YOU'RE WORTH DEFENDING

Charlotte, North Carolina

info@baselineselfdefense.com

info@baselineselfdefense.com

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    • Home
    • About Baseline
    • Community Clinics
    • Safety Labs
    • Kids Programs
    • Upcoming Events
  • Home
  • About Baseline
  • Community Clinics
  • Safety Labs
  • Kids Programs
  • Upcoming Events

About baseline

History and Offerings

Baseline exists to support easy access to personal safety and self-defense training. At Baseline, participants are often discussing self-defense for the first time. 


Baseline began in 2018, offering free Community Safety Clinics teaching situational awareness and precaution-taking, as well as the basic physical skills we need to defend ourselves. Over the years, programming has expanded to include group classes (Safety Labs), which allow participants to master core skills over a defined period of time, and one-on-one training by request. 


Baseline Community Safety Clinics and Safety Labs remain low- to no-cost, and we welcome participation across all skill levels and abilities. 

Why Don't We Talk About Personal Safety?

Violence is common in our culture, and the toxic stress that results from interpersonal violence is known to drive the health of our communities. But it can be challenging to talk about personal safety given the complexity and high stakes of the questions that arise:


  • Will I scare my child if I talk about safety?
  • What should cause me concern, and what should not?
  • How does violence work?
  • What are the signs of emerging abusive behavior in a relationship?
  • What can I do to anticipate danger early?
  • Are all strangers dangerous?
  • What is the right age to discuss sexual assault with my daughter?
  • When is it OK to defend myself physically?
  • How should I teach my child to respond to physical aggression in a 'no tolerance' school environment?
  • Training can be costly - should I enroll in martial arts? What should I look for in a  program?


Unlike pure physical training (e.g. Martial Arts), Baseline puts personal safety planning and education at the core through Community Safety Clinics, and surrounds that core with opportunities to master the most fundamental  physical defenses through Safety Labs (e.g. striking, kicking, escapes and ground tactics). 


Baseline serves equally well as an a stand-alone program or as a complement to traditional martial arts programs.


You're worth defending - let's get this conversation started.

mary stokas

Mary Stokas is a Charlotte, NC based safety & self-defense trainer. She is certified in Crisis Prevention & Intervention Training, with a focus on de-escalation in verbally hostile interpersonal situations. Her physical training includes Krav Maga, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and Active Killer  (a.k.a. Active Shooter) defense. 


Mary is a healthcare management professional "by day," supporting populations with complex behavioral health needs throughout Western North Carolina.

Contact Mary

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