My name is Sarah and I am the owner and Head Instructor at Empowered Defence Centre in Stony Plain, Alberta. I am a medically-retired RCMP officer with seven years of service, a karate black belt, and have a degree in Kinesiology. This is the story of how I came to be here.

Growing up I was obsessed with karate (thank you, Power Rangers). I had started out learning from a family friend in his basement, but eventually moved too far away to continue. In high school, I was bit by the bug again, and found a new studio to train at (shout out to East West Karate and Fitness in Mississauga!)

It was perfect. I ended up training there for ten years, earning my black belt, joining the competition team, and becoming an instructor. I dreamed of opening my own dojo someday, and emphasizing the practical application of the techniques. At one point, I was there training six days a week, up to three hours a day. I even held two different teaching jobs – one for my dojo, and one for a company that brought karate into elementary schools. I was so focused on this goal that I even changed my major from Humanities to Kinesiology, and became a CanFitPro certified Group Fitness Instructor (and Zumba too)!

But eventually I felt the urge to make a change. I wanted to do “more” with my life. I loved seeing the impact I made on my students, but it didn’t feel like “enough”. That’s when a friend suggested policing. I laughed at her. But a year later, I found myself applying for the RCMP.

I went to Depot to complete my RCMP training in 2016, and was sent to Barrhead, Alberta as my first posting. I spent two years doing general duty work there before being transferred to Enoch for a few months, then Parkland Detachment. After less than a year at Parkland, my dream job opened up: Domestic Violence Unit Coordinator for Parkland. I leapt at the opportunity to focus my work in an area that I was highly passionate about.

Unfortunately, that kind of work is very hard on the heart and the brain. After two years in that role I received a PTSD diagnosis.

It was time to make another decision – did I stay on medical leave, attempt to fix my struggling mental health, and then go back to the work that would continue to hurt me? Or did I do something new? Or rather, something old.

That’s when the idea hit.

The whole time I was in policing, I had been missing my martial arts roots. I tried to stay connected by putting on self-defence seminars in my communities, and had heard feedback from so many that they wished there was place to practice and further develop these skills, but didn’t want to be “martial artists”. They didn’t want to be black belts, they just wanted to know how to defend themselves, and trust that they wouldn’t forget what they had just learned.

Now I could give that to them. And Empowered Defence Centre was born.

A place that teaches self-defence programs that you can start and stop at any time.

A place that teaches all ages of students, and caters each class to be age-appropriate in safety discussions.

A place that balances physical skills with mindset and fitness.

A place that is affordable, with flexible payment options to make it accessible to as many people as possible.

A place that values community, and is dedicated to making the world a LESS violent place.

And I know I made the right call. I don’t miss policing at all. I am in exactly the right place.

I hope you feel at home here too.