past, build resilience, and step into the year ahead with clarity, steadiness, and intention. Rather than pushing or restricting, this conversation invites you to slow down, listen inward, and reconnect with digestion as the foundation of physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. If you’re craving a nourishing fresh start...
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Yoga, Meditation and Mental Health with Dr. Ishan Shivanand - 424
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
Colette is joined by Dr. Ishan Shivanand, mental health researcher, professor, bestselling author, and founder of Yoga of Immortals (YOI). Raised in Indian monasteries within a 21-generation yogic lineage, Dr. Shivanand brings a rare integration of ancient wisdom and modern science. His groundbreaking double-blind RCTs show up to 82% improvement in insomnia, anxiety, depression, and overall quality of life in as little as 4–8 weeks. Together, they explore how meditation, breathwork, Yoga and Ayurveda can transform mental health and how these ancient sciences understood the mind long before...
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Ayurvedic Guide to Nourishing Winter Skin - 423
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
As we move fully into early winter, many of us begin to notice changes in our skin, tightness, dryness, rough patches, or increased sensitivity. In Ayurveda, these seasonal shifts are meaningful clues about what’s happening internally. Winter, especially early winter, increases Vata dosha with its cold, dry, and mobile qualities, which can intensify skin imbalance if we don’t adjust our routines and nourishment. In this episode, we dive into Ayurveda’s full guide to winter skin care. You’ll learn what happens to the skin during early winter, how to identify signs of imbalance for your...
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Ayurvedic Wisdom for Blood Sugar Stability - 422
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
In this episode, we explore how to support steady blood sugar during the holiday season using Ayurvedic wisdom. With more sugar, irregular meals, travel, and stress during the holidays, it’s easy for the body’s metabolic fire (agni) to become overwhelmed. Ayurveda offers practical, gentle tools to keep digestion strong, cravings balanced, and energy steady. We take a deeper look at the pancreas as a home of agni and how its function relates to three key subdoshas: Pachaka Pitta, Kledaka Kapha, and Samana Vayu. You’ll learn how these forces work together to regulate metabolism, mood,...
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Slowing Down to Reset: Sónia’s Digestive Reset Cleanse Journey - 421
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
In this inspiring episode, Colette is joined by her client, Sónia from Flores, a small and remote island in the Azores archipelago off the coast of Portugal. After an overstimulating and energetically demanding Summer season, Sónia felt called to reset her body and mind. She chose to do the private Digestive Reset Cleanse in October, but quickly realised that the cleanse required a pace of life she wasn’t accustomed to. Together, Colette and Sónia explore: Her desire for a full body-mind reset and the initial reluctance to slow down her activity during the cleanse. How awareness slowly...
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Ayurvedic Tips for a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season - 420
Elements of Ayurveda Podcast
Holiday season is here and this time of year often brings a beautiful mix of joy, connection, nostalgia and let’s be honest, a little chaos. The festive season can easily throw us off rhythm. We may be travelling, eating differently, staying up later, or navigating emotionally layered gatherings. Ayurveda offers practical tools to support digestion, soothe the nervous system, and help us meet this season with greater steadiness and ease. In this episode Colette shares simple, grounding Ayurvedic tips to help you stay nourished, present, and balanced throughout the festivities. We explore: ...
info_outlineWhat does it mean to heal when the nervous system no longer feels safe in the body or the world?
In this episode, Colette is joined by Sita Severson, Director of the Soul of Yoga Institute in San Diego, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Certified Yoga Therapist, and Vedic counselor. Sita’s work lives at the intersection of ancient wisdom and modern trauma science, supporting people through grief, addiction recovery, burnout, and chronic stress with compassion and practicality.
Drawing from her own lived experience as well as decades of teaching and clinical work, Sita shares how Ayurveda, yoga, and pranayama can gently support regulation without overwhelming the system and why healing is not about fixing what’s broken, but restoring relationship with the body and self.
This conversation is especially meaningful for anyone navigating grief, recovery, exhaustion, or a sense of disconnection, and for practitioners interested in trauma-sensitive, embodied approaches to wellbeing.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
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How Sita’s personal healing journey informs the way she teaches and works with trauma today
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What it means to rebuild trust in the body when the nervous system has learned that the world isn’t safe
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How chronic stress, grief, and burnout show up in the body’s physiology
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The role of Ayurveda, yoga, and pranayama in gently supporting nervous system regulation
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What truly defines a trauma-informed yoga practice
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Why Ayurveda and yoga emphasize gradual, participatory healing rather than quick fixes
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How healing can open the door to self-actualization, not just symptom relief
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A simple reflection and practice listeners can explore in their own time
Visit the Soul of Yoga website here.
The New Elements of Ayurveda Podcast Community is Live!
Over the years, this podcast has blossomed into a global community, a gathering of seekers, healers, and lifelong learners. And now, I’m delighted to share that our revitalized community space is officially open!
This new online home was created for those who wish to go deeper into Ayurveda, together. Inside, you’ll find:
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Early access to podcast episodes
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Member forums for discussion and Q&A
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Mindfulness and self-care practices
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Monthly live Zoom meetups
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Seasonal group challenges and reflections
It’s a conscious, supportive space to connect, learn, and grow with others walking the Ayurvedic path.
Come say hello, introduce yourself, and be part of this living, breathing sangha.
Join the new Elements of Ayurveda Podcast Community here: https://www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com/community
I look forward to connecting with you soon!
Check out Colette's online services:
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Online Consultations https://www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com/consultations
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At-home Digestive Reset Cleanse https://www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com/digestive-reset-cleanse
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Online Daily Habits for Holistic Health Program https://www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com/daily-habits
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Reset-Restore-Renew Program https://www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com/reset-restore-renew
Have questions on Colette's online services? Book a FREE 15 min Services Enquiry Call here. https://www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com/consultations
Do I have an accumulation of ama/toxins in my body? Take this quiz to find out https://www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com/resources
Thank you for listening!
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Stay tuned and stay aligned with the Elements of Ayurveda Podcast.