Why Mental Wellness Starts with Knowing You’re Already Worthy

Disclaimer:  Always seek advice from your physican or mental wellness professional.  These are the learnings and opinions of myself and guests.

In this thoughtful and honest episode, I sit down with the magnificent Jessica Haessly—yoga teacher, emotional disruptor, and curious mind with a passion for helping others feel safe in their bodies, clear in their minds, and steady in their hearts.

Jess shares her journey growing up in a military household, navigating the emotional weight of being the oldest child, and learning early how to manage other people’s emotions while ignoring her own. We explore how those childhood experiences laid the foundation for her later work—first through yoga, then through her Empowered Mindset Workshops.

This conversation is being released during Mental Health Awareness Month, and it couldn’t be more timely. Jess reminds us that mental well-being doesn’t come from doing more—it comes from honoring what’s already within us and learning how to work with our thoughts, our nervous system, and our stories in a compassionate way.

Inside this episode:

• Jess’s story of growing up as a “bridge” between identities and cultures

• How emotional caretaking shaped her early beliefs around strength and secrecy

• Her approach to teaching yoga that honors the body’s pace and wisdom

• The inspiration behind her Empowered Mindset Workshop

• What she learned from watching cult documentaries (yes, really!) and how they led her to study habits, emotional resilience, and decision-making

• Why she believes the first pillar of true empowerment is knowing your intrinsic worth

Jess brings a practical, human approach to her teaching—grounded in experience, shaped by curiosity, and filled with humility. Her workshops and classes aren’t about “fixing” people. They’re about offering tools, asking good questions, and creating space for others to come home to themselves.

🧘‍♀️ Connect with Jess:

Jess is a dedicated yoga teacher. She founded Yoga Story in June of 2016, is the host of The Meditation Well, a podcast offering 2 to 10 minute long guided meditations for busy minds and busy lives, and created Empowered Mindset Workshops in 2022 and the 7 Pillars of an Empowered Mindset in 2024. She has guided yoga and meditation classes for people all over the globe via the Insight Timer app. Jess is a mental health advocate and life-long learner, who uses her voice to inspire and empower those around her. 

 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-haessly-8a0bab47/
Yoga Story Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/YogaStoryJess/

Yoga Story Website: https://www.yogastorynow.com/

Jess offers workshops virtually and in person for workplaces, schools, and communities—and brings a sense of calm curiosity wherever she goes.

💛 If this conversation moved you, share it with someone who might need the reminder: you are not a problem to be fixed—you are a whole person worthy of care, curiosity, and compassion.

W