033 INTERVIEW: Cultivating Kickass Female Role Models In Martial Arts with Natasha Gunther

Apr 20, 2020

Natasha Gunther has been doing martial arts since she was five years old and she hasn't stopped. She's been training for 18 years and teaching for 10 and she has plans to build her career and open up her own martial arts studio. Having faced a lot of obstacles as a woman in the martial arts community, Natasha iis passionate about addressing the bias and discrimination that many women face as martial artists, instructors, and business owners. Natasha is also the survivor of a sexual assault, and she is here to tell her story.

 

In this episode, Natasha and I discuss:

• How the worst parts of her experience teaching martial arts sparked Natasha’s passion to build a safe environment for women in her field. 
• Natasha’s incredible work with Heroes For Hope as Princess Jasmine, giving kids fighting horrible diseases a bit of hope and joy.
• The story of Natasha’s assault, the helplessness she felt, and having to be her own advocate.
• The lack of positive female role models in martial arts, and Natasha’s desire to change that.

 

Key Takeaways:

• Martial arts is more than just self-defense, it is life-enhancing and empowering.
• Knowing self-defense techniques is not a guarantee of safety, you have to trust your instincts.
• Predators who have assaulted before will have the upper hand. You have to be able to forgive yourself if you are not able to fight them off. 
• If you can’t find a positive role model, become one!

 

"You’ve always got to try and build yourself up, even when other people are bringing you down. And I think especially with women it's a lot more common, not only in the personal life but also in the business life. You’ve gotta just keep empowering yourself, find different things that make you confident and unique." —  Natasha Gunther

 

Connect with Natasha Gunther:

Instagram: @princeess_jasmine

Facebook: facebook.com/natasha.a.gunther

 

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