The Empowered Athlete

The New Way: Making a Difference with Trauma-informed Instructors (Interview w/ Laurien from Off The Zone)

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In this week's episode, we cap off January with our very first interview on The Empowered Athlete Podcast. Laurien Zurhake (of Off The Zone) and I bring you an empowering and enlightening conversation about what it means to be "trauma-informed" as a BJJ instructor, coach, academy owner and a training partner, why it matters, and what you can do to become part of the solution. 

About Laurien:

Laurien Zurhake was born in the Netherlands. She studied history and archaeology in the Netherlands and at Oxford University. She moved to Germany to pursue her PhD on Pain Behavior. There, she met her now husband on the BJJ mats with whom she has now her own yoga and martial arts academy. Having experienced PTSD due to sexual assault, she started training BJJ and yoga, later with the aim to make the martial arts and yoga mats a safer space for all through trauma-informed coaching - thus, the birth of Off The Zone.



Here’s a glance at what you’ll hear from Laurien and I in this episode:

  • Laurien's background, story, and journey that led her to try her first BJJ class
  • What compelled Laurien to take action in creating Off The Zone
  • The mission and purpose of Off The Zone
  • How differences in teaching styles and gym environments play a critical role in someone's beginning experiences with BJJ
  • How ignorance, poor communication, and lack of understanding can cause re-traumatization and disempowerment
  • The old paradigm that most BJJ instructors and gyms fall into and what the new paradigm is 
  • Identifying a toxic gym environment and what steps you can take to step up and speak out
  • Three tips to empower professors and students in becoming active participants in changing a toxic gym culture
  • The details of her 6-week Trauma-informed Instructor Training Course
  • How to connect, support and learn more about Off The Zone



    • Episode Resources:

    Off The Zone Website: https://www.off-the-zone.com/

    ThriveDrive Program - Trauma-Informed Coaching for Martial Artists: https://www.off-the-zone.com/enroll-in-thrive-drive

    Empowered Athlete Academy - A 6-month Trauma-Informed Program  for female athletes who desire a deep, healing journey of spiritual and personal development | Click HERE to apply.


    Podcast Links:

    Instagram: www.instagram.com/bodybybossllc


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