Melissa Soalt
A frontrunner in full-force (padded-attacker) training methods since 1986, Melissa has taught thousands of women how to protect themselves from danger and summon their primal instincts to fight back and survive. She is widely respected for her no-nonsense methods, emotional depth, and unabashed call for all women to become physically literate in aggressive self-protection.
Her Fierce & Female DVD has been hailed by law enforcement, street fighters and feminists alike - a tall order! Her methods draw from full-force self defense, close-quarters combat, martial arts, street tactics, and her keen insights into the psycho-biology of fear.
She has written numerous articles and essays and has appeared on national television, radio and other media venues. (A sampling of her articles can be found on her website.) She is also a regular blogger for the Huffington Post.
Melissa firmly believes that her Fierce & Female teaching, not helps women and girls become safer and self possessed, but ultimately has the power to help re-balance the world: "When women know they too can be dangerous creatures - and not just feel like endangered ones, and are therefore less encumbered by fear--- it also frees women's energy to care for others, lead with genuine courage and to create far more equitable and humane societies."