Community Organizations
IMPACT helps people experience the power of their bodies and voices while gaining practical and useful safety skills. We teach self-defense that is designed for people of all body types and fitness levels. IMPACT programs are trauma-informed. We emphasize verbal skills to avoid a physical altercation, team building, and mutual support.
Empowerment Self-Defense
Introductory workshops or longer courses empower participants with practical skills, confidence, and awareness to protect themselves and communicate effectively in real-world situations. Each class follows the same format: instructors demonstrate realistic scenarios and model strategies for responding. These strategies could include de-escalation skills, assertiveness and boundary-setting, verbal self-defense strategies, or physical self-defense skills, depending on the scenario and the class. Participants then have the opportunity to practice the skills in the scenario with an instructor who plays the role of an aggressor, an escalated person, a familiar person who is crossing a boundary, etc. This experiential practice helps participants think on their feet and learn to manage their own stress response in order to respond effectively in the moment of confrontation.
Customized Programs
Specialized training to meet your needs. Many communities and organizations have specific safety needs or concerns. Whether you’re addressing an incident, responding to hate speech and threats, or preparing for community events, IMPACT can help.
We work with you to develop customized classes, facilitate stakeholder meetings, or create a detailed abuse prevention plan.
Our collaborators include social service agencies, domestic violence and sexual assault programs, home visitors, youth development programs, community centers, activist groups, adult education centers, counseling centers, performance venues and many others.