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Strong Body, Strong Mind | Self-Defense & Empowerment

@philly_selfdefense

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💥 Self-Defense Training
💎 Empowerment through Awareness & Action
✨ For Women, Youth & Community
📍Based in Philly
💌 [email protected]

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Jamie Colleen Miller is a domestic violence survivor, frontline victim advocate, community leader, and founder of Philly Self-Defense.

After escaping a six-and-a-half-year abusive relationship — an experience that led to homelessness and temporary shelter placement with her daughter — Jamie rebuilt her life through martial arts, personal resilience, and an unwavering commitment to ensuring no woman walks that path alone.

She went on to become an MMA champion, a BJJ black belt, and a two-time UFC Contender Series competitor, channeling that same discipline and determination into more than a decade of direct advocacy work.

Through Philly Self-Defense and her service across multiple city-wide boards and coalitions, Jamie has provided court accompaniment, crisis resource navigation, safety planning, and trauma-informed self-defense education to survivors from every background. She brings to this role a victim-centered approach rooted in lived experience, professional training, and a deep understanding of the barriers survivors face — and the systems designed to support them.

Whether you’re here to learn, grow, support the mission, or simply follow the journey, we’re grateful you’ve found your way here. We hope you’ll join our community as we continue empowering women and youth, creating safer communities, and building something that makes a lasting impact.

#phillyselfdefense

@philly_selfdefense
@philly_selfdefense
@philly_selfdefense taken in Philly by @philly_selfdefense

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2 months ago

We are so thankful to @6abcactionnews for shining a spotlight on Strike it Strong: Self- Defense Workshop for Women! Grateful to all participants for their trust and willingness to learn.
Together, we’re empowering Philly women and teens to feel confident, safe and strong in any situation.

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If you missed this one, be sure to follow @strikeitstrong for news and updates on our next event!

#strikeitstrong #womensselfdefense #6abcaction taken in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by @philly_selfdefense

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2 years ago

Every woman deserves to feel safe, strong, and unshakable. 💪
Self-defense isn’t just about fighting back — it’s about fighting forward.
It’s reclaiming your power, your confidence, and your right to walk through the world without fear.
We rise together. We protect each other. We are unbreakable. 💜

#selfdefense #womensafety #empowerment #fightforward #phillyselfdefense #phillywomen
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#morethanasurvivor #phillyigers #phillygram #phillyinfluencer #womenwhoinspire #phillyphilly #youthempowerment #womenempowerment #phillysupportphilly #phillycommunity #dvam #phillyinfluencer #philadelphia #womensupportwomen #womanpower #community #inspiringwomen #selfdefenseworkshop #womensconference #womencommunity taken in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by @philly_selfdefense

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a year ago

Thank you to @warrior_unfiltered , @philly_selfdefense for taking the time to encourage, inspire and give guidance to these ladies. Thank you @riverscasinophiladelphia for sponsoring refreshments and snacks. Thank you to the @ppd_26thdistrict officers who assisted to ensure this event was a success. by @philly_selfdefense

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22 days ago

There was a time when I thought the hardest parts of my story were simply things I had to survive.

I definitely understand them differently now!

Somewhere between homelessness, living in a shelter, finding my way back to martial arts and learning to feel powerful in my own body again, the seeds of my advocacy were planted.

In 2016, what would eventually become Philly Self-Defense began. It didn’t have a name yet. There was no roadmap. I just knew there was something powerful about what movement, martial arts and community had given back to me…and I wanted other women to experience it too.

Healing, for me, became an unearthing.. that’s what my best friend calls it. An Unearthing 🌱 @joyful__girl

And so much of my work today is about creating spaces where women can begin that unearthing for themselves.

To feel strong again. 💪
To challenge themselves. 📈
To reconnect with their bodies. 🧘🏾‍♀️
To open parts of themselves trauma taught them to shut down. ✨
To remember who they were…and discover who they’re becoming. 🫂

I believe lived experience is one of our strongest credentials. The worst parts of our stories don’t have to define us…sometimes they become the very thing that equips us to serve someone else.

And part of healing is taking our lives back.

What happened to you may not have been your fault. Abuse is never the survivor’s fault, but there comes a point when your life has to become your responsibility again.

Not because you caused what happened.
But because you deserve to decide what happens next.

That philosophy is woven into everything I teach.

@philly_selfdefense teaches physical skills, but underneath them is something bigger: Agency. Community. Confidence. Choice. and creating room for people to rediscover their own strength.

I’m incredibly grateful to @chrissy.vega80 and @loveshouldnthurt_philly for inviting me back and giving me space to talk not only about where I’ve been, but what has grown from it. 🌱

Maybe that’s the season I’m entering now…sharing more of the middle. Not just what I survived or what I’ve accomplished, but how one became the other.

#godissogood #loveshouldnthurt #womenagainstabuse #survivorship taken in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by @philly_selfdefense

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a month ago

What’s happening around City Hall is a reminder that we can’t always control what happens around us, but we can control how prepared we are to respond.

This isn’t about living in fear. It’s about building the confidence to move through the world with greater awareness and preparedness.

At @philly_selfdefense , our core principles are simple: awareness, preparation, confidence, decision-making, and knowing how to respond under pressure.

These principles work across the board because they give you a foundation—but self-defense is NOT one-size-fits-all. Every person, environment, and situation is different. There is no single technique that works for every scenario.

That’s why training your mind AND body regularly matters.

Self-defense is practice. It’s muscle memory. It’s mindset.

The more you train, the more confidence you build in your ability to recognize what’s happening, make decisions under pressure, and employ the skills you’ve learned—both mentally and physically—if you ever need them.

As Bruce Lee said: “It’s better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.”

Our garden is everyday life. The goal isn’t to live afraid. It’s to be prepared.

So yes, learn the strikes. Learn the physical skills. But also learn to notice, trust yourself, move with awareness, create distance, disengage, and make decisions.

That’s real empowerment.

And we’re excited to bring these tools to more people through our upcoming FREE community event with @mensnightrunclub + @ppdcentercitydistrict!

📍 Philadelphia
🥊 FREE community self-defense event
📅 Date + details dropping soon

As always, thank you @nbcphiladelphia for always covering these vital issues and raising awareness!

For more updates follow :
@philly_selfdefense
@mensnightrunclub
@ppdcentercitydistrict taken in City Hall by @philly_selfdefense

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2 months ago

What a way to close out another Summer Night Lights season. 🥹💜

Being invited back for a second year with the @ppd22nd was already something I was incredibly grateful for. But walking back in and having so many of the kids remember us from last summer? That was a win all by itself! 🥹

Because honestly, that’s what this work is really about!

It’s not just the skills we teach. It’s the relationships we build. It’s showing up again. It’s creating spaces where young people feel safe, supported, seen and reminded of just how strong and capable they already are. 💪🫶

Spending the last four weeks building on those relationships has been such a joy for me personally and for @philly_selfdefense ❤️

I’m incredibly thankful for the 22nd District and the way they continue to pour into these kids and this community. Programs like Summer Night Lights matter, and you can feel that when you’re there.

And Bradley…thank you for showing up beside me through all of it. 🫂

There are moments lately when I look around and realize I’m living in prayers I once prayed. This is certainly one of them!

What a beautiful journey this has been…and we’re really just getting started. 💜

More moments from this summer coming soon!

#phillyselfdefense #summernightlights #philadelphia #youthempowerment communityengagement taken in Penrose Playground by @philly_selfdefense

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2 months ago

Whether I’m working with kids or adults, a big part of being trauma-informed is making sure the people in front of me feel grounded, regulated, centered and ready to receive whatever we’re about to step into together.

But with my kids especially, these affirmations become something we can come back to throughout class.

Because sometimes they forget….

They forget how smart they are.
They forget how strong they are.
They forget that they are worthy.
They forget that they deserve respect.

All it takes is something or someone reminding them.

It’s such a small part of what we do, but I believe it’s one of the most powerful.

This is my second year working with the @ppd22nd ‘s SNL program, and I’m always grateful for the opportunity to be in community with these kids and alongside the officers and partners who continue showing up for them.
Working with young people is never linear. It’s never perfect…..but somehow, it’s always perfect. ❤️

#22nddistrict #snl #gryd #phillypolice #reclaimyourpower taken in North Phlly by @philly_selfdefense

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2 months ago

Such a great evening celebrating National Night Out with the Philadelphia Police Department’s Center City District! 💙

So grateful for the opportunity to continue partnering with our local police districts and incredible community organizations. A special thank you to Captain Ricci and the @ppdcentercitydistrict for inviting Philly Self-Defense out!

Community engagement is such a big part of what we do—building relationships, sharing resources, and empowering people with practical knowledge around personal safety.

The best part is always seeing familiar faces, meeting new ones, and connecting with the people who make this city feel like community.

Grateful to keep showing up, serving, and doing this work alongside so many amazing people. 💙

#nationalnightout #phillyselfdefense #philadelphia #communitysafety taken in Dillworth Park by @philly_selfdefense

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2 months ago

Catch us today at National Night Out with @ppdcentercitydistrict at Dillworth Park!

📅 Tuesday, August 4th
⏰4:00-7:00 PM
📍 Dilworth Park

🍧FREE water ice & soft pretzels
🎯 Fun games
🎁 Giveaways for kids
🛡️ Safety & crime prevention information
👮 Meet your local police officers, Center City District safety patrols and community partners!

National Night Out is all about bringing police and the community together, building relationships, and making Center City a safer and stronger place for everyone.

Bring the family and come spend the evening with us!

#PhillyPolice #NationalNightOut #PhillyPD #CenterCityPhilly #Philly taken in Dillworth Park by @philly_selfdefense

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2 months ago

by @philly_selfdefense

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2 months ago

What a privilege it is to spend an evening with women who choose to invest in themselves! 👏👏

A huge thank you to the incredible team at @strikeitstrong for continuing to trust Philly Self-Defense and for our longstanding partnership ❤️ We’re so grateful for the opportunity to share practical skills, confidence, and awareness with the amazing women of the @nawbosj!

Self-defense is about so much more than physical techniques. It’s about believing you’re worth protecting, using your voice, setting boundaries, and walking through the world with greater confidence.

To every woman who showed up, thank you!

Thank you for being present, asking thoughtful questions, stepping outside your comfort zone, and choosing yourself. 🫂

PSD is so grateful for the opportunity to connect with all of you, and I hope this is just the beginning!

Thank you @national_integrity_title for hosting!

Until next time. 🤍

@strikeitstrong
@nawbosj
@philly_selfdefense
@warrior_unfiltered taken in National Integrity Title Agency by @philly_selfdefense

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2 months ago