766. Embodiment meets self-defense: training the body to say no - With Martijn Bos

In this episode, I sit down with Martin Bos to explore the role of embodiment in building real-world confidence, boundaries, and resilience. We discuss how a felt sense of safety begins in the body, and why many people struggle to assert themselves—not from a lack of knowledge, but from a lack of embodied capacity. Martin shares his journey from martial arts into coaching, and how his work integrates physical training with emotional awareness and nervous system regulation. We explore how posture, presence, and perception shape how we respond under pressure, and why awareness is often more important than technique. We also touch on trauma, people-pleasing, and the challenge of setting boundaries in both everyday life and high-stress situations. ---------------------------------------------- Become a certified embodiment coach. Coach beyond mere words and support clients to transform their lives: https://embodimentunlimited.com/cec/ ----------------------------------------------- Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos

In this episode, I sit down with Chandler Stevens to explore the limits of coaching and psychology, and why deeper transformation may require something more. We discuss embodiment, attachment, and the growing pull toward spirituality among coaches and practitioners. Chandler shares insights on how connection—to self, others, and the transcendent—shapes wellbeing, and why meaning, beauty, and purpose can't be reduced to technique alone. We also explore practical ways to integrate faith-informed perspectives into coaching without dogma. This is a grounded conversation about expanding coaching beyond tools and into something more holistic, relational, and meaningful. ---------------------------------------------- Become a certified embodiment coach. Coach beyond mere words and support clients to transform their lives: https://embodimentunlimited.com/cec/ ----------------------------------------------- Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos Uplevel your coaching with a free copy of Mark's latest eBook, The Top 12 Embodiment Coaching Techniques  Join Mark for those juicy in-person workshops and events Fancy some free coaching demo sessions with Mark?  Connect with Mark Walsh on Instagram 

In this episode, I sit down with Virginia to explore the idea of theoregulation and why coaching and psychology alone may not be enough to support real human wellbeing. We unpack the four types of regulation—self, co, eco, and theo—and look at how modern life has left many people disconnected from community, nature, and a deeper sense of meaning. We discuss how faith, tradition, and shared values can provide structure, resilience, and a way to relate to suffering that goes beyond quick fixes. Along the way, we explore topics like attachment, purpose, beauty, and the role of ritual in human life. This is a grounded conversation about restoring connection, finding meaning in difficulty, and expanding the foundations of what truly supports a healthy, integrated life. ---------------------------------------------- Become a certified embodiment coach. Coach beyond mere words and support clients to transform their lives: https://embodimentunlimited.com/cec/ ----------------------------------------------- Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos Uplevel your coaching with a free copy of Mark's latest eBook, The Top 12 Embodiment Coaching Techniques  Join Mark for those juicy in-person workshops and events Fancy some free coaching demo sessions with Mark?  Connect with Mark Walsh on Instagram 

In this episode, I sit down with Daniel to explore why modern psychology and coaching often fail to address what truly matters in human life. We dive into the ways postmodern thinking and our obsession with pleasure and quick fixes have left people anxious, distracted, and disconnected from meaning. We discuss the difference between vice and virtue, and how our attachments can act like bandages over the wounds of life. Along the way, we talk about beauty, truth, and the role of tradition in helping us orient toward what is truly good. This is a grounded conversation about recovering a sense of purpose, developing the soul, and cultivating habits that actually lead to a fulfilled, resilient life. ----------------------------------------------- Join our membership program for coaches, facilitators, therapists and educators who want sustainable growth: https://embodimentunlimited.com/flourish/ ----------------------------------------------- Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos Uplevel your coaching with a free copy of Mark's latest eBook, The Top 12 Embodiment Coaching Techniques  Join Mark for those juicy in-person workshops and events Fancy some free coaching demo sessions with Mark?  Connect with Mark Walsh on Instagram 

In this episode, I sit down with Jayaraja to explore what really shapes how we communicate -both with others and with ourselves. We get into how our personal history and emotional patterns show up in every interaction, and why I've noticed I'm often a worse version of myself online. We unpack what's going on there, and share some practical ways to pause, reflect, and communicate with a bit more awareness and integrity. We also dive into the inner voice—how harsh and self-critical it can be -and what it takes to shift that. Along the way, we talk about the value of deep, non-romantic friendships, and question some modern trends like "no-contact" culture and the overemphasis on romantic relationships. This is a grounded conversation about doing the inner work that actually changes how we relate—so we can show up a bit more honestly, and a bit more human. ----------------------------------------------- Join our membership program for coaches, facilitators, therapists and educators who want sustainable growth: https://embodimentunlimited.com/flourish/ ----------------------------------------------- Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos Uplevel your coaching with a free copy of Mark's latest eBook, The Top 12 Embodiment Coaching Techniques  Join Mark for those juicy in-person workshops and events Fancy some free coaching demo sessions with Mark?  Connect with Mark Walsh on Instagram 

I'm joined by Dr Helen again to explore the deeper cultural, psychological, and philosophical roots of declining birth rates across the modern world. Moving beyond economics and policy, they examine what happens when meaning, identity, and embodiment begin to erode in contemporary life. The discussion touches on everything from the role of religion and community, to the impact of anxiety, digital culture, and shifting social norms around relationships, sex, and family. They question whether modern materialism and the pursuit of convenience have unintentionally undermined one of humanity's most fundamental drives: the desire to reproduce. See more of Helen's work here: www.yogarogue.co.uk ----------------------------------------------- Join our membership program for coaches, facilitators, therapists and educators who want sustainable growth: https://embodimentunlimited.com/flourish/ ----------------------------------------------- Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos Uplevel your coaching with a free copy of Mark's latest eBook, The Top 12 Embodiment Coaching Techniques  Join Mark for those juicy in-person workshops and events Fancy some free coaching demo sessions with Mark?  Connect with Mark Walsh on Instagram 

Julia Vaughan Smith joins me to explore what it really means to be a trauma-aware coach. We unpack the fear many coaches carry of getting it wrong, causing harm, or stepping outside their scope, and how that can undermine confidence. We look at the difference between working with trauma and working on trauma, and why coaching doesn't need to become therapy to be effective. We also explore the shadow sides of both coaching and psychotherapy, the rise of popular approaches like parts work, and how to stay grounded in good practice. Towards the end, we dive into the powerful dynamics between mothers and daughters, trauma entanglement, and how early relationships shape identity and behaviour. Find out more about Julia's work here: www.becomingourselvs.co.uk. ----------------------------------------------- Julia Vaughan Smith is a master accredited coach and supervisor, a retired registered psychotherapist and an author of three books including 'Coaching and Trauma', one of the very few books that deals with this topic and 'Daughters: How to Untangle Yourself from your Mother' which considers the trauma behind difficult and painful daughter/mother relationships and the entanglements that ensure. She has been teaching and talking about coaching and trauma since 2010 and ran Masterclasses with Jenny Rogers on the topic over several years. Other than coaching and psychotherapy, she has had a long and varied career.  ----------------------------------------------- Join our membership program for coaches, facilitators, therapists and educators who want sustainable growth: https://embodimentunlimited.com/flourish/ ----------------------------------------------- Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos Uplevel your coaching with a free copy of Mark's latest eBook, The Top 12 Embodiment Coaching Techniques  Join Mark for those juicy in-person workshops and events Fancy some free coaching demo sessions with Mark?  Connect with Mark Walsh on Instagram 

Dr Helen Machen-Pearce joins me again to look at what's happening in the modern trauma conversation. Trauma awareness has done enormous good, but we explore how the term is now being stretched, misunderstood, and sometimes used in ways that can disempower people rather than help them heal. We discuss the rise of self-diagnosis, the influence of social media psychology, and how trauma language can sometimes become identity, authority, or even ideology. We also look at the pressures inside the coaching and therapy world, including financial incentives, popularity dynamics, and the risk of trauma-informed work becoming what Helen calls "trauma-deformed". See more of Helen's work here: www.yogarogue.co.uk ----------------------------------------------- Join our membership program for coaches, facilitators, therapists and educators who want sustainable growth: https://embodimentunlimited.com/flourish/ ----------------------------------------------- Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos Uplevel your coaching with a free copy of Mark's latest eBook, The Top 12 Embodiment Coaching Techniques  Join Mark for those juicy in-person workshops and events Fancy some free coaching demo sessions with Mark?  Connect with Mark Walsh on Instagram 

This week I'm joined by GS Youngblood to explore what healthy masculinity actually looks like in modern relationships. We get into masculine–feminine polarity, why so many men get stuck between "nice guy" passivity and hyper-masculine posturing, and what real relational leadership means in practice. We unpack his three-part blueprint: respond instead of react, provide structure, and create emotional safety. We look at co-regulation, communication breakdowns, financial and physical safety, and why intimacy is often harder than leadership at work. We also dive into embodiment as daily training for men who want to stay grounded under pressure, and I ask GS what advice he has for younger men navigating dopamine addiction, loneliness, and cultural confusion around masculinity. Find out more about GS Youngblood's work here: gsyoungblood.com ----------------------------------------------- GS Youngblood is the acclaimed author of the groundbreaking book "The Masculine in Relationship", which challenges the modern notion that all Masculinity is toxic by offering a model - the Masculine Blueprint - for men to become grounded in their own power AND more relational with their Feminine partner.  In his 2nd book "The Art of Embodiment", GS teaches that a daily embodiment practice is the foundation of men living more in their masculine.  The practices that he teaches help men ground their nervous system, and as a result become more powerful, choiceful, and relational.   ----------------------------------------------- Become a certified embodiment coach. Coach beyond mere words and support clients to transform their lives: https://embodimentunlimited.com/cec/ ----------------------------------------------- Join our membership program for coaches, facilitators, therapists and educators who want sustainable growth: https://embodimentunlimited.com/flourish/ ----------------------------------------------- Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos Uplevel your coaching with a free copy of Mark's latest eBook, The Top 12 Embodiment Coaching Techniques  Join Mark for those juicy in-person workshops and events Fancy some free coaching demo sessions with Mark?  Connect with Mark Walsh on Instagram 

In this episode, Helen and I unpack the uncomfortable truth about manipulation in coaching and personal growth. From authority claims and social proof to trauma bonding, love bombing, and cult-like dynamics, we explore how influence can quietly become coercion. We look at red flags - dependency on the teacher, blocked disagreement, emotional state manipulation, endless upselling - and also the subtler traps like vague language, borrowed authority, and identity-based pressure. We also talk about green flags: teachers who evolve, encourage challenge, build self-trust, and genuinely want students to outgrow them. This isn't about attacking the coaching industry - we're part of it. It's about discernment. Whether you're a coach, leader, or client, this conversation will help you spot unhealthy dynamics and build integrity into your work. See more of Helen's work here: yogarogue.co.uk ----------------------------------------------- Become a certified embodiment coach. Coach beyond mere words and support clients to transform their lives: https://embodimentunlimited.com/cec/ ----------------------------------------------- Join our membership program for coaches, facilitators, therapists and educators who want sustainable growth: https://embodimentunlimited.com/flourish/ ----------------------------------------------- Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos Uplevel your coaching with a free copy of Mark's latest eBook, The Top 12 Embodiment Coaching Techniques  Join Mark for those juicy in-person workshops and events Fancy some free coaching demo sessions with Mark?  Connect with Mark Walsh on Instagram