Good point Actordaddy. Verbal descalation, reading non verbal cues, and trying to assess the risk of a potential attacker is essential for all martial artists. I use mindfulness, which I learnt from Zen Buddhism, using zazen in the dojo and from my professional CBT therapy studies. Mindfulness has assisted me to focus and reduce anxiety when confronted with stress, including angry irritable people. I agree that this should be in a martial arts curriculum.
