Support for Domestic Violence & Abuse

Feedback from Staff & Clients

 A beautiful message from the staff at the Domestic Violence Refuge that I worked with for the past 3 years in Hertfordshire when  I left at the end of May 2026 to relocate to the North East of England.


Wow, what can I actually say to you that would even come close to acknowleding what you have actually brought to our service over the time you have been supporting us - not enough words can even come close.


We have worked alongside each other for 3 years. You have totally transformed the service we now offer these ladies. We spent a long time delivering the differnt groups and topics we cover, but on a surface level. You have brought such depth and weight to these all with your experience and knowelge, and from the letters the clients have written, you left them with knowledge, words and experiences that they still remember and use today.


Your passion and enthusiam helped us to reflect on what was working well and what was missing. As a result  of this we managed to create the 12 week resilience building course which is now being delivered weekly to all the clients who walk through our doors. We are beginning to see a change in the trend since delivering this program, we see and experience women leaving us with an awareness and understanding of what resilience looks like, the knowledge to build and strengthen this, and being much more resilient than they were before. I could never have achieved this without your guidance and expertise along the way.


You have brought awareness, laughter, security, honesty, kindness, empathy, knowledge, expereince, tolerance, patience plus so much more, and most of all you have given this to each and every one of the  women who walked through our doors during your time with us, all without judgement. 


Sandy you are one of the most amazing women we have had the pleasure of meeting and you are going to be sadly missed by us all. You have left your mark, your words and  memories of you in each and every one of us, so good luck on your new adventure and like we always say - "The door remains open forever". 

Well where do I begin, I have been with you 7 weeks now. At first I didn't want to get involved and it scared me to even begin to open up, but you being an amazing woman with patience, caring and just a calming person, you really eased my fears, and week by week  I came out of my shell, and its been so freeing to get the things I once bottled up out during your sessions. You have helped me more than you will ever know. The topics we covered each week were always spot on. With your help we began to find the real me. I've really enjoyed and gained a lot from each session. I am truly grateful for you helping me out of a dark place.  I appreciate you and all that you do. I am sad to see you go. (Danielle)


I just wanted to take a moment to say thankyou  for everything you have done and for the incredible person you are. Your group therapy sessions have been such a huge help, not only to me but to everyone lucky enough to cross paths with you. The kindness, wisdom, insight and genuine care you bring into every session has made such a positive impact on so many lives. It has truly been an honour to meet someone as amazing and compassionate as you.

You have a way of making people feel heard, supported and understood and that is such a rare gift. The light and positivity you bring into peoples lives will never be forgotten. I know that wherever life takes you next you will continue to inspire and uplift those around you just as you always have. (Angie)


3 months ago

Hey Sandy, I just want to say how grateful I am to have met you, and that I have learnt a great deal during your group sessions. You've actually helped me a great deal in my recovery, teaching me how to deal with emotions and thoughts and being able to use the tools you made me aware of during your sessions. I will miss you a lot Sandy, You always know how to turn a negative into a positive. (Clare)


I am ever so lucky to have experienced my time with you at the DA Refuge. Although I was dismissive at first you really grew on me and helped me grow. Also your grace, patience, empathy, boldness and the love you showed was seen and felt in the house. The way you could explain gently what we couldn't understand at first would most definitely make perfect sense to us at the end, and that will stay with me and still does till this day, especially when I'm having a bad day, or when I feel not enough, being hard on myself, your words are never far behind. You made me feel safe, valued and seen. I've come really far on my journey so far and you Sandy have helped me along the way. You really are one in a million, you don't meet people like you everyday. You sure will be missed. (Annmarie)


3 months ago

OMG my favourite group

Said Layna never!

I never left that group

and Said I had the best time ever

I Dreaded the groups -

It gave me the ick

Sometimes almost made me

feel physically sick!

But when I gave it a change

Sometimes my heart would dance

I let myself go in the best ways

And it became one of my favourite days

I unravelled pieces of me I never knew

And found some light in the morning dew

I dug deep and found out things

That even the Sunshine never brings

So thank you Sandy for picking apart

The best bits of Me

That found my heart. (Layna)


I am writing to say a huge thank you and share just how much your presence and support has meant to me during my four months in the refuge.

You have a truly enormous gift for tapping into the underlying issues that so many of us carry. Before I started working with you, there were deep rooted pieces of my past and my struggles with addiction and domestic violence that I didn't even know existed. Your unique ability to gently uncover those truths has helped me gain an incredible amount of personal insight. You managed to tap into a compassionate side of myself that I had been deeply guarding for such a long time. The lessons you have taught me and the breakthroughs I've experienced because of your guidance have changed my outlook completely. Please know that the insights I have gained will remain with me forever and they will undoubtedly serve as the foundation for my future life. (Anita)

6 months ago

You were a really important part of my long but interesting recovery. Your sessions were the start for me to really understand what trauma can do to a person. I found that you allowed me to express and then think and sometimes re-live experiences which had to be dealt with, but your kind and considerate guidance made it more gentle to deal with. Sometimes I wondered how you dealt with us all some days !!!  Hehehe x but I really have never forgotten your help. You truly were a brilliant part of my life. (Sarah)


I can't thank you enough for giving us your time, advice and support. You have made such an impact on the way I think about things and the way I work through problems. I will always remember to put my own air mask on first!. (Samantha)


I can't thank you enough for all of your support and advice. You have helped me to understand myself better and to identify my feelings better and for the self-soothing that I can do to make myself less anxious about things that may make me feel uncomfortable. I appreciate everything you have taught me. ( Demi)

6 months ago