The Retreat helped me in the darkest of times.

I happened upon their doorstep very scared, anxiety-ridden, dazed, and without a clue of how to go about getting protection from my spouse. I felt as if I was all alone in the world and none of my family or friends would understand. I was embarrassed.

The advocates helped me complete all of the necessary paperwork to file for an order of protection. They sat and held my hand in the family court’s waiting room and were there for me at every court hearing thereafter.

I received counseling through the years from a wonderful therapist that showed me I was not alone. She knew all the signs of my abuse and gave me the sense that I was not crazy.  She believed me. She gave me a newfound self-confidence. The Retreat helped me and my children through our worst times and left us with the tools to start a new life. 

I am forever grateful to the staff at The Retreat for my time with them. They let me spread my wings when I was ready. I went from an alone, scared, stay-at-home mom with no money of my own to a strong, confident woman who got a job and worked hard to put myself and my children in a position where we can pay it forward.  We understand what others are going through and feeling. We want that same feeling of joy and hope that was given to us now shared with others.

The Retreat’s 24-hour multilingual hotline, 329-329-2200 is available to anyone who needs assistance. Please visit our Get Help page for information on all of our free and confidential services.