Amanda talks to Tracie Arlington, the Founder and Lead Instructor of Play It Safe Defense, Inc. For over twenty years, Tracie has taught self-defense to kids and adults of all ages and backgrounds. She and her team of trained experts use powerful and unique approaches to teach little kids all the way up to adults how to effectively use defense skills and techniques, should they even need them. Tracie knows how nervous the topic of self-defense can make people, and she uses a lot of humor, games, and creativity to make the tools and techniques accessible, doable, and memorable.   Tracie and Amanda talk about the value of empowering yourself with knowledge and skills just in case they are ever needed (which hopefully they are not!) Tracie also talks about the value of confidence in self-defense, and how self-confidence and awareness can play a major role in warding off potential threats or attackers. She also talks about her training for kids on how to deal with bullies and friendship drama. Amanda gets to role play as a jerky frenemy.   **Trigger Warning: If you are sensitive to topics of sexual assault, violence and manipulation, please be aware that these topics are discussed in this episode. Please do what is best for you and your mental health.   Tracie has been featured on Dr. Phil, The Doctors, NBC, ABC, Fox News, and CBS. She is a mother of two, is a black belt in Taekwondo, and is a certified national instructor for the Women’s Self Defense Institute. In 2006 USA Freestyle Martial Arts voted her Instructor of the Year. She now has a podcast called Play It Safe, sharing true crime self-defense success stories and more, told by herself and her sidekicks, Joel Wasserman and CC the Chihuahua.    For more on her work and self-defense classes, visit playitsafedefense.com. Watch Tracie teach her famous "Chihuahua crazy" technique on Dr. Phil, and subscribe to her podcast!   If you'd like to check out the books she mentioned in the episode, you can find Little Girls Can Be Mean, as well as Masterminds and Wingmen on Amazon.        Interested in connecting or finding out more about coaching or workshops? Let's work together and get you to the next level!

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Your Guide to Public Speaking: Build Your Confidence: Find Your Voice, Inspire Your Audience (by your host, Amanda Hennessey)