In this episode, Ashley sits down with Britney Willingham, Pilates instructor and founder of Soulful Sister Collective, a community dedicated to the inclusion and empowerment of Black women through curated wellness events. They talk representation, what it means to create an identity-safe space, the realities of building a community you need yourself, and why Soulful Sister Collective has had an immense impact in such a short amount of time.

Connect:

• Soulful Sister Collective: soulfulsistercollective.com
• Social: IG/Facebook/Threads/TikTok @soulfulsistercollective
• Brittany’s classes: Life Time (Station Landing/Medford), Republic (HealthWorks), Dance Complex (Cambridge)

About Britney:

Britney is a movement professional and seasoned fitness instructor, with a special focus in Pilates. She’s dedicated over ten years to leading classes & has had the pleasure of teaching in a variety of studios and wellness spaces throughout New England. Her thoughtfully designed programming is accessible to all levels and focuses on celebrating the body’s strengths through mindful, intentional movement.

Outside of teaching, Britney is a community builder who takes pride in creating spaces that bring people together & empower others through movement. In 2024, Britney founded the Soulful Sister Collective—a wellness community dedicated to the inclusion, appreciation, and empowerment of Black Women. To learn more, visit soulfulsistercollective.com

Further Forward: Honest Conversations on the Art of Becoming, is hosted by Ashley Mitchell.

📩 Subscribe to Ashley’s newsletter, Mind & Motion: https://blackgirlmagicmama.substack.com/

🎙️ Follow for new episodes + bts footage: https://www.instagram.com/furtherforwardpod?igsh=MWJuaDFiMjlzcjJ1dw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

🌱 Support this work and share it with a friend who’s ready to move further forward.

Amy Leydon has been in the yoga game for over 20 years— and she’s intentionally building a life that feels beautiful.

In this conversation, Ashley and Amy talk about self-esteem, aging, motherhood, and why honoring your capacity is not a lack of ambition but a form of wisdom.

It’s about listening to your body, trusting your timing, and choosing work that fits the life you actually want.

We'll also discuss:

• How Amy went from TV producer to yoga teacher to unexpected studio owner
• The moment yoga became more than “just a workout”
• Designing work around your natural energy instead of forcing a grind
• Aging, menopause, and the shift from nitpicking in the mirror to “not bad, girl”
• How somatic experiencing changed the way Amy teaches and moves through her life
• Motherhood, resentment, and naming what you need before you burn out
• What she looks for in teachers and how she protects the energy at Soma

If you’re craving a version of success that feels embodied and joyful, this episode is meant for you.

About Amy:

Amy (E-RYT 500) is the Co-founder and Director of Soma Yoga. She is a pioneer in the Boston yoga scene and is one of the most sought-after teachers in the city. She utilizes mindfulness meditation and somatic techniques in her teaching to help students connect their minds with their bodies. She makes the practice accessible and uncomplicated so everyone can benefit from this vital work.

Along with her many yoga certifications, Amy is an Intermediate Somatic Experience Practitioner with Peter Levine and a certified Postural and Movement Analyst with Tom Myers. Her private yoga therapy practice caters to individual needs, from reducing stress and anxiety to healing chronic pain. She has studied extensively with Barbara Benagh and Shiva Rea and credits much of her teaching style to their influence.

Amy has been teaching yoga, movement, and mindfulness for over 20 years. She was awarded Best Yoga Teacher in Boston by Boston Magazine, leads 200-hour teacher training and mentorship programs as the Director of Soma Yoga School, and is a contributing teacher at Harvard.

Further Forward: Honest Conversations on the Art of Becoming, is hosted by Ashley Mitchell.

📩 Subscribe to Ashley’s newsletter, Mind & Motion: https://blackgirlmagicmama.substack.com/

🎙️ Follow for new episodes + bts footage: https://www.instagram.com/furtherforwardpod?igsh=MWJuaDFiMjlzcjJ1dw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

🌱 Support this work and share it with a friend who’s ready to move further forward.

This episode is appropriately titled “Stop Giving Your Power Away” because… whew! Ashley has been staring down the quiet, yet socially rewarded ways she self-betrays: saying yes too fast, over-helping, dropping her own priorities for everyone else, and outsourcing her inner knowing to tech, timelines, and other people’s expectations.

In this conversation, she walks you through:

• A vulnerable New York hotel moment, reading old journals and realizing she’d been looping the same problems all year.
• How self-betrayal can look like being “the helpful one,” “the reliable one,” or “the good mom/wife/friend.”
• Why your body often knows you’re betraying yourself before your brain will admit it.
• How movement and the nervous system can help you access the pause between reaction and response.
• A simple way to use your workouts, cool downs, and even your warmups as a practice ground for self-trust.
• Why relying solely on wearables and data can quietly train you to mistrust your own experience.

If you’ve ever felt that little seed of disappointment in your belly after saying yes when you meant no, this one’s for you. We’re not fixing it overnight—but we are slowing down, paying attention, and taking the next right step further forward together.

Further Forward is about knowing we’re not doing this alone. If this episode supported you, share it with one woman you love and let her know you’re rooting for her, too.

Further Forward: Honest Conversations on the Art of Becoming, is hosted by Ashley Mitchell.

📩 Subscribe to Ashley’s newsletter, Mind & Motion: https://blackgirlmagicmama.substack.com/

🎙️ Follow for new episodes + bts footage: https://www.instagram.com/furtherforwardpod?igsh=MWJuaDFiMjlzcjJ1dw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

🌱 Support this work and share it with a friend who’s ready to move further forward.