What does it really mean to feel safe? To not driven by fear but grounded in empowerment?
For this powerful conversation around personal safety and mindset I sat down with Sanah Kassam, one of the youngest female advanced firearms instructors in the world, a Level 2 Brown Belt Krav Maga instructor, and certified life coach. At just 26, Sanah has built her work around one belief: that real self-defense starts in the mind.
We go deep into the psychology behind personal safety and how to train your mind. We talk about the mindset shift from victim to survivor, how to read a situation before it escalates, the colour-coded awareness framework used by law enforcement, and what it actually means to trust your gut.
You'll walk away with practical tools to sharpen your situational awareness, to know what to do when you find yourself in a threatening situation, and a clear way to tell the difference between fear and intuition.
We also get into how these principles translate well beyond physical safety — into decision-making, boundaries, resilience, and the importance of community.
Whether you've ever questioned your own ability to protect yourself, doubted your instincts, or simply want to move through the world with more confidence — this conversation is for you.
Hotlines if you need support:
Police: 999, 911, 112
Report a crime (DCI): 0800 722 203
Gender-based violence: 1195, 1193
Mental Health Support (e.g. Befrienders): 0722 178 177, 0800 220 000
Chapters:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:53) Sanah's Background
(04:24) Understanding Krav Maga
(06:41) The Survivor Mentality
(11:28) Training for Situational Awareness
(16:44) Overcoming Self-Limiting Beliefs
(18:13) Transformations Beyond Training
(19:47) Neuroplasticity for Rewiring the Mind
(21:50) Empowering Mindsets: From Victim to Survivor
(23:56) Tailored Training for Individual Experiences
(25:34) Understanding Stress Responses
(26:38) What to Do in High-Stress Situations
(28:46) Recognizing Easy and Hard Targets
(30:52) Creating Distance and Awareness
(33:34) Preemptive Strategies for Safety
(35:54) Maintaining Clarity Under Stress
(38:17) Intuition vs Stress Response
(40:28) De-escalation Strategies
(41:55) Long-Lasting Effects of Self-Defense Training
(43:50) How the Training Transformed Sanah's Life
(45:24) Dealing With Everyday Challenges
(47:18) Building Mental Resilience
(48:37) Importance of Community
(50:43) Situational Awareness as a Mental Skill
(52:14) No Self-Defense Without Mindset
(53:17) Finding & Following Sanah
Connect with Sanah and Warrior Women Kenya:
- Instagram: @warriorwomen_kenya | @ileta_kenya
- Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
Connect with Sonja:
- Instagram: sonjanaakor
- Website: https://www.naakorperformancecoaching.com/
- Email: [email protected]
Out of Your Mind is hosted by Sonja Schroeder, a Mental Performance Coach. New episodes drop every 2 weeks. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review — it helps more people find the show.
