Feel Better. Take a Digital Detox. Bring the Outdoors in. - With Shirley Archer

The YOGI M.D. Podcast

Shirley Archer, a graduate of Stanford University, Harvard University and Georgetown University Law Center, is an integrative health promoter and advocate, best-selling author of 16 books, award-winning fitness industry leader and health journalist, with over 25 years experience in mind-body holistic health and wellness. She's a former New York City attorney turned full-time integrative health advocate, meditation teacher, public speaker, author and yogini. Through her live younger blog, over 1,000 magazine articles, books, podcasts and videos, Shirley inspires people worldwide to take personal responsibility for creating optimal health and longevity through a mindful approach to healthy living along with simple to apply tips based on Eastern wisdom and evidence-based information.

It's important to Shirley to not only offer the "what to do", but also explain the "why do it" and "why NOW". Shirley's career as a high-powered attorney in New York City was stalled by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Overcoming illness, burnout and depression, compounded by panic attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder from a violent assault she survived at 16, she restored her health after conventional doctors gave up and told her she may never feel well again, [Shirley refused to believe that!]. Her challenging personal journey to reclaim her health inspired Shirley to dedicate herself to sharing hard-earned health information with others.

Her self-healing journey from trauma and illness inspired her 15-year Stanford University career at the Health Improvement Program and Health Promotion Resource Center at the Stanford Prevention Research Center at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She supplemented her legal education with a course at Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and classes toward a Health Psychology Education degree at the Stanford University School of Education, along with countless continuing education courses and formal certifications in mind-body medicine, the MBSR program, mindfulness meditation, yogic meditation, guided visualization, aroma and nature therapy.

Shirley draws on her personal background blending traditional East Asian holistic values from her Japanese mom [augmented by her Master's Degree from Harvard in East Asian Studies and time spent living in Japan] and a love of Western science and logic from her American dad. She's a columnist, features writer and contributing editor for Fitness Journal. She's achieved certification in mindful modalities including yoga, Pilates and meditation. She received the internationally acclaimed IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year award in 2008 for her industry leadership, particularly in promoting an integrative, mindful approach to health and fitness and to welcoming and promoting movement for health for diverse people of all sizes, ages and abilities. Currently, she’s training to become a certified Forest Therapy Guide (also known as Shinrin Yoku) with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy.

Happily married to a Swiss man and step-mom of 3 beautiful children (now amazing young adults), you can find Shirley hiking with her beloved German Shepherd, Cheyenne, either on beautiful Swiss trails or in sunny California, speaking at conferences worldwide, and being featured in various high-profile media including USA Today, Washington Post, Health, Fitness, Shape and cnn.com.

If you want to learn about:

• How Shirley Archer made her way from being a high powered attorney on Wall Street to becoming an integrative holistic health promoter and advocate.
• Health as a journey and an evolving process.
• Why there’s no magic pill that can solve our health issues.
• Why humans can benefit from a digital detox.
• Why science proves that humans benefit from and are a part of nature.
• How we can bring nature into our homes to feel better.
• The importance of a mindfulness/meditation practice.
• And much, much more.

Tune in!