I was personally attacked through Instagram by the owner of this business
Upon receiving communication from me regarding a deeply personal trauma I experienced at the hands of one of his instructors, to say the school owner of Violent Hippie, Mitch Aguiar, was unprofessional doesn't truly cover it. Without even bothering to ask any questions or seek clarification, he immediately took shots at me and made assumptions about my mental health. Instead of listening to my experiences and taking them seriously, I was met with a dismissive attitude, name-calling, threats, and attempts to humiliate and intimidate me. His lack of empathy makes sense to him. As a long time practitioner, I have a deep respect for martial arts, I find this lack of integrity and empathy completely unacceptable. The actual messages from Mitch are much worse than I can convey here. I am willing to send them to anyone who requests them. DM@pamelavickroy. Mitch likes to use phrases like "Mindset is everything" and "Be kind or else" as part of his school's branding, but my experience with him shows that these are nothing more than empty slogans. If mindset really is everything, then Mitch's mindset seems to be one of arrogance, defensiveness, and a complete lack of empathy. As for being kind? I saw none of that in our interaction. He put down other forms of martial arts and considers them useless. It's one thing to use catchy slogans to attract students, but it's quite another to live up to those values in your actions. Unfortunately, Mitch seems more interested in using these phrases as a marketing tool than in embodying them in his own behavior. I strongly advise anyone considering this school to think twice before entrusting their well-being to someone who clearly prioritizes victim-blaming instead of accountability and respect. I suggest looking elsewhere.
By Pamela V.