Women's Self-Defense Instructors

Diana M. Concannon
Certified Instructor
Palos Verdes, California

Diana is a threat assessment/operations consultant with an extensive personal firearms and self-defense background having studied at Front Sight, Yavapai Firearms Academy, West Coast Tactical and non-training at Impact Personal Safety.

She also provides seminars at various hospitals and healthcare centers in the community and provides women's support in a Domestic Violence Intervention Program.

"Safety is a right and a privilege that each of us should strive to maintain. I believe this is particularly important for women, who are too often seen as potential victims rather than as worthwhile individuals.  I believe that every woman's willingness to protect herself makes an important contribution to ending the cycle of violence to which she is too often subject. 

"My goal in teaching women self-defense is twofold:  To assist women to enhance their self-awareness, and to better avoid and/or deescalate potentially dangerous situations.  Secondly, I would like to assist women to improve their efficacy in dangerous situations which they cannot otherwise avoid, thereby assisting them to claim their right to live without victimization. 

"I believe this is particularly important during our current time, when two of the professions in which women are dominant – education and health care – are subject to greater levels of violence than ever in the past.  Empirical studies have demonstrated that women who have been victimized are more likely to suffer re-victimization throughout their lives.  I believe that teaching women self-defense skills will contribute to breaking this cycle of violence, and thereby combats its existence within our society.

"The Rape Escape program offers a realistic, straightforward tool for self-protection which can be integrated by a broad population."

Contact info

E-mail:    dmconcannon@sbclinic.orgx  (delete the 'x' at the end before sending)