Conscious Combat Club

Leah is the founder of empowered RX - a women's program about the transformative and healing power of wellness. She started Kung Fu at age 9 and leaned upon her expertise to help other women as well as herself.

Leah and Georgia discuss:

• How kung fu and kickboxing LITERALLY saved Leah when she was assaulted
• Leah's experience with PTSD
• Weightlifting, combat and exercise as an outlet for Leah
• Leah's response to clients becoming stressed by COVID
• Teaching self defense over zoom
• How to ditch your diet
• How to believe in yourself and lift HEAVY
• How to develop a sleep routine

To connect with Leah:

Instagram: empoweredrx

Location: https://prototypetraining.com/

Email: [email protected]

Podcast: Empowered: Trauma-Informed Women's Health, Fitness and Nutrition

https://anchor.fm/empoweredrx

Thank you so much to Nari for the beautiful song "Shape Me" heard at the beginning and end of this episode. Nari wrote this song about Shape Your Life, a boxing program for self-identified female survivors of violence in Canada. She wrote this song using the words and experiences shared by participants with Cathy Van Ingen. You can find out more about Shape Your Life in my interview with Cathy in Episode 8. You can hear more of Nari's work by going to her Instagram: @narithesaga

Donna Lyon is the Founder of LEFT / WRITE // HOOK. A multi-modal creative arts research project and documentary designed to help women who have experienced sexual abuse and trauma find a connection to their body, mind and spirit through weekly transformative writing and boxing workshops. Donna and Georgia unpack:

• What does it mean to be "saved"
• Donna's story as a survivor starting boxing
• The Story of Left Write Hook
• How to use prompts to journal through trauma or anything on your mind
• The combination of writing and movement
• The Left Wrte Hook Documentary
• The Left Write Hook research https://www.internationaljournalofwellbeing.org/index.php/ijow/article/view/1505
• The upcoming Trauma Informed Martial Arts Conference

Contact Donna at https://www.facebook.com/leftwritehook or https://leftwritehook.wordpress.com/ Thank you so much to Nari for the beautiful song "Shape Me" heard at the beginning and end of this episode. Nari wrote this song about Shape Your Life, a boxing program for self-identified female survivors of violence in Canada. She wrote this song using the words and experiences shared by participants with Cathy Van Ingen. You can find out more about Shape Your Life in my interview with Cathy in Episode 8. You can hear more of Nari's work by going to her Instagram: @narithesaga

Paul Linden is a body awareness educator, a martial artist, and an author. He is the developer of Being In Movement® mindbody education, and founder of the Columbus Center for Movement Studies in Columbus, Ohio USA. He holds a BA in Philosophy and a PhD in Physical Education. He has been practicing and teaching Aikido since 1969 and holds a sixth degree black belt in Aikido as well as a first degree black belt in Karate. He is an instructor of the Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education. Paul and Georgia discuss: - Why Aikido "saves" people

How to get hit and keep going

- What Paul has learned from having Parkinson's disease

- The use of humor when working with trauma survivors

- Trauma informed vs regular aikido

To connect with Paul, email him at [email protected] or visit his website: https://www.being-in-movement.com/

Thank you so much to Nari for the beautiful song "Shape Me" heard at the beginning and end of this episode. Nari wrote this song about Shape Your Life, a boxing program for self-identified women survicors of violence in Canada. She wrote this song using the words and experiences shared by participants with Cathy Van Ingen. You can find out more about Shape Your Life in my interview with Cathy in Episode 8. You can hear more of Nari's work by going to her Instagram: @narithesaga

Dr Stephanie Phillips surveyed over 300 women about why they participate in combat sports. She found that many women were sharing stories of overcoming violence and trauma and using martial arts as an outlet and a means of healing. Steph has worked as a Muay Thai coach and up until covid was still a Muay Thai practitioner, although she spends most of her time drawing comic books these days. Steph and Georgia chat about:

• How she started Muay Thai
• Why people say Martial Arts saved me
• Steph's survey and what she found
• Why she started a women's only class
• Women taking up space
• Bruises on women
• Positive relationships with men in the gym
• Whether martial arts make people respectful or people only stay in martial arts if they are respectful.
• Advice for women joining a gym
• Advice for women

To chat to Steph, you can connect with her on twitter at @steph_smash Thank you so much to Nari for the beautiful song "Shape Me" heard at the beginning and end of this episode. Nari wrote this song about Shape Your Life, a boxing program for self-identified women survicors of violence in Canada. She wrote this song using the words and experiences shared by participants with Cathy Van Ingen. You can find out more about Shape Your Life in my interview with Cathy in Episode 8. You can hear more of Nari's work by going to her Instagram: @narithesaga

Livia Giles is a first degree black belt, a world champion international competitor, coach, physiotherapist and combat sports board member. Liv has a wealth of experience dealing with the pressure of being an elite athlete and spoke with Georgia about:

• The community in BJJ
• The value in learning a skill
• BJJ as meditation
• Being obsessed with being the best
• Being smaller than most people on the mat
• How to teach people how to train with you
• Effective communication during rolls
• How to create a club culture that welcomes women
• Why women need to roll with women
• How nerves and anxiety are a good thing
• How she stopped focusing on feeling good or bad in competitions
• Why you should compete more often
• Having a panic attack/ feeling claustrophobic in a competition
• Tapping due to claustrophobia
• The physiology of panic attacks
• Weight cutting and body image
• Appreciate your body!

Liv started out as a gymnast in Poland. At age 18 she retired and transitioned into track cycling. When she was 24 she decided to take a break for competitive sport and went to university to become a physiotherapist. While working as a physiotherapist she met her now husband Dr Lachlan Giles PhD who introduced her to BJJ. And the rest is history..

Liv's Achievements in BJJ include:

• Copa Podio Superfight Winner (2016)
• UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro 2nd Place (2018)
• ADCC Asian Trials 2nd Place (2015) U
• AEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro 3rd Place (2017)
• IBJJF World Champion (2016 brown, 2013 blue)
• IBJJF World No-Gi Champion (2013 purple)
• IBJJF Asian International Open Champion (2014 purple, 2016 brown)
• IBJJF Melbourne International Open Champion (2015** purple)
• IBJJF Melbourne International No-Gi Open Champion (2015 purple)
• IBJJF World Championship Runner-up (2015 purple)
• CBJJ Brazilian National Championship Runner-up (2014 purple)

Follow @livia_giles on instagram for updates about seminars around Australia! https://www.instagram.com/livia_giles/?hl=en

Thank you so much to Nari for the beautiful song "Shape Me" heard at the beginning and end of this episode. Nari wrote this song about Shape Your Life, a boxing program for self-identified women survicors of violence in Canada. She wrote this song using the words and experiences shared by participants with Cathy Van Ingen. You can find out more about Shape Your Life in my interview with Cathy in Episode 8. You can hear more of Nari's work by going to her Instagram: @narithesaga

Meesha Hall is an NLP and integration coach and a BJJ blue belt. She is passionate about helping women use systems and strategic planning to free up time and energy so they can do more of what they love. Meesh and Georgia discuss:

• How Martial Arts provide structure in people's lives
• How Martial Arts teach discipline
• How Martial Arts teach respect
• How being brutally assaulted lead to Meesh starting BJJ
• How Meesh has turned her life around
• What Meesh has learned during COVID
• Why Meesh sold all her belongings
• Meesh's new business and how you can work with her

Follow Meesh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meesha.hall/ Book here to work with Meesh: https://calendly.com/alignyourlife/prodev?fbclid=IwAR1PvmpSA7-v8bscHI1UhcmTTbJFQQujxkSjbHIrTwUbTwnrdm5TH6DdCY0&month=2020-12 Thank you so much to Nari for the beautiful song "Shape Me" heard at the beginning and end of this episode. Nari wrote this song about Shape Your Life, a boxing program for self-identified women survicors of violence in Canada. She wrote this song using the words and experiences shared by participants with Cathy Van Ingen. You can find out more about Shape Your Life in my interview with Cathy in Episode 8. You can hear more of Nari's work by going to her Instagram: @narithesaga

Kristy Hitchens started Taekwando when she was 40 and found the process of training from white to black belt so transformational she decided to start The Pink Belt Project. The Pink Belt Project is a charity project empowering women in need with a year of free martial arts training at their local club. Kristy and Georgia discuss:

• The explosion of interest in The Pink Belt Project around Australia
• The impact of training on mental health
• How and why martial arts schools can can involved
• How and why women can get involved
• Practical tips for survivors wishing to join a martial arts clubs The Pink Belt Project details can be found at:

https://www.facebook.com/pinkbeltproj... http://www.pinkbelt.com.au/ https://www.instagram.com/pinkbeltpro... If you're interested in joining a support group for women new to martial arts, Kristy has started one!!! Here is is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/40844... Thank you so much to Nari for the beautiful song "Shape Me" heard at the beginning and end of this episode. Nari wrote this song about Shape Your Life, a boxing program for self-identified women survivors of violence in Canada. She wrote this song using the words and experiences shared by participants with Cathy Van Ingen. You can find out more about Shape Your Life in my interview with Cathy in Episode 8. You can hear more of Nari's work by going to her Instagram: @narithesaga

Are you ready to try breathwork?? Adriane is a breathwork and movement coach working exclusively with online clients. She trains in BJJ and MMA and has many clients training in combat sports including UFC strawweight Mallory Martin. Check out my interview with Mallory for her take on what breathwork did for her anxiety. Adriane and Georgia discuss:

• How BJJ 'saved' Adriane after her Mother passed away
• What is breathwork?
• The benefits of breathwork
• Heart Rate Variability
• Breathwork for Athletes
• Breathwork for Anxiety
• Where should you breath from?

AND We go through a 5 minute breathwork practice you can try at home The study Adriane references is here: https://www.whoop.com/thelocker/heart... You can find WTF Empire on instagram (@wtfstateofmind): https://www.instagram.com/wtfstateofm... The song heard at the beginning and end of this episode is "Shape me" by Nari. Check her out on instagram (@Narithesaga) https://www.instagram.com/narithesaga...

Chloe Maclean is a sociology lecturer, gender, embodiment and karate researcher and international karate athlete from Scotland. Her research has explored how ideas of gender are negotiated, subverted, and embodied in the inter-bodily experience of mixed-sex karate training, and what lessons this can bring for developing gender equality in sport and society more broadly. Chloe and Georgia discuss:

• Why Chloe thinks people say "Martial Arts saved them"
• How Chloe got into researching gender and karate
• What makes friendship bonds so strong in karate

On twitter you can find Chloe at @ChloeMaclean https://twitter.com/ChloeMaclean Thank you so much to Nari for the beautiful song "Shape Me" heard at the beginning and end of this episode. Nari wrote this song about Shape Your Life, a boxing program for self-identified women survicors of violence in Canada. She wrote this song using the words and experiences shared by participants with Cathy Van Ingen. You can find out more about Shape Your Life in my interview with Cathy in Episode 8. You can hear more of Nari's work by going to her Instagram: @narithesaga

UFC Strawweight Mallory Martin and Georgia discuss how MMA has saved her life, how a therapist helped her overcome anxiety and the mind exercises she uses to train mental toughness. Mallory made headlines at UFC Fight Night 175. Following her comeback win over Hannah Ciphers reporters heard Mallory say "You Saved Me" to Hannah while still in the cage. When questioned about why she said that in the post-fight interview, Mallory broke down stating she had been battling with her mental health during the fight camp and having the fight booked was the only thing keeping her going. You can watch the interview here: https://youtu.be/Hi-UxK0ZDtA Mallory and Georgia discuss:

• Why Mallory started MMA
• The Death of Mallory's father when she was 18
• The impact of feeling severe anxiety during this fight camp
• How to separate yourself from anxiety feelings
• Finding activities to keep your mind busy
• Visualization
• Breathwork

Mallory's breathwork coach can be found here: https://www.instagram.com/wtfstateofm... The book Mallory cites is here: https://www.amazon.com.au/Mind-Gym-At... Thank you so much to Nari for the beautiful song "Shape Me" heard at the beginning and end of this episode. Nari wrote this song about Shape Your Life, a boxing program for self-identified women survicors of violence in Canada. She wrote this song using the words and experiences shared by participants with Cathy Van Ingen. You can find out more about Shape Your Life in my interview with Cathy in Episode 8. You can hear more of Nari's work by going to her Instagram: @narithesaga