Why I Combine Fitness, Embodied Processing & Human Design (And Why It Works)

Let me start by saying: I don’t have it all figured out.

I’m still doing the work. Still navigating the chaos of everyday life, trying to keep my head above water some days and doing a little victory dance in the kitchen on others (usually with snacks involved). What I do have is a toolkit that’s helped me keep growing — even when things have felt completely overwhelming. And that toolkit? It’s a bit unconventional. It blends sweat and self-reflection, nervous system regulation and knowing yourself better than your mum’s go-to casserole.

For those of you who already know Breaking Barriers as the place to come kick stuff, lift heavy, get stronger, and learn how to back yourself physically — welcome to the next chapter.

For those new to the world of Breaking Barriers Coaching — hello! I’m Jo, a long-time martial artist, coach, and human who has learned (sometimes the hard way) that real change doesn’t come from just pushing harder. It comes from going deeper and showing up in your body.

So… What Is Breaking Barriers Coaching?

It’s the quieter but no less powerful side of what I do. It’s where we work on the inner stuff — the invisible load, the stuck patterns, the feeling of being "off" but not knowing why.

I use Embodied Processing to support people in actually feeling through what’s sitting in the body — not just talking about it, but letting it move and shift in a real, grounded way. This work has been a game-changer for me. Over the past two years, it's helped me grow my capacity to stay present in hard moments, regulate my nervous system, and stop running on stress and autopilot.

Layered into that is Human Design — a self-awareness system that’s helped me understand how I make decisions best (spoiler: not by rushing) and why certain patterns keep showing up in my life. It’s not about boxing you in, it’s about giving you a map so you can stop second-guessing yourself and start leading from your version of alignment.

And yes — I still train. Still hit pads. Still believe in the strength that comes from knowing your body can hold you. But now, I see strength differently. Not just muscle or fitness — but emotional, energetic, and nervous system strength too.

Why Both Sides Matter

Breaking Barriers Fitness is about showing up, moving your body, learning to strike with purpose, and reclaiming physical power.

Breaking Barriers Coaching is about uncovering what’s underneath — the beliefs, patterns, and internal noise that hold you back even when you’re physically strong.

Put them together? You get something really powerful. Because sometimes you need to hit the bag... and sometimes you need to sit with what’s coming up after you do.

Why This Combo is Different

Let’s be real: there are plenty of people offering mindset coaching. Others doing PT. Others offering Human Design or nervous system work. But I haven’t seen anyone combining all of it the way I do — with decades of martial arts, real-life experience, humour, and zero tolerance for spiritual bypassing or fluffy one-size-fits-all answers.

I’m not here to “fix” you. You’re not broken.

I’m here to walk beside you, whether that’s on the gym floor, in a coaching session, or lying on a yoga mat while your nervous system takes a deep breath for the first time in weeks.

This Is for You If...

• You’re sick of running on stress and hustle.

• You’ve tried talk therapy, but still feel stuck in your body.

• You want to build real strength — inside and out.

• You’re curious about how you’re wired and want to live more in sync with that.

• You’re ready to show up, even if you don’t know exactly where it’s going to take you (yet).

If you’ve been feeling like something’s missing — like you’ve done the mindset work but your body still feels like it's carrying the load, or you've trained physically but the internal clarity just isn’t landing — then this hybrid approach might be exactly what you’ve been looking for.

You don’t need to choose between strength and softness, structure and soul, science and self-awareness. You can have all of it.

You deserve all of it.

And I’m here to help you build it.

Want to start somewhere simple? Book an intro session on the coaching side — or come to the gym and feel it for yourself. The door's open either way.

👉Breaking Barriers Coaching