Self-Defense Classes in Covington, KY
Empowerment Self-Defense
Build real, practical skills alongside emotional resilience. Learn to trust your instincts, set boundaries, and advocate for yourself. Leave stronger than you came — and keep discovering how far you can go.
Self-defense, reimagined
When most people picture a self-defense class, they imagine a room full of timid women led by a clean-shaven, muscular law-enforcement professional or martial arts guru, learning 100 self-limiting rules and a few solid groin strikes. We have been to those classes too, and even learned a few cool things. That is not what we do.
Empowerment Self-Defense is a practical, evidence-based, trauma-informed curriculum created and led by women, many of whom were their cities' first rape crisis and shelter workers, and taught across the country and globe for nearly 50 years. It is the best-kept secret in personal safety, and embodied therapeutic programming for trauma survivors of all ages and types. It is also just a lot of fun.
ESD acknowledges the statistical realities of everyday violence. More often than not, assault starts with small violations and then escalates, and it is more likely to be perpetrated by someone you know. True self-defense is multifaceted: it includes recognizing the warning signs of interpersonal violence, effective boundary setting, and learning to use your voice and posture to move through the world with confidence. It also acknowledges the cultural, historical, and gender issues that are undercurrents of power-based violence.
Our programs are guided by the 5 Fingers of ESD, and talk about self-defense in ways you may never have heard before: that it begins with how we think and feel about ourselves, and that it is a toolkit already inside each one of us.
The 5 Fingers of ESD
Every workshop practices all five safety action principles through discussion, role play, and hands-on technique.
Think
Awareness, intuition, and attitude
yell
Language, tone, and posture
run
Assessing risk and escaping from danger
fight
Physical techniques for self-defense
tell
Getting help for yourself or others who have experienced violence
Why it works
A complete continuum of safety
Prevention
Recognize the warning signs of interpersonal violence and set clear boundaries before a situation has the chance to escalate.
Resistance
Build immediate mental, verbal, and physical responses to risky situations, from harassment to physical assault.
Healing
Embodied, trauma-informed practice that supports recovery in the aftermath of harm. You will leave empowered.
ESD Workshops
Workshops for every age and group
All classes can be taught at the Annex in Covington or on-site for your school, office, organization, or group. Length and number of sessions can be tailored to meet your needs. Contact us for details.
Family
Stronger Together
A parent-child workshop that builds mental, verbal, and physical techniques while fostering open, honest communication. Ideal for kids ages 9+ and a parent or guardian.
Foundational
Empowerment through Self-Defense
Our foundational course: a toolbox of immediate mental, verbal, and physical responses, from boundary violations to physical assault. Offered as a 3-hour Basics workshop or a 5-week intensive (10 hours total), exploring one safety principle in depth each week, plus strikes, kicks, and releases from grabs and pins. Ages 13+.
Tweens & Teens
On Our Own
Prepares tweens and young teens to move safely and confidently through new independence: dating, online communication, first jobs, and more.
Young Adults
Campus Ready
For young adults heading to or already in college. Covers the most common safety scenarios students encounter. Female-only and co-ed seminars available.
Voice
Hear My Voice
Focuses on one of our most powerful tools: our voice. Explore how you talk to and about yourself, practice setting boundaries, and learn how to use your words to claim more space for yourself.
Kids
EmPOWER Kids
Elementary-age kids learn the 5 safety principles through games designed for scenarios they may encounter at school, in their neighborhoods, and at home.
Custom
Industry- or Group-Specific Trainings
Safety means different things to different communities. We design tailored ESD programs and have done so for varied organizations, including the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati, local Realtors, women in construction and the trades, and child protective services workers.
Ongoing · $20 drop-in or membership
Empower Hour
Continue building your toolbox of everyday self-defense. This weekly group is for anyone who has taken an ESD Basics workshop or 5-week series and wants to keep playing, learning, and growing in community.
Ready to find your power?
Come exactly as you are. Memberships and class passes are flexible, and ability to pay is never a barrier at Thrive.
Contact Us
Whether you are curious about a class, want a workshop for your group, or just want to say hello, send us a note and we will get back to you.
