Brittany, a survivor of child sexual abuse, attended The Haven Retreat and learned what her abuse had done to her.

I Was Finally Able to See What the Abuse Did to Me

At the Saprea Retreat, I finally learned it’s okay to cry. It’s okay to let all those bottled emotions out. I finally found out why I have such a hard time showing my emotions and finding myself.

For many years, I thought I was okay when really, I wasn’t. It wasn’t until that last day at the retreat that I cried and I cried hard. Being a survivor of childhood sexual abuse did, in fact, take a toll on me.

While attending the retreat I was finally able to see what the abuse did to my brain, and how much of an impact it really had on me. Emotionally, spiritually and physically, I was damaged. It felt amazing being around other women who have been through abuse because I found out that I am not alone. I was able to bond with these women, and create a sisterhood that I will forever have. Throughout the week, I learned that I am strong, powerful, and I am worth it.

-Brittany, Survivor

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Sammi, a survivor of child sexual abuse, attended The Haven Retreat and is a victor not a victim.

I Am a Victor Not a Victim

Losing my innocence at the age of six and being the victim of date rape at the age of 15 was something I hid from everyone who knew me. I always felt as if I was to blame for allowing this to happen to me. I never talked about it to anyone. I just hid it with alcohol. I could be funny, I could flirt and I could laugh with alcohol. I couldn’t do that without it. I would just hide from the world and live in depression.

Going to the retreat opened up my eyes and cleared my mind. I did not allow these things to happen to me. They were stolen from me. I got the tools I desperately needed to seek help, talk to people, and learn to love myself. I have learned I can overcome anything. I am a VICTOR and not a victim. I am courageous, strong, and a warrior.

I can share my story with others hoping to help one lady out there who is living in darkness like I was. Saprea saved my life. I am reclaiming hope every single day with my new six amazing friends I made at the retreat. They are my sisters, my friends, and most of all my cheering squad! Thank you for the best four days of my life!

-Sammi, Survivor

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Melanie, a survivor of child sexual abuse, attended The Haven Retreat and it pulled her to the light.

The Saprea Retreat Pulled Me to the Light

I was at my breaking point. I had thrown all of my being into being a mom, but I had never dealt with my past. I knew I had reached a point where something had to give. So, one late night I filled out the application, not thinking I would be accepted. It was a whirlwind after that.

“The best thing that happened is she believed in herself so she could fly!”

Saprea Retreat did that for me and more. The tools it gave me to help myself and believe I am beautiful are the most important things I could have. Saprea saved me from such a dark place. It pulled me to the light. Being a survivor does not make you a victim. It does not make you weak. It makes you a warrior! And truly from then on, I have been able to fly!

-Melanie, Survivor

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Beth, a survivor of child sexual abuse, attended The Haven Retreat and reclaimed hope.

I Have Reclaimed Hope

The thought that I was sexually abused a child was one that I never accepted in my life until the age of 31. That was not the reality of who I was. I had blocked those events completely from my brain. It was not even something I could consciously conceive to be real in my life. It took me struggling through relationships, not knowing my path in life, feeling like there was something wrong with me, etc. to realize that maybe I didn’t have it all together

You see, I went to school to be a counselor. I have sat through numerous courses, learning all about how to help other people. I’ve learned techniques for empowering others. I paid a lot of money to get to this point. And then I realized that I needed a taste of my own medicine.

As I spent time in February of 2017 reading through the book “Reclaim Hope”, after it being recommended by a friend, I found my world rocked. What really hit me the most through this experience was learning more about the two-part brain. Being able to understand more about the fact that the trauma caused me to shut down one part of my brain and that, to this day, I go back there, was eye opening. I finally felt, while reading this section of the book, that I wasn’t alone. It helped me to understand more of why my life was being lived the way it was.

In March of that same year I attended Saprea Retreat. Attending the retreat reaffirmed the fact that I am not alone in this journey. My experiences are unique but the trauma is not. This retreat also really gave me the reminder that there are legitimate reasons for why my body reacts the way it does to triggers and taught me strategies to start retraining myself.

I am now not afraid to say that I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and that this does not make me who I am. It is simply a part of me. I’m no longer ashamed to be part of the 1 in 4 statistic. Instead I’m a fighter. I’m a survivor. I’m strong. I’m whole. I’m worthy.

I have reclaimed hope!

-Beth, Survivor

Interested in Attending Saprea Retreat?