The Gabby Reece Show

I sat down with Dominic Luke, a former Air Force pararescueman of ten years and author of That Others May Love More, to talk about the formative trauma at seventeen, the shame and self-blame that followed, and how avoidance later surfaced as identity loss, heavier drinking, and strain in his marriage after leaving the military, how he reclaimed his power, from breathwork and yoga to professionally guided psychedelic ceremonies, and why healing eventually has to become service.
What we explore:
* How high capability can mask unhealed trauma
* Why “it wasn’t your fault” unlocks real healing
* What avoidance costs: identity loss, drinking, marriage strain
* How breathwork, yoga, and psychedelics support recovery
* Why healing has to become service
Chapters:
* 00:00 Dom Returns Solo to Open Up Fully
* 02:15 The Italian Family Roots Behind His Story
* 04:29 The Teen Trauma He Hid for Years
* 09:11 Why Self-Blame Keeps You Stuck
* 12:53 How to Parent Through Honest Conversations
* 19:25 Why Being Capable Isn’t Being Healed
* 21:58 How Opening Up Saved His Marriage
* 25:04 Losing Your Identity After the Military
* 29:52 How to Balance Masculine and Feminine Energy
* 38:11 When Your Healing Becomes Your Purpose
* 50:29 Why High Achievers Secretly Stall Out
* 54:36 How Breathwork and CO2 Unlock Flow
* 1:10:23 How Psychedelics Can Help You Heal
* 1:17:59 Why Ben Roberts’ Story Still Matters
About Dominic Luke:
Dominic Luke served as a U.S. Air Force pararescueman for ten years. Today he’s an author, coach, yoga instructor, and XPT coach who works with high-performing leaders on the private struggles that capability tends to hide. His book, That Others May Love More, traces his own path through trauma, forgiveness, and reclaiming identity, and offers tools for anyone ready to stop repeating their patterns.
Connect with Dominic Luke:
Website: https://www.domluke.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_dominicluke_
Get a copy of Dominic Luke’s Book
👉https://a.co/d/0gocOAnw
–
The Gabby Reece Show
This is where I have real conversations with the people I find most worth listening to: scientists, athletes, coaches, parents, and thinkers who are doing the hard work of building a life that holds up over time. No hacks. No quick fixes. Just honest, practical conversations about performance, longevity, relationships, and what it actually takes to show up well at every age.
If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.
Connect with Gabby Reece:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficial
Website: https://gabriellereece.com


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com

Financial stress doesn't just live in your bank account, it lives in your body. 

In this episode, I sat down with Kiana Danial, founder of Invest Diva and creator of the Triple Compounding method to unpack why money is just as much a wellbeing issue as sleep, movement, or nutrition, and why investing confidently starts with understanding your own risk tolerance, not chasing hype.

This episode gives you a system for thinking about risk, debt, and growth instead of a list of stock tips.

What we explore:
- Risk tolerance: separating personality from actual financial capacity
- Candlestick psychology: reading market emotion instead of chasing headlines
- Triple compounding: building wealth across self, business, and investments
- Kids and money: Roth IRA, UTMA, 529 accounts, and hiring your own children
- Portfolio borrowing: using leverage instead of selling and paying taxes

Chapters:

00:00 Why Personal Finance Is a Wellbeing Issue
01:32 From Iran to an Eight-Figure Portfolio
07:07 The 3 Factors That Shape Risk Tolerance
10:46 Reading Stock Candles Instead of Headlines
13:21 How $50 a Month Builds Wealth
16:56 Roth IRA vs UTMA vs 529 for Kids
21:54 How to Borrow Against Your Portfolio Tax-Free
25:24 The Habit That Separates Wealth Builders From Everyone Else
32:09 Money Myths Keeping You From Investing
41:14 Robinhood vs Schwab vs Fidelity Compared
49:03 Overlooked Sectors: Energy, Defense, and Boring Giants
58:32 How She Prioritizes Sleep Despite a Busy Schedule

About Kiana Danial:
Kiana Danial is the founder and CEO of Invest Diva and the creator of Triple Compounding, a wealth-building framework that took her from $500 to an eight-figure portfolio. A former engineer and best-selling author of nine books, she's known for translating investing into plain, usable language without the hype.

Connect with Kiana Danial
Website: https://www.triplecompounding.com/yes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/investdiva/

This episode is sponsored by:

TRUE NUTRITION:
👉 Get 20% off your first custom blend at truenutrition.com/GABBY with code GABBY

–

The Gabby Reece Show

This is where I have real conversations with the people I find most worth listening to: scientists, athletes, coaches, parents, and thinkers who are doing the hard work of building a life that holds up over time. No hacks. No quick fixes. Just honest, practical conversations about performance, longevity, relationships, and what it actually takes to show up well at every age.

If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.

Connect with Gabby Reece:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficial
Website: https://gabriellereece.com

Produced by Dear Media.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com

Strength means nothing if your nervous system never gets the signal to rest.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan, exercise physiologist and professor at UNC Chapel Hill, to break down sympathetic versus parasympathetic states, why "central nervous system fatigue" shows up in athletes and high performers alike, and how recovery, not more output, is often the missing lever. We get into simple breathwork, the role of community and mindset in downregulation, and how nutrition, hydration, and hormones shape your capacity to handle stress at every life stage. 

This isn't about doing less. It's about learning to periodize the push so you can sustain it.

What we explore:
- Sprint-then-rest cycles, and why sustainable performance depends on both.
- Sympathetic vs. parasympathetic states, explained in plain terms.
- Diaphragmatic breathwork, the two-minute reset that works anywhere.
- Burnout warning signs in high performers and athletes.
- Recovery tech, from hyperbaric chambers to guided vibration therapy.
- Hormones and midlife, and their direct impact on nervous system regulation.

Chapters:

00:00 What Is Proof of Practice With Gabby and Abbie
03:19 Why You Can't Sprint Forever Without Burning Out
05:29 Sympathetic vs Parasympathetic Nervous System Explained
07:47 How to Recognize Franticness Before It Takes Over
11:41 The Breathwork Trick: Belly First, Longer Exhale
18:12 Why Pushing Hard Without Recovery Backfires
25:03 Burnout Warning Signs in Athletes and High Performers
37:32 Inside the Hyperbaric Chamber and Shiftwave Chair Setup
44:29 Why Under-Eating Sabotages Cortisol and Recovery
47:41 Hydration, Supplements, and Microdosing After 50
54:39 How Hormones Affect Your Nervous System in Midlife
56:46 How to Regulate Your Nervous System Under Load

About Dr. Abby Smith-Ryan:
Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan is a professor of exercise physiology and nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she directs the Applied Physiology Laboratory. Her research focuses on exercise and nutrition interventions for body composition, metabolism, and women's health across the lifespan, including perimenopause and menopause.

Connect with Dr. Abby Smith-Ryan:
Website: http://asmithryan.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asmithryan/

This episode is sponsored by:

TRUE NUTRITION:
👉 Get 20% off your first custom blend at truenutrition.com/GABBY with code GABBY

–

The Gabby Reece Show

This is where I have real conversations with the people I find most worth listening to: scientists, athletes, coaches, parents, and thinkers who are doing the hard work of building a life that holds up over time. No hacks. No quick fixes. Just honest, practical conversations about performance, longevity, relationships, and what it actually takes to show up well at every age.

If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.

Connect with Gabby Reece:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficial
Website: https://gabriellereece.com

Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

Produced by Dear Media.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com

A great coach can change the entire direction of a person's life.

I sat down with John Cook, a four-time national championship volleyball coach and the winningest coach in Nebraska volleyball history. We talk about coaching with love, building deep relationships with players, coaching his own daughter, and staying in the game for over three decades without losing yourself in it.
What we explore:
- Why burnout forced John to completely rebuild his coaching style after winning a national championship.
- How "build deep relationships" became the foundation of a culture that won four national titles.
- What changes when you coach your own daughter, and how they kept the relationship intact.
- Why women need to bond before they compete, and what that means for leading any team.
- How three daily questions kept John grounded through 25 years at the same program.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro
01:36 Daughter Quits UCLA Volleyball, Comes Home
04:32 How to Learn a New Sport Fast
07:54 Why a Growth Mindset Wins Championships
10:45 Coaching Burnout: How I Learned to Coach With Love
14:02 How to Build Deep Relationships With Your Team
17:04 Coaching Men vs Women: Key Differences
18:20 How to Protect Your Team Culture
22:40 How to Build Leaders Using Team Themes
32:21 3 Daily Questions Every Leader Should Ask
40:18 How to Know When It's Time to Retire
4313 Is NCAA Money Bad for College Athletes
52:26 3 Ways to Beat Coaching Burnout
56:59 From Head Coach to General Manager
1:04:58 Why Athletes Struggle With Imposter Syndrome

About John Cook:
John Cook is the winningest coach in Nebraska volleyball history and a four-time NCAA national champion. Over 32 years as a college head coach, including 25 seasons at Nebraska, he built one of the most successful programs in college athletics and became known for developing leaders as much as athletes. He now serves as Co-Owner and General Manager of the Omaha Supernovas.

Connect with John Cook: 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johncook_2/

–

This episode is sponsored by:

ONESKIN: Skin longevity backed by real science, not a 10-step routine.
👉 Get 15% off OneSkin with the code GABBYREECE at https://www.oneskin.co/GABBYREECE #oneskinpod

TIMELINE: Support your cells and how you age with Mitopure® Gummies from Timeline. 
👉Get up to 39% off your Mitopure® Gummies 
https://timeline.com/GABBY

–

The Gabby Reece Show

This is where I have real conversations with the people I find most worth listening to: scientists, athletes, coaches, parents, and thinkers who are doing the hard work of building a life that holds up over time. No hacks. No quick fixes. Just honest, practical conversations about performance, longevity, relationships, and what it actually takes to show up well at every age.

If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.

Connect with Gabby Reece:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficial
Website: https://gabriellereece.com

Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

Produced by Dear Media.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com

Self-defense isn't about knowing the moves. It's about knowing yourself well enough to rarely need them. 

I sat down with Cesalina Gracie, a self-defense educator and first-time Everest summiter. We cover the fundamentals of women's safety, the Everest expedition, and the through-line that connects both: physical training builds emotional resilience. 

What we explore:
- Women's safety: why mindset and presence matter more than technique.
- The freeze response: why women freeze under threat, and how preparation overrides it.
- Everest: what 50 days on the mountain taught about fear, self-advocacy, and decision-making under real pressure.
- Physical training as emotional resilience: why strength in the body is the foundation for strength everywhere else.
- Identity and self-trust: cutting the word "when" from your life and betting on yourself before anyone else does.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro
02:00 Awareness, Prevention, and Taking Up Space
05:00 How Engaging First Defuses a Threat
08:30 55% of Your Safety Is Non-Verbal
13:00 Why Avoidance Is the Real Self-Defense Skill
16:00 Why Women Freeze (And Why It's Not Their Fault)
20:15 The Modern Women Safety System Explained
26:00 Teaching Girls to Trust Their Gut
30:30 The One Belief Every Woman Needs
35:00 Champions vs. Winners: The Internal Constitution
40:15 Why Cesalina Said Yes to Everest
44:00 Training for Everest: Pull-Ups and 9-Hour Days
48:30 What Acclimatization Really Feels Like
51:30 The Invisible Contract She Made on the Mountain
57:30 Self-Defense at 20,000 Feet
01:05:00 What Everest Proved About Jujitsu
01:19:30 Why Preparation Creates Peace, Not Anxiety
01:24:00 "Your Life Will Find You"
01:28:30 Gabby's Leading Question: What's the Point?
01:31:00 Cesalina's Next Chapter

About Cesalina Gracie:
A self-defense educator and women's safety advocate from the Gracie family - the Brazilian jiu-jitsu dynasty that changed martial arts. She is the creator of the Modern Women Safety System and, in 2024, became one of the few women to summit Mount Everest on her first attempt.

Connect with Cesalina Gracie: 
Website: https://cesalina.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/cesalinagracie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cesagracie/

–

The Gabby Reece Show

This is where I have real conversations with the people I find most worth listening to: scientists, athletes, coaches, parents, and thinkers who are doing the hard work of building a life that holds up over time. No hacks. No quick fixes. Just honest, practical conversations about performance, longevity, relationships, and what it actually takes to show up well at every age.

If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.

Connect with Gabby Reece:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficial
Website: https://gabriellereece.com

Produced by Dear Media.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com