Steve Wopershall

Steve has been with the Verbal Judo Institute since 1991.  He is a Senior Associate and Senior Instructor, earning his Black belt in Verbal Judo Techniques in 1997. Since then he has traveled throughout the United States teaching Police Departments, Educators, Correctional Officers, Military Personnel, and Hospital Staff the benefits of Verbal Judo.  Recently, Steve has retired from Law Enforcement, after completing a successful 20 year career in Southern California, starting with San Clemente Police Department in 1980, and ending with Santa Ana Police Department in 2000.  During those years, Steve was an adjunct instructor at the Criminal Justice Training Center, Golden West College, Huntington Beach, and taught in the S.W.A.T. Academy since 1985. Steve earned his Teaching Credential from California State University, Los Angeles.

Serving in the Military since 1965, active Navy as a Corpsman 68-69 Vietnam, Steve is currently a Major in the Army Nurse Corps on active duty for the US Army serving in  Operation Iraqi Freedom, and will be discharged July 2007.  Using this background, Steve teaches Verbal Judo to various branches of the U.S. Military.  Now as a full-time instructor, and committed to the Verbal Judo philosophy, Steve has utilized his unique background to tailor Verbal Judo specifically for the Medical field, offering classes for Nurses, Doctors, Hospital Administrators, and front line support people. In concert with Dr. Thompson, Steve has developed and offers a forty-hour Instructor Training course for Hospital personnel. Successful completion of this course enables participants to return to their work environment and teach others the philosophy and tactics of Verbal Judo. He is also available to teach the BASIC one or two-day Verbal Judo course to clients who must deal with the public, often under difficult and trying conditions.