Conscious Combat Club

Emma (she/her) is a safeguarding specialist in Muay Thai, a survivor-advocate, and founder of Under the Ropes, through which she's been writing about gendered issues in Muay Thai, and advocating for gender equality and the elimination of gender-based violence in the sport since 2013. She recently completed a master's degree in Sports Ethics & Integrity, through which she conducted the world's first study on women's experiences of sexual harassment and abuse in Muay Thai. She's a trustee board member at Safe Sport International, a UK-based charity working to advance safeguarding standards in sport globally. She's also qualified as a safeguarding officer, and is currently undertaking the International Olympic Committee's Safeguarding Officer in Sport programme. Now, she's providing safeguarding consultancy services to help Muay Thai (and other combat sports) gyms implement safeguarding protocols, and for sports federations to advance survivor-centred approaches.   To find all the links mentioned: https://undertheropes.com/resources/safe-sport-community-library/  Connect with Emma: https://undertheropes.com/contact/   To work with Emma on your safeguarding approach: https://undertheropes.com/work-with-me To get involved with the Conscious Combat Club: - Visit our site https://www.consciouscombat.club/ - Support Rounds 4 Respect https://rounds4respect.org/  - Join the waitlist for Melbourne classes https://www.consciouscombat.club/naarm - Become a conscious combat coach https://www.consciouscombat.club/coaching - Join our mailing list "Mat Chat' https://www.consciouscombat.club/mat-chat - Join our facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/640626287248147   SUPPORT LINKS: Some listeners might find parts of this conversation distressing. Please take care, link in your support networks, or refer to one of these organizations if you need: Mental health support: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support  Domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support https://www.1800respect.org.au/  Sexism in sport https://www.respectvictoria.vic.gov.au/ DirectLine (Alcohol & Drug Support) – 1800 888 236 (24/7)  http://www.directline.org.au/ QLife (Queer-Specific Peer Support) – 1800 184 527 (3pm – midnight) – https://qlife.org.au/   Lifeline (Crisis Support & Suicide Prevention) – 13 11 14 (24/7)  http://www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp   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 

Fight Science is a special segment of the Conscious Combat Club podcast where we invite researchers to take a deep dive into a paper they've written and explain it to us as though we're 14 years old. In this episode I interview Molly Higgins (she/her), a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology with a clinical focus on trauma & PTSD, and a research focus on physical activity as an adjunct intervention for trauma-related disorders. In this episode we the guidelines: Trauma-Informed Guidelines For Interpersonal Violence Survivors in Combat Sports To contact Molly: Email: [email protected]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollyhigg/?hl=en  Read the guidelines here:  https://osf.io/wc3e5/files/3zdsv To get involved with the Conscious Combat Club: - Donate: https://conscious-combat-club.raiselysite.com/  - Visit our site https://www.consciouscombat.club/ - Rounds 4 Respect: https://rounds4respect.org/  - Join the waitlist for Melbourne classes https://www.consciouscombat.club/naarm - Become a conscious combat coach https://www.consciouscombat.club/coaching - Join our mailing list "Mat Chat' https://www.consciouscombat.club/mat-chat   SUPPORT LINKS: Some listeners might find parts of this conversation distressing. Please take care, link in your support networks, or refer to one of these organizations if you need: Eating disorder support: https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/  Mental health support: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support  Domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support https://www.1800respect.org.au/  Sexism in sport https://www.respectvictoria.vic.gov.au/ DirectLine (Alcohol & Drug Support) – 1800 888 236 (24/7)  http://www.directline.org.au/ QLife (Queer-Specific Peer Support) – 1800 184 527 (3pm – midnight) - https://qlife.org.au/ Lifeline (Crisis Support & Suicide Prevention) – 13 11 14 (24/7)  http://www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp   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 

Fight Science is a special segment of the Conscious Combat Club podcast where we invite researchers to take a deep dive into a paper they've written and explain it to us as though we're 14 years old. In this episode I interview Molly Higgins (she/her), a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology with a clinical focus on trauma & PTSD, and a research focus on physical activity as an adjunct intervention for trauma-related disorders. In this episode we explore her paper titled:   Higgins, M., Littleton, H., Zamundu, A., & Dolezal, M. (2024). "It literally makes me feel harder to kill": A qualitative study of the perceived benefits of recreational martial arts practice among women sexual assault survivors. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 90(9), 1285–1299. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-024-01495-w   To contact Molly: Email: [email protected]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollyhigg/?hl=en  Read the paper here:  https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2025-13150-001  To get involved with the Conscious Combat Club: - Donate: https://conscious-combat-club.raiselysite.com/  - Visit our site https://www.consciouscombat.club/ - Rounds 4 Respect: https://rounds4respect.org/  - Join the waitlist for Melbourne classes https://www.consciouscombat.club/naarm - Become a conscious combat coach https://www.consciouscombat.club/coaching - Join our mailing list "Mat Chat' https://www.consciouscombat.club/mat-chat   SUPPORT LINKS: Some listeners might find parts of this conversation distressing. Please take care, link in your support networks, or refer to one of these organizations if you need:   Eating disorder support: https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/  Mental health support: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support  Domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support https://www.1800respect.org.au/  Sexism in sport https://www.respectvictoria.vic.gov.au/ DirectLine (Alcohol & Drug Support) – 1800 888 236 (24/7)  http://www.directline.org.au/ QLife (Queer-Specific Peer Support) – 1800 184 527 (3pm – midnight) - https://qlife.org.au/ Lifeline (Crisis Support & Suicide Prevention) – 13 11 14 (24/7)  http://www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp   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 

Erik (he/him) is a lifelong martial artist spanning the spectrum of practices from tai chi to kickboxing and Muay Thai. Erik has 10 years experience as a psychomotor therapist, working primarily with patients with early childhood and/or complex trauma. Martial arts a very important role in his therapy and together with universities and scientists they developed the TRAP kickboxing therapy. The main focus of TRAP is educating therapists as well as trainers and collaborations with research. - The promised (first step of the) TRAP youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TRAPkickboxing To get involved with the Conscious Combat Club: - Visit our site https://www.consciouscombat.club/ - Support Rounds 4 Respect https://rounds4respect.org/  - Join the waitlist for Melbourne classes https://www.consciouscombat.club/naarm - Become a conscious combat coach https://www.consciouscombat.club/coaching - Join our mailing list "Mat Chat' https://www.consciouscombat.club/mat-chat - Join our facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/640626287248147 SUPPORT LINKS: Some listeners might find parts of this conversation distressing. Please take care, link in your support networks, or refer to one of these organizations if you need: Mental health support: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support  Domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support https://www.1800respect.org.au/  Sexism in sport https://www.respectvictoria.vic.gov.au/ DirectLine (Alcohol & Drug Support) – 1800 888 236 (24/7)  http://www.directline.org.au/ QLife (Queer-Specific Peer Support) – 1800 184 527 (3pm – midnight) – https://qlife.org.au/ Lifeline (Crisis Support & Suicide Prevention) – 13 11 14 (24/7)  http://www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp 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 

To access a scholarship, visit our website and join the waiting list: https://www.consciouscombat.club/naarm Assunta (she/her) is a 1st generation migrant women form Italy who arrived in Australia in 1968, when she was 3 years old. She has olive skin and curly black hair. Assunta has spent her professional career working in the health and community sector with a focus on social justice and intersectional feminism. She is a 5th Dan in the Japanese Martial arts of Aikido, practices Iyengar Yoga and Flamenco dancing, but like Elaine in Seinfeld she thinks she is a better dancer than she really is. Georgia and Assunta discuss: The similarities and differences between martial arts and self defense Feminist self-defense Aikido as an art of non-violence To get involved with the Conscious Combat Club: - Visit our site https://www.consciouscombat.club/ - Support Rounds 4 Respect https://rounds4respect.org/ - Join the waitlist for Melbourne classes https://www.consciouscombat.club/naarm - Become a conscious combat coach https://www.consciouscombat.club/coaching - Join our mailing list "Mat Chat' https://www.consciouscombat.club/mat-chat - Join our facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/640626287248147   SUPPORT LINKS: Some listeners might find parts of this conversation distressing. Please take care, link in your support networks, or refer to one of these organizations if you need: Mental health support: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support Domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support https://www.1800respect.org.au/ Sexism in sport https://www.respectvictoria.vic.gov.au/ DirectLine (Alcohol & Drug Support) – 1800 888 236 (24/7) http://www.directline.org.au/ QLife (Queer-Specific Peer Support) – 1800 184 527 (3pm – midnight) – https://qlife.org.au/ Lifeline (Crisis Support & Suicide Prevention) – 13 11 14 (24/7) http://www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp 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

Fight Science is a special segment of the Conscious Combat Club podcast where we invite researchers to take a deep dive into a paper they've written and explain it to us as though we're 13 years old. In this episode I interview Dr Zoe John (she/her), a lecturer in criminology with a key interest in gender, violence and embodiment in sport. She utilised a flexible role for her doctoral research in mixed martial arts (MMA), but has since stepped away from MMA now plahing American Football and the local and international level. In this episode we explore her thesis titled: "Normally a cock": Embodiment, gender and violence in Mixed Martial Arts To contact Zoe: Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Zo_John_/ Read her thesis here: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/151256/ The penis poem is on page 160 ;) To get involved with the Conscious Combat Club: - Donate: https://conscious-combat-club.raiselysite.com/ - Visit our site https://www.consciouscombat.club/ - Rounds 4 Respect: https://rounds4respect.org/ - Join the waitlist for Melbourne classes https://www.consciouscombat.club/naarm - Become a conscious combat coach https://www.consciouscombat.club/coaching - Join our mailing list "Mat Chat' https://www.consciouscombat.club/mat-chat - Join our facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/640626287248147 SUPPORT LINKS: Some listeners might find parts of this conversation distressing. Please take care, link in your support networks, or refer to one of these organizations if you need: Eating disorder support: https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/ Mental health support: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support Domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support https://www.1800respect.org.au/ Sexism in sport https://www.respectvictoria.vic.gov.au/ DirectLine (Alcohol & Drug Support) – 1800 888 236 (24/7) http://www.directline.org.au/ QLife (Queer-Specific Peer Support) – 1800 184 527 (3pm – midnight) - https://qlife.org.au/ Lifeline (Crisis Support & Suicide Prevention) – 13 11 14 (24/7) http://www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp 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

To access a scholarship, visit our website and join the waiting list: https://www.consciouscombat.club/naarm Hilary Irwin (she/her) is the daughter of Constance (Con) Irwin, in whose name she established the Con Irwin Fub Fund through the Victorian Women's Benevolent trust. Learn more about the trust here: https://www.vwt.org.au/sub-fund/5695/ Georgia and Hilary discuss: • The objectives of the Con Irwin Sub-Fund • How people can get involved • Con's hope for the future for women and girls • Some of the incredible other projects funded by the sub fund • The recipient of last year's Con Irwin Sub Fund • Why Hilary was drawn to supporting the work of the Conscious Combat Club • Who Con Irwin was and why this fund was established • To get involved with the Conscious Combat Club: - Visit our site https://www.consciouscombat.club/ - Support Rounds 4 Respect https://rounds4respect.org/ - Join the waitlist for Melbourne classes https://www.consciouscombat.club/naarm - Become a conscious combat coach https://www.consciouscombat.club/coaching - Join our mailing list "Mat Chat' https://www.consciouscombat.club/mat-chat - Join our facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/640626287248147   SUPPORT LINKS: Some listeners might find parts of this conversation distressing. Please take care, link in your support networks, or refer to one of these organizations if you need: Eating disorder support: https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/ Mental health support: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support Domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support https://www.1800respect.org.au/ Sexism in sport https://www.respectvictoria.vic.gov.au/ DirectLine (Alcohol & Drug Support) – 1800 888 236 (24/7) http://www.directline.org.au/ QLife (Queer-Specific Peer Support) – 1800 184 527 (3pm – midnight) – https://qlife.org.au/ Lifeline (Crisis Support & Suicide Prevention) – 13 11 14 (24/7) http://www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp 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

Fight Science is a special segment of the Conscious Combat Club podcast where we invite researchers to take a deep dive into a paper they've written and explain it to us as though we're 14 years old. In this episode I interview Dr Wolf Mehling (he/him), a researcher from the US who explores the psychosomatics of pain and bodily awareness aka interoception and how our relationship to our body affects our health and wellbeing. He is a physician (50%) and researcher (50%) at the University of California San Francisco. He grew up in Germany and his basic training is in general family medicine, manual medicine and psychotherapy. In this episode we explore the paper titled: A 12-week integrative exercise program improves self-reported mindfulness and interoceptive awareness in war veterans with posttraumatic stress symptoms. To contact Wolf: Email: [email protected] To get involved with the Conscious Combat Club: - Donate: https://conscious-combat-club.raiselysite.com/ - Visit our site https://www.consciouscombat.club/ - Join the waitlist for Melbourne classes https://www.consciouscombat.club/naarm - Join our online kickboxing classes https://www.consciouscombat.club/online - Become a conscious combat coach https://www.consciouscombat.club/coaching - Join our mailing list "Mat Chat' https://www.consciouscombat.club/mat-chat - Join our facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/640626287248147 SUPPORT LINKS: Some listeners might find parts of this conversation distressing. Please take care, link in your support networks, or refer to one of these organizations if you need: Eating disorder support: https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/ Mental health support: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support Domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support https://www.1800respect.org.au/ Sexism in sport https://www.respectvictoria.vic.gov.au/ DirectLine (Alcohol & Drug Support) – 1800 888 236 (24/7) http://www.directline.org.au/ QLife (Queer-Specific Peer Support) – 1800 184 527 (3pm – midnight) - https://qlife.org.au/ Lifeline (Crisis Support & Suicide Prevention) – 13 11 14 (24/7) http://www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp 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

Emily Dobrich (she/her) is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Adult Education and Community Development program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. Her research interests include embodied learning, transformative education, social justice, relationality, decolonizing methodologies, and women and gender studies. Emily's doctoral research explores how embodied learning practices and pedagogies support situated solidarity building and self-determination for decolonization, community building, and collective action. To contact Emily: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/emily-dobrich Instagram: @emily.dobrich Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emily.dobrich.1/ Georgia and Emily discuss: Embodiment and embodied learning in martial arts How to cultivate self-determination aka choice in martial arts The role of community in self-determination in martial arts Gender performance in martial arts Barriers for women in martial arts To get involved with the Conscious Combat Club: - Donate: https://conscious-combat-club.raiselysite.com/ - Visit our site https://www.consciouscombat.club/ - Join the waitlist for Melbourne classes https://www.consciouscombat.club/naarm - Join our online kickboxing classes https://www.consciouscombat.club/online - Become a conscious combat coach https://www.consciouscombat.club/coaching - Join our mailing list "Mat Chat' https://www.consciouscombat.club/mat-chat - Join our facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/640626287248147   SUPPORT LINKS: Some listeners might find parts of this conversation distressing. Please take care, link in your support networks, or refer to one of these organizations if you need: Eating disorder support: https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/ Mental health support: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support Domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support https://www.1800respect.org.au/ Sexism in sport https://www.respectvictoria.vic.gov.au/ DirectLine (Alcohol & Drug Support) – 1800 888 236 (24/7) http://www.directline.org.au/ QLife (Queer-Specific Peer Support) – 1800 184 527 (3pm – midnight) - https://qlife.org.au/ Lifeline (Crisis Support & Suicide Prevention) – 13 11 14 (24/7) http://www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp 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

Richie Hardcore (he/him) is an educator, speaker, and activist, working in family and sexual violence prevention, masculinities, mental health, and fitness. Richie is a retired multiple New Zealand Muay Thai champion and now works as a coach and personal trainer, having helped some of New Zealand's most successful fighters achieve their goals. Richie has lived experience and draws on this in his work and our conversation, so please be mindful that this conversation contains discussions of family violence. To contact Richie: Email: [email protected] Website:  www.richiehardcore.com/riseabovecharitabletrust.com   Georgia and Richie discuss: How kickboxing has helped Richie throughout his life Using martial arts workshops to speak with men and boys about masculinity and consent To get involved with the Conscious Combat Club: - Donate: https://conscious-combat-club.raiselysite.com/  - Visit our site https://www.consciouscombat.club/ - Join the waitlist for Melbourne classes https://www.consciouscombat.club/naarm - Join our online kickboxing classes https://www.consciouscombat.club/online - Become a conscious combat coach https://www.consciouscombat.club/coaching - Join our mailing list "Mat Chat' https://www.consciouscombat.club/mat-chat - Join our facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/640626287248147   SUPPORT LINKS:   Some listeners might find parts of this conversation distressing. Please take care, link in your support networks, or refer to one of these organizations if you need:   Eating disorder support: https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/    Mental health support: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support    Domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support https://www.1800respect.org.au/    Sexism in sport https://www.respectvictoria.vic.gov.au/   DirectLine (Alcohol & Drug Support) – 1800 888 236 (24/7)  http://www.directline.org.au/   QLife (Queer-Specific Peer Support) – 1800 184 527 (3pm – midnight) - https://qlife.org.au/   Lifeline (Crisis Support & Suicide Prevention) – 13 11 14 (24/7)  http://www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp   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