Empowering teenage girls through martial arts

Wearing a cape and an aura of strength, Keta Rush resembles a superhero in many ways. Women Of Wrestling (WOW) performers are deeply respected by the sports world. Her Youth Advocacy and Team Her Bully Buster Self Defense Studio has helped countless youth access their own power. But Keeta's fight began long before she stepped into the ring, when Keeta herself was young.

Keita hit puberty in shock. After her mother was in a serious accident and spent 39 days in a coma, Keeta tried to make sense of it, but the young people around her only hurt her.

Like many people, Keta faced bullying. When her parents approached the school, the girls were so cruel that they started beating her, making her bullying even worse. Keta fell into depression and attempted to kill her. She expresses her feelings that her life “had no meaning”.

Bullying among women, especially among middle school and high school students, is persistent and insidious. Unlike men, women often use more psychological tactics in their unkindness, slowly undermining each other's self-esteem. This can look like spreading rumors or kicking or excluding one girl from her friend group, in addition to the traditional physical bullying common to boys.

I spoke with Keta to better understand her story, her unique perspective on bullying, and her thoughts on tackling this wicked problem.

When I spoke to Keita about those dark days, he recalled: He “didn't feel safe going to school.” She says: “When I was a freshman, I felt hopeless every day.”

Sadly, Keta's experience is not an anomaly. A recent survey of 13,677 young people found that as many as one-third reported feeling sad or hopeless every day for at least one week in the previous year (Sutter, et al., 2022 ).

Perhaps more than anything else, feelings of hopelessness are linked to suicidal thoughts. Peer relationships play an important role during adolescence, and bullying and hopelessness create a dangerous storm for young people. Like Keta, thousands of young people attempt suicide every year. Some people won't survive. Bullying, whether physical or psychological, can threaten a young person's well-being and life.

outlet and purpose

Yet, clearly, Keeta's story didn't end there. I was amazed at her experience and asked her how she got through all this. Keta talked about finding her passion and her acting. She shared her story about when she went into an audition thinking it was for a TV show. Greeting her were female professional wrestlers wearing capes. The cable connected immediately. Eventually, she wrestled on a professional level and found herself who she is now by working on WOW, as a WOW superhero.

Keta wanted to help people who were still on the path. Still, as Keta's journey tragically illustrates, it can be difficult for adults to effectively intervene in bullying issues. Keta's approach was to utilize the martial arts he knew. He doesn't teach teenagers to fight, but rather to empower them with “self-development, self-control. How to control your emotions.” These may go unrecognized when it comes to bullying. Keta has used his talents to teach martial arts and confidence to young people.

Research has shown that having a relationship with a trusted adult can act as a protective factor for youth experiencing bullying and potentially reduce the risk of suicide (Park et al. al., 2022). Studies that have employed the use of martial arts to encourage adolescents in secondary schools have also produced results suggesting that such instruction may improve teens' mental health and self-efficacy. (Moore et al., 2023).

hope to act

Keta also notes the centrality therapy has played in her healing. “Therapy saved me,” she says. Keeta acknowledges there are barriers, including cost, that many people face when accessing mental health care, but she wants people to know that resources exist. Spaces such as community mental health centers and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) provide federally subsidized and accessible mental health care (Adams, 2024). Many private clinicians also offer sliding scale services.

We discussed the incredible obstacles that teens face in maintaining their self-esteem. In the world of social media and video games, the art of self-love can sometimes be ignored. She also emphasized the importance of schools taking bullying seriously, as bullying is often overlooked. Keta teaches youth not only self-defense techniques, but also her self-compassion.

For young people who are hurting every day, Keta is hope in action.

If you or someone you love is considering suicide, seek help immediately. For assistance, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 by dialing 988 or texting TALK 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. To find a therapist near you, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.

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