Braver Collective, 10 Town Plaza #138, Durango, CO (2026)

02/14/2026

Today is loud, and for many of us, the noise of romantic love feels heavy. We’ve learned that sometimes the most radical thing we can do is just exist—choosing to meet ourselves with a little bit of compassion, even when shame or anger feel constant.

can be isolating or just plain exhausting when you’re navigating the aftermath of sexual abuse and trying to figure out what safety even looks like in your own body.

We’ve gathered a library of stories and resources at bravercollective.org that honor the reality of this journey without trying to “fix” the parts that hurt. We know this isn’t a polished Hallmark moment; it’s the hardest, bravest, and often messiest kind of love there is.

01/27/2026

It took me years of healing before I could finally say the word “rape” out loud. For a long time, the word wouldn’t even leave my mouth without triggering a full-on visceral panic attack.

Saying it meant it was real. It meant acknowledging that it really happened and that it was part of my experience. But I realized that as long as I kept it unnamed, the trauma stayed stuck in my body. What we can’t name still holds power over us.

I want you to know that it is truly possible to heal and to reclaim authorship over our own stories.

Reclaiming our voices might start small—a sentence in a journal or a quiet disclosure to a trusted friend. But when we finally name what happened to us, we take the power back. We begin to understand that while this experience happened, it does not define us. It doesn’t define who we are or who we will become.

To my fellow survivors—whether you identify as a victim, a survivor, or something else entirely—your language is powerful and your words matter.

I’ve shared more of the journey of reclaiming my voice in my latest piece, “The Power of Naming: A Journey of Healing After Trauma.”

💜𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐢𝐨.

𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Annie Novotny is Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Board-Certified Registered Art Therapist, educator, author, artist, mother, and survivor of sexual violence. She facilitates art therapy and trauma counseling with individuals, couples, and groups within her private practice Roots and Rays Creative Counseling on Chicago’s Southwest side.

ArtTherapy Survivors Survivor reclaimyourpower survivorship SA

01/27/2026

For many of us, the words associated with our trauma can feel like landmines—hidden, heavy, and too painful to touch. We often stay silent because to speak the truth out loud feels like giving the trauma more power.

But we are learning that 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚 𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞. ✊

In "The Power of Naming: A Journey of Healing After Trauma," therapist and survivor Annie Novotny [ ] reminds us that our healing belongs to us.

As Annie writes: "It requires bravery and tenacity to touch the intense moments of grief that arise within the traumascape of this work."

There is no "right" time or "correct" way to speak your truth. You have the right to feel safe in your body and to wait until you feel ready to confront the words that once terrified you. Whether you choose the word victim, survivor, or a term that is yours alone, you are the only one who gets to define your narrative.

We can move forward in our own time, at our own pace, and in our own words.

💜𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞: https://bravercollective.org/resources/the-power-of-naming-a-journey-of-healing-after-trauma

𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Annie is Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Board-Certified Registered Art Therapist, educator, author, artist, mother, and survivor of sexual violence. She facilitates art therapy and trauma counseling with individuals, couples, and groups within her private practice Roots and Rays Creative Counseling on Chicago’s Southwest side.

01/03/2026

“First and foremost, you have to take care of yourself. The world needs you. This community needs you. You are a survivor and how you survive is up to you. Just remember: emotional struggles and mood swings are a common response to trauma. You are not broken. You are human. And though we may not know each other, we share something in common—we deserve kindness, patience, and respect. We are worthy of it. And we can feel whole again. Especially when we speak and listen to each other. We can learn from one another. We can help each other heal.”

In “How Trauma Affects Mood,” Kristin Lueke reminds us that the wide range of feelings we experience as survivors is not only valid—it’s expected, given everything we’ve been through. Some days, we feel every emotion at once; other days, we might feel nothing at all. Both are natural responses to trauma.

✨ 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙬?
👇Drop it in the comments if you feel like sharing. Even a single word can remind someone else they’re not alone—and maybe help them open up too.

→ Click the link to read the full resource: https://bravercollective.org/resources/how-trauma-affects-mood

About the author:
Kristin Lueke () is a Chicana poet, essayist, and creative strategist, and a fierce advocate for dignity, joy, and collective action. She is the co-founder of Field of Practice (.ofpractice), a hyper-competent design studio creating thoughtful, useful work for purpose-driven organizations. She writes a monthly newsletter called The Animal Eats.

12/31/2025

Every survivor who finds Braver Collective arrives with a question:
Is there a path forward for me?

We believe the answer is yes 💛
Through stories that reflect survivors’ lived experiences.
Through resources shaped by our real needs.
Through a community that holds space for healing—together.

This year showed what’s possible when survivors lead:
✨ Many survivors shared their writing for the first time in a space that honored their story
✨ Campus advocates at two universities gained trauma-responsive tools
✨ Survivors across 15 states and 5 countries found their next step, on their own terms

None of this happened by accident.
It happened because people like you invested in survivor-centered support.

today at https://bravercollective.org/donate

#2025

12/30/2025

A year and a half ago, Braver Collective stepped boldly into the world 💛
Today, that bold step has become 𝟮𝟰,𝟬𝟵𝟭 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴.

That’s 24,091 times a survivor felt less alone.
24,091 moments of connection, courage, and hope—across the country.

Here’s what survivors shared with us:

“They didn't just publish my story. They pulled up a chair, listened, and said something I didn't know I needed to hear for over a decade now: ‘You're not alone.’” — Amanda

“Just a month or so ago, I wouldn't have expected to feel so safe sharing a part of my story, so this means a lot.” — Calista

“I hope my story reaches as far as it can to give hope to other survivors.” — Brandon

This year, we published 𝟯𝟰 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀, launched our survivor advisory group, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗼𝗼𝗹, and expanded 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮-𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 on college campuses.

✨ 𝗪𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.

💛 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆. Every dollar helps create the next moment of healing.
👉 https://bravercollective.org/donate

12/18/2025

In “Miss. Andrist,” Hannah tells exactly what happened—no distance, no softening. She writes from inside the silence, the fear, and the feeling of drowning in a place where no one stepped in. Say it with your full chest, Hannah. We see you and we won’t let you drown.

Read Hannah’s truth at https://bravercollective.org/stories/miss-andrist

Bio: Hannah Varga is a passionate poet and writer whose work delves into the complexities of human emotion. Her writing is raw and deeply personal. A firm believer in the power of vulnerability and unapologetic truth, she unravels the hidden turmoil of the inner self.

12/16/2025

In “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐲 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐌𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐈,” Ariana Suits (, she/her) shares a stark, honest account of how trauma can repeat itself across relationships. Her work names the quiet, confusing moments where harm is mistaken for intimacy—and it is a reminder to survivors that this confusion does not belong to us. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐭.

By naming moments where violence is framed as consent, Ariana makes space for us that often carry this confusion and hurt alone: being asked does not make harm acceptable, and love should never hurt. This kind of naming matters.

✨𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐚’𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: https://bravercollective.org/stories/boy-who-held

About the Author: Ariana Suits (she/her) has recently earned her undergraduate degree in Government and is currently working toward her Master’s in History. Recently published for the first time in an academic journal, she hopes to continue her research on Indigenous Peoples’ movements in Latin America. Ariana reminds us that success does not negate sadness or pain, nor does it necessarily heal—but happiness is still possible, in any circumstance.

12/16/2025

Ready to shape the future of survivor support? 🙋‍♀️ Braver Collective is excited to invite applications for the 2026 Reflecting Pool, a paid, collaborative feedback forum designed to collaborate with young adult survivors and allies (ages 18-34) to help shape our platform.

Why you’ll love it:
🌟 Make a tangible difference
🤝 Collaborate with a supportive community.
💸 Earn a stipend of up to $600.
🌍 Join from anywhere!

Time Commitment:
▪️10-month contract, from March to December 2026
▪️Attend 8 online sessions (1.5 hours each)

Interested? Apply at: https://bravercollective.org/work-with-us

12/05/2025

In “Divided Nation,” Emagene Greene (she/her) reflects on bodily autonomy in the United States and the injustice for all who are denied agency over their own lives. Her words speak to the frustration and heartbreak of having fundamental rights dictated by those in power and the ongoing fight for liberation and justice.

“This piece was written in response to Roe v. Wade being overturned. It is dedicated to my best friend, who was deeply affected by this decision. I love you, K!”

Emagene’s poem calls for solidarity, urging women everywhere to stand hand-in-hand against oppression and antiquated systems that continue to control our bodies. It is a powerful reminder that the fight for justice is far from over.

Author Bio: Emagene Greene is studying to be an elementary school teacher at a small private university in Missouri. Aside from writing, she enjoys beading, playing the Sims 4, and petting her foster cats, even though she is allergic…

✨ Read Emagene’s story at the https://bravercollective.org/stories/divided-nation

12/04/2025

Hi, I’m Dani Carpio (.dani), CPTSD advocate, survivor, and founder of Healing and CPTSD, a global community for complex trauma survivors. I’m also a certified EFT Tapping practitioner, and I recently wrote a free resource on Braver Collective called “When Healing Hurts: Why EFT Worked for Me When EMDR Didn’t.”

Healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. For me, EMDR didn’t work. It triggered a six-month emotional flashback regression. I felt overwhelmed, unsafe in my body, and even suicidal. That’s when I turned back to a tool I already had: EFT and tapping. It didn’t magically fix everything but it gave me moments of relief. And in survival mode, those moments matter.

✨ Let’s try a quick tapping exercise together ✨

1️⃣ Side of Hand: Tap gently and say:
“Even though I feel overwhelmed, I accept myself and how I feel.”
2️⃣ Tap through these points, repeating the phrases or simply noticing your sensations:

▪️Top of Head: “I am so overwhelmed right now.”• ▪️Eyebrow: “Everything feels like a lot right now.”
▪️Side of Eye: “Of course, I feel overwhelmed. I’ve had to carry so much.”
▪️Under Eye: “It makes sense that my body is alert. It makes sense that I’m overwhelmed.”
▪️Under Nose: “I’m allowed to be overwhelmed.”▪️Under Mouth: “I don’t have to push myself to be okay.”
▪️Collarbone: “I can take this one moment at a time.”

💨 Take a deep breath in through your nose, out through your mouth. No rushing. No fixing. Just being here. Your nervous system is responding to what it has lived through. You are not doing this wrong. You are not too much.

For more support:
👉Read Dani’s full article click the link in bio
📄 Download my free tapping guide:
💛 Join the Healing & CPTSD community hub for connection and survivor-centered support .and.cptsd / healingandcptsd.com / complexdani.com

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