This episode is a masterclass in resilience, the courage to question narratives (even about yourself), and what it means to keep moving when everything falls apart.

Amber Joliat built a thriving wellness empire in Toronto—teaching movement, yoga, and Pilates to thousands, creating community in multiple studios across the city. Then, in June 2020, it all burned down in 72 hours. She had been 'cancelled'.

In this raw and revelatory conversation, Amber shares what happened when she became the target of a coordinated cancel campaign during the height of pandemic-era social justice movements. From public accusations to media takedowns, she lost her business, her community, and nearly her sense of self. But the story doesn't end there.

This episode traces Amber's journey from childhood grief and the healing power of movement, through entrepreneurial success and devastating loss, to a diagnosis that forced yet another reckoning.

Essential listening for anyone who has endured a pivot that was not of their choosing and continues to seek out their inner courage to navigate the challenges as they come.

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Covered In This Episode

• Dance and movement as tools for processing grief and trauma
• The anatomy of a cancellation: a coordinated social media takedown and its immediate aftermath
• Cancel culture pressure and the impossible position of public apology
• Early motherhood, emergency C-section, and learning to ask for help
• The psychological and physical toll of being publicly vilified
• Healing through nature, solitude, and relocation
• The mind-body connection: breast cancer diagnosis over the “broken heart”
• Medical advocacy and questioning treatment protocols
• How discipline from ballet and yoga becomes a framework for healing
• The long-term professional and personal costs of cancel culture
• Movement as medicine that transcends cultural boundaries
• Aesthetic expression as a reflection of internal state
• Trust, faith, and seeing redirection as protection

Chapters

00:00 Important Announcement: Podcast Hub Relocation
05:55 Amber's Early Life and Dance Journey
14:34 Building a Thriving Community
26:55 Personal Struggles and Miscarriages
32:44 The 2020 Cancel Culture Incident
38:49 Navigating Social Pressure and Virtue Signaling
40:23 Public Apology and Regret
40:55 Reflecting on Cancel Culture
47:31 Healing and Personal Growth
50:41 Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Support
01:03:15 Future Aspirations and Moving Forward

Special Offers

• Free Heart Coherence Masterclass – A complimentary session with Meghan Telpner exploring how to create alignment between your heart and mind, access inner calm, and live from your most authentic self.

• Click here to get 30% off Rise & Shine: A Guided Approach To Heart-led Living and Leadership. (Click here if you reside in Canada)

Links + Resources

Amber's Platforms

• The Misfit Method Website — Amber's movement methodology and online class library
• Amber's Instagram — follow Amber's movement journey and class updates
• Amber's Substack — where Amber writes about her experiences and reflections
• Misfit Method Membership — access 400+ movement classes 
• Special Offer - Grab your free 7-day trial, and get 50% off 3 months of Amber's video classes using this link (or use code MEGHAN at checkout). 

Referenced in This Episode

• OCAD University — Ontario College of Art and Design, where Amber studied fine arts in their Florence program
• Canadian Children's Dance Theatre — where Amber taught creative jazz for seven years starting at age 19 

More About Amber Joliat

Amber Joliat is the founder of misfitmethod, a unique movement methodology that blends the strength and precision of Pilates, the fluidity and expression of dance, and the grounding presence of yoga—infused with the artistry of her fine arts background. A graduate of the Florence program at OCAD University (Ontario College of Art & Design), Amber has always merged movement and art into a singular, transformative experience.

She began dancing at age three, teaching by twelve, and went on to become the Creative Jazz teacher at the Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre from 1995–2002. Between 2002 and 2010, she taught extensively across Canada, sharing her distinctive fusion of dance, yoga, and Pilates with studios and communities nationwide.

In 2010, Amber opened the first of several MISFITSTUDIO locations, building them into beloved wellness hubs over the next decade before all locations closed in 2020. Along the way, she created her signature misfitmethod teacher training in 2013, which she continues to offer today.

Amber has taught globally at festivals and conferences—including GOOP, Wanderlust, and lululemon events—and has hosted international retreats for over a decade, bringing her work to communities around the world. She has been featured in Vogue, Elle, and Toronto Life. Her work has been celebrated for its originality, artistry, and ability to connect body, mind, and spirit. She served as a lululemon ambassador for a decade, collaborated with the New Leaf Foundation, and built a video library of over 400 classes that continues to inspire a worldwide community.