In our women’s lot, we provide safe overnight parking for women experiencing homelessness and living in their vehicles. Many participants come to us after having been in unsafe situations while sleeping on the streets or in co-ed programs. That is why we began our women’s lot so female identifying and female led households can rest at night in a gated parking lot with a female guard on-site, knowing they are safe.

During one of our workshops, The Monster in Me, we invited participants to reflect on emotions they may not allow themselves to feel and then identify the feelings they would like to embrace and share. One participant, D, explored how fear in her life has often been masked by rage. She courageously shared that rage has been present since her youth and that she has always been afraid of it. She described her “monster” as that rage that lives inside of her. 

When discussing what feelings she would like to focus on, D identified safety as her greatest need when she feels scared, along with feeling seen and understood. She used her favorite colors to represent comfort and peace, creating a powerful visual expression of healing. She expressed immense gratitude for the workshop, sharing that it brought forward emotions she did not realize had resurfaced until she was given the space to name and process those big feelings we sometimes hide. 

The workshop was very emotional and left both participants and staff in tears. To close our workshop, we intentionally focused on self-care. We debriefed and used music as a tool to move and release those feelings. It was a great workshop that created community and built rapport amongst participants and staff. We look forward to offering more workshops that cultivate healing, safety, and connection within our community.