ESDA Founders
Darlene DeFour
Hunter College
New York NY
Carmel Drewes
Empowerment Changes
Stoughton MA
https://empowerment-changes.org/
Brenda Jones
The Center for Anti-Violence Education
Brooklyn NY
Caeny.org
Anne Kuzminsky
West Kingston RI
Clara Porter
Prevention.Action.Change
Portland ME
Pacmaine.com
Alena Schaim
Resolve (an IMPACT organization)
Santa Fe NM
resolvenm.org
505-992-8833
Susan (George) Schorn
Austin Texas
SusanSchorn.com
Meg Stone
IMPACT Boston
Impactboston.org
FB: impactboston
781.321.3900
Martha Thompson
IMPACT Chicago
Chicago IL
FB: impactchicago
312.971.7119
Lynne Marie Wanamaker
Safe Passage
Northampton MA
Lmwsafe.com / Safepass.org
Lauren Taylor
Defend Yourself
@1defendyourself
Safe Bars
FB: safebarshq
301.608.3708
Yuko Uchikawa
Ruckus Safety Awareness
Brooklyn NY
Makearuckus.org
Individuals and organizations that self-identify as offering or supporting ESD (as of 11/18)
Through posts on listservs and Facebook pages serving self-defense instructors (e.g. Self-Defense Discussion Group, ESD Global, National Women’s Martial Arts Federation, Pacific Association of Women Martial Artists, IMPACT International), the Empowerment Self-Defense Alliance (ESDA) invited individuals and organizations self-identifying as ESD Instructors or affiliates to provide their contact information. Inclusion doesn’t equal endorsement.
In the US
California
Beauty Bites Beast
Ellen Snortland
Altadena, CA
@BeautyBitesBeastDoc
Hand to Hand
Joyce Mende Wong
Oakland, CA
IMPACT Personal Safety
Los Angeles and Southern California
ImpactPersonalSafety.com
FB: IMPACT Personal Safety
IG: @impactpersonalsafety
LisaGaeta@ImpactPersonalSafety.com
310.360.1096
Peace Over Violence
Los Angeles, CA
-
Patti Giggins
213.955.9090 ext.103
-
Zoe Muñoz
Colorado
Crystal Middlestat
Denver, CO
linkedin.com/in/crystal-middlestadt-46205791
FB: Crystal Middlestat
720.443.3387
Florida
On Point Wellness
Michele Elefante & Deb Lee
Melbourne, FL
onpointwellnessfl.org
321.345.3978
Illinois
National Karate
Juli Brown
Barlett, IL
630.289.7777
IMPACT Chicago
Martha Thompson (ESDA)
Chicago, IL
FB: impactchicago
312.971.7119
Thousand Waves Martial Arts & Self-Defense Center
Chicago, IL
(combined with martial arts)
@TWSelfDefense
773.472.7663
Kentucky
Empowering Movement
Katie Gardner
Lexington, KY
Maine
Prevention.Action.Change
Clara Porter (ESDA)
Portland, ME
Pacmaine.com
Massachusetts
ESD Global Inc.
Boston, MA
FB: ESD Global Self Defense
IMPACT Boston
Meg Stone (ESDA)
Impactboston.org
FB: impactboston
781.321.3900
Tenacity Women's Self-Defense
Beth Capotosto
Boston, MA
FB: tenacityselfdefense
Safe Passage
Lynne Marie Wanamaker (ESDA)
Northampton, MA
Lmwsafe.com / Safepass.org
Empowerment Changes
Carmel Drewes (ESDA)
Stoughton, MA
https://empowerment-changes.org/
FB: empowermentchanges
512.771.2622
Fierce & Female Empowerment Self Defense
Melissa Soalt
413.896.5357
Michigan
Mejishi Martial Arts
Jaye Spiro
Detroit, MI
248.542.5371
Mississippi
Fusion Martial Arts of Pearl
Pearl, MS
Fusionmartialartsofpearl.com
601-201-1271
New Mexico
Resolve (an IMPACT organization)
Alena Schaim (ESDA)
Santa Fe, NM
resolvenm.org
505-992-8833
New York
The Center for Anti-Violence Education
Brenda Jones (ESDA)
Brooklyn, NY
Caeny.org
Ruckus Safety Awareness
Yuko Uchikawa (ESDA)
Brooklyn, NY
Makearuckus.org
Darlene DeFour (ESDA)
Hunter College
New York, NY
Prepare Inc (an IMPACT organization)
New York, NY
prepareinc.com
FB: PrepareInc
@prepareinc
212-255-0505
North Dakota
Turtle Mountain Empowerment Self Defense
Belcourt, ND
FB: Turtle Mountain Empowerment Self Defense
Ohio
IMPACT Safety
Julie Harmon
Columbus, OH
FB:IMPACT-Safety
614.437.2884
Darla Bolon
Columbus, Ohio
Oregon
University of Oregon Women's Self-Defense
Jocelyn Hollander
Eugene. OR
selfdefense.uoregon.edu
Emerj Safe Now
Carolyne Haycraft
Portland. OR
FB: emerjsafenow
503.896.1522
WomenStrength
Portland. OR
www.portlandoregon.gov/police/womenstrength
sara.johnson@portlandoregon.gov
503-498-8452
Pennsylvania
Lioness Martial Arts
Mona MacDonald
Pittsburgh. PA
412.241.6519
WAVE Self-Defense
Corrine Lagermasini
www.helpwomen.org/wave-self-defense
Philadelphia, PA
Rhode Island
Anne Kuzminsky (ESDA)
West Kingston, RI
Texas
George (Susan) Schorn (ESDA)
Austin, Texas
SusanSchorn.com
Sun Dragon Martial Arts & Self Defense NFP
Austin, TX
Sundragon.org
512.416.9735
Washington
Mount Spokane Martial Arts
Opal Harbert
Mead, WA
Mtspokanemartialarts.com
509-590-3873
Strategic Living LLC
Joanne Factor
Seattle, WA
FB: StrategicLiving
@strategicliving
IG: strategicliving
206.202.0748
Lisa Scheff
Paradox Self-Defense
Bellingham, WA
Washington D.C.
Lauren Taylor
Defend Yourself
@1defendyourself
Safe Bars
FB: safebarshq
301.608.3708
Wisconsin
Chimera Self-Defense
Madison, WI
https://thercc.org/programs-and-services/chimera-self-defense/
608.251.5126 x15
International
Belize
S. H. E. Thing Self-Defense and Personal Safety
Belize City Belize
501-630-5571
Canada
Jessica McAlea
North Bay, Ontario
FB: Jessica Hothi
7054974333
Waterloo Kung Fu
Patricia Anderson-Fievoli
Waterlook, Ontario
Costa Rica
Aude Mulliez
Germany
Frauen in Bewegung (Women in Movement)
Sunny Graf
+496959794590
Israel
Tamar Priel
Tel Aviv Israel
Jackie Hyman
@jaxhyman
El Halev
Jerusalem Israel
elhalev.org
אל הלב El HaLev
-
Anat Errel
972-26781764
-
Gabriella Wexler Tanami
-
-
-
Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
972-2-6781764/
FB: YuditSensei or Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
Paths2Power/Darkei Ohz
Jill Baker Shames
Rehovot, Israel
FB: Jill Shames, MSW- Empowerment & Therapeutic Warrior Arts
Twitter: @jillsensei
972-525602296
Netherlands
Dragonfire Dreams Unlimited
Wendy Dragonfire
+31243444349
+31653581440
United Kingdom
The London Centre for Personal Safety (LCPS)
Richard Chipping
lcps@londoncentreforpersonalsafety.org.uk
44 (0)2087437827
unds survivors’ agency, awareness of the neuro-biological factors surrounding trauma, and a commitment to social justice as fundamental components of violence prevention. Click here for What is Empowerment Self-Defense?
FIND AN ESD PRACTITIONER
ESDA Founders
Darlene DeFour C
Hunter College
New York NY
Carmel Drewes
Empowerment Changes
Stoughton MA
https://empowerment-changes.org/
Brenda Jones O
The Center for Anti-Violence Education
Brooklyn NY
Caeny.org
Anne Kuzminsky C/T
West Kingston RI
Clara Porter C/T/O
Prevention.Action.Change
Portland ME
Pacmaine.com
Alena Schaim C/O
Resolve – Violence prevention in NM
Santa Fe NM
resolvenm.org
505-992-8833
Susan (George) Schorn
Austin Texas
SusanSchorn.com
Meg Stone C/T/O
IMPACT Boston
Impactboston.org
FB: impactboston
781.321.3900
Martha Thompson C/T
IMPACT Chicago
Chicago IL
FB: impactchicago
312.971.7119
Lynne Marie Wanamaker
Safe Passage
Northampton MA
Lmwsafe.com / Safepass.org
Lauren Taylor
Defend Yourself C/T/)
@1defendyourself
Safe Bars
FB: safebarshq
301.608.3708
Yuko Uchikawa
Ruckus Safety Awareness
Brooklyn NY
Makearuckus.org
Individuals and organizations that self-identify as offering or supporting ESD
(as of 11/18)
Through posts on listservs and Facebook pages serving self-defense instructors (e.g. Self-Defense Discussion Group, ESD Global, National Women’s Martial Arts Federation, Pacific Association of Women Martial Artists, IMPACT International), the Empowerment Self-Defense Alliance (ESDA) invited individuals and organizations self-identifying as ESD Instructors or affiliates to provide their contact information. Inclusion doesn’t equal endorsement. offer online training -- find a list of the workshops here.
Practitioners with a C teach on college campuses; practitioners with a C/T teach on college campuses and are available to travel; practitioners with an O offer online training -- find a list of the workshops here.
In the US
California
Beauty Bites Beast
Ellen Snortland
Altadena, CA
@BeautyBitesBeastDoc
Hand to Hand C/T
Joyce Mende Wong
Oakland, CA
SelfDefense@handtohandkajukenbo.com
IMPACT Personal Safety
Los Angeles and Southern California
ImpactPersonalSafety.com
FB: IMPACT Personal Safety
IG: @impactpersonalsafety
LisaGaeta@ImpactPersonalSafety.com
310.360.1096
Peace Over Violence C/T
Los Angeles, CA
-
Patti Giggins
213.955.9090 ext.103
-
Zoe Muñoz
Girls Fight Back
Los Angeles, CA
Colorado
Crystal Middlestat
Denver, CO
linkedin.com/in/crystal-middlestadt-46205791
FB: Crystal Middlestat
720.443.3387
Florida
On Point Wellness
Michele Elefante & Deb Lee
Melbourne, FL
onpointwellnessfl.org
321.345.3978
Illinois
Culture of Safety LLC C/T
Amy Jones and Erin Epperson
Juli Brown
Empowered Strategies, LLC
Bartlett, IL
www.empoweredstrategiesselfdefense.com
FB: empoweredstrategiesselfdefense
630.660.7162
IMPACT Chicago C/T
Martha Thompson (ESDA)
Chicago, IL
FB: impactchicago
312.971.7119
Thousand Waves Martial Arts & Self-Defense Center C/T
Chicago, IL
(combined with martial arts)
@TWSelfDefense
773.472.7663
Kentucky
Empowering Movement C/T
Katie Gardner
Berea, KY
Thrive Empowerment Center
Lauren Bailey & Lindsey Ross
Lakeside Park, KY
Maine
Prevention.Action.Change C/T/O
Clara Porter (ESDA)
Portland, ME
Pacmaine.com
Massachusetts
ESD Global Inc.
Boston, MA
FB: ESD Global Self Defense
IMPACT Boston C/T/O
Meg Stone (ESDA)
Impactboston.org
FB: impactboston
781.321.3900
Labrys
https://sites.google.com/site/labrysempowermentselfdefense/
Tenacity Women's Self-Defense
Beth Capotosto
Boston, MA
FB: tenacityselfdefense
Safe Passage
Lynne Marie Wanamaker (ESDA)
Northampton, MA
Lmwsafe.com / Safepass.org
Empowerment Changes
Carmel Drewes (ESDA)
Stoughton, MA
https://empowerment-changes.org/
FB: empowermentchanges
512.771.2622
Fierce & Female Empowerment Self Defense
Melissa Soalt
413.896.5357
The STRONG Program
Nancy Rothenberg
Easthampton, MA
thestrongprogram.com
Michigan
Mejishi Martial Arts
Jaye Spiro
Detroit, MI
248.542.5371
Mississippi
Fusion Martial Arts of Pearl
Pearl, MS
Fusionmartialartsofpearl.com
601-201-1271
New Mexico
Resolve -- Violence prevention in NM C/T/O
Alena Schaim (ESDA)
Santa Fe, NM
resolvenm.org
505-992-8833
New York
The Center for Anti-Violence Education C/T/O
Brenda Jones (ESDA)
Brooklyn, NY
Caeny.org
Ruckus Safety Awareness
Yuko Uchikawa (ESDA)
Brooklyn, NY
Makearuckus.org
Darlene DeFour (ESDA)
Hunter College
New York, NY
Prepare Inc (an IMPACT organization) C/T
New York, NY
prepareinc.com
FB: PrepareInc
@prepareinc
212-255-0505
North Dakota
Turtle Mountain Empowerment Self Defense
Belcourt, ND
FB: Turtle Mountain Empowerment Self Defense
Ohio
IMPACT Safety C/T
Julie Harmon
Columbus, OH
FB:IMPACT-Safety
614.437.2884
Darla Bolon C
Columbus, Ohio
614.327.7209
Oregon
University of Oregon Women's Self-Defense C/T
Jocelyn Hollander
Eugene, OR
selfdefense.uoregon.edu
Emerj Safe Now
Carolyne Haycraft
Portland, OR
FB: emerjsafenow
503.896.1522
Naga, LLC
Silvia Smart
Beaverton OR
@nagamartialarts
The Empowerment Podcast by Naga
WomenStrength
Portland. OR
www.portlandoregon.gov/police/womenstrength
503-498-8452
Pennsylvania
Lioness Martial Arts
Mona MacDonald
Pittsburgh. PA
412.241.6519
WAVE Self-Defense C/T
Corrine Lagermasini
www.helpwomen.org/wave-self-defense
Philadelphia, PA
Rhode Island
Anne Kuzminsky (ESDA) C/T
West Kingston, RI
Texas
George (Susan) Schorn (ESDA)
Austin, TX
SusanSchorn.com
Sun Dragon Martial Arts & Self Defense NFP C/T
Austin, TX
Sundragon.org
512.416.9735
Washington
Mount Spokane Martial Arts
Opal Harbert
Mead, WA
Mtspokanemartialarts.com
509-590-3873
Strategic Living LLC C/T
Joanne Factor
Seattle, WA
FB: StrategicLiving
@strategicliving
IG: strategicliving
206.202.0748
Lisa Scheff
Paradox Self-Defense
Bellingham, WA
Washington, D.C.
Lauren Taylor C/T/O
Defend Yourself
@1defendyourself
Safe Bars
FB: safebarshq
301.608.3708
Wisconsin
Chimera Self-Defense
Madison, WI
608.251.5126 x15
International
Belize
S. H. E. Thing Self-Defense and Personal Safety
Belize City Belize
501-630-5571
Canada
Jessica McAlea
North Bay, Ontario
FB: Jessica Hothi
7054974333
Waterloo Kung Fu
Patricia Anderson-Fievoli
Waterloo, Ontario
Costa Rica
Aude Mulliez
Germany
Frauen in Bewegung (Women in Movement)
Sunny Graff
+496959794590
Israel
Tamar Priel
Tel Aviv Israel
Jackie Hyman
@jaxhyman
El Halev
Jerusalem Israel
elhalev.org
אל הלב El HaLev
-
Anat Errel
972-26781764
-
Gabriella Wexler Tanami
Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
972-2-6781764/
FB: YuditSensei or Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
Paths2Power/Darkei Ohz
Jill Baker Shames
Rehovot, Israel
FB: Jill Shames, MSW- Empowerment & Therapeutic Warrior Arts
Twitter: @jillsensei
972-525602296
Netherlands
Dragonfire Dreams Unlimited
Wendi Dragonfire
+31243444349
+31653581440
United Kingdom
The London Centre for Personal Safety (LCPS)
Richard Chipping
lcps@londoncentreforpersonalsafety.org.uk
44 (0)2087437827