Situational Awareness Training Series

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Welcome to the Situational Awareness Training Series

Situational awareness is more than just a buzzword—it is a trainable skill that separates reaction from preparation. Brought to you by the Center for Violence Prevention and Self Defense, this advanced series digs deeper into the cognitive strategies and tactical indicators necessary to spot threats before they materialize.

Situational Awareness Training Series

This collection of articles moves beyond the basics to explore the science of perception and decision-making. From mastering the famous "OODA Loop" (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) and distinguishing between paranoia and true intuition, to identifying specific "pre-incident indicators" that predators use to select targets, these resources provide a professional-grade education in threat detection.

Whether you are learning to filter "signal vs. noise" in a chaotic environment or understanding the power of proxemics, this series will sharpen your ability to read the world around you and stay one step ahead of danger. Explore the modules below to refine your tradecraft.

1. Navigating Perception: Unraveling Paranoia and Intuition

2. The CVPSD Situational Awareness Opportunity Curve™ : Navigating the Seconds That Matter

3. Wired to Survive: How Cognitive Biases Protect Us and Fail Us When We're in Danger

4. From Playcraft To Tradecraft To Witchcraft: How Playful Learning Enhances Situation Awareness Skills

5. Why "Things are never so bad that they can't get worse" is a Mindset for Life

6. The OODA Loop: A Powerful Tool for Self Defense

7. Signal vs. Noise in Situational Awareness for Self-Defense

8. Diversion Tactics Highly Manipulative People Use To Bait You Into Engagement

9. How Can you Tell The Difference Between Paranoia and Intuition

10. How To Prevent Misconceptions And Common Biases In Assessing Behavior Analysis In Threat Detection

11. Situational Awareness: Your Primary Weapon in Self-Defense

12. Situational Awareness: Reading the Signals That Matter

13. Situational Awareness in Practice: What to Make of a Hyper-Vigilant Person

14. The Power of Proxemics: Enhancing Violence Prevention and Self-Defense through Situational Awareness

15. Cultivating Vigilance: How to Develop Situational Awareness For Self Defense Through Training

16. How To Use Pre Attack Indicators as a Signal In Violent Situation

17. Pre-Incident Indicators: Unveiling How Predators Engage Their Targets

18. Spotting The Pre-Incident Indicators For Personal Self Defense

19. How To Spot The Top 8 Pre-Incident Indicators That Predators Use

20. Pre-Incident Indicators: Unveiling How Predators Engage Their Targets

21. Navigating Risk: Identifying High-Risk Areas for Personal Safety

William DeMuth, Director of Training

About The Author

William DeMuth, Director of Training

With over 30 years of research in violence dynamics and personal safety, William specializes in evidence-based training with layered personal safety skills for real-world conflict resolution. He holds advanced certifications and has trained under diverse industry leaders including Lt. Col. Dave Grossman and Craig Douglas (ShivWorks), and is the architect of the ConflictIQ™ program. He actively trains civilians, law enforcement, healthcare workers, and corporate teams in behavioral analysis, situational awareness, de-escalation strategies, and physical skills.