Trauma-Informed Support

One of the most important forms of support I offer is my Connecting Within Retreats. These unique events are based on those that helped put me back together after a life in foster care. They are trauma-informed and deeply life changing. Over the years, I’ve been able to offer scholarships and reduced rates for some participants in my retreats because there has always been a mix of more- and less-privileged participants that resulted in a sustainable wage for me.

Recently, I have been asked by POC (People of Color) to lead POC-only retreats to support their deep healing in a way that safely holds and honors their experiences. However, due to systemic racism, holding a POC-only retreat means participants generally have less resource and privilege. Because of this, over the years I have given my work away numerous times only to find that this was depleting and dishonoring to me, sabotaging my ability to be the support I desire to be. As a Latinx woman who has transformed my own pain and knows how to lead the way for others, I am seeking a way to model the regenerative healing I preach: by offering the support requested and also experience equity in my livelihood. I do not believe the traumatized need carry the traumatized alone; this is how re-traumatization, burnout, and inequity are perpetuated.

Community Supported Healing

In order to address this inequity, I have decided to ask allies to sponsor POC participants. Many POC clients are single mothers working extremely hard to heal their own traumas from abuse, systemic racism, and the daily challenge of parenting alone within capitalism. Because of my own journey of pain and healing, I know I speak a language that is unique in the landscape of western psychology and spirituality (which is why I’ve been repeatedly asked to hold this space).
It has become clear to me that after many years of activism, holding these retreats and doing this healing work is the single most effective thing I can do to bring life giving change. I am eager to share this work and I do and will no matter what. But I know there are many who are more resourced, who deeply want to be part of collective and systemic healing.

So, I am asking for contributions to help make healing reconnection and decolonization sustainable for all of us. If this is right for you, you will know it and I thank you. For anyone interested and able, please use the button below to make a contribution through PayPal and support the healing of others.

Testimonials

Here are testimonials from POC I have supported. Please share with anyone you feel may be interested.

"I cannot say enough good things about Sylvia and the work that she does for women and indirectly for their families and even more exponentially, for the world. The environment she offers through retreats and Conscious Mothering Circles is such a safe, healing space for us mothers to be able to reflect and restore ourselves in an authentically self-loving, self-affirming way. She approaches her work with warmth and grace and makes it possible for women like myself to experience beautiful moments of enlightenment, self-awareness, and catharsis. My spirituality and emotional intelligence is nourished and my soul is perpetually fed by my experiences with Sylvia and the support I receive from her and the mothers who attend these events. It is a Powerful and Invaluable service that she provides."   ~Leslie

"I wanted to start off by saying that I had a truly life changing retreat. I was impressed by how skillfully Sylvia facilitated the retreat. She was extremely intelligent, and had the ability to truly connect with me which helped me feel comfortable and open to addressing some deep and difficult life realities that I've been trying to sort through for years. She was very skillful in her ability to facilitate a safe environment which made it possible for me feel the courage to face some tough realities. Her ability to be very gentle in her approach made it possible for me to feel that I'm okay while feeling a lot of pain. She truly changed my life. She has a courageous spirit that allows her to not shy from speaking the truth. She spoke the truth with so much love and gentleness. That ability is rare in this world, and it was such a blessing to have experienced the healing it brings.

"I have been in the social work field since I was 25 years old. I'm 41 now. I've worked with a psychiatrist, with special needs, and with Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. I am currently a Supervisor and manage Social Workers. I was a Social Worker in different capacities for 13 years. Throughout the years I have met and worked with a lot of therapists, Social Workers, and other professionals from all different walks of life, experiences, and degrees. I have also had the opportunity to work with some amazing and skilled people over the years. With that experience in mind, I say this without any hesitation that Sylvia is one of the best of the best.

"I was very impressed with how Sylvia truly understood a lot of complicated issues. Some of the issues she understood included grief and loss, mental health, sexual abuse/assault and societal issues. She knew a lot of techniques to use skillfully at the right time to help me unblock myself, let go, and to truly connect to myself and to my higher self. I had a lot of complicated issues that I promise you a lot of professionals wouldn't have known how to address with me to the degree Sylvia was able to. She understood me and knew how to address my issues very quickly. That impressed me.

"Sylvia has the ability to truly understand how all my issues interconnect together. She addressed them all, one by one, and did it so seamlessly. My issues range from my crazy religious background, to the dynamics of my family (and those are complicated to most people lol), to my need to grieve, and to my experience with a horrifying sexual encounter when I was a young child. I was an EXTREMELY complicated case to say the least. My life has so many dynamics and I'm also a very dynamic person. For someone to be able to help me have so many breakthroughs in a few days, that requires someone with a lot of skills and intelligence to know how to effectively navigate through all of it. Sylvia handled all of it like a pro!

"I've NEVER been so vulnerable in my life. I've never really spoke to people about a lot of the things that I had been through. At this retreat I was able to share it all without holding back. It felt great, and I feel healed from so much pain. I feel lighter. The pain that used to haunt me has disappeared. I feel true peace. The best part was that I finally can connect with my spirituality in a way I was not able to before. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!"   ~Dima