Spirit of an Athlete Podcast

In this episode of Spirit of an Athlete, host Amanda Smith shares her personal gut health journey. Amanda details the onset of her issues, which began with side aches during athletic activities, and her struggle with various symptoms such as rapid mood changes, exhaustion, and severe gut reactions. She discusses her experience with an Ayurvedic cleanse and the subsequent discovery of extensive food and environmental allergies. Aman...

In this episode of Spirit of an Athlete, host Amanda Smith interviews Zaara Abbas, the first Pakistani female rowing coach, international competitor, and world rowing official. Abbas shares her journey of overcoming societal pressures and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in a male-dominated sport. Facing challenges like body shaming and battling weight issues due to PCOS, Abbas discusses the importance of inclusivity in sports, her...

This episode of 'Spirit of an Athlete' podcast, hosted by Amanda Smith, features an inspiring story of Angela Fuller, a fitness instructor and former athlete who overcame severe challenges such as a broken back and postpartum depression to achieve remarkable feats. Angela shares her journey from losing 50 pounds and battling her physical and mental health issues to competing in gymnastics at 43 and participating in Americ...

In this episode of Spirit of an Athlete, host Amanda Smith of Body Whisper Healing converses with Laura Ordile, a mindset mentor and master hypnotist who specializes in helping individuals navigate major life changes. Discussing the psychological and physical impacts of big changes like switching teams or quitting sports, they explore how unresolved decisions can manifest in physical ailments such as IBS, chronic fatigue, and migra...

In this episode of 'Spirit of an Athlete,' host Amanda Smith from Body Whisper Healing discusses the significance of integrative mind-body coaching and somatic therapy with Monique Derouen, a somatic trauma specialist. They delve into the strong mind-body connection athletes often have, with Monique sharing her journey from a ballerina overcoming personal trauma through somatic therapy to helping others understand and hea...

In this episode of Spirit of an Athlete, host Amanda Smith introduces the concept of bubble work, a practice she favors for managing one's personal energy. She explains the difference between sympaths, who feel energy around them sympathetically, and empaths, who can feel and control this energy. Smith discusses her personal journey of learning about energy management from her teachers, Cable Jones and Mellissa Seaman, emphasi...

In this episode of 'Spirit of an Athlete', host Amanda Smith discusses team culture and its impact on high performance with guest Adele Spurgin, a facilitator known for her expertise in enhancing team dynamics. They explore the definition of culture as the behaviors a team allows and how this influences both performance and overall team atmosphere. Adele, with her vast experience including being a junior national softball...

In this episode of Spirit of an Athlete, Amanda interviews Vanessa Gfrerer, a veterinarian turned deep intuitive who helps people connect with their animals on a profound level. The conversation explores Gfrerer's transition from a veterinarian to an intuitive healer, the unique bond between athletes and their pets, and the therapeutic benefits of understanding pet behaviors and energy. Amanda conducts an Initial Body Scan on ...

This episode of 'Spirit of an Athlete' podcast features host Amanda Smith in conversation with Shawnee Harle, a two-time Olympic women's basketball coach for Canada. Harle discusses the importance of mental toughness from the viewpoints of a coach, player, and parent, emphasizing its role as a differentiator among athletes. By sharing personal coaching experiences and the evolution of her understanding, Harle illustr...

In this episode of 'Spirit of an Athlete', host Amanda Smith talks with Cindi Miller, a former Division One volleyball player, and coach turned therapist specializing in athletes' mental health. They delve into the importance of athletes establishing boundaries with coaches and teammates, particularly focusing on handling conflicting coaching advice and coping with injuries. Cindi shares her personal experience of pl...

In this episode of 'Spirit of an Athlete,' host Amanda Smith interviews Natalie Graves, a mental health professional specializing in athlete mental health and performance. They discuss the importance of normalizing mental health coaching across all levels of athletics from youth sports to college teams. Natalie highlights her ideal scenarios for incorporating mental health awareness and support into sports organizations, ...

In this episode of 'Spirit of an Athlete,' host Amanda Smith speaks with Dr. Jamira Mitchell about the intricacies of name, image, and likeness (NIL) for student athletes, emphasizing that opportunities exist not only for potential million-dollar deal-makers but also for high school and college athletes aspiring to build a business around their personal brand. Dr. Mitchell, an expert in sports business management, discuss...

Amanda Smith demonstrates a quick Comprehensive Three-Level Body Scan on Elyna Paizis. Then, they discuss Elyna’s business, Business by Nature, which aims to help overwhelmed women entrepreneurs align their work to their inner nature. The body scan reveals insights about Elyna's body and offers suggestions for improvement, then Elyna explains her Force of Nature quiz and her approach to helping entrepreneurs find ease and flow...

Unlock the secrets of peak physical performance with the guidance of brain-based movement expert Barrett Smith. This episode promises to revolutionize the way athletes train by harnessing the power of their greatest asset—their brain. Through a compelling discussion, Barrett unveils the synergy between eye training, gut health, and a balanced nervous system, providing a fresh perspective on strength and conditioning. His approach, ...

Dr. Laurel Mines, a doctor of physical therapy and mental performance coach from Bay Laurel Athletics, joins the 'Spirit of an Athlete' podcast. Dr. Mines explains her focus on both the physical and mental aspects of health to help athletes reach peak performance, recover from injuries, and grow mentally. She discusses the four pillars of performance; physical performance, skill, strategy, and mental performance. Dr. Mine...

Have you ever considered the weight of stereotypes and how they challenge female athletes in and out of their arenas? Christina Specos, a seasoned fitness expert and IFBB pro, joins us for an enriching discussion that stretches beyond muscle fibers and into the heart of gender and sexuality biases in sports. From our personal tales of being misjudged based on physical strength to Christina's intimate revelations on her bodybui...

Unlock the 5 secret to peak athletic performance by simply treating your body with the same care as a houseplant. In this episode of Spirit of an Athlete podcast, Amanda discusses how athletes can treat themselves as complex houseplants by understanding their needs for water, soil, sunshine, food, and minerals. She explains the science behind each need and shares tips for staying hydrated, grounding, getting sunshine, choosing the ...

Welcome to Spirit of an Athlete. If you're a female athlete, a parent of a female athlete, a practitioner that supports female athletes, or just someone that wants to hear inspiring stories, you're in the right place. Find out who I interview, how long the episodes are, and a little bit more your host, me. 

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Website: Body Whisper Healing
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