Learn Mental Toughness Tips From Elliot Waksman of Portland Sport Psychology

Our LIVE interviews are zooming right along! I so appreciate all of our interviewees, and all of YOU for tuning in and asking great questions! This week, I’m excited for you to meet Elliott Waksman, director of Portland Sport Psychology.

Elliott has worked in the field of sport & performance psychology since 2010, helping individuals and groups boost their mental toughness. He has had the unique opportunity to collaborate with high achievers ranging from Olympic athletes, student-athletes, coaches, Special Operation soldiers, dancers, and physicians. His time in the trenches with those elite performers, confirmed his philosophy that developing mental skills, like resiliency, optimism, focus, and confidence helps everyone perform better, regardless of the stage.

Elliott loves this work because he wants to make the world a better place. He finds fulfillment when clients enjoy healthier relationships, better self-awareness, and more productivity – on and off of the field.
Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Elliott was a recognized three-sport athlete at Lincoln High. He often incorporates both his personal sport experiences and sense of humor in his mental training sessions.

Should your child play multiple sports, or focus on just one? How do you psyche yourself up for a big presentation at work? What is the most loving way to set clear boundaries with your children? Click on the video below to watch the full recording.

Thanks for sharing this with your friends!
~Anne

*LIVE* Interview With State Farm Agent Dimitri Kondos Saturday May 30th

Have you met our local State Farm agent Dimiti Kondos? His office is on Milwaukie, just south of Bybee, and you have probably seen this lovely mural on the side of the building.

I’ve gotten to know Dimitri through the Sellwood Moreland Business Alliance meetings, and love how connected his is to our community. These are uncertain times, and he is here to give us peace of mind. When your basement floods, or your car gets dinged, do you have a special person you can call who will talk you through the process, advise you as to your deductible, and whether or not to file a claim, and refer you to contractors, or other service providers that you can trust? If Dimitri is your agent, you do!

During stressful times I like to gather facts. By focusing on the things that are under my control, I feel less stressed and out of control. Join us Saturday to learn why now is the perfect time to double check your policy, and what you can do to fill in any holes.

  • Do you have the proper insurance coverage?
  • Do you know what your policy covers?
  • Do you know the amount of your deductible?

Contact Dimitri this week and you will feel safe and secure with your home or auto insurance policy.

Kondos Insurance Agency, Inc.

7304 SE Milwaukie Ave, Portland, OR 97202 Bus 503.206.6035    Fax 503.719.6125

dimitri.kondos.kfam@statefarm.com

www.KondosInsurancePDX.com  

Licensed: Oregon, Washington & California

MLO #973632 NMLS #139716

*LIVE* Interview Saturday May 23rd with Chi Running Instructor Alice Diffely

Thanks Alice for sharing your insights on running form and safety! Check out our live interview below.

I first met Alice during one of her Chi Running workshops years ago. As you may have experienced, being coached by someone else, and then videotaped while you move gives you a whole new insight into whether “your” reality matches “the” reality. Spoiler alert – I was surprised to learn that I was not in fact swinging my arms and legs like she had instructed me, even though that is what it “felt like” I was doing.

In addition to running and walking coaching, Alice is a Registered Yoga Instructor, Certified TRE® Provider, and Original Strength® Certified Coach. She has lots of tools in her tool box that all lead to one point, improving your body awareness. She shares with us her tips on running safety (yes or no to masks, best practices for running outdoors) in these strange times.

If you suffer from knee, back, or hip pain after running or walking, Alice is here to help.

Alice shares some of her upcoming offerings:
• I’m available for virtual gait analysis. You can download the Coach’s Eye app and have a friend or family member use that to shoot a quick clip of you running or walking. It helps to get a sideview, and well as front & back views. E-mail me the video clip, and I’ll send you my analysis along with a few personalized form focus tips for your to work on.
• I’m available for Zoom sessions in yoga. I have a lot of experience teaching Yoga for Runners & Walkers, as well as Yoga for Athletes. For their past 4 competitive seasons, I’ve taught yoga to the Portland Winterhawks. I’m also available for Zoom sessions in TRE®, which stands for Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises. It’s a movement-based technique that enables your body to shake off accumulated stress and tension in order to down-regulate the nervous system and help bring it back into balance. Due to the pandemic, many of us are experiencing unprecedented stress on a variety of levels. I look forward to sharing this highly effective self-care tool with more individuals to help them find greater calm and more resilience during this challenging time.
• I’ll be offering Zoom classes through Portland Community College’s Community Education/Recreation & Wellness Department during their Summer Term and Fall Term. My Summer Term offering will be Yoga for Teen Athletes, intended for 12-17 year olds. My course proposals for Fall Term include Yoga for Runners & Walkers, a new course offering called TRE® & Yoga for a Calmer Nervous System, and potentially another section of the Yoga for Teen Athletes class.
• I also recently became an Original Strength® Certified Coach. The philosophy behind OS is that by revisiting movement patterns that we progressed through early in our lives, we’re able to press reset to rid ourselves of unhelpful movement habits and regain our ability to move in a more fluid, natural way. I integrate OS principles into a lot of my yoga teaching, and I look forward to offering some Facebook Live events or Zoom sessions soon to share this innovative approach with more clients.

Head over to Alice’s website here or facebook page here for more info.

Create An Amazing Experience for Your Students!

“Improve Your Online Teaching Skills” Workshop Sunday May 24th

• Who: Dance teachers (This class is geared towards movement teachers, but the skills you learn will translate to any online instruction.)
• What: 90 minute workshop that will immediately improve your teaching skills!
• When: Sunday May 24th at 1:30 pm PDT
• Where: From your home, or wherever you are teaching your online classes.
• Why: To improve your skills, your students experience, and your bottom line.
• How much: Donate the amount you like – from $5 to $25.
• How: (This class happened in 2020, if you’re reading this post now, and would like to discuss how I can help you be a better instructor please give me a call to schedule a time to chat).

If you feel this class is beneficial, you may pop some dough into my paypal “tip jar”.

The video classes have been great, you’re doing an excellent job showing the moves from different angles and all, I haven’t had any trouble following along. I’m really grateful you’re able to do these, it’s been a lifesaver. 

Testimonial from S.H., Portland, Oregon

Goals of this workshop:

Improve your online teaching techniques to improve your client’s experience! To do this you need to learn new skills. This is not just a switch to video; this is a whole new way of teaching. You are responsible for creating an oasis for your people – a safe, loving, warm, learning environment where your clients get a break from their stressful day – and create relationships with others in class. When you do this, your students are excited about your classes, they tell their friends, and they can’t wait to come back! You fill your classes and make more money!

The number one thing I have learned from zooming, is the importance of clear verbal cueing. In fact I recently had a client have a technology issue and we did an entire session over the phone! What do you do when your client can’t see you very well, say they are tuning in on their phone or iPad?

It is your responsibility to be able to teach them using your words. We will be using breakout rooms, so you can practice your verbal cuing (including the “positive sandwich”) with each other.

Who do you know who teaches dance classes? Have you (or a family member) taken a dance class from a studio, either here in Portland, or elsewhere? I have developed a brand new program that I am excited to share with the dance community, and I need your help.

Would you be willing to introduce me to a dance instructor?

This could be any type of dance, from ballet, ballroom, bachata, salsa, swing, Jazzercise, or Zumba (to name a few). Teaching classes virtually is a whole different animal than teaching in a studio. I want to share my tips for success with other instructors.

You can help me in two ways:

1. Forward this post to your instructor.
2. Share this post on social media.

*LIVE* Interview with Sam From Zen Focus Tech

On Saturday May 9th we chatted with Sam from Zen Focus Tech about how to get the most out of your technology right now!

Does your screen freeze during Zoom calls? Are you maxing out your system with you, your kids, and your spouse, all on the internet at once? Check out our latest interview to learn how to improve your internet speed, improve your productivity, and reduce your stress while you work from home.

Sam Rodriguez shares his tech tips for working from home

About Sam: Sam is a trained engineer with 16 years’ experience in IT, and 7 years’ experience teaching martial arts to teenagers and adults. This combination allows him to bring quiet, expert determination to IT systems, and to take on a variety of roles. His work as an IT consultant integrates his knowledge of technology with his desire to serve – driving clients’ business passions with 21st century technology.

My goal with these free interviews is to help you reduce your stress, connect with cool, smart, knowledgeable people, and learn something new. You may tune in with your video on or off. I’m not judging your Saturday hair or pajama look.

Who do you know who would benefit from this? Can you send this info to your special person?