Rewiring Pain: Yoga Therapy, Interoception, and the Brain with Danielle De Pillis

Guest: Danielle De Pillis, MS Neuroscience, C-IAYT (12 Petals Wellness)

Danielle De Pillis joins Amy from South Minneapolis for a clear-eyed conversation about chronic pain, interoception, and why “sending someone to yoga class” is not the same as yoga therapy. Danielle traces her arc from high-pressure ad agency life into a years-long recovery that rewired her relationship with her body—then back into graduate study in neuroscience at King’s College London to understand the brain networks behind what she and her clients were experiencing. This is a grounded dialogue where ancient yoga maps (kośas, guṇas, abhyāsa/vairāgya) meet modern neuroscience and trauma-informed care.

Listen for

• How chronic sciatic pain (without injury) resolved through tiny, breath-led movements and attention training
• Why interoception (insula-based networks) is the missing link across PTSD, anxiety, depression, addiction, and eating disorders
• The limits of protocols: why yoga therapy must meet the person—not the diagnosis
• Practical strategies for “sitting is the new smoking” workplaces
• Using Yoga Nidra and micro-practices to “bring a region back online” and rebuild brain–body connections
• Trauma-informed considerations for healthcare and why telehealth lowers barriers for clients with PTSD

Key ideas & takeaways

• Pain is a messenger, not a verdict. When we treat it like data, we can adapt habit loops (workload, sitting time, emotional patterns like anger), not just tissues.
• Attention before ambition. Danielle’s recovery hinged on “microscopic movements, breath, mudrā, and curiosity”—a living example of abhyāsa (steady practice) and vairāgya (non-grasping).
• Interoception is foundational. Many clients say “I’m fine” until they close their eyes and notice otherwise. Building interoceptive literacy (Yoga Nidra body scan, slow breath, graded exposure to sensation) is therapy.
• No one-size-fits-all. Back pain, for example, can stem from different drivers (biomechanical load, overthinking/rumination, shock/trauma, life stress). Assessment across the pañca-maya kośa clarifies which lever to pull first.
• Healthcare and gym yoga. A doctor’s “try yoga” often misfires; yoga therapy (or therapeutic yoga) individualizes, paces, and is trauma-informed.
• Maintenance is the path. Bodies require lifelong tending. Danielle uses movement “snacks,” nature walks, and between-client resets—little choices that keep systems regulated.

Practical practices mentioned (try these)

• Micro-movement + breath: Choose one joint/region that feels “offline.” Explore 1–2 minutes of tiny ranges with smooth nasal breath and curiosity. Stop well before pain.
• Yoga Nidra, targeted: If you consistently “drop out” during a specific body region, create a 10-minute Nidra just for that side/area to rebuild signal.
• Workday resets: Every 45–60 minutes, stand, walk a block, or do 2–3 shapes while the kettle boils.
• Green-space therapy: Daily time in nature to shift autonomic state toward safety and restoration.

Memorable quotes

• “Attention is where it’s at. People say ‘mindfulness,’ but what changed me was attention—and curiosity.” —Danielle
• “What got disconnected along the way? That’s the puzzle yoga therapy helps clients solve.” —Amy
• “We’re not treating a protocol; we’re meeting a person, this week.” —Danielle

About our guest

Danielle De Pillis is a yoga therapist and neuroscience-informed practitioner based in Minneapolis. She holds a Master’s in Neuroscience from King’s College London and runs a global online private practice focused on trauma, chronic pain, and interoception.

• Website: danielledepillis.com

Interested in advancing your own studies in Yoga Therapy and Ayurveda?

Explore these graduate and certificate programs at Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH):

• Master of Science in Yoga Therapy
• https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/master-of-science-in-yoga-therapy/
• Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices (for licensed healthcare professionals)
• https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices/
• Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Ayurveda
• https://muih.edu/academics/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification/

Plus, join us on our Optimal State Mobile App for daily check-ins and simple, easy interventions to help you stay in balance.

And explore our Online Community, where you’ll receive weekly classes and gain access to a library of classes you can enjoy anytime. Learn more at www.AmyWheeler.com.