The Melbourne launch event brought together friends, family, supporters, clients, and community members who had all played a role in my journey over the years.

Thank you to everyone who attended The Boxer Within event, where I relaunched my book and launched my business Thelo Active Therapy, on Friday 23 April 2021, at The Exchange Hotel in Port Melbourne.

It was incredibly meaningful to see people come together not just to celebrate and support my message around resilience, mental health, growth, and connection. It reminded me that vulnerability, honesty, and lived experience can create powerful conversations, and that sometimes the most difficult chapters of our lives become the very thing that allows us to help others.

Martial Arts expert and therapist, Vickie Simos (centre) next to the president of the Greek Community in Melbourne, Bill Papastergiadis. Photo: Peter Zoulas

It was a great event, which included entrepreneur, business expert and friend keynote speaker Kristian Livolsi who kept a captive audience for over an hour.

Vickie with George Donikian, and Bill Papastergiadis

VIP Guests included, George Donikian, Bill Papastergiadis and his daughter Eleni, Jane and Rob Munro, Andre Samo, Paul Soug, Denise Za and my parents, who travelled from the Riverland SA.

In addition, guests were treated to food and drinks plus having the opportunity to listen to a couple of my clients, who spoke about their own experience or their child's experience training with me.

Special thanks to the friends who came to support me, in no particular order, Eileen, Kos, Jackie, Georgina, Christine, Hush, Voula, Lambros, Frank, Deborah, Melissa and of course friend and photographer for the night Peter Zoulas. Additional thanks to Adrian, Bonnie, Michelle, Tom, Josh, Mary, Nicole and Lucy (Kristian's fiancée) for also attending. Although, we had never met prior to event, they have since become a great support to me and my passion of Martial Arts and mental health.