The Story Behind Sovara

Before creating Sovara Sanctuary, I spent many years working across a diverse range of industries including allied health, veterinary care, construction, retail, hospitality and childcare. I worked extensively in operational and HR management, systems development, team management, staff rehabilitation, and process improvements.

Much of that experience was fast paced, demanding and deeply challenging. While those experiences gave me practical management skills, resilience and a deeper understanding of people, it was my own journey that ultimately changed the direction of my life and the way I hold this work today.

The deeper work began when I stopped trying to simply “manage” myself and became willing to understand myself differently.

For years, I worked on the surface layers of things. I could analyse myself endlessly. I could intellectualise my emotions and keep functioning through almost anything. But underneath it all, I still never felt truly safe enough to slow down and sit with it.

To feel the grief. To acknowledge and release the trauma. To face the self-judgment and inner critic. To stop performing strength. To look honestly at the patterns, emotional pain and stories I had carried for years with compassion instead of shame.

That process was not quick, comfortable or linear. But it was real.

And I am not sharing this to seek sympathy, prove suffering or position myself as someone who has everything figured out. I share it because I know many women are living this way quietly.

High functioning on the outside. Lost underneath it all. Overthinking everything. Living in survival mode. Feeling emotionally exhausted, anxious, highly sensitive or constantly on alert.
I know what it feels like to live that way.

And I also know what begins to shift when women finally feel safe enough to reconnect with themselves more honestly, safely, compassionately and deeply.