Thousand Waves offers self-defense workshops for groups of 10 or more across Chicagoland. Our programs are well-suited to staff and clients of not-for-profit organizations, corporate and government employee groups, schools, corporate gyms, scouting, and most other community groups. We can come to your location (travel rates may apply) or host your group at our Lakeview Center.
Workshop Content
We present Empowerment Self-Defense using the Five Fingers of Self-Defense: Think, Yell, Run, Fight, and Tell. All workshops include a mix of presentation/ discussion, verbal, and physical skills practice.
Key Areas:
- Mental strategies for safety such as risk assessment, awareness, and instincts.
- Verbal skills for boundary setting and de-escalation.
- Skills practice – simple strikes and kicks designed to be effective against bigger/stronger assailants.
Thousand Waves’ self-defense training is trauma-informed. We can work with you to customize content for specific scenarios faced by your constituents.
Scheduling a Program
To arrange a program for your organization or for more information, contact:
Marti Mendoza, Self-Defense Program Coordinator
violenceprevention@thousandwaves.org
773-472-7663
Program Options
Program Length
Single-session workshops are between 1 and 3 hours. Multi-session courses can be up to 12 hours or more. Longer programs and programs presented in series format have the highest impact over the long term.
Program Content
Our trainings are based on a comprehensive approach to personal safety that helps people detect problematic behavior before it escalates to physical violence, and teaches people to respond assertively to early warning signs. If prevention efforts are unsuccessful, we also teach physical defensive techniques based in martial arts that have been simplified enough to be easy to learn. We call our model the Five Fingers of Self-Defense: Think Yell Run Fight Tell.
All of our single-session trainings spend about one-third of the time discussing and practicing verbal defenses (“Yell”), one-third practicing physical defenses (“Fight”), and the remaining time discussing and practicing mental strategies, positioning strategies, and strategies for healing in the aftermath of violence.
When we do multiple sessions, the first session is an introduction of our model and an introduction to basic strikes and kicks. Subsequent sessions are developed in collaboration with the client to ensure that they are relevant to the group we’re training. Typically, about half of each session will be a physical activity module, and about half will be a topic module. Topic modules include a mix of discussion, videos, and verbal exercises, and topics include dealing with harassment, healthy relationships, assertiveness at home and in the workplace, de-escalation techniques, and bystander intervention. Our physical activity modules include basic strikes and kicks (in the air and against target pads), strategic positioning, releases from grabs, fighting from the ground, and responses to an armed attacker.
Pricing
Pricing varies based on length of program, location, and number of students. Thousand Waves has a strong commitment to affordability and organizational scholarships are available. Seminars can be held at your facility or at our site. Travel and mileage rates apply outside of Chicago.
Who We Serve
We offer programs for
- Customer service staff
- Social workers and other home visitors
- Staff working in high-conflict settings
- Adults, teens, or kids (ages 8 and up)
- All-gender or gender-specific
- LGBTQ
- People with mobility or sensory challenges
Customized programs
Programs can be tailored to emphasize verbal or physical skills. Examples of customized programs include de-escalation trainings for staff of hospital Emergency Departments and social service agencies, and verbal assertiveness and boundary-setting trainings for public library staff.