#travellight
Every month more than 2,200 people walk through our doors at The Refuge Center carrying burdens they can barely lift. Anxiety that wakes them up at 3 a.m. Depression that makes even small tasks feel impossible. A marriage quietly unraveling. Trauma never spoken aloud. Grief that refuses to follow anyone’s timeline. The pain of never feeling “enough.”
Many have learned to carry it well—smiling at work, showing up for others, all while growing weary from the weight they bear. Some days it feels manageable; other days, unbearable. They’ve carried their secret burdens for so long,they’ve forgotten what it feels like to walk without that weight. The truth is, none of us were meant to carry it alone.
At The Refuge Center, people find a safe place to set that weight down. With the help of a compassionate counselor, they begin to unpack what they’ve carried for so long—learning what’s truly theirs to hold, what never was, and what can be transformed from burden into strength. Because, whatever we’re carrying, none of us were meant to do it alone.
-Each year, 1 in 5 adults experience a mental illness, 1 in 10 experience a mental health crisis.
-Close to half of those people never receive treatment.
-Most wait an average of 11 years from their first symptoms to get help.
The crisis is real. And it’s in our community. But freedom is possible. You hold the key.
Help us raise $350,000 before the end of the year with a tax-deductible donation. To date, we have raised $217,000 for our #travellight 2025 Year-End Campaign!
BEFORE COUNSELING
“I had reached a point where I was just living in constant fear, waiting for the next shoe to drop… I realized I couldn’t function—I needed help.”
“I struggled with suicide, trauma, and PTSD. I was medication-resistant. I was really out of options.”
“I didn’t even realize how disconnected I was. I was so hard on myself—never feeling enough.”
” I came to Refuge feeling unseen and overwhelmed.”
DURING COUNSELING
“Nine months ago is when I started counseling. I began to see progress—the first time I stopped a panic attack in its tracks I realized something was working.”
“I told my therapist, ‘This is life-changing.’ Counseling helped me have softness with myself, a tenderness where I give myself grace and accept my humanness.”
“We contacted The Refuge Center, and for the first time ever someone could explain what was going on. My brain responded to neurofeedback—there was light at the end of the tunnel.”
“My therapist created space for me to process. It’s been such a blessing knowing my kids are also being cared for here.”
AFTER COUNSELING
“I’ve never felt so whole. My kids even experience me differently now—it’s beautiful. Hope Grows at Refuge because there’s compassion, care, and love.”
“There are pleasant things you can experience in life… that means you have hope. Hope will go a very long way. To veterans, I say: take the chance—there is someone who can understand you and help you.”
“I can stop my panic attacks now and recognize depression when it comes on… I can face it without falling apart. I can put up boundaries and care for myself. My marriage and relationship with my kids are better.”
“Having a safe place to be heard has been healing. I feel seen, cared for, and at peace.”
