IMPACT teaches personal safety—and
As important as it is to learn to protect
oneself from strangers who mean harm, people are more often
confronted by those they know. Friends, acquaintances, coworkers,
classmates, and trusted adults cross boundaries and push
limits. At IMPACT, we teach , safety awareness, physical
self-defense and how to respond to everyday situations—all
through a broad range of interactive workshops and courses.
IMPACT builds personal safety
from the inside out.
That means providing opportunities to
practice new skills in reality-based scenarios. It means
strong support and coaching. It means teaching muscles what
they need to do in the event of a threat or assault. It
means once learned, the techniques are not forgotten. And
it means at IMPACT, we understand how hard it can be to
face concerns about your safety, especially if you are a
survivor of assault.
IMPACT offers programs for people
of all ages and abilities.
Everyone has the right to be safe. That
is why IMPACT offers programs for people of all ages, starting
with children as young as four years old through adults
of any age. We have experience working with people with
special needs. Each course is designed to address the personal
safety issues of any age group and the needs of each individual.
IMPACT teaches people of all ages and abilities to:
- Recognize when boundaries are not
- Communicate effectively in confrontations.
- Say “no” clearly.
- Set boundaries with strangers or friends.
- Defend against verbal or emotional
- Sharpen instincts.
- Recognize the warning signs of danger.
- De-escalate threatening situations.
- Use emotions, including fear, to keep
- Defend against physical assault.
- Utilize “muscle memory.”
- Live each day with greater confidence.
Expand your choices. Live more fully.
Courses and Workshops - Click here for current schedule
Children Ages 5 to 7 and Their Caring Adults
In this workshop, children learn and
practice personal safety skills that are effective and appropriate
for their age. The course addresses safety when children
are near their caring adult and when farther away. Children
learn to protect themselves by practicing clear boundary
setting, avoiding potentially dangerous situations, how
to ask for help and what to do should the verbal skills
not work. Parents or legal guardians participate in the
workshop with their children. 2 1/2 hours.
Youth Ages 8 to 12 / Teens Ages 13 to
Students learn and practice basic verbal
and nonverbal personal safety techniques that are effective
in situations they are most likely to encounter. The course
emphasizes alternatives to using physical force such as
clear boundary setting, awareness of one’s surroundings,
and avoidance of potentially dangerous situations. Dealing
with bullies is addressed. Students also learn what to do
should their verbal techniques not work. The teen course
includes issues about dating, peer pressure and making mature
choices. 2 to 9 hours.
Adults Ages 18 and Older
In this offering, participants learn
to recognize the warning signs of danger; de-escalate threatening
situations; deal with friends, acquaintances, and strangers
who cross personal boundaries; confront situations of uncertainty;
and defend against a physical and sexual assault. 2 to 20
Safety Training for Professionals
This training addresses the issue of
vulnerability for staff whose positions have them at high
risk of confrontation or assault. The training encompasses
the same concepts as IMPACT’s other offerings—recognition
of boundaries, verbal de-escalation strategies, and physical
self-defense techniques—and is custom-designed for
job-specific situations. An organization’s safety
policy can be incorporated into this training. 2 to 12 hours.
Everyone, regardless of age, physical fitness, body
type and ability can learn the skills. In every program,
participants learn to enhance their own natural strengths
and abilities. Class size is limited to ensure individual
attention and personalized instruction.