“I used to believe that I needed to transcend being human to be enough,
and now I see that being human is the sacred experience.” – Alyssia Sheikh
Beloved Hoffman Process teacher and coach, Alyssia Sheikh, is our guest today. When she did the Process eight years ago, Alyssia’s sense of self, her sense of ‘me,’ changed dramatically from her time there. Out of this new sense of self, profound change and transformation came to both Alyssia and her post-Process life. Now, with a master’s degree in Mindfulness Studies, she is also a certified life coach, speaker, and trauma-sensitive meditation teacher. As Alyssia states, “Who I am today is really thanks to my Process experience.”
On the first day of her Process, Alyssia entered brand new territory when she was handed the ‘Hoffman feelings list.’ Feelings weren’t a part of her childhood. She’d been “living, waiting to feel, and not knowing how to do it.” But now, immersed in awareness of this deeper part of herself, Alyssia sensed a “rich intelligence” new to her. Before her eyes, life went from grayscale to full color. She was shocked, intrigued, and profoundly curious about these deeper capacities of being human. Alyssia awakened to what it means to be a human being rather than a human doing, now fully aware that being human is messy – and that isn’t a problem.
Exploring shame in her Process was pivotal and held a profound lesson. Now, as a Hoffman teacher, shame is Alyssia’s favorite part of the Process to teach. Shame’s lessons have brought Alyssia liberation. In moving toward it, she realized that shame is not her and she is not shame. She would never have become a Hoffman Process teacher if she hadn’t learned shame’s lessons.
We hope you enjoy this conversation with Alyssia and Sadie.
Alyssia Sheikh holds a master’s degree in Mindfulness Studies and is a certified life coach, speaker, and trauma-sensitive meditation teacher. Her work centers on presence, emotional awareness, and helping people move out of autopilot and into a more connected, alive experience of being human.
Drawing from mindfulness, neuroscience, and embodied practice, Alyssia supports individuals in relating to themselves with greater clarity, curiosity, and self-trust.
Alyssia is also the host of the Relish podcast, where she explores joy, presence, and meaningful living beyond self-improvement and fixing. Through personal storytelling and practical insight, her work invites people to savor life as it is and reconnect with the inherent wholeness of being human. She is a Hoffman Process teacher and continues to be deeply shaped by the work—both personally and in how she guides others.
Find out more about Alyssia and follow her on Instagram. Follow the Relish Podcast on Instagram.
Podcast: Download (Duration: 33:11 — 30.4MB)
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The Relish Podcast, with Alyssia Sheikh
Hoffman Process Feelings and Sensations List
The Quadrinity – body, intellect, emotional self, and Spiritual Self.
Watch the video Alyssia references on our website.
“We teach what we need to learn.” – Gloria Steinem
• Full quote: “I began to understand with a terrible sureness that we teach what we need to learn, and write what we need to know.”