Learn what a personal security course is and what to expect from the experience of a mama, just like you.
Have you ever had an unexplained pull to do something? It doesn’t happen to me very often, but one day I was scrolling Instagram after the kids were asleep & saw a reel about a Personal Security course that was going to happen in a couple of months in Texas. I was intrigued but didn’t put too much thought into it. I liked the post & moved on. It sat in the back of my mind & I ended up looking at the post two other times. A couple of weeks later my husband asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I told him “you don’t have to pay for it or anything, I just want you to watch the kids this weekend so I can go to this personal security course I saw on Instagram.” He thought I was crazy & replied “you would rather do that than get a massage or something?”
At this time in my life I was really struggling with some postpartum anxiety - you can read a little more about that story here. I had already come to terms that I was struggling, although I wasn't sure exactly what steps I needed to take to make sense of it all. I just had this feeling that taking this course was something I needed to do. Little did I know what I was getting myself into.
What is Personal Security? Why is it important?
When I first read the term personal security, I was envisioning hiring a bodyguard. Which isn't reasonable or practical, so I am not sure why that is where my first thought went!
Let us look at the US Legal definition of Personal Security:
Personal security is a general condition that occurs after adequate efforts are taken to deter, delay, and provide warning before possible crime, if such warning occurs, to summon assistance, and prepare for the possibility of crime in a constructive manner. Personal Security aims to protect people from physical violence, domestic abuse, or from predatory adults.
Unfortunately, there are terrible people in the world today, there were terrible people in the past, & there will be terrible people in the future. This is a hard, but necessary, fact to swallow as a parent, not only to help ourselves be more prepared but so we can teach our children the same. It’s not about being scared constantly, because the world also has so many amazing experiences to offer, it’s just about being aware & ready if you need to be.
It is easy for us to believe that if something were to happen, someone else would come to aid in our rescue. It has been proven time & time again that in most circumstances the people around you are probably just going to pull out their phones & record instead of intervening. While being a good witness can be the proper action sometimes, if there is an attack on you or your family - that is not the time to “let things play out”. Of course, if someone is trying to harm you or your children, I have a good feeling that since you're reading this post - there is a good chance that you would fight tooth & nail to protect your babies. Being trained can really help hone in on that instinct, make you feel more prepared & capable to defend yourself.
About the Instructor.
When I signed up for this course I honestly didn’t know what I was walking into or who I would be learning from - that isn’t really the best way to do things but it’s how I sporadically started. Thankfully I lucked out on getting an amazing instructor my first time & maybe even a little spoiled!
Kirsten Morgan was a Police Officer in Charlotte, North Carolina for 12 years & a SWAT Team Member for more than 6 years. In addition to her law enforcement career, she was also a member of the Crime Gun Suppression Team, a part-time instructor at the Police Academy, a member of the Dignitary Protection Unit, & taught Active Shooter Training to Charlotte residents. So, I think it is safe to say that this lady knows her stuff.
I think the most surprising part of meeting this instructor & hearing about her background was how damn humble she was. Here was a powerhouse of a woman who has an immense amount of training & knowledge while doing it all around the same height as me (5’4”). This woman wanted to take time out of her day to train me? But, she never once acted like she was better than any of us that were there to learn & she truly took the time to make sure each woman there felt like she belonged. It was a really neat atmosphere to be a part of!
It is really important to research your instructors & the companies they work for to make sure they are actually in it to help you & not just take your money. When I say I was spoiled, it’s because I had an instructor that took it personally that I walked out of that course with a new mindset & valuable knowledge that I was prepared to use. You also want to make sure that your instructors are knowledgeable & had experience in the field they are teaching.
About the course.
Kirsten & her colleague Kevin Owens built the Personal Security course with Fieldcraft Survival.
The course starts off with the classroom portion where you will go over the topics; how stress manifests itself in the body, determining your stress response, how to counter your stress response with mindset, a brief discussion on law, brief discussion on law specific to your state, a deep dive on how to articulate your actions of self-defense, understanding threat indicators to determine if the use of force is necessary, case studies, discussion on different types of firearms, different holsters, concealment options, & basic firearm handling.
The second part of the course is scenario-based training. You will train with Simunition Guns that function like real firearms, but they shoot non-toxic non-lethal paint rounds. Kirsten will set the scene, for example, “you are with your two children, exiting the grocery store, walking to your car, & things happen” or “it is 3 am in the morning, you hear something in your toddler's room, so you go inspect what you heard, & things happen”. At that time the scenario can play out in a multitude of different ways. You may be “attacked” or it could be an innocent person, you may fire your firearm, or you may run away. The way the scenario plays out is totally up to you! You act according to what you think is the best way to respond to the situation in front of you. This method of training is really beneficial because it gives your body & mind a chance to have a real response to “danger” without a bad outcome. You will quickly learn what your stress response is!
After your scenario is over, Kirsten will then debrief you. In the debriefing, you will describe what you noticed & why you made the decisions you did. This is a really great training technique because it will help you recall things in high-stress situations, you will be surprised by how your mind can trick you sometimes.
I want to make one thing very clear because it is a common concern I have heard from my friends - “I’m afraid I will mess up.” THIS IS THE TIME TO MESS UP!! You are getting out of your comfort zone to learn something new, the chances you won’t do it perfectly the first time or the one-hundredth time is very likely. You are in a safe place with professionals who have your best interest in mind - this is the time to make a mistake & learn from it. The fact that you are showing up is all that matters!
My top 3 takeaways.
I purchased my own firearm. I have the confidence, knowledge, & respect to operate & carry my firearm on-body, even with my kiddos! I also gained knowledge on how to be a responsible gun owner.
It opened the door for me to learn different areas of preparedness & how I can apply it to my own life - aka how this business started! In doing this I also gained the courage to start teaching my children the things that I am learning. It is really cool to see how much kids enjoy learning new things & these topics will help prepare them to be confident in their decision-making.
As someone who has lost themselves a little in motherhood, struggling with anxiety, & self-esteem, I was not expecting these aspects of my life to change by going to this course. It was really empowering to be in a group of women who were all there for the same purpose - to learn how to defend themselves & their families. It is also a profound feeling when you have an instructor that doesn't just think of you as a number, they truly believe in you. I learned how to trust myself, trust my intuition, be much more confident, & that I will never be too old to learn something new.
Final Thoughts.
Getting trained to defend yourself & your family can be a daunting topic to cover, but if you are under the guidance of a good instructor it can be life-changing. Your safety & the safety of your family should never be left solely in the hands of others, be prepared to keep yourself safe until law enforcement can get there.
If you are wanting to experience real-life training for real people, I highly recommend a course like this! Be sure to follow Kirsten on Instagram for more information on training & other tips to keep you safe.
In case no one has told you today, you matter.
Do you need help finding a course near you or recommend us to take one?
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