Using Martial Arts to Conquer Fear and Anxiety

After a lifetime of struggling with her weight, Jen opted to have weight loss surgery and dropped nearly 200 pounds. Although she looked different on the outside, she was devastated to realize that she felt exactly the same inside: depressed, fearful and anxious. To help Jen begin the healing process, filmmaker Jonas Elrod takes her to a martial arts class.

"The different exercises work solely to transmute her anxiety and bring out more confidence and calmness," Jonas says.

Although she was uncomfortable with the idea of martial arts at first, Jen feels confident at the end of the class. "I don't care that much about how I looked," she says. "I feel good."

In the video above, watch Jen go through the movements, and hear why she believes the experience was a huge step toward becoming her true self.

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