Facing What's Happening Right Now — And How We Can Take Care of Ourselves Through It
Published 30 days ago • 4 min read
It’s Okay To Take a Break
Like many of you, we've been watching the Epstein news with a heaviness that's hard to put into words. The details are more than disturbing — they're horrifying. The scope of harm is staggering. And if you're finding it hard to sleep, hard to stop thinking about it, hard to get through the day — that makes sense. Especially for those of us who are survivors, calming our nervous systems may be close to impossible right now. But it's essential that we try.
Stories like these are a painful reminder of why our work exists. They confirm what so many of us know in our bodies: gender-based violence is everywhere, it's made possible by power and silence, and survivors are rarely believed. Sitting with that truth is a lot. We — and so many others — are working to change all that.
Whatever you're feeling is okay. And, as you may have heard 🙂, it's okay to not be okay. Whether you're reading every article, marching, and calling your representatives, or whether you've had to close all the tabs and step away, your response is valid. Outrage is appropriate. So is protecting yourself.
In fact, protecting yourself is not a retreat from the fight for change. It's part of how we sustain it. Rest, connection, movement, beauty, laughter — these aren't distractions from what matters. They're what keep us grounded and able to keep going.
Remember the analogy of the choir: It's okay, even good, for some of us to take breaks and breathe. Others will be singing, and then they'll take their turns taking a break for as long as they need to.
So if you need permission to focus on tending to yourself right now, you have it. In fact, we recommend it. Whatever self-care you usually do, now is the time to step it up. And when you're ready, we'll be here.
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I didn't know what to expect when I started this class. The outcome, however, exceeded my expectations. I may not have gained more muscles or physical endurance, but I can truly say that my attitude has changed. I am now more self-confident, I trust my instincts, I know my rights, and most importantly, I found out that I have a lot more power than I ever imagined. Finally, I truly believe that self-defense is 10% physical and 90% ATTITUDE.
— Defend Yourself student
Learn How to Spot a Threat Before It Escalates!
Join us March 22 for our monthly Book Circle!
On the fourth Sunday of every month, a small group gathers with Defend Yourself director and Get Empowered co-author Lauren Taylor to explore what you want to learn about increasing your safety, confidence, and assertiveness.
You decide what we talk about! On March 22, we'll be discussing warning signs that signal that something might be about to happen.
Join us!
When: The fourth Sunday of every month at 4 p.m. Eastern / 1 p.m. Pacific. We meet for one hour on Zoom.
What: Explore skills and ideas from “Get Empowered” in real time. This is your chance to dive deeper into the book’s teachings, share experiences, practice skills, and build a supportive community. (You don't have to read the book!)
How: It’s free and it’s drop-in — no need to commit. RSVP to get the Zoom link or to vote for our next topic now using the button above.
This month we're digging into how to spot early warning signs that tell you when a boundary violation might be about to happen.
Powerful, Popular Workshops at Creating Change 2026!
Creating Change — the nation’s foremost political, leadership, and skill-building gathering for the LGBTQIA+ movement, organized by the National LGBTQ Task Force — brought together advocates from around the country for this, its 38th year. Defend Yourself director Lauren Taylor presented two dynamic, experiential workshops:
Be the Change: Active Bystander Skills for Interrupting Hate, co-facilitated with Defend Yourself trainer AJ Head
Trauma-Informed Self-Defense for Healing the Past & Meeting the Moment, co-facilitated with Teo Drake of the Transforming Hearts Collective.
Both workshops were full, with participants even sitting on the floor — and they got enthusiastic feedback from attendees!
Are you looking for a powerful voice on how to prevent, interrupt, and heal from gender-based violence? Bring Lauren to your conference to lead a workshop or deliver a keynote!
One of the things that helps us stay grounded — and keep going in times like this — is knowing we have skills.
Lauren Taylor, Defend Yourself's director, shares her own story in her first piece for Psychology Today: how fear shaped her life from a young age, and how a self-defense class when she was 28 changed everything. Not just because of the physical skills, but because she found her voice. She learned she had options. She became less afraid and was able to be more herself.
Empowerment self-defense isn’t just about kicking and hitting. It’s a full toolbox:
Verbal skills — how to speak up, set limits, ask for what you want, and say "no"
Physical skills — simple, effective strikes that work for people of all ages, sizes, and abilities
Emotional skills — building confidence, trusting yourself, reducing self-blame
Social awareness — understanding how rape culture works and how to resist it
And it works. Research shows that not only does empowerment self-defense reduce sexual assault, it also lessens fear and anxiety, builds confidence and self-esteem, and helps people heal (see the Psychology Today piece for citations on all these).
And perhaps most powerfully: Students tell us again and again that it changed their lives.
Read Lauren’s full story, and find out what else empowerment self-defense can do for you.
We’re an empowerment self-defense organization teaching in D.C. and around the country. Learn to assert yourself, set boundaries, and protect yourself and your peace.
Know an organization, community space, or workplace that could benefit from these skills?Let us know! We love to partner with organizations to host helpful empowerment self-defense and bystander skills workshops for our communities.
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