Recovery for Women

We all experience trauma at one point in our lives. There is natural trauma like losing a grandparent, or going through a breakup. Then there is the trauma that is not natural, like being sexually assaulted by your doctor or raped at a fraternity party, or even watching the men in your workplace get opportunities that you, as a woman, do not.

Women come to us for help when they want legal justice. However, once you retain a lawyer, and even after you receive compensation, you still have to deal with the vestiges of the experience.

Financial compensation generally does not heal your psychological wounds. In fact, sometimes legal justice leaves you feeling more confused, alone, vulnerable or upset.

LITIGATING AGAINST YOUR ABUSER IS JUST ONE STEP IN YOUR HEALING JOURNEY

Tamara believes that professional help is vital to trauma recovery.

If you are in Illinois, we recommend the Northwestern Family Institute.

Additionally, if you or a someone you know is in need of recovery for substance abuse, look no further than Divided Sky Foundation, the recovery center built by Trey Anastasio (Phish) and his one-time caseworker Melanie Gulde.

From Trey’s interview with People, in 2024:

“She saved my life. She’s a badass, but she’s also very loving,” Trey says of Melanie who is now DSF’s program director. “We want to be available to everybody that needs help. It’s a place of healing,” says Anastasio. “Everybody who works there is in recovery. Virtually everyone understands, and there’s no judgment.” Divided Sky’s model — which is based on The Retreat, a recovery center in Wayzata, Minn. — does not include detox, which is “one of the ways that the price stays down,” says Anastasio, who recently released a new album, Evolve, with Phish. “So basically, you know you’re a drug addict, you’re an alcoholic when you walk in the door. If you need to do detox, we are connected in the local Vermont sober community with places where we would send you to a medical facility to detox. Some people need longer than others. There’s a staff that assesses the condition that your loved one is in, and some people would come 20, 30 days, other people might need 90. It’s based on your individual situation. Some people might need longer and that’s perfectly fine.”

In fact, Divided Sky has a women’s scholarship fund for women in need of financial assistance to attend Divided Sky for recovery!

The Divided Sky Foundation announced a new Women’s Scholarship Fund. The organization co-founded by Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio set a goal of raising $500,000 for the Fund by the end of 2025.
Anastasio teamed with his former drug court officer, Melanie Gulde, to establish the Divided Sky Foundation as a resource for affordable alternative addiction recovery services. The Divided Sky Foundation’s Residential Recovery Program in Ludlow, Vermont has provided support to hundreds of people since opening in November 2023.
“Women recover differently and face unique barriers that often leave them overwhelmed and discouraged,” said Gulde. “Stigma, cost, and childcare responsibilities can all stand in the way of seeking help. The Women’s Scholarship Fund is our response: more than financial aid, it’s a statement that every woman is worthy of a sober life — and we are here to support them.”
The Women’s Scholarship Fund will provide women with greater access to The Divided Sky Foundation’s services.
“We established the Women’s Scholarship Fund to help all women heal, regardless of their ability to pay for recovery — and it is clear our Fund is already working,” said women’s rights advocate and attorney Tamara Holder, who paid for the first female guest at Divided Sky in 2023 and donated significantly to help establish the Fund. “Women are the fastest-growing demographic affected by addiction. The statistics are stark: more than 75% of women struggling with addiction have experienced sexual abuse, over 70% are mothers, and women face a higher risk of fatal overdose.”
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), statistics regarding women’s access to recovery resources show:
Women account for just one-third of admissions to residential or inpatient recovery facilities.
Only one in ten women with substance use disorder receive treatment.
Women are more likely than men to encounter traumatic life experiences, including child abuse, intimate partner violence, and sexual assault, which may increase their vulnerability to developing a substance use disorder.
“I’m so grateful that Melanie and Tamara are leading this next stage of Divided Sky with a dedicated women’s scholarship program,” said Anastasio. “With a women-led team that deeply understands the trauma that so often precedes addiction, and scholarships that remove the financial barriers to care, this program can give more women the chance to heal and start fresh.”
Visit The Divided Sky Foundation’s website to donate directly to the Women’s Scholarship Fund and learn about other fundraising options.

[This is not a paid advertisement!]