Last night, I hosted the very first live Q&A inside the Navigating Neva community with Selena Willows, and it turned into exactly the kind of conversation I hoped this community would create. There was no script. No presentation. No recording. Just aquatic professionals having the conversations we do not usually have—the emotional side of teaching, self-regulation, supporting students through fear, navigating difficult moments, sharing experiences, and learning from one another. The best part was that no one person had to have all the answers. Everyone brought a different perspective, and together we talked through the real-life situations that rarely make it into certification courses or training manuals. Selena enjoyed the conversation so much that afterward, she agreed to come back and do another live Q&A. We are already looking at making these a regular part of the Navigating Neva community. These are the conversations that help us become better instructors, stronger leaders, and more thoughtful aquatic professionals. Sometimes the most valuable learning happens when the cameras are off.

This Monday night, we’re joined live by Selena Willows, founder of Swim to Safety and creator of the 100-minute swim guarantee. If you’ve been following our series or have listened to any of Selena’s episodes on Navigating Neva, this is your opportunity to join us live and ask your questions. Haven’t listened yet? There’s still time to catch a few episodes before Monday. Selena brings decades of experience, practical teaching strategies, and a thoughtful perspective on helping children become safer and more confident in the water. Whether you’re a swim instructor, parent, aquatic professional, or simply passionate about water safety, we’d love to have you there. If you can’t make it but know someone who would benefit from the conversation, please share this post with them. We hope to see you Monday night!

I understand Infant Swimming Research but I have never seen a training where they throw the baby in the pool and then touch the baby shoulders and submerge them underwater, then put their wet jacket over their face. It was just to much- and back to back…