Branko Pantic

I'm Branko, 35 years old, with a bachelor's degree in Psychology. I have 15 years of experience in martial art (namely MMA and the Russian Systema). It was through that training that I started studying mindfulness, which later became my main subject of academic and personal exploration. Over time, this expanded into existential therapy, Lowen's bioenergetic techniques, and Yalom's work on meaning and confronting struggle, all of which now shape how I approach a session.

Each lesson starts with a short check-in to see where you're at, mentally and physically, since that shapes what we focus on that day (be it personal issues or academic interest). From there, we work through a mix of theory and practice: I draw on psychology (including existential and body-based approaches) to explain the "why" behind a technique, and on my martial arts and mindfulness background to give you tools you can actually feel and use, not just read about.

A typical session includes:

1. A brief check-in and goal-setting
2. Going over core ideas behind mindfulness
3. Guided practice and discussions (this can include breathing, focus, or mindfulness exercises where relevant)
4. A short recap and something concrete to work on before next time

My teaching experience comes primarily from martial arts, where I've helped people work through stress, pressure, and lack of confidence, both in training sessions and in daily life. I've grounded these lessons in psychology and mindfulness practice: staying present, tracking emotions and thoughts without fixating on either, focusing on what matters right now rather than the past or future, handling defeat and victory with the same composure, and using breath and physical awareness to support mental clarity. Sessions also touch on bigger questions like finding purpose, sitting with difficulty rather than avoiding it. We draw on existential ideas without turning the lesson into therapy. Sessions adapt naturally whether you're a high schooler, university student, or adult.