A Mother, A Separation, and the System That Wasn’t Built for Us

Hi, I’m Anne.

I’m a mother of two young children, acupuncturist, herbalist, chiropractor, and a practitioner of women's healing arts. For over a decade, I’ve supported others in reclaiming their bodies, boundaries, and nervous system safety. And now I’m fighting for mine.

I’m currently navigating a high-conflict divorce and custody situation after years of covert emotional and verbal abuse. The dynamics have escalated to the point that I’ve had to retain legal counsel and am exploring protective action to ensure the emotional and physical safety of myself and my children.

While trying to protect my kids and create a new, stable home, I’ve run headlong into a system that doesn’t support women like me.

What This Fund Supports:

Your donations will go toward:

The System Isn’t Designed for Women Like Me

Right now, it is nearly impossible for me to access the support I need through traditional institutions:

I can’t qualify for an apartment because my income is technically “too low." I can’t get financial assistance because I have a part-time business. I can’t access protection through the courts because the abuse hasn’t turned physical. And I can’t receive full spousal support yet because I haven’t moved out.

This is a common and deeply painful reality:

The system only protects women after they’ve been physically violated—not when they are actively trying to prevent harm.

What happens to the mothers who don’t have savings, credit, or family to ask for help?

What happens to women like me—who are actively doing the healing work, raising children, and asking for help before it’s “too late”?

Why I’m Asking:

I am doing everything I can to shield my children from harm while creating a stable, loving future for them.

But I can’t do this alone.

I believe this moment is bigger than me. It’s about protecting my children and modeling a different future for them—one where truth is named, abuse isn’t normalized, and mothers don’t have to walk through fire alone.

My Long-Term Vision:

Eventually, I want to donate to—or create—an organization that helps women like me navigate impossible binds inside a system that wasn’t built for us. I want to use this experience not only to protect my own family, but to contribute to changing the landscape for others.

But right now, we’re still in it. And we need support.

How You Can Help:

If you feel moved, I would be so grateful if you could:

Every dollar helps. Every share matters. Every gesture tells my children that their mother is not alone—and that their wellbeing is worth protecting.

To stay resourced and share my experience with others who might be going through something similar, I’ve been writing a public series called Love Letters to Dr. Grief. You can read it here—because stories like mine deserve to be witnessed.

With love and deepest thanks,

Anne