Safety and Your Health

Recently Pastor Cheryl Ciambotti attended a one night self-defense training class. It got her thinking … “We not only have to be vigilant about our mental health, our physical and emotional health but our safety and how it pertains to our health as well.” Being afraid for your safety can be debilitating for many people, young and old. So how would you combat that feeling? Taking a self-defense course may be a great endeavor for many of the readers to help empower them. It makes one feel strong and many of the things taught are reportedly easier than you think they might be. A simple flick of the wrist or a turn with the body can impede an attacker and give you enough time to free yourself and run or scream for help. 

The instructor’s class Cheryl attended, a former Police Chief, teaches that the most dangerous of the 3 basic reactions to an attack; fight, flight or freeze, is freeze. “You must mentally prepare for situations ahead of time to be able to respond and not freeze from fear.” he cautioned. He went on to instruct the class of 3 areas of space awareness. Green zone, 30ft and not in danger; yellow zone, 10ft and approaching danger; and red zone 3 feet (or 2 arm lengths) danger zone, if anyone approaches in the yellow zone take an alternate route out of danger and in the red zone you can call out to attract attention or use a technique to avoid interaction or escape. 

Another valuable teaching is making people aware that you see them by holding your head up high when you walk and making eye contact with them. These two techniques can discourage an attacker from making you his target. People who look weak and unaware of their surroundings are easy marks for those nefarious types that wish to do us harm.

This information is enlightening, empowering and helpful to everyone. Please consider, as a goal for 2015, growing in the area of mental health as it pertains to your safety and enrolling in a self-defense class. As we grow we may even encourage someone else to grow!!

For more information on self-defense and how to enroll in a class visit: http://harrisburg.psu.edu/safety-police-services/self-defense