Coursen’s Corner

Guest: Khalil Rafati

Known For: Owner, SunLife Organics; Author; Public Speaker; Entrepreneur; Investor

Topics: Addiction as a superpower;  the importance of personal responsibility; the societal condition of learned helplessness; rehab as “drug college”; the simple and selfless act of service that changed his life in an instant,  the privilege of getting to workout with the greatest trainer on the planet (@KellyMathews); his memories of being mentored by the great Wayne Kramer; the philosophy of doing good things (but not getting caught); and so much more.

GUEST: Mary Barron

Known For: CEO Dog Fight Dojo; Sponsored Athlete; BJJ Fighter;

Topics: Jiu Jitsu; Occupational Therapy; Blowing Up on Social Media; How Fighting Mirrors Life; Special Needs in Healthcare; Finding Passion and Purpose; Being In A Happy and Healthy Relationship; Going the Extra Mile for Your Patients

ABOUT MARY: Mary Barron is an amazing jujitsu fighter, a social media maven, and a sponsored athlete who trains out of 10th Planet here in Austin, Texas, Off the mat, Mary is a full-time occupational therapist who specializes in special needs patients and is the CEO of Dog Fight Dojo, a BJJ lifestyle and clothing brand. In this conversation we discuss how she found her love for jui jitsu, how fighting mirrors life, happiness in healthy relationships the extra miles she’ll go for her patients.

Claire Bays joins Spencer Coursen to talk about sobriety, fitness, recovery, self-limiting beliefs, self-trust, and the daily habits that help people rebuild their lives.

🎯 Expect to learn: How to rebuild self-trust when you have spent years second-guessing yourself;➡️ Why fitness can be a powerful tool in recovery, but not a substitute for community or honest self-examination;➡️ What to do when something feels wrong but you do not yet have the words for it;➡️ How small, repeatable actions can create discipline, confidence, and a more durable life;➡️ Why personal safety begins with awareness, capability, and a willingness to participate in your own protection;➡️What happens when you stop chasing everyone else’s approval and start becoming someone you can trust?00:00 CrossFit, community, and the fitness identity gap03:38 Why Claire started training for an obstacle race05:14 Feeling like you do not belong in the gym08:29 From scaled workouts to competing with confidence11:45 Why real growth takes longer than people think14:36 Why Spencer started Coursen’s Corner17:39 Sobriety, recovery, and calling before you have the words20:02 Vulnerability and asking for help early26:08 Learning to trust yourself in recovery27:19 The difference between being useful and being of service33:01 Coaching the whole human, not just the workout37:59 Leaving Oklahoma and building a life in Austin41:44 When alcohol stopped being fun and became a coping tool45:12 Grief, public humiliation, and the turning point46:34 Why recovery community changes everything50:42 Turning pain into purpose instead of living for approval54:48 Childhood trauma, abandonment, and becoming a protector01:00:16 Suicidal ideation, hope, and staying in the fight01:02:58 The daily tools that support recovery and resilience01:05:33 Fitness, safety, and building a capable body01:10:21 The best first step for becoming physically stronger01:13:13 Learning the language of violence and self-protection01:16:25 Personal safety without living in fear01:18:24 Rapid-fire questions, legacy, and gratitude01:23:25 Where to find Claire BaysAbout Claire BaysClaire Bays is a fitness and mindset coach, CrossFit event emcee, podcast host, and recovery advocate. Her work focuses on helping people build a stronger, more durable relationship with their bodies, habits, and lives.If this conversation helped you, subscribe to Coursen’s Corner, leave a comment with the tool that helps you stay grounded, and share this episode with someone who needs a reminder that change is possible.New episodes of Coursen’s Corner drop every Wednesday.Content note: This episode includes candid discussion of addiction, grief, trauma, suicidal ideation, and recovery. If you are in immediate danger or crisis, contact local emergency services or a qualified crisis resource in your area.Follow Claire:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clairebays/

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---------------------------------------------------------------------------🔗 CONNECT WITH SPENCER COURSEN 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/s.coursen/📺 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SpencerCoursen🐦 Twitter/X - https://x.com/spencercoursen🧐 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@s.coursen🌎 Website - https://www.SpencerCoursen.com📕 Book - https://a.co/d/3KXG4y2 🥷 Brand - https://www.Ronin6.com🇺🇸 Business - https://www.CoursenSecurityGroup.com🖇 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencercoursen📰 Newsletter: https://spencer-coursen.beehiiv.com/📧 Email - [email protected]

If you are trying to understand how persuasion actually works, building a brand from scratch, or exploring what psychedelic-assisted therapy can (and can't) do — this conversation is for you.

🎯 Expect to learn: The one psychological mechanism that door-to-door sales training and human intelligence asset recruitment have in common;➡️ Why "no" should be treated as the beginning of a negotiation, not the end of a conversation;➡️ How volume — not persuasion skill — is often the real hidden variable behind sales success;00:00 — What Do You Actually Do? Introducing Baldo Garza04:49 — Helping Practitioners Digitize Their Knowledge05:29 — Why We Know What's Good for Us but Don't Do It12:05 — The Tyranny of the Urgent: Rethinking Email28:00 — What Makes a High Performer Stand Out in Recruiting29:16 — Take It as the Beginning of the Negotiation, Not the End30:37 — Recruiting Assets vs. Recruiting Sales Reps35:24 — The "How Do You Health" Podcast and Festival Origin Story38:45 — Getting Into Psychedelics: Ketamine, Ayahuasca, and Beyond39:46 — Misinformation vs. Disinformation in the Psychedelic Space41:21 — Neuroplasticity and Why One Journey Can Break an Addiction47:04 — The Guided Journey That Surfaced a Childhood Memory49:06 — Severance, Grief, and What We Carry Without Realizing It51:47 — How Psychedelics Reveal What You're Avoiding59:44 — What Western Medicine Misses About Mind-Body Connection1:01:14 — The Apple vs. the Donut: Why Eating Well Is a Privilege1:03:11 — Don't Change the System; Educate the Consumer1:09:42 — Are Podcasts a Better Investment Than College?1:13:18 — AI, Prompt Engineering, and the New Middle ManagementIn this conversation, Spencer sits down with Baldo Garza — a marketing consultant and self-described "systems guy" who spent 13 years as a district manager at Cutco before spending the last several years helping build the Nurse Doza Clinic and MSW Nutrition into a thriving Austin health brand. The two dig into the psychology of persuasion, comparing notes between Baldo's door-to-door sales training and Spencer's own background recruiting human intelligence assets — and land on the same core insight from two completely different worlds: people aren't saying yes to you, they're saying yes to a cause, an idea, or a dream that already exists inside them. About Baldo Garza: Baldo is the founder of The Baldo Garza Agency, a marketing consultancy helping health, wellness, and functional medicine experts build thought-leadership platforms and grow their audiences. Before that, he spent 13 years in sales and sales management at Cutco, and recently helped build the Nurse Doza Clinic and MSW Nutrition alongside his best friend, nurse practitioner and chiropractor Jonathan "Nurse Doza" Mendoza — including co- producing the "How Do You Health" podcast and festival.Follow Baldo: https://thebaldogarza.com/https://x.com/thebaldogarza

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An insightful discussion about high performance, emotional intelligence, leadership, and the psychology behind sustained success with Mental Performance Coach, Rashanna Moss.

🎯 Expect to learn: Why emotional intelligence can be one of the greatest forces for good or one of the most dangerous tools for manipulation;➡️ How cult leaders, master manipulators, and elite leaders all rely on many of the same emotional intelligence skills, but for very different purposes;➡️ The difference between IQ, EQ, and AQ (Adversity Quotient), and which one best predicts long-term success;00:47 — What Is a Mental Performance Coach? 06:08 — Sports Psychology vs. Performance Psychology11:27 — What Separates High Performers From Everyone Else18:14 — IQ, EQ, or AQ? What Really Drives High Performance20:59 — When High Performers Turn Themselves Into Machines22:18 — Compartmentalization: The Tool & The Trap23:14 — The Dark Side of Emotional Intelligence6:54 — The Blind Spot in Every Personality Test29:31 — The Good and the Bad of Being Resiliant 35:05 — The "High-Performing Asshole" Problem38:34 — When a High Performer's Success Finally Runs Out41:54 — Neurodiversity at Work: What "Rain Man" Got Wrong44:49 — Where Neurodiverse Talent Gets Missed — Hiring, Not Firing

54:31 — Three Things Everyone Can Do to Perform 1% Better Today

Together, they explore what truly separates elite performers from everyone else, why authenticity must come before achievement, and how emotional intelligence can be used to inspire, influence, or manipulate depending on the intentions of the person using it. The conversation moves into organizational culture, examining the hidden factors that determine whether teams thrive or struggle, why companies often make critical hiring mistakes, and how traditional hiring practices unintentionally overlook extraordinary neurodiverse talent. Throughout the episode, Rashanna shares practical lessons drawn from more than two decades of coaching elite athletes, executives, entrepreneurs, and high-performing teams.About Rashanna Moss: Rashanna is a former collegiate tennis player who earned her Master's degree in Sport and Performance Psychology from Penn State University, where she conducted research on cognitive recovery following concussions. She has coached elite athletes at IMG Academy, worked within Nike's Sports Research Lab, and built, scaled, and successfully exited four Pure Barre studios in Austin, Texas. Today, she is the founder of Modern Muse, a high-performance coaching practice serving athletes, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders.Whether you're looking to unlock your own potential, build a stronger team, become a more effective leader, or gain a better understanding of the psychology that drives exceptional performance, this conversation offers practical insights that will challenge the way you think about success.If you found value in this conversation, subscribe, leave a comment sharing the insight that challenged your thinking the most, and send this episode to someone who's committed to becoming a better leader, teammate, or performer.New episodes of Coursen's Corner premiere every Wednesday.Follow Rashanna: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rashanna_moss/ Website: https://www.modernmuse.com/

Follow Coursen's Corner: https://www.instagram.com/coursenscorner/---------------------------------------------------------------------------🔗 CONNECT WITH SPENCER COURSEN 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/s.coursen/📺 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SpencerCoursen🐦 Twitter/X - https://x.com/spencercoursen🧐 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@s.coursen🌎 Website - https://www.SpencerCoursen.com📕 Book - https://a.co/d/3KXG4y2 🥷 Brand - https://www.Ronin6.com🇺🇸 Business - https://www.CoursenSecurityGroup.com🖇 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencercoursen📰 Newsletter: https://spencer-coursen.beehiiv.com/📧 Email - [email protected]

🎯 Expect to learn: Why the people who seem the strongest and most "fine" are often the ones who need someone to check on them the most;➡️ How a career-ending college football injury sent Ryan into years of partying, addiction, and searching for purpose;➡️ What it takes to rebuild your life after losing your business, your marriage, and your identity;➡️ How Ryan went from being 30 days away from bankruptcy to finding a new mission through service and community;00:00 — Cold Open: Before Collective Had Walls04:36 — The NFL Dream That Ended With a Torn Shoulder06:13 — Rock Bottom Jobs: Moving Trucks and Pepsi Vending Machines09:10 — Finding Fitness Again (Bally's, Ronnie Coleman & Getting Certified)11:04 — What Corporate Gym Sales Actually Taught Him12:29 — The Wakeboarding Backstory Nobody Expects18:27 — Opening His First Gym in 201120:28 — Why He Showed His Employees the Books25:26 — Married in 2015, Divorced in 201827:33 — "I'm Going to Open Next Door and Compete With You"30:23 — Selling the Gyms and Moving to Austin35:07 — Losing It All Again39:33 — His Relationship With Alcohol, Rewound41:32 — The Divorce With Zero Closure42:16 — Three Suicide Attempts and the Weight of Survivor's Guilt48:34 — A Near-Mystical Experience That Changed Everything52:25 — Why Men Never Make the Phone Call57:04 — Learning to Be Vulnerable Before Hitting Bottom1:02:30 — Meeting His Partner and Learning to Let People In1:04:13 — CBT, Therapy, and Considering Ayahuasca1:12:15 — Five QuestionsIn this conversation, Spencer sits down with Ryan Thomson for a raw, deeply personal discussion about resilience, mental health, and rebuilding a life after losing everything.Together, they explore Ryan's journey from a promising college football career that ended with a devastating shoulder injury to years spent drifting through addiction, dead-end jobs, and uncertainty. The conversation follows his rise as the owner of two of Wisconsin's top-performing fitness franchises, the sudden divorce that dismantled the life he thought he had built, and the financial collapse that left him just weeks from bankruptcy. Ryan speaks candidly about surviving multiple suicide attempts, the difficult work of recovery, and the unexpected experiences that ultimately restored his hope.About Ryan Thomson:

After opening his first 9Round Kickboxing Gym in 2011, he built multiple award-winning fitness businesses before relocating to Austin, Today, Ryan openly shares his journey through addiction, sobriety, depression, and recovery to help others realize they are never alone and that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.Follow Ryan on Instagram:   / ryan_thomson44  Follow Coursen's Corner:   / coursenscorner  
Whether you're worried about someone who appears to have everything together, navigating your own season of loss, or searching for hope after life's hardest setbacks, this conversation offers practical insights and powerful reminders that can change the way you see both yourself and the people around you.If you found value in this conversation, subscribe, leave a comment sharing the person you're going to check on today, and send this episode to someone who may need the reminder that they're not alone.New episodes of Coursen's Corner premiere every Wednesday.---------------------------------------------------------------------------🔗 CONNECT WITH SPENCER COURSEN 📸 Instagram -   / s.coursen  📺 YouTube -    / @spencercoursen  🐦 Twitter/X - https://x.com/spencercoursen🧐 TikTok -   / s.coursen  🌎 Website - https://www.SpencerCoursen.com📕 Book - https://a.co/d/3KXG4y2 🥷 Brand - https://www.Ronin6.com🇺🇸 Business - https://www.CoursenSecurityGroup.com🖇 LinkedIn -   / spencercoursen  📰 Newsletter: https://spencer-coursen.beehiiv.com/📧 Email - [email protected]

Aristotle's three types of friendship: transactional, pleasure, and virtuous, and how to recognize which one you're actually in;In this conversation, Spencer sits down with his real-life best friend, trusted advisor, and first-ever podcast guest, Justin Brogna, for a raw, unscripted discussion about identity, friendship, and love.Together, they explore Justin's childhood, including the moment he was given the role of "protector" at just six years old after his parents' divorce, and how that single identity led him to spend much of his life becoming whoever each situation required him to be. The conversation moves into Aristotle's three types of friendship, the powerful "pallbearer question" that challenged Justin to reconsider who his true friends really are, and the profound lesson his daughter taught him about unconditional love, a lesson he describes as the sweetest gift he's ever received.00:00 — Cold Open: The Universe's Sense of Humor03:37 — Why Spencer Started This Podcast (Again)04:38 — "You Are the Man of the House"09:41 — Becoming a "Master Chameleon" to Survive11:31 — The Meditation Retreat That Started Unraveling His Identity19:14 — Aristotle's 3 Types of Friendship, Explained22:31 — Have You Told Your Pallbearers They're Your Pallbearers?41:05 — "How Do I Occur to You?" 46:31 — A Billionaire's Funeral and What It Taught About Legacy58:38 — Lessons From a 20-Year Marriage and a Divorce1:02:47 — Learning to Be Alone After Divorce1:05:05 — What Justin's Daughter Taught Him About Unconditional Love1:13:43 — The "Noble Gas" Theory of RelationshipsAbout Justin Brogna:

Justin is a former bank president, board member, and Chief Operating Officer of Thrive Lending, a real estate private equity and debt fund based in Austin, Texas. He is also the founder of Eptá and the Group of Men, communities created to help high-performing men build authentic, meaningful relationships. Raised in Los Angeles and now living in Austin, Justin is Spencer's closest friend and trusted confidant. That unique relationship allows this conversation to go far beyond a typical podcast interview.Whether you're questioning the strength of your friendships, rebuilding your identity after a major life transition, or searching for a deeper understanding of love, purpose, and authentic connection, this episode offers practical insights that will stay with you long after it ends.If you found value in this conversation, subscribe, leave a comment sharing who you would consider your own virtuous friend, and send this episode to someone who would benefit from asking themselves the same questions.New episodes of Coursen's Corner premiere every Wednesday.Follow Justin Brogna on Instagram:   / justinbrogna   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------🔗 CONNECT WITH SPENCER COURSEN 📸 Instagram -   / s.coursen  📺 YouTube -    / @spencercoursen  🐦 Twitter/X - https://x.com/spencercoursen🧐 TikTok -   / s.coursen  🌎 Website - https://www.SpencerCoursen.com📕 Book - https://a.co/d/3KXG4y2 🥷 Brand - https://www.Ronin6.com🇺🇸 Business - https://www.CoursenSecurityGroup.com🖇 LinkedIn -   / spencercoursen  📰 Newsletter: https://spencer-coursen.beehiiv.com/📧 Email - [email protected]