My New Normal: Recent Episodes

Dr. Theresa Larson

How are you adapting after trauma, injury, loss, or a major change in your life? Host Dr. Theresa Larson's goal of the My New Normal podcast is to help give you the tools - research, education, and stories from resilient humans - to live optimally in your new normal.

We're talking to Dr. Kyle Berquist, founder of Healing Our Hero's, co-founder of Serving Impact, author, and filmmaker.

Kyle is passionate about helping change the conversation around veteran suicide rates with Healing our Hero's and helping people understand imposter syndrome and how that affects our everyday lives.

In this episode we're talking about:

Imposter Syndrome and what it is
How Kyle's life was changed through working with veterans
The founding of Healing Our Hero's
Kyle's research around emotional healing through Ayahausca treatment
How to take your health into your own hands
The role of communication in building adaptive communities
The Race for Forever project and the effectiveness of bio-optimization
... and so much more

Gifts from Partners * HYLETE: 40% off retail price; USE Code: NEWNORMAL40 * Rx Smart Gear:15% off; USE CODE: NHLBRX * Adaptive Functional Fitness Trainer Course: 15% off via TRS; USE CODE mynewnormal15

Classes Available * ADAPTIVE Functional Fitness Classes in San Diego; FREE for veterans with disabilities

Courses Available * San Diego, Colorado Springs, and Columbus Ohio....coming up! Secure your spot for our Adaptive Trainer Course

About Kyle Dr. Kyle Bergquist DC co-created Serving Impact to help his fellow Chiropractors create the practice of their dreams. Kyle holds a B.S in Sports Medicine from Pepperdine University as well as a fellowship in Stem Cell Medicine from the American Academy of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine.

Kyle founded and serves as the executive director for the Healing our Heroes' foundation, a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to helping veterans live their best life after service. Kyle served as the founder and CEO of the very successful Northwest Pain Relief. Centers, integrated health care centers. At their pinnacle, they had 9 centers in 2 states.

Over the years Dr. Bergquist has started and run several successful clinics and knows first hand the real-life struggles that happen with each phase of growth and how to overcome them.

He has gone on to produce documentary films highlighting change-makers in the health and wellness space as well as veterans causes. He is currently involved in the Race for Forever project to track bio-optimization data and show the efficacy to the masses.

kyle@servingimpact.comservingimpact.com healingourheroesfoundation.org

We're so excited to welcome Jon Macaskill back to the My New Normal Podcast! Jon is a proud husband and father of 2, he's a 23 Navy Veteran and SEAL team officer since 2003. Jon will be retiring in August to spend time with his wife and kids and tour the country in their RV!

Jon is currently collaborating with Veteran's Path, an organization that promotes mental well-being for the armed forces. In addition, he's running his personal business, Macaskill Consulting, to promote mindfulness and meditation in the corporate arena.

In this episode we're talking about:

Jon's transition from Navy SEAL to his work with meditation and mindfulness
The tools Jon uses for practicing meditation and mindfulness
How you can optimize yourself through mindfulness and meditation
How a lack of mindfulness affects every aspect of your life
How mental fortitude can help with physical activity and working out
The challenges Jon is facing in his transition
How to find your identity in whatever you're doing
and so much more!

Gifts from Partners * HYLETE: 40% off retail price; USE Code: NEWNORMAL40 * Rx Smart Gear:15% off; USE CODE: NHLBRX * Adaptive Functional Fitness Trainer Course: 15% off via TRS; USE CODE mynewnormal15

Classes Available * ADAPTIVE Functional Fitness Classes in San Diego; FREE for veterans with disabilities

Courses Available * San Diego, Colorado Springs, and Columbus Ohio....coming up! Secure your spot for our Adaptive Trainer Course

About Jon Jon Macaskill (muh-KAS-kill) is a Navy SEAL Commander turned mindfulness and meditation teacher. He’s a Naval Academy graduate and has his masters in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School. Jon has served in Iraq, Afghanistan, off the coast of Somalia, and in Panama. He now runs his own consulting company, Macaskill Consulting, LLC, bringing mindfulness and meditation to high performing teams to aid in dealing with stress, anxiety and depression all while increasing focus, creativity, and productivity. He also serves as the Deputy Executive Director for Veteran’s PATH, a nonprofit organization that works to introduce meditation and mindfulness to veterans to bring them a sense of Peace, Acceptance, Transformation and Honor. Jon’s wife also served in the Navy and is now a civilian Orthopedic Physician Assistant in Virginia Beach. They are the proud parents of two small children and currently live as a family in Chesapeake, VA.Links:Veteran’s PATH (https://www.veteranspath.org/) Trails of Purpose (https://trailsofpurpose.com/) Jon's consulting business (https://www.linkedin.com/company/macaskillconsulting)

Please welcome the first female executive at Hylete and Graced by Grit founder, Kate Nowlan, to episode 5 of My New Normal! Kate is a business owner, a published author, athlete, coach, and Vice President of Brand Experience at one of the most recognizable athletic apparel companies in the US.

Kate's here to talk about what's in the works for HYLETE in 2020, her personal journey on finding a new normal, the transition from entrepreneurial development to the executive level of business management, and a whole lot more!

In this episode we're talking about:

What Graced By Grit is and how it was formed
How seeking advice and support from others can help with success
Kate's entrepreneurial journey
How to find the balance between work and parenting
How Kate used obstacles in her life for motivation versus derailing
and so much more!

Gifts from Partners * HYLETE: 40% off retail price; USE Code: NEWNORMAL40 * Rx Smart Gear:15% off; USE CODE: NHLBRX * Adaptive Functional Fitness Trainer Course: 15% off via TRS; USE CODE mynewnormal15

Classes Available * ADAPTIVE Functional Fitness Classes in San Diego; FREE for veterans with disabilities

Courses Available * San Diego, Colorado Springs, and Columbus Ohio....coming up! Secure your spot for our Adaptive Trainer Course

About Kate Kate is a gritty entrepreneur with experience in the management and development of teams in startups and non-profit organizations. She is a published author of Graced By Grit: The Entrepreneurial Woman’s Guide To Starting A Business With Power, Passion & Purpose. Kate received her BA in Sociology and Psychology from UMass Amherst. As an entrepreneur, she owned her own company, Absolutely Organized, that organized small businesses and homes. She launched, coached, and grew a youth and masters swim program at a private health club in Plymouth, MA. Upon moving to Southern California in 2008, Kate was a youth and masters swim coach and an executive for The Boys and Girls Club in which she planned and ran events, coordinated fundraisers, ran the day to day office operations, and launched new revenue-driving community programs. In addition, she privately coached women and women's running groups. Kate and her business partner, Kimberly, were inspired to start GRACEDBYGRIT while training for a triathlon. They realized there was a lack of high-performance athletic apparel for 30-60-year-old women that made them feel safe, look great and protect them from the sun. They started GRACEDBYGRIT in 2013 and sold the company to HYLETE in 2018. Kate was hired as the VP of Brand Experience for HYLETE. She brings a female voice and narrative to the HYLETE brand focusing on expanding the women's product offering at HYLETE and elevating the emotive, relatability and relevance to the brand voice. Kate takes the first female seat at the executive table at HYLETE.

Stay in touch with Kate through HYLETE at @trainhylete on their website, hylete.com, or on LinkedIN @KateNowlan.

Heidi Armstrong is here to talk to us about how she helps athletes overcome the mental fallout of a serious injury. Heidi found her way to the adaptive community after she suffered a competitive mountain biking injury. After the injury and many surgeries, she found herself angry, insufferable at times, and miserable with her new life.

Luckily Heidi found herself surrounded by people who were willing to step in when she needed it most and urge her to get help. But when she decided to get help, she didn't even know where to start. Heidi built herself a care-team that helped her find creative outlets as a way to manage her pain and anger.

Heidi's revolutionary turn-around to alternative therapy led to one of her therapists referring a fellow injured athlete to her for help, which then turned into several athletes. She then suffered another, severely debilitating injury and found herself talking to others who had also experienced these injuries. When she found she'd have to quit her job post-injury, she decided to explore other opportunities working with injured athletes.

In this episode we're talking about:

Heidi's research into suffering and injuries
What the research taught her about helping injured athletes
The commonalities between injured athletes that helped her develop her research
How our words and actions affect healing
and so much more!

Gifts from Partners * HYLETE: 40% off retail price; USE Code: NEWNORMAL40 * Rx Smart Gear:15% off; USE CODE: NHLBRX * Adaptive Functional Fitness Trainer Course: 15% off via TRS; USE CODE mynewnormal15

Classes Available * ADAPTIVE Functional Fitness Classes in San Diego; FREE for veterans with disabilities

Courses Available * San Diego, Colorado Springs, and Columbus Ohio....coming up! Secure your spot for our Adaptive Trainer Course

About Heidi Heidi Armstrong is one of a few experts in the world who helps athletes overcome the mental and emotional fallout of injury.

Armstrong has more than 10 years’ experience recovering from her own injuries.

Her deep research into the language and mindset of injured athletes sets her apart in her field.

Armstrong, a former professional mountain bike racer and collegiate swimmer, is the founder of Injured Athlete’s Toolbox. The seven-year old company provides injury recovery coaching for athletes worldwide who need understanding, a plan, and accountability to transform their lives.

In addition, Armstrong liaises between clients and their clinical team to ensure a full physical and emotional recovery.

Armstrong coaches injured athletes to refocus their intensity from physical to mental training, thus stopping the emotional roller coaster. The body follows the mind, and positivity means faster healing.

She works with injured athletes of all levels who want to:

Feel empowered and resilient instead of frustrated and impatient
Create a daily mental training plan to ease identity crises and negative self-talk
Practice hope and positivity to speed physical healing
Use neuroscientifically-proven tools to calm and relieve anxiety and depression
Establish a care team, including specialists to properly address individual needs
Make new, pragmatic injury-friendly goals, including physical exercise

Visit InjuredAthletesToolbox.com for more information.

Heidi can be reached at Heidi@InjuredAthletesToolbox.com or 512-431-3853

We're so excited to have Sharon Moscowitz, Manager of Mass Participation programs at the USA Rugby National Office. Sharon works to get grass-roots rugby programs up and running and driving growth of non-contact, youth and partner-supported rugby throughout the US by focusing on removing barriers to play. In addition, she's a Strength and Conditioning coordinator for the USA Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby team.

In this interview we're talking about:

Sharon's history and how she got started working with the Adaptive Community
The role that interaction plays in eliminating barriers
Ways that the fitness community can grow to meet the need for Adaptive Athlete strength and conditioning
Sharon's "new normal" when she moved from the law-enforcement community to work with USA Rugby
The lessons that Piikea and Megan have learned during their work in the Adaptive Community
and so much more!

Gifts from Partners * HYLETE: 40% off retail price; USE Code: NEWNORMAL40 * Rx Smart Gear:15% off; USE CODE: NHLBRX * Adaptive Functional Fitness Trainer Course: 15% off via TRS; USE CODE mynewnormal15

Classes Available * ADAPTIVE Functional Fitness Classes in San Diego; FREE for veterans with disabilities

Courses Available * Adaptive Trainer Course

Sharon's Bio Originally a Philadelphia native, Sharon moved to the Denver area in May 2017 with her wife, Katie, and two dogs. She is solar-powered and loves an enthralling book almost as much as she loves musical theatre and the sound of a full orchestra tuning their instruments just before a performance. In Denver, Sharon is the full-time Manager of Mass Participation Programs at USA Rugby's National Office, driving growth of non-contact, youth and partner-supported rugby throughout the US by focusing on removing barriers to play. She is the Strength and Conditioning Coordinator for the USA Wheelchair Rugby Paralympic program, a Curriculum Writer and National Presenter for National Exercise Trainers Association (NETA), writing and instructing workshops in areas of strength and conditioning, group exercise and specialty fitness instructor certifications throughout the US. Sharon is a Strength and Conditioning Educator for World Rugby and is formerly a SWAT Operator and SWAT Fitness Training Coordinator for Jefferson County, West Virginia. She also holds her CrossFit Level 2 among other CF and fitness related certifications and still moonlights at Prospect CrossFit. Sharon has a B.A. from Northeastern University and a Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology from Northern Illinois University with an additional graduate certificate in Adapted Physical Education. She has been working in various sport and fitness industry roles for 15 years and is deeply passionate in helping to grow the world of educated fitness professionals and intelligent strength and conditioning for all.

Meet Ray Fernandez: Black Belt, CrossFit Seminar Staff for Adaptive and Injured Athletes, certified Level II CrossFit coach, CrossFit Kids instructor, USAW Level 1 Sports Performance Coach and Co-Owner of CrossFit 1904.

Ray attributes his current path to his work at a nursing home, where he worked his way up from a dishwasher to a line cook. But at the time, he couldn't see himself being a cook. So he stepped into a position in Maintenance, where he applied his knowledge of functional movement and living. After about 8 years, he re-evaluated where he was and decided that he wanted to pursue a career in the fitness industry as a strength and conditioning coach.

In this interview we're talking about

How to make money doing what you love
How Ray got his start working with the Adaptive community
How he programs for his Adaptive athletes and how that programming was developed
The importance of connection and community and how to cultivate that
How passion leads him in his every day life

....and so much more!

Gifts from Partners * HYLETE: 40% off retail price; USE Code: NEWNORMAL40 * Rx Smart Gear:15% off; USE CODE: NHLBRX * Adaptive Functional Fitness Trainer Course: 15% off via TRS; USE CODE mynewnormal15

Classes Available * ADAPTIVE Functional Fitness Classes in San Diego; FREE for veterans with disabilities

Courses Available * Adaptive Trainer Course: Taught by Dr. Theresa Larson, DPT on 12/15/19 at CrossFit Humanity

Welcome to season 2 of My New Normal! We've got our own "new normal" with new hosts, Dr. Megan Graff and Piikea, who both work with our Adaptive Athletes. In this episode, we're interviewing Dr. T and getting updates on her new projects, life, and all things adaptive.

In this episode you'll learn:

The theme of this season "No Human Left Behind"
An introduction to your new hosts
How movement heals
Lessons learned from Season 1
How shifting your perspective can change your life
Dr. T's prescription for finding your new normal
...and so much more!

Check out our FREE Veterans Adaptive Athlete Class! M/W/F from 10:30-11:30 am at CrossFit 1904.

Find out more about Dr. T and view her contact information

GIFTS from Partners1. HYLETE - 40% off retail price using code NEWNORMAL40 at checkout 2. Rx Smart Gear - 15% off using code NHLBRX 3. Adaptive Functional Fitness Trainer Course: 15% off using code mynewnormal15 Listen to My New Normal Podcast here:

YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify

US Army retired Major General Malcolm Frost has been supporting the physical fitness of soldiers because of his relationship with Pain. As a Westpoint cadet, General Frost suffered a couple of injuries by playing collegiate soccer and it has changed how he sees physical fitness.

Retired Major General Malcolm Frost led all initial military training and public affairs for the over 1.5M members of the United States Army with organizational budgets in excess of $538M. General Frost has over 20 years of experience in strategic communications, media relations, crisis and risk management, and leader development. He also possesses significant experience and skills in the areas of change management, strategic and operational planning, and keynote speaking.

Places where General Frost was stationed during his US Army career
How General Frost's time at Westpoint looked like
Holistic Health and Fitness and Army Combat Fitness Test
Dr. T's story about his first gunnery Sargeant
Understanding that everyday is a New Normal
What are the 3 P's
How injuries shaped General Frost's in understanding physical fitness

Contact

Connect with US Army retired Major General Malcolm Frost through LinkedIn or Twitter.

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here:

YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify

To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

When you start working out at age 13 and started CrossFit at 23, what would you do? Anders Varner chose to work with adaptive individuals, start a gym of his own and use his voice as a guiding light for individuals to have inspiration.

Anders is the host of the Barbell Shrugged Podcast and the Director of Media for the Shrugged Collective. Previously, he was the co-founder of CrossFit Pacific Beach. On this episode, we talked about these

The story behind how the My New Normal name
Why did Anders end up in California
On opening his own CrossFit training gym
Working with adaptive athletes and coaching the Wolfpack
Running an online company
How his voice impacts a lot of people in the gym

Contact Connect with Anders Varner through his website and Instagram. Catch Anders on his podcast, Barbell Shrugged.

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Joe De Sena - Founder and CEO of Spartan, The world's largets obstacle race and endurance brand. With more than one million annual global participants at more than 200 events across more than 30 countries, Spartan offers heats for all fitness levels and ages, from beginner to elite and kids as young as four-years-old. The brand has trandformed more than five million lives since it was founded in 2010.

On this episode, Joe talked about how he started his company and strategies he took to take it where it is today. We also talked about the following topics:

How hard is the road to building a resilient company
What obstacle does Joe like the most
Places around the world where Joe had lived
Invisible wounds of the athletes joining the Spartan Race
The role of the Spartan Race to the mental health of the participants
Joe's work-life balance working with a big company

ContactConnect with Joe De Sena by going to his website https://joedesena.com/and by sending him an email at joe@spartan.comListen to My New Normal Podcast here:YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotifyTo check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Danny Matta is a former Army where he worked as a physical therapist for seven years. He then decided to take his talents to private practice and decided to open a cash-based physical therapy practice in the corner of a CrossFit gym called Athletes’ Potential. Danny is the host of the PT Entrepreneur Podcast.

Prior to physical therapy, Danny has been an entrepreneur since he was age 10 when he sold a couple of cut outs from a Hustler magazine he found in the woods. We talked about some of these topics:

Danny's transition from the military to private practice
Why Danny thought he's not a fit in the army
How sleeping at 8'oclock helped Danny with his health and well being
Starting his business inside a CrossFit gym
Building relationships outside the business

Contact Connect with Danny Matta by going to his website http://drdannymatta.com and https://www.athletespotential.comFollow him on Instagram @dannymattaPT

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Alyce Fernebok is a former Marine Corps Officer from San Diego, California. Alyce started the Love, Harvey movement, a letter writing campaign, which started with her father writing a letter to show gratitude to a family member.

We talked about some of these Topics:

Alyce's experience as a woman on the Marine Corps
Role of women in the battlefield
Dr. T's experience as an engineer
Battle with cancer of Alyce's father
How Love, Harvey started with one letter from her father

Contact Connect with Alyce Fernebok through LinkedIn and the Love Harvey Campaign Instagram account and Alyce's own Instagram.

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Mark Browne is an adaptive athlete, playing Wheelchair Rugby for the San Diego team. Prior to being adaptive, Mark is a member of the border patrol in Arizona when a horrifying accident left him injured and losing blood. He was life flighted because of the severity of the situation Mark was in and according to the rescuers, it was minutes before life or death. Mark was in a coma for 4 days after the incident.

On this episode, Mark was graceful enough to share his accident that left him with a brain injury which affected his speech and movement and how his road to recovery looked like. We talked about some of these topics:

How the nurses saved his life and being life flighted
Experiencing double vision because of the injury
What is Mark's daily routine exercise
Mark's adaptive wheelchair rugby
What was it like surviving a coma
How Mark's sense of humor helped him with his recovery

Contact Connect with Mark Browne by sending him an email at dubrowne@aol.com

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Brian Mackenzie is a human performance coach with more than two decades experience of innovating new protocols and ideas for training Olympians, Professional Athletes, Entrepreneurs, and High Performers in numerous realms on the use of performance, mechanical, and breathing tools to achieve maximum output in training, competition, and recovery.

Brian is the founder of UnScared Inc. (formerly Genetic Potential, and Athlete Cell) manages Power Speed Endurance brand, The Art of Breath, along with our training programs, personalized coaching, training camps, and subscription services. We are a human performance company rooted in understanding human potential for athletes, corporations, and the general population.

Brian recently suffered a serious accident that injured his spine which made him paralyzed for a little bit. On this episode, Brian recalls this horrific experience and how he faced the challenges. We talked about some these topics:

How Brian got the name Unscaredfor his company
Remembering the accident that almost made him a paraplegic
How breathing is a vital part of his regimen
Experiences with building businesses
Impact of social media

Check out his books:Power Speed Endurance | bookUnBreakable Runner | bookUnPlugged | book

Contact Connect with Brian Mackenzie at https://www.brianmackenzie.com or LinkedIn

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Unplugged

Power Speed Endurance: A Skill Based Approach To Endurance Training

Unbreakable Runner: Unleash the Power of Strength & Conditioning for a Lifetime of Running Strong

Marty Reiswig owns Good Fit Homes, a real estate company which focuses on helping individuals on navigating the real estate business which is based in his hometown of Denver Colorado. spent some time in Indiana where she met her wife.

Marty, on the other hand, inherited a rare form of Alzheimer's disease that affects almost all in his father's family. They are part of the DIAN study or the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Network that is focused on monitoring changes in individuals who has this specific genetic mutation.

Marty talked about the nightmares of this disease that he had seen with his family members, how his father kept a positive outlook and his part on the study of the disease. We also talked about the following topics:

Reading Gary Reiswig's book (his father's cousin)
Meeting his ex-girlfriend and now his wife, on choosing him despite the disease
The Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Network
Marty's fitness and diet regimen
Marty's advise to people when his Alzheimer's gets full blown

Contact Connect with Marty Reiswig at martyreiswig.comor email at mr@reiswig.comFor more information on DIAN, visit https://dian.wustl.edu/our-research/observational-study/

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Lindsay Hood is an Assignment Editor at NBC 7 / Telemundo 20 where she handles guests on her TV show. Lindsay was born with Amniotic Band Syndrome that resulted in losing her fingers and a leg when she's still inside the womb. She experienced bullying as a kid because of her condition that made her childhood a little bit tougher. Despite her condition, she played volleyball and she has thrived as an adaptive athlete playing Women's Football for 7 years.

Lindsay has a degree in American Studies from the San Diego State University, an MBA and a Master's Degree in Human Computer Interaction.

We talked about some of these topics:

Experiences she went through as a child with her condition
Working on a morning show and taking naps
Lindsay's love for animals
What is Amniotic Band Syndrome and how rare is it
Sports that she played as an adaptive athlete

Contact Connect with Lindsay Hood on LinkedIn

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Scott McGee is a police officer and the man behind The Sisu Way podcast.

Fondest memories of Scott McGee with his father
Why Dr. T's father stuck with a flip phone until the end
How is being a police officer both a blessing and a curse
Why do we all have a terminal illness from the day we're born
Scott's journey of being a father

Check out Dr. T's episode on The Sisu Way.

Contact To connect with Scott McGee, you can visit his website at TheSisuWay.com or on Instagram and Twitter

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Sarah Rudder is a marine corps veteran who has an unquestionable dedication and heart for service. During the 9/11 terror attacks, while nursing an injury she got from 3 days ago, she was on a ceremony to get her promoted to lance corporal when a plane hits the Pentagon. Still hurt, she took off her sling and rushed to the site and literally became the first responder. While serving her wounded fellow soldiers, she broke her foot.

Prior to the incident, she is already getting treatment for a chronic pain that she got after an injury during boot camp when she was going into the marine corps. The injury from 9/11 did not help with the treatment as she suffered from pain. Ultimately, she decided to get an amputation as the treatments are giving her more harm than good.

On this episode, Sarah Rudders tells us the story of why she chose this path and these topics:

The moments before and after the Pentagon attack
Traumatic brain injury and PTSD
How she got the pain she suffered from
What prompted her to get her left foot amputated
How pain medications brought more surgery and pain
What's it like to suffer no pain

Contact To connect with Sarah Rudder, you can visit her on Twitter at @sarahjrudder Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Geoff Ledford was a college student when he first found out of his condition as his friends noticed that his left leg is not properly working. Geoff had a couple of specialists diagnose his condition and they did not deliver. Finally, when he encountered Kaiser, the company put all effort and resources just to determine what was happening to him and found out that he is suffering from some kind of muscular dystrophy or muscle degeneration.

Geoff is currently working with Kaiser for an experimental treatment for his condition.

On this episode, Geoff talks about some of these episodes:

Finding out that his left leg is weak and not properly functioning
How the medical industry won't help if you are not familiar with your condition
Importance of being a "master" of your condition
What helped Geoff to face the slow process of healing head on
The moment he found out that the experimental treatment actually works

Contact To contact Geoff Ledford, you can email him at geoffledford@gmail.com Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Alex De La Campa is a retired US Navy veteran who served at the Naval Special Warfare. Alex is born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, he was stationed in Chicago, San Diego, and Coronado naval base and now he's back in the Bay Area to study sociology at the San Jose State.

During his time in the Navy, Alex De La Campa suffered a severe injury on his inner ear and a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that resulted not only in the loss of physical but mental and cognitive capabilities. Alex has undergone 14 months of slow and painful recovery to relearn some basic functions such as walking on a straight line.

On this episode, Dr. Theresa Larson is joined by Dr. Megan Graff in Iowa and some of the topics covered are:

Why Alex decided to join the Navy and almost joining the Navy Seals
How Alex got his injury and affected his plans in life
What prompted Alex to go back to college and study Sociology
The lack of support by the military on his rare injury
Alex' advice to those also suffering with TBI

Contact To Contact Alex De La Campa Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation by March 31st, 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Chappie Hunter is a veteran Police Officer of the San Diego Police Department and he is the owner of the Alpine Ranch Crossfit. Chappie is an adaptive athlete who trains for triathlon and he also trains other adaptive athletes.

Chappie lost his leg through a horrific accident where a student driver suddenly turned his way and crashing into the car. Fellow officers who were near the crash site immediately went to save him and he went home four days after the accident. Chappie went full swing with training after a year.

Listen to Chappie as he shares his feelings about losing his leg and some of these topics:

Chappie's experience as a Police Officer
How Chappie faced the challenges of losing his leg
What prompted him to stop the pain medications
How Chappie got his prosthesis

Contact To Contact Chappie Hunter, you can visit their website at alpineranchcrossfit.com Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation by March 31st, 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Dave Newman is the creator of Rx Smart Gear jump ropes that enable good posture and proper mechanics of the body as you exercise. These jump ropes are custom sized for your height and athletic needs. Not only for functional athletes, Rx Smart Gear have equipment for adaptive athletes most especially.

Prior to Rx Smart Gear, Dave is a long time gymnastics coach and a CrossFit practitioner that enabled him to assess the jump ropes and other equipment that both functional and adaptive athletes use.

On this episode, we talked about some of these topics:

How Dave developed training equipment for adaptive athletes
What are the struggles Dave encountered when using conventional jump ropes
Difference between conventional jump ropes and the RX Smart Gear jump ropes
Helping people to have a great experience in achieving their goals
Dave's experience in working with adaptive athletes and the stories of those he helped

Contact To Contact Dave Newman, email him at newman@rxsmartgear.com and visit RXSmartGear.com Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation by March 31st, 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Darius Jones is a former US Navy logistics specialist who was used to an active lifestyle but everything changed after an unfortunate motorcycle accident. The accident left his lower body paralyzed making him unable to walk. Realizing how serious his injury was, he started getting depressed but the support of his family and his faith in God gave him the push to recover.

Darius' road to recovery involved getting into sports, getting fit, and getting into a new tribe that can provide emotional support.

Darius is from Memphis, Tennessee and he is now an athlete who plays wheelchair basketball and trains in CrossFit. On this episode, we talked about these topics:

Challenges of having a kid while recovering with his injury
What Darius felt when he knew he's paralyzed
How faith in God has given him the strength to face challenges
How many surgeries he underwent through recovery
Dealing with depression and seeing a psychiatrist

Contact To Contact Darius Jones, you can email him at jonesdarius@hotmail.com Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation by March 31st, 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Jill Miller is the co-founder of Tune Up Fitness Worldwide and creator of the self-care fitness formats Yoga Tune Up and The Roll Model Method. Her company produces products and tools that help people deal with pain management by incorporating fitness, yoga, massage, and athletics.

Prior to the founding of her company, Jill experienced a traumatic childhood because of the rocky relationship of her parents which brought her on the road much of the time at a very young age.

On this episode, Jill talks about her pain journey and how she manages as well as these topics: * Coping up with the divorce of her parents and moving at a young age * Jill's experience in managing her PTSD * How Jill abused exercise * Triggers caused by traumas experienced * Why the Roll Model is also about the range of emotion

Contact To Contact Jill Miller, you can visit https://TuneupFitness.com Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: YouTubeiTunesGoogle PodcastSpotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation by March 31st, 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Aaron Snyder is the author of the book 'The New Diabetes Prescription: The Diet, Exercise, and Mindset Revolution' which helps diabetics manage to eat, alternatives to weight-gain inducing prescriptions, and exercise among others.Prior to his success, Aaron experienced a traumatic childhood. He experienced physical abuse from his bipolar brother who's 8 years older than him that gave him a constant threat. He was diagnosed with a rare type of diabetes at a young age called Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Youth (MODY). .

On this episode, Aaron shares how turning to fitness literally saved his life from bullying and emotional eating. We also talked about these topics:

Challenges of having rare diabetes called Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY)
Aaron's grandfather who fought in World War II
Growing up with a brother who has bipolar disorder
Having dyslexia
Surviving a freakish accident on his bike and the depression that followed

Links: 1. Aarons Snyder's Book: The New Diabetes Prescription: The Diet, Exercise, and Mindset Revolution

https://www.amazon.com/New-Diabetes-Prescription-Exercise-Revolution/dp/098254412X

One of Aarons favorite mobility exercises: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaRDxPP49MA
To contact Aaron Snyder you can email him:

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here: a_snyder12@hotmail.com

YouTube iTunes Google Podcast Spotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation by March 31st, 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

The New Diabetes Prescription: The Diet, Exercise, and Mindset Revolution

Tony Blauer is the founder of the SPEAR System, a close quarter protection system that uses a person's reflexes for self-defense. In other words, Tony teaches people how to use their innate survival instincts so it can be used in life-threatening situations for themselves and their families. He is now teaching a Crossfit workshop called Be Your Own Bodyguard (BYOB).

All throughout his career, he had suffered multiple injuries because of the nature of his work. Just recently, Tony suffered an injury that prohibited him from doing what he loves, working out and teaching self-defense. Because of his fear of medical machines and procedures, he prolonged his suffering with his injury that eventually brought him to utilizing proper breathing.

On this episode, join Tony as he tells his story of knowing fear, the challenge of having Stenosis and these topics: * What is Be Your Own Bodyguard and how can it protect you and your family * How traveling and being on the road affects Tony's health * What it means to choose safety * Finding out and using natural remedies for Stenosis * How breathing helped Tony with his injury * Turning fear to no fear

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here:

YouTube iTunes Google Podcast Spotify

To Contact Tony Blauer, you can visit https://blauerspear.com To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation by March 31st, 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Max Conserva was born and raised in California who's living a normal life when a tragedy struck. He was hit by a semi-truck as a kid which left his legs broken. Through many medical efforts of making his legs work normally again, they just became deformed which gave him the need for a brace for life.

Although Max lived a normal life as a kid growing up with the help of his carbon-fiber and steel made braces, there was one pressing problem he was dealing with, shame. He was so afraid of people getting to see his legs and as a result, limiting his activities. It came to a point where he wasn't showing his legs to his girlfriend.

Max took a leap of faith in his life when he joined a triathlon race where he made himself vulnerable and finally shared his condition to the world. This led him to the creation of GoodLeg.org which helps adaptive individuals face their hard problems such as Max's through the mastery of their condition.

On this episode, listen to Max Conserva as he talks about the following topics: * How Max faced the challenges of his condition at an early age * What is condition mastery and how important it is for Max * Participating in a triathlon race and making himself vulnerable * What is GoodLeg.org and what prompted Max to start it * How to become a master of your hard problem

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here:

YouTube iTunes Google Podcast Spotify

To Contact Max Conserva, you can email him at max@goodleg.org or visit Goodleg.org

To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation by March 31st, 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Please welcome Ally Armstrong to My New Normal podcast! Ally is originally from Pennsylvania, but just recently moved to the San Diego area. She’s an Occupational Therapist and is starting work at a local school, as well as finding new hobbies to get involved in.

Before Ally moved to San Diego she was commonly referred to as someone with a disability, or with a wheelchair, or the disabled girl She’d never even heard the term “adaptive” until she got into the community in San Diego. And while she didn’t take offense, she also wished that people would realize that she was so much more than just her wheelchair. She’s an athlete, a professional, a woman that works out and does CrossFit.

Ally was injured when she was 17 in a sledding accident. She suffered a complete spinal cord break and was paralyzed. While a lot of people suffer depression and go through really dark times after their injury, Ally credits her faith with really not having any “down” time. She believes that this is the path that she was meant to take, and she’s dealt with as such.

She had an amazing support group, through her family and friends, and was really connected through her church and her faith. Which she credits to stepping out of her comfort zone and not letting her injury rule her life.

Ally is seriously an inspirational woman and I cannot wait for you to listen to this full episode!

In this episode we’re talking about:

Ally’s injury and how she dealt with it
How sometimes you have to just suck it up in life
What a “complete” spinal cord injury means
What “adaptive” means to Ally
How laughter is really the best medicine in life
What advice Ally would offer someone in her position

Find Ally Armstrong on instagram: @alstrongg

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here:

YouTube iTunes Google Podcast Spotify To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation by March 31st, 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Stephanie Gaudreau is a health and fitness coach who advocates healthy eating and embracing your own skin. Before she started eating a more balanced diet, which includes the foods she feared, she advocated paleo and working out in order to achieve her ideal body but she wasn't happy. Steph used to be a teacher but as an introvert, she needed to find a job that is comfortable for her, therefore, she took a drastic change of direction and went into blogging.

Steph experienced body dysmorphia as a kid, it changed her relationship with food and how she perceived her body. Steph took health and fitness seriously in order to make her body smaller to overcome her condition but it wasn't the solution she's looking for. Listen to this episode to learn about Steph's journey and these:

Why facing change is frightening for her,
How she faced fear to be able to move forward,
How Steph faced and overcame body dysmorphia
How she made blogging her business,
What steps she took in learning new skills in her new job,
Making her weakness as an introvert into her strength

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here:

YouTube iTunes Google Podcast Spotify

To Contact Stephanie Gaudreau Visit: https://www.stephgaudreau.com/steph-gaudreau/ To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation by March 31st, 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas (aka Dr. Resilience) is a dear friend and mentor and I’m so honored to have her on my podcast! She is someone who helps eliminate suffering for others and helps them live better lives, specifically the Veteran community. Nursing the flu can be hard and sometimes it disables us from doing our normal routine. Now, imagine having a stage 4 cancer and the doctor has put an expiration date on your life. Wouldn't that be discouraging? Dr. Kate was diagnosed with cancer but it did not put her down.

As a former Marine Corps military police officer, she had a hard time in transitioning to the private citizen life. Dr. Kate struggled and faced challenges that would eventually lead her in helping people with their mental fitness. She's an author, speaker, and professor among other things.

In this episode, Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas is telling her story of facing life, motherhood, and cancer with positivity and resilience.

In this episode we’re talking about:

How a person can cultivate resilient traits
What steps she took in transitioning from the Marine Corps
Why is mental fitness training important
How Dr. Kate came to know that she had cancer
What things did she change in facing her diagnosis
How cancer changed how she manages her time

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here:

YouTube iTunes Google Podcast Spotify

To Contact Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas Visit: https://dockate.com/

To check out Dr. T's Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation by March 31st, 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Losing a loved one, whether family or friend, is really tough especially when it coincides with your other problems. Kenny Kane not only lost one but 13 in a span of 2 years. Notably, his mother passed when his son was born in Denmark and he has to juggle his attention from his one family to another as well as financial responsibilities.

Kenny Kane, a comic, a passionate hip-hop dancer and a soccer player, got heartbreak after heartbreak but he has emerged from it as a better person. Kerry is a co-host on the Body of Knowledge Podcast.

Listen to this week's episode to hear Kenny's heartfelt stories and find out more about these:

How losing important people affected Kenny
How did Kenny explain when confronted by his child
What are the tough choices he had to make
How Kenny was able to recover on these challenges
What are the steps he took to heal

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here:

YouTube iTunes Google Podcast Spotify To check out my Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation by March 31st, 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Welcome to Episode 8 of My New Normal with special guests Amanda Bonham and Movement Rx’s own Dr. Megan Graff! This episode really has it all: we’re talking pregnancy, what it’s like to be legally blind, what it’s like to train pregnant, what it’s like to live in SoCal, and so much more. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

Amanda is from Tennessee, but moved to SoCal when she met her husband. She’s a massage therapist and has been for about 11 years. Megan moved to California from Texas for Movement Rx (yay!!) and the adaptive community and the Challenged Athletes Foundation.

Amanda was diagnosed with her condition (Stargardt Disease) when she was 10 years old, which was a pretty traumatizing experience for her. At the time, no one really knew much about it so no one explained to her that she had a degenerative eye disease. No one explained that her condition would worsen, so she didn’t appropriately prepare herself for the inevitability of going blind.

In high school her vision started to more rapidly change and she needed more visual aides, which is when she realized that things were going to change. She switched to a private school and commuted to school and started to shift her plans for the future.

Amanda’s way of coping in high school was denial and avoidance. She struggled with depression, anorexia, and cutting. She was placed in multiple treatment centers, but none ever took. Her first day of her Junior year in high school she had a major breakdown and was asked to leave and was sent to a lockdown treatment program where she spent 11 months.

During the treatment program, which she credits with saving her life, she was forced to address her condition head-on and finally cope with the anger and emotions that she hadn’t dealt with before.

TRIGGER WARNING: this episode contains conversation about food disorders and suicidal thoughts.

In this episode we’re talking about:

What it’s like to be blind
What it’s like to be blind and pregnant
Training when you’re pregnant and blind
How movement can help people cope with PTSD
How to train someone who is blind and pregnant
And so so so so much more…..

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here:

YouTube iTunes Google Podcast Spotify To check out my Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation by January 31st 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Imagine this: you're an Olympic sprinter in the final heat of the gold medal race and you are nervous as hell. Not because you are doubting your skill, training or grit, but because you're worried that you might have an epileptic attack at any moment and lose control of your arm.

Sounds frightening to say the least. Well my friends this is what Jenny LaBaw has dealt with her entire life. Diagnosed with epilepsy at a young age Jenny has battled through all sorts of social and physical issues related to her disease, but because of her resolve has managed to be crowned the 6th fittest woman in America, be a collegiate soccer player oh and run across the entire state of Colorado in a month (531 miles).

Tune into this weeks episode to hear Jenny's story and learn more about these topics:
What is epilepsy and how does it effect Jenny
How Jenny manage her disease throughout playing high level sports
Why Jenny kept her disease private and why she eventually decided to go public
Why Jenny got into CrossFit and why she's not doing it as much
Moving Mountains: Jenny's run across Colorado for awareness
Why Jenny thinks sharing your story is important and what affect others have on her
How to develop mental grit and not be defined by your diagnosis

To learn more about Jenny head over to her website https://jennylabaw.com/

or follow her @jennylabaw on all the social media

Info on Epilepsy Foundation: https://www.epilepsy.com/

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here:

YouTube iTunes Google Podcast Spotify To check out my Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation in 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Welcome to Episode 6 of My New Normal Podcast! Today I’m joined by the amazingly awesome Sara Olson and David “Chef” Wallach from Crossroads Adaptive Athletic Alliance.

Crossroads Adaptive Athletic Alliance is an amazing non-profit organization that helps adaptive athletes participate in fitness through education, grants, and competition.

Chef’s adaptive story started way back when he was a child and he tried to “stop himself too many times with his head.” He suffered multiple concussions due to his daredevil nature and was consistently trying to push the envelope. Chef had trouble in school and was labeled by some teacher’s as learning challenged or disabled. As he later discovered, the troubles he had as a child were more likely related to the injuries he suffered.

But by his own account, his true adaptive story started when a marine named Nick Tom walked into his gym. Nick was wounded very seriously fighting in Kandahar and was a bilateral, above the knee amputee, among other very serious injuries. Nick was so optimistic and so quickly progressing through his PT at Walter Reed that he was referred to the gym as a higher level of therapy.

When Nick arrived, it really started a conversation about how they should create a coach/client relationship between adaptive athlete and coach and how a set of metrics should be defined to show progress and data, and what are the places that progress should be shown. And not only that, but how do we make it easier for ALL athletes with permanent differences feel comfortable and included.

Sara’s background is in the Navy as an EOD tech, currently reserves, but by nature of her job she has many friends (of results of incidents in the field) are now adaptive athletes. She got a call from Chef and a mutual friend about hosting a functional fitness competition for adaptive athletes and thought “sure, how hard can this be!”

When they really started getting into it, they discovered that less than 50% of the competitors were veterans and that what the athletes needed was a community to get involved in deeper than a yearly competition.

In this episode we’re talking about:

How Crossroads Adaptive Alliance helps the Adaptive Community
Chef’s Adaptive Journey
Sara’s Adaptive Journey
The evolving nature of the coach/athlete relationship
How to be a better coach to the Adaptive Community

To Learn More About Crossroads Adaptive Alliance go here:

http://crossroadsalliance.org/

https://www.facebook.com/CrossroadsAlliance/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqbpB-dkO4HvYvfWjP-xhrg

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here:

YouTube iTunes Google Podcast Spotify To learn more about wheeled athletes & most common injuries that put someone in a wheelchair such as spinal cord injuries check out: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/wheeled-athlete-spinal-cord-injuries/

To check out my Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation in 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

On Episode 5 I sit down with my friend and mentor Dr. Kelly Starrett to learn about dialing in very specific things that will help you where ever you are on the spectrum of human, adaptive, able bodies, injuried, old, young etc. Kelly also keenly discusses the biopsychosocial model of physical therapy and how it is revolutionizing how we take care of ourselves. Listen, apply to your life, and pay it forward.

Here are topics covered on the show

Most Embarrassing Moment In PT School
How following the practice act makes you a bad physio
How coaching changed Kelly's practice as a physio
What makes people change behavior
Working with adaptive athletes
1st principles
The mental health side of improving health
Embracing being tribal animals

Here is how to reach Kelly Starrett

MobilityWOD Website

Instagram

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here:

YouTube iTunes Google Podcast Spotify To learn more about wheeled athletes & most common injuries that put someone in a wheelchair such as spinal cord injuries check out: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/wheeled-athlete-spinal-cord-injuries/

To check out my Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course (eligible for 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under Category D), visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation by January 31st 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Imagine this: you grew up in in bad gang ridden neighborhood in Chicago, your only escape was basketball, but before puberty was even over you lost the use of your legs. How would you deal with that? Many people would give up on life or give in to being a part of a gang to feel accepted. Meet Jaime Baltizar, the afformentioned hypothetical is his new normal and unlink that many he did not give in or give up. Instead he became a wheelchair basketball badass for University of Illinois and parlayed that skill into a career as a basketball coach. Tune into this weeks episode of the My New Normal Podcast to hear Jaime's story and find out the secrets to his unwavering mindset.

Topics Covered on This Weeks Podcast Are:

Jaime's Story
Dealing with judgement from living life in a chair
Adapting to a chair sport after playing in out of the chair
Dealing with gang violence
The mindset of resilience
The impacts of high intensity functional fitness on sport

Help My New Normal raise $2,500 for Challenged Athlete Foundation by January 31st 2019: http://support.challengedathletes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1289385&pg=personal&fr_id=1611

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here:

YouTube iTunes Google Podcast Spotify To learn more about wheeled athletes & most common injuries that put someone in a wheelchair such as spinal cord injuries check out: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/wheeled-athlete-spinal-cord-injuries/

To check out my Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course, visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/You can receive 0.5 CEU's for NSCA under category D

On the 3rd episode of the My New Normal Podcast I am joined by my friend, former client oh an super bad ass pro paralympic athlete Alana Nichols to talk about how she learned the character trait of resilience. Alana broke her back during her senior of high school while attempting a back flip on her snowboard. At this point Alana was a highly recruited softball player in New Mexico and the injury completely destroyed her identity, but it didn't stop her. She eventually became a 5 time medalist in the paralympics. Tune into this episode to hear Alan's story and learn how she was adapt to her new normal and become more successful as a professional athlete than most of her able body peers.-How Alana got injured-Finding your identity post injury-Finding your tribe-Building empathy-The importance of finding a coach who can challenge you and make you feel normal as an athlete-How functional fitness can be applied to sports

Learn More About Alana Nicholshttp://www.alanajanenichols.com/https://twitter.com/alananichols21https://www.facebook.com/alanajane21/https://www.instagram.com/alanathejane

To learn more about wheeled athletes & most common injuries that put someone in a wheelchair such as spinal cord injuries check out: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/wheeled-athlete-spinal-cord-injuries/To check out my Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Online Course, visit: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/<>

Listen to My New Normal Podcast here:

YouTube iTunes Google Podcast Spotify

Charles Darwin once said it is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change. On episode 2 of the My New Normal Podcast I sit down with wheelchair badass Keith Concur & adaptive coach Chase Gentilhomme to learn how they have adapted to survive in their new normal, and now are thriving in this state.

Keith is craftsman, hunter and athlete by trade who lost the use of his legs in a motorcycle accident while helping to rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Keith defines thriving in his new normal as he so eloquently says in this episode "I've done more shit in the 12 years I have been in a chair than most will do in their whole life."

Chase is former Naval Officer & overweight kid, who suffered from major knee problems his entire life and after getting sick of being told what he couldn't do figured out how to get himself strong and mobile. Now he is poised to take that passion for adaptation and his love for helping people and become one of the world's best physical therapists and adaptive athlete coaches.

Topics Covered On This Episode
Ice Breakers: sprit animals, 5 words to describer yourself and what do you want to do when you grow up
Origin stories
First line of care for adaptive athletes
How to mentally deal with traumatic injuries
How to grow past "why do bad things happen to good people"
Dealing with a diagnosis and learning how to not let it become you
How to become an adaptive coach
Putting yourself out there after trauma
Weeding out people that don't really matter

Listen to the Podcast On

YouTube iTunes Google Podcast Spotify LINKS:

Learn More About Dr. T, her adventures, and get access to information from her early in her newsletter: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/newsletter/
Learn more about her online course Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete (NSCA CEUs available): https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/
Learn more about Dr. T's company, Movement Rx
Learn more about Dr. T's well researched and tested Prehab Programs: The Shoulder Fix:, The Knee Fix, and The Low Back Fix
Link to the YouTube 'behind the scenes' video of this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGLYJ3k6Ias&t=167s
Link to Wheelchair Athlete & Spinal Cord Injuries Episode to learn more: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/wheeled-athlete-spinal-cord-injuries/

When it comes to wheel chair and spinal injuries there is always a what's next despite what your doctor says. Often times people dealing with spinal cord injuries or family members helping a loved one who has a spinal cord injury can feel hopeless. On Episode 1 of the My New Normal Podcast I sit down to educate on conditions that most commonly put people into wheelchairs. On this episode I get into the nitty gritty of the diagnosis and then spend some time talking about why your diagnosis is not your new normal, because it does NOT determine your function.Topics Covered On The Podcast-The 4 most common reasons people get put into wheelchairs-The basic anatomy of the spinal cord and what happens in spinal cord injury--Bodily systems that can be effected by a spinal cord injury (Integumentary, Cardiovascular...etc)-AIS/ASIA scale of spinal cord injuries and ABCDE classifications-My levels classification system for adaptive athletes with a spinal cord injury and how to adapt movements based on this screenSuper Nerdy Description of Spinal Cordhttps://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Hope-Through-Research/Spinal-Cord-Injury-Hope-Through-ResearchTypes Of Spinal Cord Injurieshttps://www.spinalcord.com/types-of-spinal-cord-injuriesLevels of Spinal Cord Injurieshttp://www.spinalinjury101.org/details/levels-of-injuryIf you are a coach or adaptive athlete and want to learn how to maximize function after suffering a spinal cord injury check out my program Functional Training For Adaptive Athletes https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course

Episode X Show Notes:

Welcome to the first ever episode of the My New Normal Podcast. On this episode I sit down with my husband, Per, to give you the back story on why I am doing this podcast and what you can expect from it.

The episode initially starts out with a discussion about the adaptive population how it inspired this podcast. From there we get into why we are launching this on Movement Rx. Then we take on a big discussion of my personal new normal and the road that has got me to where I am now. We finish up the episode by previewing season 1 of the podcast and what you can expect.

If you enjoy this episode please do us a solid and leave a review or ask a question in the reviews. It makes a big difference in how many people are exposed to this podcast.

LINKS:

Learn More About Dr. T, her adventures, and get access to information from her early in her newsletter: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/newsletter/
Learn more about her home study Functional Training for the Adaptive Athlete Course visit here: https://www.drtheresalarson.com/adaptive-trainers-course/
Learn more about Dr. T's company, visit www.movement-rx.com
Learn more about Dr. T's well researched and tested Prehab Programs:

The Shoulder Fix:

The Knee Fix

The Low Back Fix

Start crushing your NEW NORMAL today!

Just a quick overview of what you can expect from season 1 of the podcast.