Defenders LIVE Podcast

What if the parts of your story you’re most ashamed of could actually help someone else? My guest on this episode of You Can Do Hard Things is Mike Romero, a new firearms instructor who reached out to me looking for some advice. He had questions about getting started, finding students, and dealing with imposter syndrome. But when I asked him why he wanted to become an instructor, our conversation...

I’ve had multiple concussions over the years, and there are still things I struggle with that I’ve pretty much learned to live with. So when my friend Mike Ox came back on Defenders LIVE to talk about concussions, sleep, and brain health, I was especially interested in what he had to say. Mike has experienced 15 concussions himself, and he’s spent years studying the brain and trying to understand...

I’m kicking off a new series on Defenders LIVE called You Can Do Hard Things , and my first guest is my good friend Bethel Wagner. Bethel and I recently spent eight days training at Defenders University with Adam Winch. It was physically exhausting, mentally challenging, and full of lessons neither of us expected. During one particularly frustrating rifle drill, Bethel was struggling to hit a tiny...

I recently spent some time at Defenders University, and one of the days we worked on combatives with Jeremy Horn. My husband was my training partner, and let me tell you, there is nothing quite like having a 200-plus-pound man laying on top of you to remind you how much you don’t know. 😂 He wasn’t even trying to hurt me. He was just using his body weight, and I was struggling to do some of the mo...

As shooters, we spend a lot of time trying to become better shooters. We want to be faster, more accurate, improve our draw, get better at all the things we can measure. But how much of that actually prepares us for what we’re carrying a gun for in the first place? That’s a lot of what I talked about this week with Kevin Creighton. Kevin has spent more than 20 years in the firearms world as an ins...

Five oatmeal cream pies. In a couple of hours. Yep. I did that. And as ridiculous as that sounds, what happened in my head afterward is the reason I’m talking about it. One poor choice became another. Then another. And pretty soon I wasn’t simply thinking, “That was a bad decision.” I was in what I call the shame cave . “You know better.” “Why can’t you control yourself?” “What’s wrong with you?”...

Apparently I “weenied down” a workout in Arizona, Adam cannot handle a computer without having a complete meltdown, and I hauled guns all the way to Arizona because HE begged me to bring them...only for us to never even use them. 😂 And that’s just where this conversation started. Adam Winch is the founder and lead instructor of Defenders USA, but he’s also a good friend, and our conversations beh...

When is enough, enough? I had been wrestling with that question, and then just hours later I became so sick that almost everything I normally do came to a stop. No normal everyday life. No workouts. Almost no screens. Very little I could actually do . And in the stillness, God answered the question in a way I wasn’t expecting. In this week’s Defenders LIVE, I’m sharing something different... a jou...

As a college student, she woke to an attacker kicking through her bedroom door. Years later, she found herself in an entirely different fight, trying to protect her aging mother during a years-long guardianship battle. Those experiences taught her some hard lessons about what it really means to protect yourself and the people you love. In this episode, you’ll hear: * Why your instincts deserve you...

What if the biggest thing keeping you stuck is a lie you don’t even realize you’re telling yourself? “I just need to get motivated.” “I’m waiting for the right time.” “I really want it.” “I’m just being nice.” Sometimes those things are true. And sometimes they’re the stories we tell ourselves because the truth requires us to do something uncomfortable. In this episode, leadership coach Matt Ware...

If everything you’ve accomplished disappeared tomorrow, would you still know who you are? That’s the question underneath this conversation with Defenders USA founder Adam Winch. What started as an off-the-cuff discussion turned into a surprisingly personal conversation about identity, achievement, faith, and strength. You’ll hear: Why high achievers often struggle to recognize how far they’ve come...

In this episode, Adam Winch shares the vision behind Defenders University and explains why the best training develops far more than technical skills. You’ll learn: * Why mindset matters more than gear * How training builds confidence and character * The legal and moral responsibility of carrying a firearm * Why preparation is rooted in purpose, not fear * How great defenders continue growing long...

What separates a good instructor from a great leader? It’s not experience. It’s not talent. It’s the willingness to keep learning. In this episode of Defenders LIVE, Lora sits down with Brent Hickmon, founder of Haven Defense Company and Defenders USA instructor, to reflect on his first experience teaching at the A Girl & A Gun National Conference. Together, they unpack one of the most important l...

In this conversation, Quentin Hafner shares what nearly two decades of counseling and coaching have taught him about leadership, responsibility, and why so many good men struggle in marriage. You’ll learn: Why leadership begins with taking ownershipThe biggest mistake couples make when conflict arisesWhy emotional connection is a skill that can be learnedHow humility creates stronger relationships...

The gun is only part of the story. The real transformation happens when women discover they’re not walking alone. In this episode, Robyn Sandoval shares how A Girl & A Gun has grown into a nationwide community that’s helping women build confidence, resilience, leadership, and lasting friendships. You’ll learn:Why community matters just as much as trainingHow confidence on the range changes life of...

Your kids may be fighting battles you never see. Not on the playground. Behind a screen. In this conversation, Dr. Deanne Regaisis shares what years of research have revealed about cyberbullying, digital safety, and the growing emotional and spiritual challenges young people face online. We discuss why so many children suffer in silence, how cyberbullying can escalate into far more dangerous situa...

After returning from deployment and struggling with chronic fatigue, chronic pain, and nervous system dysregulation, Ryan began a journey that would change the course of his life. What started as a search for answers eventually led him into functional health, genetics, faith-based coaching, and a deeper understanding of what it means to steward the body, mind, and soul God has entrusted to us. In...

Most people think performance is determined in the moment. Kirk Holmer disagrees. A retired Army Special Forces Senior Sergeant, three-time Tactical Games National Champion, and student of human performance, Kirk has spent decades studying what separates those who perform under pressure from those who fall apart when the stakes are high. In this conversation, we explore the psychology of confidenc...

John Gilstrap has spent a lifetime studying courage from every angle. Before becoming a New York Times bestselling author with more than 30 books to his name, John spent 15 years in fire and rescue, responding to some of the worst moments in people’s lives. Later, while researching real-world special operations missions, he earned rare access to Delta Force operators, military leaders, and the tru...

Most people quit when things get hard. Dakota Adelphia chose a different path. From teaching herself through educational setbacks, to biking across America at fifteen, to becoming one of the leading voices in concealed carry education, Dakota’s story is a masterclass in grit, responsibility, and courage. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why doing hard things builds confidence that can’t be faked•...

What if the hardest battle you’ll ever fight is the one inside your own mind? In this powerful conversation, Tyler Tharp opens up about: Losing his father the night he came home from the ArmyBattling anger, hopelessness, and self-destructionThe moment God told him, “Get up. I’m not done with you yet.”Why discipline includes rest and recoveryHow faith transformed the way he sees purpose, love, and...

What happens when an everyday businessman decides he’s no longer willing to sit on the sidelines? In this episode of Defenders LIVE, Lora Thorson sits down with Arizona congressional candidate Daniel Keenan for a conversation that goes far beyond politics. Together, they explore leadership, personal responsibility, constitutional freedom, faith, and the growing hunger Americans have for authentici...

People can tell when someone is real. That is one of the biggest takeaways from this conversation with Jacob Paulsen. We talked about leadership, faith, authenticity, business, personal growth, and why people are starving for honesty in a world that feels increasingly fake. In this episode:• Jacob shares how ConcealedCarry.com was built from the ground up• We talk about what actually makes a great...

What if the thing that makes you “different” is actually the thing God wants to use most? In this solo Ride Along episode, Lora Thorson opens up about why she chooses hard things — from Tactical Games training and fitness to launching a podcast with no roadmap and stepping into uncomfortable growth. She shares how her personal self-defense journey began in 2017 with her very first firearms class,...

If you are called to protect… you cannot afford to stay undisciplined. This episode is not about getting in shape for appearance. It is about becoming someone who can be counted on. In this conversation, we break down: • Why discipline is part of your responsibility as a defender• How neglecting your body limits your ability to lead and serve• The connection between physical health and spiritual d...