From Social Anxiety to Inner Strength: A Yoga Therapy Journey with Jenna Schissel

In this episode of The Yoga Therapy Hour, host Amy Wheeler welcomes Jenna Schissel, a yoga therapist based in Des Moines, Iowa, who brings a deeply personal and integrative perspective to the field. Jenna shares her journey of self-discovery, shaped by her experiences with social anxiety and introversion. She discusses how yoga became a natural path for inner healing, providing her with a structured way to cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and confidence.

Rather than focusing on symptom management or pathology, Jenna approaches yoga therapy through the lens of salutogenesis—the process of fostering well-being rather than merely preventing or treating illness. She and Amy explore how yoga therapy facilitates whole-person healing, supporting individuals in cultivating inner stability, self-regulation, and a sense of personal agency.

While Jenna also maintains a separate psychotherapy practice specializing in trauma and ketamine-assisted therapy, this conversation focuses on the role of yoga therapy in personal transformation, embodiment, and nervous system coherence, rather than trauma treatment.

Key Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Jenna’s Personal Journey with Yoga – How yoga provided Jenna with a framework to understand and navigate her experiences with social anxiety and introversion. She reflects on the ways that movement, breathwork, and meditation helped her shift from internal self-doubt to self-trust and connection with others.
• Yoga Therapy as a Path to Whole-Person Healing – Jenna and Amy discuss how yoga therapy facilitates salutogenesis, supporting individuals in building resilience, internal balance, and long-term well-being. They highlight the importance of seeing yoga therapy as a process of self-cultivation rather than symptom reduction.
• The Role of Self-Awareness in the Healing Process – Jenna explains how self-awareness practices, such as breath observation, mindful movement, and reflective inquiry, serve as fundamental tools in yoga therapy. These practices allow individuals to tune into their internal states and develop a more compassionate and attuned relationship with themselves.
• Working with the Nervous System in Yoga Therapy – The conversation explores how yoga therapy supports autonomic regulation, helping individuals transition from chronic stress patterns to a more balanced and responsive state. Jenna shares insights on how simple breath and movement techniques can be applied in daily life to foster internal steadiness.
• The Interplay Between Personal Practice and Professional Work – Jenna reflects on how her personal experiences inform her work as a yoga therapist. She discusses the importance of ongoing self-practice, not only for maintaining professional integrity but also for deepening her understanding of the mind-body connection.
• Yoga Therapy vs. Psychotherapy: Clarifying the Distinction – While Jenna also works as a psychotherapist, she explains the clear distinctions between her yoga therapy practice and her clinical work. Yoga therapy offers a non-pathologizing, strength-based approach to personal growth, while psychotherapy serves a different role in addressing clinical concerns. This conversation helps clarify how yoga therapy can complement but is not a substitute for mental health treatment.
• The Power of Introversion in Yoga Therapy – Jenna discusses the unique strengths that introverts bring to both yoga practice and teaching. She and Amy explore how introversion can be reframed as a gift, allowing for deeper self-reflection, insight, and meaningful connection.

Connect with Jenna & Amy

• Jenna Schissel
• Based in Des Moines, Iowa
• [Insert Jenna’s website: https://www.jennaschisseltherapist.com/
• Amy Wheeler & Optimal State
• Website: www.TheOptimalState.com

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