Geek wellness, YogaQuest, and the power of stories with Justine Mastin [Podcast Episode 5]
Justine Mastin found her people at a comic book convention. In this interview we'll talk about why that mattered and how Justine helped the geek community remove barriers to accessing wellness. Plus we'll talk about the power of stories to question social norms and make change in our own lives.
Listen to Episode 5
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About Justine Mastin
Justine Mastin, MA, LMFT, LADC, E-RYT 200, YACEP (aka JustiniYogini) is a therapist, yogi, writer, podcaster, and full-time rabble-rouser. As the creator/fearless leader of YogaQuest, narrated yogic adventures, and the owner/founder of Blue Box Counseling, Justine specializes in working with clients and students who self-identify as being outside the mainstream—such as those in the geek, secular, and LGBTQIA communities.
Justine is the captain/co-host of the Starship Therapise podcast, has contributed to numerous books on pop culture and psychology, and regularly blogs about the healing power of fandom for Psychology Today and psychotherapy.net. Outside of the office, Justine appears at pop culture conventions around the country teaching yoga and speaking on geek wellness topics. Justine takes a holistic approach to healing: mind, body, and fandom. You can find her on facebook, instagram, and twitter @mindbodyfandom.
Episode 5 Show Notes
In episode 5 of the Accessible Yoga Podcast, Amber Karnes and Justine Mastin discuss:
- Justine’s yoga story: how she got started, what brought her back to the practice, and how she finally found her community at a comic book convention
- Why the geek community saw barriers to accessing wellness and how Justine came up with the idea for YogaQuest
- What to expect from a YogaQuest class, a narrative yoga class based in fandom stories
- Why representation is important for folks who are traditionally left out of wellness spaces
- Specific ways Justine created her yoga spaces to be more welcoming to folks from the geek community
- How Justine stays in inquiry around cultural appropriation and how YogaQuest is like yoga-fanfic
- Narrative therapy and the power of stories to question social norms and create the lives we imagine
- Justine’s upcoming book and how it helps us to question social norms through the lens of pop culture
Today’s inquiry
Each week we’ll leave you with a powerful question. We encourage you to sit in inquiry with this question, write about it, discuss it with another community member on this path. Today, Justine poses a 2-part question:
- What is the story of my life?
- Who are the important supporting characters?
Connect With Us / Resources
- Justine Mastin | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
- Starship Therapize podcast
- Geek Partnership Society
- Narrative therapy
- What is the Health At Every Size approach?
- Susanna Barkataki's instagram post on creativity and cultural appropriation
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