Toms River Campus – Sunday, August 30, 2026 • 9am–1pm OR 2pm-6pm
Presented by Misty Jeffers, LMT
This course is designed to introduce practical self-defense skills to LMTs. Situational awareness, de-escalation techniques, and the use of tools likely available to defend yourself are some of the concepts that will be discussed.
Following completion of this course, you should feel more confident in your ability to minimize the likelihood of being victimized & have a greater understanding of how to protect yourself in the event of an incident or altercation.
Please dress comfortably with the understanding that various strikes using arms, legs, hands, feet, etc. will be introduced and you will have the opportunity to practice them.
The course is 4 hours, and can be taken in either the morning from 9a-1p or in the afternoon from 2p-6p.
Before committing to this course, please consider the following:
• This course introduces basic self-defense skills that students will have the opportunity to practice.
• No one will be required to attempt any physical elements that are introduced.
• Weapons such as knives and firearms will be discussed and non-lethal replicas may be used for demonstration purposes.
• Real weapons will not be used or permitted for safety reasons. Introducing a weapon at any point during the course will result in the student being asked to leave, no credit given for the course, and no refund offered.
Self-defense is an important skill for the massage therapist to help maximize safety, build confidence, mitigate conflict, etc.
This class will benefit LMTs by helping them grow their knowledge of how to avoid conflict/confrontation, what to do if they feel they may be attacked, what to do IF attacked, what they can use in their environment to defend themselves, resources available to vet clients, proper mindset for various scenarios, etc.
Instructor Bio
Misty Jeffers is a Georgia-based licensed massage therapist and educator, and the founder of Arukah Massage, a mobile massage therapy practice serving clients throughout west Georgia. Based in Temple, she brings therapeutic bodywork directly to clients in their homes, giving her extensive real-world experience navigating diverse treatment environments while maintaining professional boundaries and safety.
A graduate of Kennesaw State University, Misty later pursued a career in massage therapy following a personal injury that profoundly shaped her understanding of the body’s capacity for healing. Her work is grounded in both lived experience and clinical practice, informing a thoughtful, client-centered approach to care.
As an instructor, Misty Jeffers is committed to equipping massage professionals with practical, relevant skills that support both clinical excellence and personal safety.