Conscious Combat Club

Sonja is a badass female psychologist from Finland who stared taikwondo because it looked like fun when her son did it! She helps people increase their self efficacy, find resilience and ways to feel alive and cope with everyday life. She specializes in play therapy with children and families and workers affected by harmful stress who are on sick leave. In this interview Sonja shares

• Her unique perspective on martial arts, mental health and trauma as both a psychologist and recreational kickboxer.
• The normal response to trauma
• The fighter mindset
• 10 grounding strategies listeners can try

This week in Australia, gyms reopen after being closed for 3 months due to COVID-19. In this episode Georgia discusses some of the reasons why everyone is so keen to stop running and get back to martial arts - beside the fact that martial arts are obviously way more fun! ;) Georgia uses the example of schizophrenia to explain that there are additional mental health benefits from combat sports to the fact that they're a fun way to get in a sufficient dose of physical activity per week. The articles are here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25650668/ https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2006-10711-008 Follow The Fight Back Project on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date: https://www.facebook.com/the.fight.back.project.and.podcast/ https://www.instagram.com/fightbackproject/

April Dimase is an Australian woman with a history of family trauma and domestic abuse. She started kickboxing after being inspired by MMA fighters like Ronda Rousey and quickly fell in love with the empowering feeling of going to training. Georgia and April discuss:

• Kickboxing with a history of trauma
• Overcoming fears
• Body image and more!

The title pretty much says it all. In this episode Georgia reviews a review by Adam Croom called "Embodying martial arts for mental health: cultivating psychological well-being with martial arts practice". Georgia explains how martial arts can add positive emotions, flow states, relationships, meaning and accomplishment to your life. The TED talk about happiness vs meaning is here: https://www.ted.com/talks/emily_esfahani_smith_there_s_more_to_life_than_being_happy

Why did Georgia start The Fight Back Podcast? In this episode Georgia tells her Martial Arts Story and hints at some of the lessons she has learned in her journey so far. The book Georgia mentions is called 'The Body Keeps the Score' by Bessel Van Der Kolk