my story

Hi there, 

I’m Dana. I help to empower women in the areas of personal protection, fitness, nutrition, finding more joy in life, and loving who they see in the mirror again (or, for the first time.)  This is what I call Holistic Self Defense.  (A term borrowed from my self defense mentor, Tony Blauer.)

I spent the first 40 years of my life feeling weak, NOT fit, eating poorly, waking up not knowing what my real purpose is, and criticizing who I saw in the mirror.  I HAD accomplished some great goals, becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine probably the biggest one since I’d dreamed of it since I was a little girl. 

But, I was very unhappy in the job I thought would make me feel fulfilled.  I was divorced—had married a sociopath—and surrounded by loving friends & family yet still felt like A LOT was missing from my life.  

At age 42, I put muscle on my body for the first time in my life. I’d always admired the athletic girls in high school and so badly wanted to be like them.  Soon after, I developed constant numbness in my hands & fingers. Deciding that physical therapy was the next step after MRI’s, neurology consults, etc., I met someone who would end up being instrumental in my career.  

My physical therapist was also a life coach.  After he fixed the numbness, I asked for a coaching consultation.  He helped me to gain the courage to become a self defense instructor, personal trainer and mixed martial arts instructor.  

ONE person catapulted my life into a completely different path!

You know that saying “When the student is ready, the teacher will come?”  Yeah, I’ve had many of those instances.  

I’ve been given an amazing spiritual teacher who helped me to discover that helping women to protect themselves was something that was knit into me at a very young age.

I witnessed my father holding a knife to my mom’s throat.  Odd thing is, I don’t even remember but she told me about it several years ago.  She said I saved her life.  I thought, how could a little girl save a grown woman’s life??

As I’ve studied, learned, and practiced self defense under great teachers and systems (Bas Rutten, Tony Blauer, Krav Maga, Ari Danesh), I now understand why she said I saved her life.  It can take just one moment in time to distract the aggressor’s attention and either save yourself or someone you love.  

Going back to Holistic Self Defense….when you combine defending your health, your nutrition, your peace, your heart—-ALL of it—NOW you are living a completely different life. One filled with excitement to wake up (most days.) One where you walk with confidence. One where you encourage other women, not compete with them. One where you appreciate the gift that good men are to this world (not emasculating them.) 

I invite you to come on this journey with me.  You might be pleasantly surprised at how unrecognizable your life is one year from now.  Which, we all know, passes in the blink of an eye.