Tiffany, a survivor of child sexual abuse, attended The Haven Retreat and it was the best decision.

It Was the Best Decision I Have Made in My Life

“Did I make the right choice by coming here?” That is what was going through my head as I drove out to the Saprea Retreat. Going into this knowing that I was going to step out of my comfort zone and make that best out of this was scary. Looking back at it now I can tell you that it was the best decision I have made in my life!

Walking through those doors for the first time feeling so vulnerable yet safe and loved is something that I can not even describe. I knew instantly that I would be okay, and that I was going to get something so special out of this experience. This retreat gave me my life back! It did this by giving me the tools, the hope, and the strength that I needed to get through each day.

Thank you to Saprea for hosting this retreat and helping so many realize that they are not alone. You’re allowed to scream, you’re allowed to cry, but do not give up!

I will rise unafraid.

-Tiffany, Survivor

Interested in Attending Saprea Retreat?

A woman standing in front of lake and putting the hands in her pocket

The Forgotten Survivor

Guest blog post written by Chris Yadon, Executive Director at The Younique Foundation

She is your sister, your neighbor, your coworker; maybe your mom or daughter. She is a survivor of child sexual abuse, and she is forgotten by most. She keeps her abuse to herself because she feels shame or doesn’t feel safe enough to share it. In fact, she may not even tell you she is a survivor no matter how close you are to her. She is the “forgotten” survivor.

But she is not forgotten to us.

Your gift can support survivors and help them Reclaim Hope.

I love the work we do at The Younique Foundation and, because of that work, I often find myself in situations where people are genuinely interested in what we do. The conversation is predictable and usually goes something like this:

Person: What do you do at The Younique Foundation?

Me: We get to help survivors of child sexual abuse find healing.

Person: So you work with kids?

Me: No. We get to help adult women who were sexually abused as children.

Person: Oh, so you run a women’s shelter?

Me: Not quite. The women we work with are not typically in crisis mode. They are high-functioning women who are successful in life, but are still dealing with the trauma they experienced as children.

The conversation continues as I share the great work we do at The Younique Foundation and how we help women. Our approach is intriguing because what we do is different—something many have not considered before.

Many communities have services for women in crisis or children in crisis, but very few have services for the “forgotten” survivor—the woman who was abused as a child but never quite got the help she needed. This “forgotten” survivor has learned to be successful despite her trauma. She appears to be healthy and happy, but there may still be a storm raging on the inside that is silently tearing her apart. Because she appears to be doing well and, in fact, is doing well in many aspects of her life, many people don’t see that she may need help. In essence, she is forgotten.

At The Younique Foundation, we know it is never too late to heal. We are proud to tell the “forgotten” survivor that she is NOT forgotten and we are here to help—that now is a great time to heal. Through The Haven Retreat and our online services, she can find tools that help her find healing while she continues to succeed in her busy life, her career, and her relationships. She doesn’t have time to stop her world while she heals. She needs a simple guide and simple tools to implement that will help her heal along the way.

That is exactly what we do at The Younique Foundation. We are proud to serve the “forgotten” survivor. She is not forgotten anymore.

Guest Blog Written By Chris Yadon

Chris Yadon

Chris Yadon currently serves as the Executive Director at The Younique Foundation. Most of his professional career has been in start-up executive management with an emphasis in operations, marketing, and sales. Chris is grateful to be the father of three boys and three girls that range from 3 to 20 years. He has been married to his wife, Christy, for 21 years and enjoys learning how to love others through her example. When there is free time, Chris loves to be on the lake, take occasional ski days, and kick box - a recently found passion.

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Leilani, a survivor of child sexual abuse, attended The Haven Retreat and has come so far.

I’ve Come So Far and I’m Not Going Back

In a matter of a couple of years, I went from a woman who would have taken the secret of her abuse to her grave to the woman who did everything in her power to protect the little girl who never got her chance to fight or scream. After 15 years of not remembering my abuse, and another ten burying it, deciding to finally tell my parents was more than liberating. It was the catalyst to my healing.

The early stages of anger and rage I felt fueled my determination to fight for my inner child and do what she couldn’t do to protect herself at 4 years old.

Until I attended the Saprea Retreat, I never felt strong or worthy of happiness. Never.

Saprea changed all of that. Attending the retreat removed the cloud I was living under. It helped me understand trauma and realize I wasn’t alone. I was surrounded by complete strangers, but we were bonded together by our traumas and a deep understanding of the pain we all felt. No one needed to say anything, but I felt like every woman in that room knew my heart like no one ever has.

The Saprea Retreat wasn’t a quick fix. Those don’t exist. But it was an opportunity to rest, learn, and share in a very safe place. I learned I am strong. I am beautiful. I am worthy. And even though the journey to healing is long, hard and lots of work, I have the tools I need, and that’s dangerous in the hands of a woman who, as a child, has already survived hell on earth. I’ve come so far, and I’m not going back!

-Leilani, Survivor

Interested in Attending Saprea Retreat?