Nicole Sundine Shares Self-Defense Tips For Women [Interview]

Women’s health is a topic frequently bantered about by politicians, but female empowerment through self-defense training is an aspect far less frequently discussed. Nicole Sundine, a nationally renowned victim’s advocate and women’s self-reliance trainer, recently sat down with The Inquisitr to discuss protection issues specific to personal safety.

IQ: How did your background as an advocate for victims and a law enforcement officer impact your decision to create self-defense products geared specifically to women?

Nicole: As a law enforcement officer and victim advocate, I conducted countless of investigations and provided crisis intervention to hundreds of girls and women who have been victims of harassment, abuse, and violence. This life experience has given me unique insight into the true dynamics of violence and victimization, and inspired me to dedicate my future to focusing on prevention.

Since I’ve been blessed with the gift of possessing the knowledge and skills that will keep me safe in this ever-changing and uncertain world, I feel like the best way I can pay it forward is to teach other women how to prepare for the unexpected and protect themselves and their families.

IQ: Did you face any gender-specific hurdles when first traveling the country as a self-defense and preparedness speaker? How have you convinced more women to embrace a more personal safety and self-reliant way of life?

Nicole: You’re right, when people look at me, I’m pretty sure they would never imagine I possess the protective skills I do, but that actually works to my advantage. I’m a big believer in quiet confidence. A major myth perpetuated by traditional self-defense instructors is that you have to act tough and be loud to intimidate anyone who threatens you. In reality, these behaviors are usually read as glaring signs of insecurity. When you possess the skills and believe in your ability, you don’t have to broadcast it to the world. It shows.

So far, I haven’t faced many obstacles as a preparedness speaker. In fact, I’ve been welcomed into a world where there are few female speakers, particularly in the area of personal protection, and I’ve had the opportunity to speak to many women—from single moms to business women to elderly widows—who don’t fit the stereotype either. I believe I’ve been able to get them to embrace preparedness and protection concepts because I use modern methods that resonate with women to teach these skills and strategies in an entirely new way.

IQ: Are your training sessions and speaking engagements specific to a particular disaster scenario or do they focus more on an overall self-reliance approach?

Nicole: The skills and strategies I teach women should be used every day to increase self-reliance, foster freedom, and enhance personal and family safety. But they will become critically important in the event of any kind of emergency, disaster, or catastrophe that immobilizes the societal systems that help keep us safe and has the potential to separate us from the people we have come to rely on for protection.

In these scenarios, protection skills and strategies will come into play on two levels. Yes, we need to be able to protect ourselves and our families from direct threats, but we also need to be able to protect the supplies that will keep us alive. I’ve found that collecting and storing supplies is the focus of preparedness for many women and, while I don’t want to minimize the importance of this undertaking, I think it’s important to remember that supplies are of no use if they are taken or destroyed because we don’t have the ability to protect them.

IQ: Can elderly or physically disabled women also utilize your training strategies and products?

Nicole: My strategies are designed for people of all ages and abilities, but it’s important to remember that each of us has our own unique vulnerabilities. Recently, a teenage girl approached me during class and told me she was worried because she has severe asthma and she knew it would be triggered if she ever had to physically fight back. We talked about the ways she has controlled it during other stressful or physically demanding situations in the past and worked on a specific plan to help her overcome her limitations. What’s important is that we identify our vulnerabilities and find ways to compensate for them with our strengths, and I take the time help people do that.

IQ: What is your Realistic Safety Coaching program?

Nicole: I created the Realistic Safety Coaching program for individuals or families who choose private or advanced instruction in Realistic Safety Strategies.

Coaching offers a flexible and personalized training option that’s open to everyone but works especially well for people who are faced with specific safety challenges, feel shy or sensitive about interacting in groups, need more “practice” time, or have developmental or physical disabilities. Coaching is also a great option for families who want to learn strategies they can use together.

Nicole Sundine is one of the featured speakers at the Doomsday Expo in Denver on June 27-29. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the event will also serve as a casting call for the National Geographic series, Doomsday Preppers.

[Image Via: Shutterstock.com]