Meet Alanna Kaivalya, Ph.D. | Author, The Way of the Satisfied Woman | Founder, TheSatisfiedWoman.com

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alanna Kaivalya, Ph.D. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alanna, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Starting my own business wasn’t just a strategic decision—it was a soul-led necessity. After years of success in the yoga industry, I realized I was no longer willing to contort myself into a version of feminine that was palatable to patriarchal wellness culture. I craved a life where I didn’t have to abandon my truth to be loved, seen, or paid.

That longing gave birth to The Satisfied Woman—a movement, a method, and a mission to empower women to reclaim their feminine power and design lives rooted in sovereignty, softness, and self-worth. My work helps women dismantle the internalized systems of overgiving, self-abandonment, and perfectionism that keep them small. Through coaching, courses, and community, I guide them to reconnect with their intuition, honor their truth, and build lives that support—not suppress—their feminine nature.

I don’t pretend to have it all together. I speak from the scars, not just the trophies. Women resonate with my work because I live it. I’ve walked through heartbreak, financial chaos, reinvention—and I’ve built frameworks that help women turn their pain into power. The Satisfied Woman isn’t just a brand; it’s who I am. That embodiment is magnetic.

Because at the end of the day, success—real success—isn’t about metrics. It’s about resonance. Do I feel good in my body? Do I love how I show up in the world? Am I honoring my feminine truth, my voice, my rhythm? That’s the kind of success I measure now. And the beautiful part? When I root in that, the external success always follows.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My work is rooted in rebellion, resurrection, and receptivity.

I started in the yoga world, became one of its most visible teachers, built a 7-figure business, earned my Ph.D. in Mythological Studies and Depth Psychology, and wrote five books—including The Way of the Satisfied Woman: Reclaiming Feminine Power. I had the success. The accolades. The empire.

And then I walked away.

Because even in so-called spiritual spaces and successful situations, I saw how women were still being asked to contort themselves into pleasing, palatable versions of femininity. I knew there had to be another way.

So I created The Satisfied Woman. It’s not just a brand—it’s a reclamation. A framework. A movement. I leveraged my research and lived experience to build TheSatisfiedWoman.com, where I now work directly with women to create satisfaction and success on their own terms. Through coaching, community, and curriculum, I guide women to unhook from destructive cultural programming, honor their feminine rhythm, and build lives that support—not suppress—their intuition and truth.

Was it easy? Not even close. I’ve lost money, identity, relationships, and certainty along the way. But I’ve gained myself. Again and again.

What sets me apart is that I don’t teach theory—I teach what I’ve learned—and lived. I’ve burned my life down more than once to honor the deeper “yes” calling inside me. I don’t promise perfection. I promise transformation.

If there’s one thing I want the world to know about my work, it’s this: Satisfaction is not a luxury. It’s a compass. And every woman deserves to follow it all the way home to herself.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Los Angeles is full of contrast—and that’s what makes it magic. When friends visit, I love curating experiences that reflect the softer, slower, more soulful side of the landscape.

We’d start with a golden afternoon on the water. Sailing out of Marina del Rey aboard my boat, MiraCal, mezcal in hand, Catalina rising in the distance—it’s the kind of joy that settles into your bones. That boat has been a sanctuary of vision, healing, and celebration for me.

We’d ride horses through the cliffs and coastal trails of Rancho Palos Verdes, where the ocean meets open sky and every breath feels like a reset. There’s nothing like a morning in the saddle to clear your energy and reawaken your power.

Evenings call for happy hour at The Manchester or Playa Provisions—both local gems, and both within walking distance of home. Fries, bourbon, and deep conversation are the essentials. Bonus points for full-body laughter and cosmic downloads.

And if time allows, we’d head out to Joshua Tree for a night or two under the stars. That desert is sacred ground—raw, mystical, and deeply clarifying. Camping there always feels like plugging directly into the earth’s wisdom.

For me, the best parts of LA aren’t the loudest—they’re the ones where I feel most alive, most grounded, and most myself.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This shoutout goes to my grandmother, Maria Barlowsky—a woman who lived a life without the power and agency I now fight to claim and protect. She was strong, resourceful, and resilient, but she didn’t have access to the kind of choices, autonomy, or support that women are finally beginning to claim. Her story reminds me that I am part of a lineage. And while I carry her in my bones, I also carry the responsibility to evolve what’s possible for women.

We only live as long as the last person who remembers our name—and I am committed to shouting out hers, so that she and her legacy are never forgotten.

Website: https://www.thesatisfiedwoman.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSatisfiedWoman

Other: My book, The Way of the Satisfied Woman: Reclaiming Feminine Power, is available anywhere books are sold (and also as an audiobook).
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4lIbPsk

I have a weekly podcast: The Satisfied Woman podcast available on Youtube and all major podcast channels.

Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-satisfied-woman/id1738509333
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mve2wFkgcdScEz0F64Fxz?si=7ba05557649f4d93
Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/369d99f7-93da-4511-af12-8f6938a50335/the-satisfied-woman
iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/235604834/

Image Credits
All photo credits: Margie Woods