Courageous Pathways is a non-profit formed for the purpose of supporting women who are in relationships that are harmful or destructive.
Sometimes the destruction that is happening is overt, clear, and interventions are obvious. However, for many women who are being emotionally harmed, it is not so clear. The signs are sneaky, subtle, and undetectable - like carbon monoxide. The clients come to us because their bodies, minds, hearts and emotions do not feel well, and they are longing for something that they oftentimes don't know how to articulate, yet feel. They want peace, hope, a feeling of safety and security.
Let me tell you a story as an example. This isn't the story of any particular woman, but it is the story of many women.
Christie came to The Broken and Beautiful for Storywork counseling and Spiritual Direction. She was chronically exhausted, perfectionistic, and frequently experienced thoughts that death would "be better" even though she was not actively suicidal. She would wake up tired even after sleeping a full night and felt that it was a chore to get through her days. She sought help from us because she had come to the only conclusion that felt good to her: she needed to figure out what was wrong with her so that she could feel better and be better for her family, friends and community. It really mattered to her how she showed up to the people she loved.
Her primary reason for beginning with us was because she kept exploding at her kids and wanted to be able to "get herself under control." She referenced this by saying, "I need to suck it up and be better." She also felt overwhelming urges to eat when she felt sad, angry or lonely. As we began to unpack the story of her life, we as her helpers, began to have questions about the dynamic within her marriage. For instance, she would report that she could not contact her husband while he was at work because it messed up his day to do so, yet there were times that she was left trying to figure out an unforeseen circumstance with the house or kids on her own. Then when her husband got home from work, he would be critical about the way she handled the situation. When she once tried to bring it up with him, he told her she was, "always so dramatic."
Some women are taught that being kind and godly is to never need. That indeed, the need for more is simply selfish or exposes their lack faith. It can be challenging to consider the perspective that the reason for exhaustion, blow-ups and chronic pain and any number of other symptoms can be caused by a lack of ability to say, "no, I don't like or want that." Or, "I need you to stop hurting me."
When this problem is chronic, it can be easier to take the blame and therefore mitigate and deny the depth of harm that is happening. This kind of ongoing experience of psychological abuse** can certainly be difficult to spot and even may feel familiar from other relationships, like family of origin or church.
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When destructive relationships are understood, there is help and hope, however not without intentionality. It can't change without support and support is expensive. We want to help in a practical way.
To be considered for assistance through Courageous Pathways, use the contact form below. Someone will get back to you soon.
About
The Broken and Beautiful offers several services to help women (and men) find their voices and feel more whole, healthy and hopeful. The reason Courageous Pathways has been formed is because we have discovered that as women find their voice, they may need to make changes in their lives. Sometimes that means either temporarily or permanently stepping away from a lifetime of abuse. When this decision is made, it often comes with a financial implication that is either nearly or completely untenable. Therefore, as soon as they find themselves needing to transition, they are not able to and are more stuck than when they started.
Courageous Pathways is here to help in practical ways by providing financial support for services and other needs. For a designated time frame, dependent on each client's situation, we will pay for 100% of the cost to obtain our services and/or other needs that come up for women in harmful and abusive environments.**
Mission of Courageous Pathways
Connect
CONNECT women who are in financial need and are in abusive and/or exploitative relationships (marriages, jobs, children, spouses, etc.) with the services we provide at The Broken and Beautiful: licensed mental health care, life coaching, Spiritual Direction, and Storywork.
Pay
PAY for the services rendered
Provide
PROVIDE hospitality - a space to come and just be - at The Well***
Give
GIVE free/no cost classes and groups
*For a description of what constitutes psychological abuse, click here https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/emotional-abuse
**We are not able to offer financial assistance for legal services due to liability reasons.
***The Well is a space for safety and nourishment: physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. We will have it open at least once per week for women who are weary just to stop and rest.