Advertise on podcast: Yes You Can

Some conversations rewire the way you understand your own body. This is one of them.  Hannah sits down with Dr. Lisa Y. Collins — trauma practitioner, author of The Truth About Trauma, TEDx speaker, playwright, medium, and college professor — for a conversation that started with a chance encounter on a plane and became one of the most personal and expansive episodes of Yes You Can to date.  If you've ever felt "irritable for no reason," carried a weight you can't quite name, or wondered why your body reacts before your brain catches up — press play. Episode Summary Dr. Lisa Y. Collins didn't set out to write a book about her own healing. She was studying trauma to help other people — until, in the middle of a course, she noticed she'd stopped breathing. Then she took the ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) quiz and, in her words, "failed."  That double-take became the beginning of a 20-year journey that turned into The Truth About Trauma: Break Patterns, Build Resilience, and Restore Joy — a part-memoir, part-practical-guide that Hannah calls one of the few books she's ever read that answers "just tell me what to do." In this conversation, Lisa and Hannah go all the way in. They talk about what trauma actually is (a body-based response to danger, real or perceived — not just one catastrophic event), the difference between little-t and big-T trauma, and the six kinds of trauma most of us don't have language for: individual, collective, participatory, historical, cultural, and dignity violations, plus secondary trauma from witnessing someone else's pain. Lisa walks Hannah through her healing framework — body, mind, spirit — and then gets into the specific tools inside the book. They get into hypervigilance — a story about Lisa taking her granddaughter to church that a lot of survivors will recognize immediately. They get into generational trauma through the perfect metaphor of the deep freezer (you'll understand once you listen — and Hannah's own family story about her Oma and Opa escaping Poland during WWII lands right in that thread). And they get into racial trauma, why Lisa deliberately didn't put it in the book — "because you have to heal your foundational traumas first" — and how it ties to gender, sexual identity, and every other identity we carry into rooms not built for us. Toward the end, Hannah opens the floor to listener questions submitted through her DMs: what to do about sudden flashbacks (Hannah shares her own — related to how her mom died in 2014), how to work through dreams, and how to think about therapy when talk therapy hasn't landed. Lisa's answer, again and again, comes back to the body first, then the mind, then the spirit — and the reminder that community, attunement, and a soft gaze can be more healing than any single technique. About Dr. Lisa Y. Collins Dr. Lisa Y. Collins, EdD is a trauma healing coach, racial wellness expert, author, playwright, medium, and Assistant Professor at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. She is a certified STAR (Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience) trauma practitioner and a widely respected voice on healing from personal, generational, and systemic trauma. Her book The Truth About Trauma: Break Patterns, Build Resilience, and Restore Joy (Llewellyn Publications, 2025) is part memoir and part practical guide, laying out her three-step body-mind-spirit framework alongside the specific tools she has used with clients — and on herself — over two decades of practice. Her TEDx talk, Healing from Racial Trauma, has been viewed thousands of times and is widely used in racial-healing curricula. She also writes on Medium and Substack, offers 1:1 coaching, group work, and spiritual sessions, and has recently stepped into playwriting with her work Hwy 8 featured at Portland's Fertile Ground Festival of New Works. Connect with Dr. Lisa Website: lisaycollins.comThe Truth About Trauma on Amazon: amazon.com/Truth-About-Trauma-Patterns-Resilience/dp/0738779296The Truth About Trauma: lisaycollins.com/products/the-truth-about-trauma-bookInstagram: @lisayvettacollinsSubstack: substack.com/@lisaycollinsMedium: medium.com/@lisa.y.collinsYouTube: Love and Light with Dr. LisaFree ebook — Love of Light: A Guide to Peace and Oneness: available at lisaycollins.comBook a free 30-min discovery call: calendly.com/lisaycollins-info/30minTEDx Talk — Healing from Racial Trauma: search YouTube for "Dr. Lisa Collins TEDx Racial Trauma" Resources Mentioned in the Episode The Truth About Trauma by Dr. Lisa Y. CollinsAdverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study — Dr. Nadine Burke Harris's work on the ACEs quizCyndi Dale — on chakras, neural nets, and energy healing (she wrote the foreword to The Truth About Trauma)Capacitar International (capacitar.org) — free, multilingual body-based tools for stress and trauma resetBonnie Lonsbury — The Map of Abundance (Younger Selves work)Want to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.

What do you do when your master plan falls apart on day ten? If you're Mon Marczuk, you stay anyway. You figure it out. You go from fired Emirates cabin crew in a city where you know absolutely nobody, to building a four-year career as one of Dubai's most respected cycling and strength coaches — and then you leave all of it behind to go nomadic, because something in you knows it's time for the next chapter.  In this episode, Mon and Hannah dig into what it actually looks like to build a global coaching career from the ground up — the delusional goal, the plan that didn't survive contact with reality, and the quiet, grounded confidence that carried her through anyway. EPISODE SUMMARY Monica Marczuk — Mon — is a global ride and strength coach currently based in Brussels, Belgium, where she holds a residency at ANIMO alongside House of Ride. Originally from Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Mon spent four years coaching cycling and Barry's Bootcamp-format strength training in Dubai before deciding to leave her base behind entirely and immerse herself in communities around the world — spending six weeks in Tangier, Morocco (where she developed and taught her framework, the Flow Method), before landing in Belgium for a three-month residency. She is also the founder of 23 Collective, a project bringing coaches and community together in new formats. In this conversation, Mon walks Hannah through the full origin story: riding as a mental health tool after a difficult period in her life, hosting free Saturday night youth rides in Kitchener to create a sober, safe space for young people, and the moment she decided — six months into her coaching career — that she was going to share movement as a mental health tool with the world. Her plan to get there? Apply to Emirates Airlines as cabin crew, fly everywhere, and ask studios to let her coach for free. She got the job. She removed a meaningful tattoo to comply with the uniform policy. She was terminated ten days in when they spotted the remnants. She stayed in Dubai anyway. Mon also gets candid about the personal experiences that shaped why she coaches the way she does — including a period of substance and alcohol use she hasn't spoken about publicly before, and how finding movement gave her tools she didn't have access to growing up as a child of immigrants. She talks about what it means to be a space holder and a multiplier of potential, why grounded leadership is her north star as a coach, and what it felt like to be selected by House of Ride as their One to Watch through an international competition. You'll also hear Mon and Hannah get into the art of genre-blending in a playlist (Mon's hill to die on), the tracks that make her lose her mind on the bike, why she signed herself up for pottery and dance classes in Brussels, and the mantra she's carrying into this next chapter: everything that breaks, breaks in my favour. Note: this episode touches on substance use and mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling, resources are available — please reach out to a trusted person or mental health professional in your area. This one is for every fitpro who has ever had a goal that sounded completely unhinged to everyone around them — and did it anyway. Connect with Mon InstagramTwenty3 CollectiveANIMO BrusselsHouse of Ride Connect with Hannah & Yes You Can Podium Prep — Hannah's under-$100 mini course covering everything you need to know before your first audition (mic setup, audition track choice, studio outreach, full training manual, visualization exercises)Instructor Magic — Hannah's flagship mentorship program for group fitness instructors and studio owners — doors are open now, $100 offWant to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.

What do you do when the career you want keeps saying not yet? If you're Alicia Portelli, you open your own studio, close it when the universe makes it clear it's time, pack up your life and move to Singapore, build something beautiful there too, and then — nine years after first watching a coach on Instagram and thinking I want to work with that person someday — you move to New York and make it happen.  The plot twist? That coach is now her boss at AARMY. In this episode, Alicia and Hannah dig into what resilience actually looks like from the inside — not the highlight reel version, but the fired-twice, start-over, teach-to-two-people version — and why hard things might be exactly the point. EPISODE SUMMARY Alicia Portelli is a cycling coach now based in New York, where she teaches at AARMY alongside Akin Akman — the coach who first inspired her back in 2017 when she watched a video of him riding to Our House with his hands off the handlebars. Originally from Sydney, Australia, Alicia spent years teaching across the country's top cycle studios before opening her own — JAMM — a community-driven studio that became known globally for the athleticism of its riders and the family it built. After closing JAMM in 2023, she moved to Singapore to lead the cycling division at one of Asia's largest boutique fitness studios, coaching across Singapore, Bangkok, Malaysia, Mexico, and beyond — before finally landing in New York in early 2026. In this conversation, Alicia walks Hannah through the full, beautifully nonlinear journey: the stranger who double-timed in her class and redirected her entire career, the two studio firings that didn't break her, the Lululemon ambassador call where she blurted out "I'm going to open my own studio" with zero plans, the noise complaints that eventually closed JAMM, and the twelve-month visa process that stood between her and the job she'd already been offered at AARMY. But this episode isn't only a career story. Alicia gets honest about her long battle with bulimia — how it shaped her need for control, how she eventually found her way through it, and how that experience quietly became the foundation for the way she coaches today. She also opens up about the cost of being so tunnel-visioned on career that other parts of life can get left behind, and what she's actively working to change about that. You'll also hear Alicia and Hannah go deep on the creative practice of building a coaching identity — how to pull inspiration from everywhere without just copying someone else's homework, why simplicity on the bike is sometimes the hardest and most powerful thing you can offer a room, and what Michael Jackson, Fred Again, and a Pilates teacher's vocal authority all have in common.  Plus: book recommendations, the "rapid river" metaphor that made Hannah tear up mid-interview, and the playlist conversation that will absolutely derail your evening. If you've ever been told no, wondered if the slow build is actually adding up to anything, or needed permission to start over one more time — this episode is it. Connect with Alicia InstagramAARMYBooks mentioned: Want to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.

What do you do when your dream studio says no?  If you're Holland Scattergood, you email back, ask what it would take, go get the experience, and come back six months later — and now you co-own one of Arizona's most beloved cycling studios with a second location opening this summer. The plot twist? One of her co-founders is the person who originally said no. In this episode, Holland and Hannah dig into the long, beautifully nonlinear road from spin-class lover to studio founder, and why showing up as your real, imperfect self might be the most strategic move you'll ever make on the podium. EPISODE SUMMARY Holland Scattergood is the co-founder of NYX Cycle and Fitness in Scottsdale, Arizona — a studio built on the idea that fitness should feel safe, joyful, and judgment-free. In this conversation, Holland walks Hannah through her full journey: the very first 6 a.m. spin class in college that flipped a switch, the audition rejection that didn't break her, the smaller studio that gave her the experience she needed, and the moment her former studio (The Madison) closed its doors with one month's notice — opening the door for Holland and her co-founders to launch NYX in April 2024. But this episode isn't only a founder story. Holland gets candid about living with multiple autoimmune diseases — rheumatoid arthritis, celiac, and hypothyroidism — and how the stress of opening a business triggered her biggest flare yet. She talks about why she finally started speaking publicly about her chronic illness, the rider conversation that changed her mind, and how that vulnerability has shifted the way she shows up for her community. You'll also hear Holland and Hannah swap notes on theme rides (and the great internet "theme slander" debate), what actually makes an instructor authentic, why she launched Swifty Saturday two years ago, the realities of opening a studio with three co-founders and an investor, the sound-system fiasco that accidentally birthed her Super Singalong rides, and how mentorship and traveling — including her upcoming trip to Sweat & Tonic in Toronto — became part of her story almost by accident. If you've ever been told no, doubted your place on the podium, or wondered whether you're allowed to play Taylor Swift in a spin class — this episode is your permission slip. Connect with Holland NYX Cycle and FitnessInstagramNYX online / subscriptionConnect with Hannah & Yes You Can Podium Prep — Hannah's under-$100 mini course covering everything you need to know before your first audition (mic setup, audition track choice, studio outreach, full training manual, visualization exercises): Instructor Magic — Hannah's flagship mentorship program, with a new round launching soon! Want to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.

Hot take: There’s no real argument about using themes as a fitness instructor. Themes aren’t a personality trait or a crutch. They’re a tool. In this episode, I break down why they work from a psychological perspective for both you, as the coach, and the people in your room. We unpack the fake conflict around themes in fitness and get practical: when they work, why they fill rooms, and how they help build a coach’s brand over time. I also share psychology-backed marketing insights and real alternatives for when themes don’t fit. We cover:  • expanding our work beyond fitness while still serving studios and instructors  • rejecting absolutist coaching advice and honoring context  • using scarcity and social proof to drive attendance  • building a distinct coaching brand through consistent themes  • reducing instructor self-doubt and pre-aligning your energy  • treating themes as low-stakes experiments (music, mood, audience fit)  • proof points from long-running theme series and community favourites  • when to skip themes and use co-leads or other levers instead If you’re ready to build classes that feel intentional, confident, and yours, Instructor Magic doors are currently open. It’s where I teach the psychology, strategy, and systems behind coaching that fill rooms and sustain you. Want to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.

In this episode, Hannah pulls back the curtain on one of the most overlooked skills in group fitness: how to coach different types of learners in the room. Drawing from her dual career as an indoor cycling coach and a college instructor, she explains why some cues land instantly—and why others don’t. You’ll learn: Why coaching is more than cueing choreographyHow different learners absorb effort, challenge, and instructionThe simple shifts that create more connected, confident, in-sync roomsWhy numbers alone aren’t enough (and what to do instead)How expectations build trust and eliminate effort-rationingShe also shares how this approach strengthens community, improves retention, and helps every rider—from first-time guests to 1,700-ride veterans—feel seen, supported, and successful. Want to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.

In this heartfelt episode, I open up about coming out publicly at age 36—and how it’s transformed my life. Along the way, I chat about why I unapologetically repost older content, the shame I carried with me from childhood, and how discovering love later in life felt like the easiest, most natural thing. Through stories from DJing at gay clubs to repressed emotions in relationships, I unpack: What early signs and shame around my identity looked likeHow I shifted from hiding to living authenticallyMeeting my partner and feeling that unforgettable “crush at first sight”The overwhelmingly positive reactions from family, friends, colleagues, and how love changed everythingWhy I’m picky about the places I work and perform nowA reminder that “coming out” can feel right, if the timing and support are there for youLinks & Resources Resources for coming out on your own timeline (linked below)Trevor Project (great all-around guide, especially for youth)PFlag Canada a list of resources, including for families Rainbow Resource Centre Learn more about Instructor Magic, Podium Prep, and upcoming programsWant to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.

Tired of spending too much time on playlist prep? In this episode, I’m sharing my go-to hacks and tools to help you build high-energy, seamless playlists faster—so you can focus on what matters most: coaching an unforgettable class! Here’s what we’ll cover: ✨ Best platforms for finding extended remixes and high-energy tracks (goodbye, awkward song fades!). ✨ How to transfer playlists between Spotify, Apple Music & more—without losing your flow. ✨ Organizing music by BPM & movement type to make class planning effortless. ✨ Leveling up transitions with DJ tools that keep the beat going strong. ✨ My favorite remix sources to keep your playlists fresh and exciting! This is just the beginning—inside Instructor Magic, we go way deeper into music strategy, class flow, and personal branding. But today? You’re getting my best quick wins to upgrade your playlists instantly. Want to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.

Ever wonder what it takes to become a lead instructor? Or- if you're a studio owner- how to hire one? In this episode, we discuss leadership in boutique fitness studios, including what it takes to be a successful lead instructor and how studio owners can identify and develop team leaders. Key topics include: ✨ Mistakes to avoid when promoting instructors to leadership roles. ✨ The top qualities every lead instructor needs (and how to develop them). ✨ Studio owner must-haves: evaluation rubrics, development plans, and more. ✨ How to foster a positive, collaborative studio culture. And finally, a sneak peek at upcoming offerings, including customized professional development workshops for studio owners and a new Leaders Lab program for aspiring lead instructors *Join the waitlist here!* If you're a studio owner who wants to create a professional development training plan for your team in 2025, get in touch HERE. Want to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.

BLACK FRIDAY SALE ON NOW: 25% OFF ALL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING INSTRUCTOR MAGIC. Use code BLACKFRIDAY at checkout!  Ever wondered how some fitness instructors manage to fill their classes every single time and create raving communities of fans?  There are 5 Keys to Fitness Instructor Mastery: musicality, marketing, motivation, coaching & cueing, and mindset.  Inside this audio replay of my masterclass, I review them all, along with some amazing success stories of fitness professionals who have gone through Instructor Magic and levelled up, filled classes, and change lives.   This episode wraps up with an invitation to join the Instructor Magic six-week course, packed with resources and mentorship to guide your fitness instruction journey to success. Whether you're a studio owner or an instructor looking for a fresh perspective, this episode is your ticket to unlocking a world of possibilities. Want to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.

Navigating life's toughest moments and still finding the strength to move forward and show up —how do we do it?  On this heartfelt episode of the Yes You Can podcast, I open up about the profound challenges I've faced over the past seven months, including my horse Finn's traumatic surgery and the sudden loss of dear friends, family, and finally putting my dog Pinky to rest this week. These events have taken a significant toll on my mental health, and I share the struggle of discussing grief while still in the throes of healing.  Through these personal stories, I aim to provide a lifeline for anyone grappling with similar hardships, reminding you that finding meaning and strength is possible even during the darkest times. Want to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.

Zack Schares is a fitness consultant and trainer who just embarked on a 38-city road trip tour of North American indoor cycling studios.  He is sharing his findings *exclusively* with all of you Yes You Can listeners on the common themes he heard while delivering soul-shaking classes and conducting workshops for instructors. We talk about: When choreography becomes performativeWhat communities *actually* want and need from a studio, instructor, and experienceConflict between instructors and studios - the individual vs. the group How to motivate authentically and respond in the moment to a classTo join the Instructor Magic community, click HERE. To sign up and get my emails, playlists, free guides, and workshops, click HERE. INSTAGRAM Follow Zach on Instagram here Follow Hannah on Instagram here Want to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.

*INSTRUCTOR MAGIC IS NOW OPEN - USE code YESYOUCAN to get $50 off and enroll today!*  This real-talk episode might just be the thing you need to: Quit looking to SoundCloud for the *perfect* playlist Spending hours scouring through your daily mixesWondering what it will take to create a passionate community and raving following Basically... if you're ready to transform your fitness classes and take your coaching career to the next level, I share what ACTUALLY leads to consistently waitlisted classes.  I'll debunk the myth that great playlists are the secret to success and reveal the true keys to creating compelling class experiences—authentic motivation, effective communication, and vibrant energy. Join me as I share personal insights from my journey and break down the five keys to fitness instructor mastery, offering a sneak peek into the course content packed with video lessons and motivational tools that will revolutionize the way you connect with and inspire your participants.Whether you're just starting out or looking to enhance your skills, I'll guide you on how to shift your energy towards impactful strategies that drive real results and make a lasting difference in your clients' lives.  Want to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.

Ever said, "My studio doesn't promote me," or... "My instructors don't promote my studio"? In this episode, I share my experience with leadership, HR, managing expectations and marketing to address some of those icky but honest truths about whose responsibility it REALLY is to promote and fill classes, and how to do it well. I also talk about the Fit Pro Pay Transparency Project results (as a teaser!), my new program for instructors who want to build their entrepreneurial/side hustle skills, and Instructor Magic. Join the waitlist for the Leaders Lab here!  Want to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.

Ever wonder what group fitness instructors get paid?  Or... if what you're getting paid is "industry standard?"  To my knowledge, there's little-to-no information widely available on the average pay scales for instructors, coaches, or the junior-to-lead instructor promotion. In this episode, I'm opening up the conversation about pay transparency in our industry and start to share results from my new project, the Fit Pro Pay Transparency Project, where I'm collecting survey responses from group fitness instructors from around the world until April 15. We also talk about: Why instructors should get paid commission or bonuses Contractors vs. employeesFinances for fitpros How it's not the studio vs. instructorsWhy transparency helps everyone understand expectations   FILL OUT THE SURVEY HERE Want to level up your coaching abilities? The SPRING SALE is HERE for all Instructor Magic courses, including 1:1 coaching! Get up to 40% off online education with lifetime access in the Instructor Magic Academy and suite of courses for instructors who want to level up, fill classes, and change lives.