EMPOWERMENT SELF DEFENSE (ESD) INTENSIVES
Empowerment Self Defense focuses on building awareness, verbal and physical skills to prevent, interrupt, respond to, and heal from harassment, abuse, and assault. Through physical practice, small group and pairs activities, discussion and role play participants explore the ways we can all take up more space in the world and feel safer, stronger, and more confident. These trainings are highly accessible and adaptable and participants are invited to engage at the level that works best for them. Learn more about the research behind ESD.
NOTE: We have expanded to the length of all ESD classes to 4 hours in recognition of the need for additional skills in these times of heightened threat to BIPOC, queer, trans and non binary people, women, and immigrants. All classes are highly adaptable and participants are invited to engage at the level and in the way that works best for them. All classes have a suggested price. Participants are invited to pay what they can.
New: ESD Open Practice Sessions!
2nd Sundays of the month: Jan 11th, Feb. 8th, March 8th – from 10:00am to 11:30am
Location: Equality Community Center – 15 Casco Street, Portland
Come practice your self defense skills, explore scenarios, ask questions, and have fun in community. Open to all who have previously taken an ESD class with PAC.
Questions? email Clara – clara@pacmaine.com
ESD – Level 1 – Pick your date:
Sunday Jan 25th 11am to 3pm
or
Sunday February 22nd 1 to 5pm
Location: Maine Tai Chi – 500 Forest. Avenue, Portland (rear entrance)
Come together for a great experience of learning, sharing, and challenging yourself with our trauma-informed instructors. Through physical practice, small group and pairs activities, discussion and role play we’ll explore the ways we can all express what we want, need, and feel in common boundary crossing scenarios and effectively respond to harassment, abuse, and assault. Physical skills include: responses to unwanted touch, strikes, and grab defenses. This training is highly accessible and adaptable with regular breaks and time for grounding. Participants are invited to engage at the level that works best for them. Open to people of all genders and identities ages 14 and up.
Cost: $40 to $60/person (more if you can, less if you can’t).
ESD – Level 2: Saturday March 14th 1:30 to 5:30pm
Location: Maine Tai Chi – 500 Forest. Avenue, Portland (rear entrance)
Take your safety skills to the next level! We’ll review the core verbal and physical tools from Level 1 and add to your physical self defense tools with additional grab defense techniques and practice in moving and resisting from the ground. We’ll also explore the dynamics of intimate partner violence, and expand your healing resources in community.
Open to people of all genders and identities ages 14 and up.
Completion of ESD Level 1 is recommended by not required before taking Level2.
Cost: $40 to $60/person (more if you can, less if you can’t).
ESD – Level 3: Sunday March 15th – 1:30pm to 5:30pm
Location: Maine Tai Chi – 500 Forest. Avenue, Portland (rear entrance)
Take what you have gained from other PAC classes and put them to the test in scenarios of your choosing and design. We will enhance our physical practice skills by addressing harassment and attempted assault by multiple persons, expand our ground fighting skills, and explore boundary setting and assertiveness in situations involving coercion and manipulation.
Open to people of all genders and identities ages 14 and up who have taken our ESD Level 2 class or with permission of the instructor (email: info@pacmaine.com).
Cost: $40 to $60/person (more if you can, less if you can’t).
Don’t see the class you’re looking for? Contact us at info@pacmaine.com
PAC COURSES available: for details check the drop down tab under Programs
WORKPLACE TRAINING: Sexual harassment prevention and response, Safe and Welcoming Workplace, Navigating Challenging Interactions, De-escalation, Microaggressions and Identity-based Harassment, and more.
HEALING THROUGH EMPOWERMENT: An 9-week program designed for people of all genders who have experienced sexual and/or intimate partner violence. Participants report decreased PTSD symptoms, and increased confidence and feelings of safety in their bodies and in their lives.
EMPOWERMENT SELF DEFENSE BASICS: Gain awareness, verbal tools for assertive boundary setting, de-escalation, physical self defense skills, and tools for healing and growth. These skills will help you navigate interactions on the spectrum from challenging to dangerous at home, online, in relationships, or in public.
NAVIGATING CHALLENGING INTERACTIONS: 3 Sessions: A blend of Verbal empowerment self defense tools to address a range of challenging interactions facing us at home, in public, online, and at gatherings and protests. Each session focuses on a different skills: Assertive Communication and Boundary Setting, Active Bystander Intervention, and De-escalation Strategies and Tools.
DE-ESCALATION FOR BUSINESSES: As part of our larger work in Empowerment Self Defense and in recognition of the many challenging interactions presented by the current pandemic such as the wearing of face masks, social distancing, and anti-asian and anti-back hate/bias we have crafted this training to help maintain safety and build a supportive and caring community.
ACTIVE BYSTANDER INTERVENTION: Gain awareness on the rise in hate based harassment and Covid related incidents occurring in supermarkets and other public spaces and learn skills and strategies to safely intervene when you witness this harassment online or in person.
ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION AND BOUNDARY SETTING: Dealing with physical distance and the extra closeness of home is challenging for all of us. As states begin to ‘open’ and many of us return to face to face interactions, come together to learn and share skills for assertive communication and boundary setting in these challenging times.
PAC also offers specific training for:
- Caregivers and Children
- Mothers and Daughters
- Children / Youth
- High School Seniors
- College Students
- LGBTQIA++ community members
- Survivors of violence
Register here
PAC Classes include:
- Healing Through Empowerment 9-week series for women, trans, and nonbinary people
- Parent / Child Self Defense
- Single and Multi-session Empowerment Self Defense
- Workplace Safety
- Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response
- Active Bystander Intervention
- De-escalation
- Microaggressions and Identity-based Harassment
- and more…
Many PAC classes are scheduled with businesses, organizations, schools, groups, and individuals. Contact us for more information and we’ll build a class around your schedule and interests!
Prevention. Action. Change. 