Rest as resistance? In a culture that profits from our exhaustion, reclaiming deep rest becomes a radical act of healing. Join us as we welcome Tracee Stanley, yoga practitioner of 28 years and author of Radiant Rest, for a transformative conversation about Yoga Nidra.

Discover how this powerful practice helps us access our authentic selves, heal generational trauma, and reconnect with our bodies through love. Tracee shares her journey to Yoga Nidra, how she adapts the practice for BIPOC communities, and why rest is a birthright we all need to reclaim.

You'll learn practical ways to get started with Yoga Nidra, overcome resistance to rest, and step into your most powerful self. Plus, Tracee discusses making ancient practices accessible, rejecting wellness industry concepts, and what her own practice has taught her about embodiment.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing Tracee Stanley to the show to discuss Yoga Nidra.

• How Tracee found Yoga Nidra and how she discovered its power.

• She tells us about her book, Radiant Rest, and what inspired her to write it.

• How Tracee defines Yoga Nidra and how it differs from meditation or sleep.

• How the connection between Yoga Nidra and self-realization helps us access our true selves.

• The relationship between rest and healing generational trauma.

• Tracee's recommendations for a starting point to try Yoga Nidra.

• What happens in the nervous system during the Yoga Nidra practice.

• Challenging what wellness really means and rejecting the distracted mind.

• How she makes ancient practices accessible while honoring their origins.

• How her experience in South Africa awakened her spiritual journey.

Quotes:

“We want so desperately to define what exactly [Yoga Nidra] is, and it’s something that can’t be defined.” — Tracee Stanley [0:09:14]

“[Yoga Nidra] is a practice of deep relaxation that leads to a place of non-doing and resting in presence.” — Tracee Stanley [0:14:20]

“When we rest, we’re resting for everybody – whether we know it or not. Because our ancestors are there in our DNA, we’re resting for everybody who came before us and we’re also resting for everybody who’s going to come after us.” — Tracee Stanley [0:32:03]

“Yoga Nidra reminds you that you are whole, the overculture tells you nothing except, ‘You are not whole, you are not enough, you need more of this or more of that to be whole.’” — Tracee Stanley [0:45:16]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Tracee Stanley

Tracee Stanley Linktree

Tracee Stanley on Instagram

Tracee Stanley Email Address

Radiant Rest

Luminous Self
Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn
MOYO Institute, Inc

Love Letters 2 Our Bodies is sponsored by Moyo Institute, Inc and the Lloyd Symington Foundation
Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn
MOYO Institute, Inc
instagram.com/moyoinstitute

What if your body, despite illness or injury, could still be a powerful ally in your healing journey? In this episode of Love Letters 2 Our Bodies, we’re joined by Valencia Balkcom, a nationally certified athletic trainer and cancer exercise specialist, for a moving conversation on reclaiming health and confidence through movement. Diagnosed with breast cancer the day before her wedding, Valencia shares how she used her expertise and personal journey to guide others, especially cancer patients and survivors, toward physical, mental, and emotional resilience. She explores the concept of “prehab,” how to reframe body image after appearance-altering surgery, holistic strategies for overcoming cancer-related fatigue, and why mindset matters just as much as medicine. Tune in for real talk, practical tools, and a powerful reminder that your body is still worthy of love, movement, and joy!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Meet Valencia Balkcom and her healing mission.

• A breast cancer diagnosis the day before her wedding.

• How movement supported Valencia through her life and treatment.

• Reframing fitness: from athlete to cancer exercise specialist.

• Why “prehab” is just as important as rehab.

• Designing personalized movement plans for every stage of treatment and recovery.

• From rest to resilience: shifting the mindset about exercise during treatment.

• Tips for navigating post-treatment identity and body image.

• Helping clients reconnect with their changed bodies.

• Managing cancer-related fatigue through joyful movement.

• Movement as medicine for pain and neuropathy.

• Grounding tools and holistic healing practices.

• What loving your body might look like after it feels like it has betrayed you.

• How Valencia’s phoenix tattoo became a love letter to her body.

• One day, one step at a time: Valencia’s message for the newly diagnosed.

Quotes:

“Whether you have cancer or not, we have a lot of people [in this country] who are inactive. I hate to hear somebody say, 'I'm gonna die of something, so I might as well eat what I want,’ or ‘I don't need to exercise.’ I want to be able to change that narrative in people's minds.” — Valencia Balkcom [0:10:35]

“Based upon the diagnosis, what [exercises] can we do prior to treatment? Because in sports medicine, when you prehab, the stronger you are going in, the stronger you are coming out.” — Valencia Balkcom [0:11:52]

“When we hear the word diet. Everybody immediately thinks you're supposed to lose weight, [but] diet really means, what are you eating?” — Valencia Balkcom [0:32:20]

“No matter how you're moving, just move!” — Valencia Balkcom [0:39:55]

“You might feel like [your body] betrayed you when you get that diagnosis, but just take it one day at a time.” — Valencia Balkcom [0:51:01]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Valencia Balkcom on LinkedIn

Zumba with Valencia Balkcom

Earthing Harmony — $10 Discount Code: LOVE-2-MY-BODY

Love Letters 2 Our Bodies is sponsored by Moyo Institute, Inc and the Lloyd Symington Foundation
Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn
MOYO Institute, Inc
instagram.com/moyoinstitute

In a healthcare system that often fails to fully care for Black women, self-advocacy can be a critical lifeline. In this episode of the Love Letters 2 Our Bodies podcast, Gwendolyn Mitchell is joined by Dr. Chiquita Tuttle, a healthcare consultant, cancer care advocate, and lifelong leader in community-based support. Our conversation explores the systemic disparities Black women face when it comes to healthcare, the urgent need for cultural competency in medicine, and the life-changing power of peer navigation programs. Dr. Tuttle also reflects on her work with Black Ladies Advocating for Cancer Care (BLACC), the legacy of her late sister, and the role of holistic healing, community, and self-care in sustaining well-being. This episode is a moving call to listen deeply to our bodies and to one another. Tune in to hear Dr. Tuttle’s wisdom and lived experience in this heartfelt conversation.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing today’s guest, Dr. Chiquita Tuttle, and her background in healthcare.

• How her identity as a Black woman shaped her leadership and self-advocacy.

• Key disparities Black women face when seeking medical care, and how to address them.

• The importance of self-advocacy for Black women navigating an imperfect healthcare system.

• Necessary systemic changes for improving healthcare outcomes for Black women.

• The importance of representation in clinical trials and the call for Black data.

• Dr. Tuttle’s work with Black Ladies Advocating for Cancer Care (BLACC).

• The peer navigator model and how it supports women through cancer care.

• Breaking the silence: why sharing diagnoses and asking for help matters.

• Dr. Tuttle’s reflections on caregiving, grief, and her sister’s cancer journey.

• Self-care, holistic practices, and the emotional toll of advocacy work.

• A call to listen to your body, seek support, and become your own advocate.

Quotes:

“The basic disparity is that oftentimes, [Black] women get ignored. They don't get the care that they are entitled to.” — Dr. Chiquita Tuttle [0:08:32]

“Community building is just really a very strong way to have advocacy and to get your points across or get things done for your organization or other organizations.” — Dr. Chiquita Tuttle [0:17:39]

“Understand that the words that you say are important. Say things like, ‘What can I do to make you feel better? Or what do you need? Or how can I be of support?’” — Dr. Chiquita Tuttle [0:23:40]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dr. Chiquita Tuttle on LinkedIn
Black Ladies Advocating for Cancer Care (BLACC) on Facebook
Peer Navigation Program Recruitment
National Medical Association
National Black Nurses Association

Stanford Cancer Institute

Love Letters 2 Our Bodies is sponsored by Moyo Institute, Inc and the Lloyd Symington Foundation
Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn
MOYO Institute, Inc
instagram.com/moyoinstitute