Trauma Care & Peer Support
SURVIVOR CENTERED PEER SUPPORT
We are proud to prioritize and support survivors of sexual violence through 1:1 peer support or survivor-centred trauma care. Currently, we have one staff member providing ongoing support to survivors, please be patient with your request for support and know you will always receive a response within 24-48 hours.
Currently, we have Viktoria and Laur providing free 1:1 Survivor Trauma Care Sessions for 1-6 sessions max.
Please email coordinator@dandelioninitiative.ca to book your 1-hour trauma care session or a short consultation.
This peer support is by survivors for survivors in mutuality, collective healing and resource sharing. It is not intended to supplement therapy or other consistent and individualized mental health services. We are happy to collaborate with you to find a trauma or feminist therapist to support you on your recovery/reclaiming.
RED CROSS & WAGE FUNDED
PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM
With the support of Red Cross Canada and WAGE the Dandelion Team was able to hire Nicole and Yami to support our small team in providing peer support to survivors of sexual/gender-based violence for 6 months. Thank you to the 50+ survivors that we were able to serve through the program. We hope to see more peer-based and survivor-centred programming funded and prioritized for survivors in the future.
Yami (Ze/Hir)
Yami is a grassroots community organizer and movement practitioner that has over twelve years of experience supporting survivors of sexual, racial and gender-based violence. In May 2017 Yami founded SEEDS Yoga. SEEDS Yoga is a series of classes that center healing centred engagement/trauma-informed practices that incorporate teaching methods Transcending Sexual Trauma Through Yoga with Zabie Yamaski.
Nicole D(she/her)
Nicole studied social work in postsecondary and currently is working in the mental health field. Nicole is also trained in teaching yoga through a trauma-informed lens, and is the creator of Lotus Strength and Wellness, as well as a grassroots mental health group Beautiful Minds. Nicole is also a peer support for Reclaim Your Voice's events. Nicole identifies as South Asian and loves houseplants, yoga and taking walks in nature. “One of my favourite things to do is creating spaces for people to come together whether it be games night, hikes or yoga/mindfulness groups”.
Laur (they/them)
The trauma care Laur offers rests on the belief that recovery is a journey of continually redefining safety, and reclaiming agency and self-worth. They are deeply invested in making mindfulness accessible by going slow, listening to survivors, and using trauma-informed practices. They have lived and living-experience with intimate partner violence, mental illness, chronic illness and pain, and addiction.
Viktoria (she/her)
Viktoria has dedicated over 10 years to traumatology and survivor centric supports for survivors. She is our lead survivor support here at the Dandelion and provides ongoing trauma care and safety planning and advocacy to survivors. She works with individuals and groups in different ways using empowerment based models and intersectional feminist practices. Viktoria is a Romani woman and survivor living in Ontario with her wife and their dog, Buffy.