Many of our students are survivors of violence and abuse. We provide a supportive environment to learn new skills, like setting healthy boundaries, that many grads find invaluable in their day-to-day lives. Landing full-force strikes and realizing that you can defend yourself, and that you are worth defending, can be a healing experience. During Women’s or Young Adult Basics, you will have the opportunity to design a "custom fight.” Some survivors choose to reenact a scene from their past - and end it differently.

IMPACT training is not therapy, but many survivors tell us that they feel a sense of healing or progress toward resolving painful past experiences as a result of taking Basics. Our trainings are intense, and the the simulated fights may trigger memories of previous abuse. We encourage you to consider seeking the support of a therapist before and/or after taking the course if you are the survivor of assault or abuse.

We welcome you to share as much or as little with our instructors about your history; if you share what happened, they can help you tailor your experience in the class to best meet your needs. For example, you can tell the instructors, "my abuser said this to me, so use that during the fights" or "my abuser said this to me, so DON'T say anything like that during the fights." Our instructor team is there to make your course a positive, healing and empowering experience for you.