She Fights
Some fights don’t happen in a ring. They happen in silence. In survival. In recovery. In deciding to keep going. She Fights is a new podcast hosted by Heather Winkeljohn — a martial artist, nurse, entrepreneur, and woman who has lived through the realities she now gives voice to. These are not polished success stories. These are honest conversations with women who have fought through trauma, loss, fear, and self-doubt — and are still standing. She Fights is about resilience without bravado. Strength without performance. Courage without pretending it was easy. If you’ve ever had to rebuild yourself quietly … this podcast is for you. Host - Heather Winkeljohn Heather Winkeljohn is an entrepreneur, registered nurse, martial arts instructor, and advocate for women’s empowerment. She is a co-owner of the world-renowned Jackson Wink MMA Academy, co-founder of Smart Girl Self Defense, and the host of She Fights, a podcast under Unstoppable Voices Media that shares powerful stories of women overcoming adversity through resilience and strength. UnstoppableVoicesMedia.com
Episodes
She was one of figure skating’s most electrifying stars—fearless, unpredictable, and impossible to look away from.
Nicole Bobek reached the highest levels of her sport, becoming a U.S. National Champion and an Olympian. But behind the performances, the applause, and the spotlight was a young woman fighting battles the audience couldn’t see.
In this deeply personal episode, Nicole opens up about the e...
In February 2022, an armed intruder forced his way into Hope Sam’s Albuquerque home. Hope and her family fled upstairs, barricaded themselves, and waited 45 terrifying minutes for help to arrive.
In this episode of She Fights, Heather talks with Hope about the decisions her family made that helped them survive—and the surprising ways earlier false alarms had prepared them for a real emergency.
Hope also sh...
When someone refuses to let go, where do you turn?
Jordan never imagined she would experience stalking—not once, but twice.
The first began after what seemed like an ordinary dating relationship. When she ended it, the behavior escalated, leaving her feeling unsafe and forcing her to make difficult decisions to protect herself and her young daughter.
Years earlier, during an internship with United States Probatio...
Pornography is often described as a private struggle, but for many couples, its effects reach far beyond one person.
In this episode of She Fights, Heather Winkeljohn sits down with Hunter and Nicole Otis, a husband-and-wife team whose own marriage was nearly torn apart by pornography, secrecy, and broken trust.
Drawing from both professional expertise and deeply personal experience, Hunter and Nicole share their jour...
As a little girl, Dalea Nodal looked up to her father—a respected physician whose life slowly unraveled under the grip of addiction. As his dependence on prescription pain medication spiraled into heroin, Dalea watched the foundation of her family crumble, leaving her mother to hold everything together through unimaginable hardship.
In this deeply personal conversation, Dalea shares what it was like to grow up ...
In 2023 and 2024, the number of recovered remains of women and girls in the desert west of El Paso, in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, rose to 130. The circumstances surrounding these deaths raise difficult questions about trafficking, migration, violence against women, and systemic failures that leave vulnerable people at risk.
In this episode of She Fights, Heather Winkeljohn speaks with Abbey Carpenter, co-leader of ...
What happens when healing becomes your life’s mission?
After overcoming her own struggles with trauma, depression, and eating disorders, Dr. Anita DelPrete dedicated her life to helping others achieve lasting wellness through the powerful connection of mind, body, and spirit.
In this episode of She Fights, Heather Winkeljohn sits down with Dr. Anita to discuss healthy eating, mindset, recovery, and the role nutr...
In Part Two of Heather Winkeljohn’s conversation with Sean Murphy, the discussion continues with practical, real-world insight into women’s personal safety, self-defense awareness, and the importance of recognizing danger before it escalates.
Sean brings more than 18 years of law-enforcement experience, including investigations into serious crimes and defensive tactics training. Together, Heather ...
Part One -
Heather Winkeljohn sits down with Sean Murphy, a law enforcement professional with more than 18 years of experience at both the state and federal levels.
Sean has spent over a decade investigating serious crimes, including kidnapping, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and crimes against children. He has also taught defensive tactics to law enforcement officers and worked in the SWAT environment.
In Part One, ...
This is Part 2 of our conversation with Robin Hopkins.
If you haven’t listened to Part 1, we recommend starting there to hear the moment that changed everything.
In this episode, we move beyond the incident and into what came after.
After being shot in the line of duty, Robin’s life shifted in ways no one prepares you for. The physical recovery was only part of the story.
What followed was a deeper fight&mda...
Aylin Villalobos knew how to fight.
As a former MMA fighter and coach, she trained to protect herself—and others. But at 18, she entered a relationship that would slowly take control of her life.
In this episode of She Fights with Heather Winkeljohn, Aylin shares how a relationship with an older fighter and coach became emotionally controlling and deeply damaging—despite everything she knew about strength,...
Amy Vigil Percherski shares a deeply personal story of survival, resilience, and ultimately—freedom.
At just 14 years old, Amy found herself trapped in a relationship marked by control, fear, and isolation. What began as young love quickly turned into years of emotional and psychological abuse, manipulation, and trauma.
In this courageous conversation, Amy opens up about the reality of what she endured—and...
In 1945, the world changed in the New Mexico desert — but for many families, the fallout never ended.
Today’s guest, Tina Cordova, is the co-founder of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium, an organization fighting for recognition and compensation for people harmed by radiation exposure from the Trinity nuclear test.
After losing several members of her own family to cancer — and ...
Roslyn Gallegos was a stellar student with a full-ride scholarship to nursing school. Before completing her first year of college, she was pulled into a world of addiction, exploitation, and an abusive relationship that nearly cost her everything.
Now a licensed social worker, Roslyn has transformed her pain into purpose. In this episode, she joins Heather for an open and honest conversation about what it truly took ...
She Cried That Day.
Heather interviews the filmmakers behind a documentary on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, with a particular focus on two sisters who are courageously fighting for justice for their murdered sister. It’s an incredibly powerful conversation — thoughtful, and handled with real care.
In 2015, Dione Thomas was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend in Gallup, NM. She Cried Th...
Dayna Davis is a Jackson Wink MMA Academy fighter, coach, wife, and mom whose journey is rooted in resilience.
She survived deep betrayals of trust early in life, experiences that were later compounded during her time in the Marine Corps. As a young woman, she navigated exploitative relationships, struggled with her health, and carried wounds that many never see.
Through martial arts, MMA, and fitness, Day...
Robin is a former Marine, retired sheriff's deputy, a current Air National Guard member, a wife and a mom.
As a sheriff's deputy Robin was responding to an active shooter when she was shot and critically injured. That injury didn’t just end her law-enforcement career; it marked the beginning of a profound journey.
In the aftermath, she faced challenges that many of us know all too well, but don't tal...
*** This episode discusses sensitive topics related to abuse and exploitation. Listener discretion is advised ***
In the premiere episode of She Fights, host Heather Winkeljohn speaks with Toya Kaplan, a community advocate dedicated to the prevention of child trafficking in the United States.
Toya shares insight into how trafficking operates, why awareness and education are critical, and what individuals and communiti...
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