Dr.Ruthless: Published Articles

Feed Your Beast!

A sampling of articles, essays and columns—practical and spirited, laced with humor, grit, and warrior wisdom. From how-to strategies—on improvised weapons, rape defense, harnessing fear and more—to a behind-the-scenes look at armored-assailant training, to tales from yours truly, to why you should love your almighty hips.

Additional articles will be added—so check back soon!

Harmony... or Else: The Physical Feminism of Women's Self Defense

Huffington Post - June 2007
Score two for the girls! Don't miss the true account of the 51 year-old woman who killed her weapon-wielding home intruder with her bare hands, or the woman in Chicago who bit off her attacker's balls -- and my comment about the floss job.

Beauty And The Beast Within

BUST MAGAZINE FEATURE, June 2003
An unabashed tribute to my love affair with going primal. Raw, edgy, and, yes, naughty. (What can I say... it was love at first blow!)

Self Defense From The Inside Out

Self Defense For Women Magazine - Summer 2002
Welcome to Warrior World - now let's get down to the stripping and trashing! This article will help you shed dangerous myths and take out inner muggers - voices of "can't" and "shouldn't" - that can sabotage safety and zap your power when seconds count. Learn how to clear the path, and get your mojo back on line!

Everyday Weapons Are A Girl's Best Friend

Self Defense For Women Magazine
You're in your kitchen when an intruder appears, intent on harm. Could you turn your handy colander or shiny new countertop into a deadly weapon? The bad guys shouldn't be the only ones doing this!

Do It With Your Hips!

Self Defense For Women Magazine
Love - don't loathe - those almighty hips! More than womanly curves or shelter for the unborn, a woman's hips are her HUB of power. Find out how your hips could save your life!

Fight Back Against Rape - With Fear!

BLACK BELT MAGAZINE
The decision and will to fight back takes place on the inside. This article traces the internal emotional experience and dual nature of fear. Learn how fear can ignite a ferocious counterattack, and gain seven essential strategies to prevent rape and escape intact.

Close Encounters Of The Wrong Kind

Self Defense For Women Magazine
When you're trapped or pinned against a wall, pummeling "he-man's" chest won't help - an explosive counterattack will! Learn how to make opening moves count and escape a predator's clutches.

Padded Assailant Training: Are You Helping or Hurting Your Students?

BLACK BELT MAGAZINE
Armored assailant training is becoming the wave of the future. Its benefits are vast, but all programs are NOT created equal. This behind-the-scenes article outlines four essential components for an effective scenario-based training.

Fierce Love: The Heart of the Female Warrior

Published in Warriors: On Living with Courage, Discipline and Honor; Paladin Press
This essay, which provides a glimpse into where my fire comes from, articulates a female warrior paradigm including the role of the emotional body in self defense— how something of the savage exists within all of us; how women have always been fighters and “deadly dames”. A roast to insidious myths (women are a passive lot; confidence comes in a roll-on) and a rousing “here here” toast to women's own warrior spirit and powers within.

Pepper Spray's Strength Nothing to Sneeze At!

Atlanta 30306
Burn Baby Burn. Get the low down on this popular chemical deterrent that's red hot and makes you swoon. But don't be fooled into thinking it's a magic bullet; the bad guys won't just plop at your feet.

Working with Assault Survivors

Martial Arts Professional
Most likely some of the women who have come to you for martial arts training have been sexually assaulted. Usually you won't know who they are unless they tell you. Occasionally, self-defense training awakens flashbacks. Learn to see the warning signs and to help the student past the fear.