Own Your Power: Self-Defense Highlights with debbie pickus
When it comes to personal safety, there’s no such thing as being to prepared. At our June 5th self-defense workshop in Chicago, Debbie Pickus of Team Fireball shared practical ways that could make all the difference in a dangerous situation. From mental readiness to physical posture, this workshop was designed to help us feel confident, aware, and empowered.
Debbie strongly recommended learning from various sources—whether it's your local police department or a martial arts instructor. There’s no single “perfect move” that guarantees safety. The real key? Situational awareness.
At the heart of the training are four key categories:
Mental, Emotional, Environmental, and Physical.
Understanding your strengths and limitations across each of these areas is essential. And above all else, Debbie emphasized the importance of our greatest safety tool—our intuition.
Our gut instinct is built to protect us. It’s not emotional, dramatic, or silly. It’s instinctive—and it's almost never wrong. If someone or something feels off, trust yourself. Don’t rationalize it away. Predators count on that hesitation.
Body language also plays a huge role in personal safety. Walk with purpose. Keep your shoulders back, your chin up, and make eye contact. Looking down at your phone while walking? A major no-go. Awareness is your first line of defense.
Being proactive is just as important as being reactive. Know your neighborhood. Take mental notes of late-night spots, exits, or hiding places. Ask yourself: If something happened right now, where would I go? Use all five senses to stay connected to your surroundings.
Above all, the confidence and power you will feel from focusing on your posture and how you show up will help prevent predators from targeting you and will also be valuable in business and relationships.
Thank you to everyone who showed up ready to learn, connect, and grow. A big thank you to our sponsors as well.
Team Fireball
Intud Photography
If you missed this program, don’t worry—there’s more to come! Stay connected to us to learn about future networking opportunities, workshops, and business-building events. Do you want to join the Chicago Chapter next month? All of our events are listed here.