Unbreakable Self-Defence

09/09/2026

Final couple of places available for this weekend's self-defence course!

Spread over 5 weeks and taught by an experienced female instructor in small groups, this course will cover techniques to address the wide range of violence faced by women.
It will include tips on awareness, using your voice effectively and assertively, setting boundaries clearly as well as striking and escape techniques for various types of physical attack.

Book your place before space runs out! https://www.unbreakableselfdefence.com/womens-self-defence-5-week-course

08/09/2026

I was honoured to be part of the Women’s Wellness Empowerment Charity Event on Saturday, organised by In Her Steps — a fantastic organisation championing women’s empowerment through dance.

It was a brilliant day celebrating strong women, powerful movement and an amazing cause! 💪✨ In total the event raised a staggering £1,076 for Women’s Aid and Women for Women International.

I was there to finish off the day by sharing some practical self-defence tips with anyone who still had energy left after all their dancing!

A huge thank you to Ria for inviting me, and to all the fabulous women who took part! 💜

05/09/2026

A brilliant session today on Empowerment Self-Defence for Girls! 💪

We had great conversations about recognising red flags, staying aware in potentially risky situations, and using simple strikes to help create an escape if needed.

We also explored different ways to say “no” when something doesn’t feel right, and discussed who to tell if something happens.

A thoughtful, empowering session all round — and a big well done to the girls for bringing such brilliant energy!

04/09/2026

“I’ve wanted to learn self-defence for 25 years.”

At the end of my session on Monday, an older Muslim woman came up to me.

Twenty-five years ago, she was racially attacked on the streets of Leicester because she was Muslim.

Since that day, she’d wanted to learn self-defence - to feel safer, more confident, and to know she had options.

So I asked her gently, “Why has it taken 25 years?”

Her answer broke my heart: “I’ve never had the opportunity before. Until your class came along.”

What she was describing was a lack of opportunities to learn self-defence in a space that felt right for her: an all-female class, with a female instructor, and an approach that was sensitive to both her culture and past traumatic experiences.

THIS is why I feel so strongly that empowerment self-defence should be accessible to everyone.

Not just those who can afford it.
Not just those who feel comfortable in a mixed class.
Not just those who are able to train with a male instructor.

Everyone. And it needs to start young.

Because self-defence isn’t just about physical skills. It’s about boundaries. Awareness. Confidence. Trusting your instincts. Knowing you have choices.

No one should have to wait 25 years to learn those skills.

Self-defence is a life skill — and I believe it should start at school age.

02/09/2026

Sometimes, self-defence starts with one powerful word: no.

No to pressure.
No to uncomfortable situations.
No to someone crossing your boundaries.

For girls navigating secondary school, learning how to set boundaries, trust their instincts and speak up with confidence is just as important as learning physical self-defence skills.

That’s exactly what we’ll be exploring in our Empowerment Self-Defence for Girls workshop this Saturday — practical skills to help girls feel more confident, aware and empowered.

Last places remaining! Book here: https://www.unbreakableselfdefence.com/empowerment-self-defence-for-girls

25/08/2026

On Sat 5th Sept, I’ll be delivering a women’s self-defence session at In Her Steps' Women's Wellness & Empowerment Charity Event.
I’ll be teaching alongside some amazing instructors who are bringing you a whole day of different movement classes, from yoga and heels to belly dancing and more!

Every penny raised will be go towards Women's Aid and Women for Women International❤️

Our self-defence session is suitable for everyone, no matter what your ability, age or experience.

Come and pick up some useful skills and leave feeling empowered!

Book my class alone, or grab a full-day pass and try a bit of everything:
https://bookwhen.com/inhersteps

Can't make it? You can still make a difference by donating here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/inhersteps-womensempowermentcharityevent2026

25/08/2026

Only 4 more places available on our Empowerment Self-Defence for Girls workshop!

Let’s celebrate what makes our girls the interesting, unique individuals that they are, so that they can identify when situations don’t feel comfortable and assert their boundaries with confidence without bending to peer pressure!

When? Sat 5th Sept
What time? 9am-11.30am
Where? St Anne’s Community Hall, Letchworth Road, Leicester

Book your daughter's place here:
https://www.unbreakableselfdefence.com/empowerment-self-defence-for-girls

24/08/2026

I often work with clients who have experienced freezing when frightened and then blame themselves afterwards for not doing more.

They often ask me, “Why didn’t I fight back?” or “Why didn’t I leave?” — as though freezing was a choice.

Freezing during trauma isn’t failure — it’s survival.

When we face a threat, our nervous system reacts faster than conscious thought. While many people have heard of the 'fight or flight' response, the body can also freeze, go still, become unable to speak, feel detached, or automatically comply.

These responses are not choices. They are reflexes designed to protect us in moments of danger.

For many survivors, understanding this can help shift the question from “Why didn’t I fight back?” to “How was my body trying to protect me?”

Read more in my article here:

"If I freeze, I've failed."Freezing is one of the most misunderstood survival responses. Many people believe that if they didn't fight back or run away during a frightening experience, they have somehow "failed." I will never forget the story of one of my first clients who was sexually assaulted at....

13/08/2026

When we think about self-defence, we often imagine physical techniques for striking or escaping. Those skills matter, of course. But self-defence can offer something much wider than a set of emergency responses. Taught in the right way, it can become a practical, empowering and supportive tool for people actually recovering from traumatic experiences such as assault or abuse.

I've seen it happen many times with my own clients and students, in both self-defence and martial arts; watching people grow with confidence and shed old beliefs that no longer serve them, is one of the joys of my work.
In this article, I've gone through the various ways in which learning self-defence - when taught with care and sensitivity - can become a valuable part of the healing journey and a powerful step towards renewed confidence and resilience. You can read the article here: https://www.unbreakableselfdefence.com/post/how-self-defence-can-support-healing-after-trauma

Practical skills, emotional confidence and a safer connection with the bodyWhen we think about self-defence, we often imagine physical techniques for striking or escaping. Those skills matter, of course. But self-defence can offer something much wider than a set of emergency responses. Taught in the...

10/08/2026

One question I’m often asked in classes is why we practise palm-heel strikes instead of punching with a closed fist. It’s a great question, especially because clenching our fists can feel like an instinctive response when we are frightened or under pressure.

The problem is that punching without protection can easily injure the small bones in the hand. Boxing gloves are designed to protect the hand during sport, but in real-life self-defence we want to use the strongest parts of the body in the safest and most effective way possible.

That’s why the palm heel is such a useful technique. The base of the palm is strong, natural and much less likely to get injured, while still allowing someone to create space and interrupt an attack if they need to. In a self-defence situation, it can be directed towards vulnerable areas of the face, such as under the chin or under the nose, to help create an opportunity to get away.

In empowerment self-defence, we always focus on using strong parts of the body against vulnerable areas, giving participants practical tools that are simple, realistic and effective.