I've always been a little skeptical of your run-of-the-mill self defense tactics because - let's be honest- if someone ever tries to hurt or rob me, I am not going to be remembering which pressure point to futilely jab at. I took Joe's seminar and thought "finally, someone who is actually offering practical advice!" and I knew instantly that I wanted to share his expertise and wisdom with you all! 

Joe's strategy is based on practicing situational awareness, understanding how the brain and nervous system respond in stressful situations, and focusing on creating distance between yourself and a would-be attacker. In Joe's words "distance = time to react," so instead of being taught what to do if you once someone grabs you or your purse or your child, Joe focuses on preventing that unwanted contact from happening in the first place. Sign me up for that option, please! 

Joe’s experience is derived from over 13 years in the Marine Corps, most notably under the Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC Raiders), where he spent the majority of his time in service. In total, Joe conducted 7 deployments overseas; 4 in combative theaters (Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan), and 3 in non-combative theaters in support of humanitarian-aid and intelligence-led operations.

During his tenure, Joe spent time attached to the Tier 1 Special Missions Unit, and worked closely with the CIA, DIA, Department of State, British Commando Units, as well as other Foreign Government Special Operations Forces. Joe was awarded on multiple occasions for his contributions to the battlefield. Basically, he's a super smart and badass dude. 

After 13 years Joe left the Marine Special Operations Command to pursue a career in helping American citizens prepare for the worst, and increase their understanding of one another through leadership workshops and cultural assimilation programs. Joe has developed a strategy for heightening situational awareness, assessing who may pose a potential threat, and keeping yourself safe in the event that you are faced with a threatening individual. 

I got so much value out of learning from Joe and couldn't help but think how my life experiences might have been different if I'd been told this information in my teens or early 20s. It is sad to think that most (if not all) women will at some point be in a situation in which they feel unsafe or threatened. Knowing how to prevent these instances and how to handle them with confidence when they do occur can literally save your life. 

*Just a note that while there is no explicit or graphic language in this episode, we do allude to the occasional swear word and we briefly discuss sensitive topics such as assault, so this may not be the best episode to listen to if young kids are in earshot.*

Also, Joe and I dealt with the delightful technical difficulty of my fire alarm going off periodically while we were recording this episode, so if you hear any alarms going off during the video, that is why! My sound engineer boyfriend, Matt, was able to get rid of most of the alarms (you da best, sweets), but you can hear it at the end as Joe and I were wrapping up the episode- sorry about that in advanced! It sure gave us a laugh though ;) 

To learn more about Joe's program and his company, visit https://www.southerncross.company
You can also find him on Instagram @southern_cross_safety_academy
And Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW0dl1jXESHkV7TFzNIA3_g