Body Image, Core Values & Self-Sovereignty with Tra Kirkpatrick

Episode Overview:

In this deeply heartfelt episode, Amy sits down with Tra Kirkpatrick, an experienced yoga therapist and transformational coach, for a courageous and honest exploration of body image, self-worth, and the lifelong process of self-discovery.

Tra shares her personal journey—from being placed on a diet at age 9 to discovering yoga in the late 1990s—and how her practice helped her separate external labels from internal truth. This episode is a compassionate guide for anyone who has ever felt disconnected from their body or confused about where to begin healing.

This is not a conversation about weight loss. Instead, it is an invitation to redefine the relationship we have with our bodies, to unpack the emotional and cultural baggage we carry, and to use the tools of yoga therapy, coaching, and discernment (viveka) to find greater ease, vitality, and self-acceptance.

Topics We Explore:

• Tra’s early experiences with weight stigma, medicalized body shame, and generational body narratives
• How yoga offered a path from self-rejection to self-awareness
• The evolution from body neutrality to body sovereignty
• Why core values are foundational for meaningful behavior change
• How cultural conditioning, social media, and family systems shape our internalized self-image
• The distinction between external identity and internal compass
• How to assess whether your behaviors align with your values using tools like the Wheel of Life
• Why affirmations didn’t work for Tra—and how she found more authentic language to support change
• Understanding the inner critic through the lens of ahiṃsā (non-harming)
• The role of discernment in resisting industry-driven narratives about beauty and worth
• Yoga therapy as a modality that respects the unique journey of each client

Tra’s Signature Offering:

“Waitlist: Let Go and Get Lighter”

An 8-week online program that helps participants identify and release the internal and external weight—mental, emotional, physical—that keeps them stuck. The program is not about dieting or physical aesthetics but rather freedom, vitality, and reclaiming your life.

 Program launching again later this year. Learn more at trakirkpatrick.com

 Favorite Quotes:

“It’s not about changing what I see in the mirror. It’s about changing the person who is seeing.” – Tra Kirkpatrick

“Our body is not something to fix. It’s something to feel at home in.” – Amy Wheeler

“You are the only one writing the story of your life.” – Tra Kirkpatrick

“Even if we don’t know the full context, yoga gives us the space to ask: What else could be true?” – Tra Kirkpatrick

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Yoga therapy tools: ahiṃsā (non-harming), svādhyāya (self-study), viveka (discernment)
• Wheel of Life assessment for value-based decision making
• Jennifer Kreatsoulas, author of The Courageous Path to Healing and Body Mindful Yoga
• Discussion of guṇa imbalance and body image:
• Vāta: restlessness, insecurity, over-exercising
• Pitta: perfectionism, body control, critical self-talk
• Kapha: stagnation, shame, hopelessness

Takeaways:

• Body image is not just physical—it’s emotional, social, and spiritual.
• You don’t need to love your body to begin healing. Sometimes neutrality or sovereignty is enough.
• Core values can be your guideposts when the inner critic is loud.
• Small, consistent steps—not grand transformations—make the biggest difference over time.
• Yoga therapy allows us to start from exactly where we are, with compassion and curiosity.

Stay Connected:

• Amy Wheeler: www.amywheeler.com | IG: @amywheelerphd
• Tra Kirkpatrick: www.trakirkpatrick.com
• The Yoga Therapy Hour Podcast: Subscribe & leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!
• To join Amy’s mailing list and receive free resources, go to TheOptimalState.com