I Attended HER's Annual Survivor Retreat - Here's My Experience
As we approach the end of another successful year, I want to share my gratitude for your involvement and support of We Are HER. Your generosity led to the support of 132 survivors in 2023. On behalf of the entire We Are HER community, thank you.
My We Are HER journey began at my local post office. I saw a We Are HER poster and thought to myself, ‘Wow, I’ve never seen an opportunity like that before.’ The organization’s post-crisis services and facilitated connection between survivors were unlike anything I had encountered. I knew that We Are HER’s supportive community had the power to positively shape my healing journey. I went home and applied for We Are HER’s Survivor Retreat right away, before I could give myself any reason not to. Most of my healing journey up to that point has been an isolated experience – I wasn’t sharing my story or connecting with survivors, but I knew those were things I had been missing.
As I arrived in the mountains of Montana for the Survivor Retreat, I was welcomed into a space of beauty and peace. The cozy housing and pleasant nature allowed for many walks, conversations, and learning experiences in the warm sunshine and fresh air. It was the perfect healing setting.
Each day of the Survivor Retreat contained time for educational workshops, movement, intentional connection, and free time. Survivors were able to relax, enjoy the shared space, and speak about their stories during this deeply holistic experience. We Are HER truly created a container for people to feel safe and exist as they were.
“Since the Survivor Retreat, I have felt much lighter with a degree of peace that I had never felt in my adulthood before. ”
We Are HER creates community and connectedness for survivors like myself. It has been six months since I attended the Survivor Retreat, and my biggest takeaway has been the empowering bonds I have continued to grow. Through sharing my story and hearing the stories of others, I have learned that I am not alone and I have a network of individuals supporting me in my journey. I have kept in contact with people more frequently than I have in years. The connections I made with other survivors were the best part of the retreat.
Since the Survivor Retreat, I have felt much lighter with a degree of peace that I had never felt in my adulthood before. I have freed up so much emotional and mental space in my life, and I was completely astonished by that.
We Are HER helps survivors become healed, empowered, and restored with support from wonderful people like you. Join us in this endeavor with a special year-end gift that will make a life-changing difference for survivors.
Thank you for your continued support and belief in We Are Her’s mission.
With warmest regards,
Steph (They/She)
2023 Retreat Participant