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WOMEN'S SELF DEFENSE SEMINARS IN DALLAS-FORT WORTH, TEXAS
Self-Defense Training That Builds Safer, Stronger Teams
Empower your team with the skills, confidence, and mindset to protect themselves at work and in everyday life. Practical self-defense techniques, prevention strategies, and expert-led instruction—delivered in a high-impact team training experience.
Why Companies Choose Us
✅ Trusted By Top National Brands
We work with leading organizations across industries—providing professional training that's aligned with the values of safety, wellness and empowerment
✅ Lead By Jiu Jitsu Black Belt + Former MMA Fighter Gemma Sheehan
With 16+ years of elite martial arts experience, Gemma brings deep expertise, presence, and a passion for teaching.
✅ Real-World Strategies For Real Women
Our workshops are designed for everyday people—not fighters. We teach proven self-defense techniques alongside boundary-setting, situational awareness, and mindset training, all in a supportive environment.
Girls Who Fight Founder Gemma Sheehan receiving a Resolution from the State of Texas House of Representatives
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What We Offer
Our most popular format is a 1-2-hour, hands-on seminar that combines physical techniques, verbal defense, real-world scenarios, and mindset training—all taught in an accessible, empowering way that builds individual confidence and team unity. Your team will learn:
From Boardrooms to Girl Scout Troops—We Train Them All...
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...While Giving Back Locally Through Sponsored Training for Women’s Nonprofits!
Awareness & Prevention
✅ Situational Awareness
✅ Trust your instincts
✅ Recognize red flags early
✅ Set clear boundaries
✅ Say NO with confidence
✅ Use your voice with strength and authority
✅ Recognize + defend lures
✅ Project confidence to deter threats
Mindset & Confidence
✅ Mental strength to manage fear
✅ Stay calm under pressure
✅ Know that you are worth fighting for
✅ How to think, speak and move like a non-target
Meet Your Instructor – Gemma Sheehan
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt • Former MMA Fighter • Founder of Girls Who Fight
I’m a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt and former MMA fighter with over 16 years of experience training, competing, and teaching martial arts. I earned a 5–1 MMA record, won gold at the IBJJF Pan Championships, and was ranked the top female fighter in Ontario. In 2017, I stepped away from competition—not because I lost passion, but because I found an even greater purpose.
Martial arts gave me more than athletic success. It gave me confidence, discipline, resilience, and the mindset to fight for what matters. But as I looked around, I realized something was missing: a space where women could access that same transformation without needing to step into a cage or a male-dominated dojo.
That’s why I created Girls Who Fight—a self-defense program designed by women, for women. Since 2017, I’ve trained thousands of women and professionals across North America in real-world self-defense, verbal boundaries, and mental strength. My workshops blend elite training with a trauma-aware, accessible approach that’s tailored to everyday people—not just fighters.
Whether I'm working with a corporate team, a university group, or a women’s leadership event, my mission is the same: give people the tools, confidence, and mindset to protect themselves—and to believe they’re worth protecting.
The Girls Who Fight women's SELF DEFENSE PROGRAM
We teach women effective self defense techniques for relevant situations women face in the real world.
Confidence. Security. Irreplaceable Physical Skill.
Martial Arts are a proven vehicle to achieve priceless outcomes, so why are so few women in martial arts? Because 99.9% of martial arts programs are designed for men who want to win martial arts competitions, not women who want to learn self defense. Typical martial arts gyms lose female students faster than they get them, which is why they don't bother focusing on them.
We'd argue that women are the people who need effective self defense skills the most. According to FBI data, 75% of people who are kidnapped are female. 89% of people who are sexually assaulted are female. And 45% of female homicide victims are killed by their male spouse.
Women deserve an exceptional self defense program that's 100% tailored to their objectives and experience. We created Girls Who Fight so women could learn the most effective self defense techniques from Mixed Martial Arts for the threat situations women actually face
— in a completely positive, professional, and friendly environment—
while gaining the physical, mental, and character strength that will transform your entire life.
We're not here to teach you a few tricks, nor are we here to develop competitors. We exist to make you excellent in the precise physical and mental skills to deter, detect, and defend violence; and transform you into a confident person who is willing, ready, and capable of fighting for yourself in all domains.
EMPOWER YOUR TEAM WITH SELF DEFENSE!
"Absolutely Phenomenal"
"We had Gemma come out during International Women's Day to train the ladies of our building. We all had a great time and enjoyed the session so much. She is a great instructor!"
-Kelsey L, Varispace
"Gemma came to our organization to speak to a group of moms. She showed up prepared for a demonstration to give us a short lesson in personal protection. It was relevant to our everyday lives. She was bubbly, funny, interactive, high energy, professional, and confident. She did great with our group of moms and would always be relevant to young adult girls. The information gave you a sense of power and strength."
-Tiffany M, YMSL Argyle
"I've had Gemma Sheehan teach five Virtual Self Defense Workshops at Lambton College and she was amazing every time. Gemma has an amazing energy and is very passionate about the material she teaches. She taught the students practical self defense skills and provided them with a valuable lesson on street safety. All of the students who attended had nothing but amazing things to say about Gemma."
-Ashleigh Carrol, Lambton College
"For almost 10 years I have hosted an invite-only conference for clients, and I can say without hesitation that Gemma was one of the most engaging speakers we’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to. She was funny, candid, inspiring and heartfelt. Her story is both unique and universal, and my audience of business and marketing leaders were truly moved. Gemma is interesting, and inspiring."
Neil Follet, Brightworks
"We booked a 1.5 hr self-defense training session and it was amazing. Everyone, even our shyest girls, participated fully, and Gemma took the time to watch each one and give them specific pointers and encouragement. She had them laughing and fully engaged from beginning to end."
-Melissa Brydges, Girl Guides of Ontario
"We hired Gemma to do a webinar with over 1000 members of an online parent community and the response from her session on "Street Smarts for Kids" was absolutely phenomenal. We couldn't recommend her enough for a workshop or any other kind of online session. Every parent and child needs access to the information she can share."
-Samantha P, Cat & Nat
The Science Behind Self Defense Training
Women's self‐defense training is the only sexual violence prevention strategy with solid evidence of effectiveness at reducing rates of victimization.
A study of three Canadian universities found that women who completed a self defense course were nearly half as likely
to report being raped during the 1‐year follow‐up period than the control group. Unwanted sexual contact
and attempted rape were also significantly lower for women who completed the training.
A study of 522 high school girls in Kenya found that girls who received self defense training were 63% less likely to have experienced a sexual assault 1 year later than girls at schools who did not.
An analysis of the National Crime Victimization Survey data found that taking “self‐protective action” reduced the likelihood of completed rape by 87%. Physical self‐defense was especially effective, resulting in an 81% decrease in the likelihood of completed rape.
Click here for a list of published studies on the effectiveness of self defense training for violence prevention
Latest Features & Awards
EMPOWER YOUR TEAM WITH SELF DEFENSE!