The Standing Strong Programme
Standing Strong is a therapeutic programme developed by Aanchal Women’s Aid to support women living in refuge and safe accommodation following domestic abuse.
The programme offers gentle, trauma-informed emotional support during this in-between stage, helping women to feel safer, rebuild confidence, and begin looking towards the future at their own pace.
How it helps
Through a combination of short therapeutic modules, weekly peer support sessions, and optional one-to-one counselling, women are supported to:
Manage overwhelming emotions
Rebuild a sense of identity and self-worth
Develop practical coping tools
Feel less isolated through shared experience
Strengthen confidence in their decision-making
The programme is delivered in small, supportive cohorts, with three modules running on a rolling basis each month. Women can access sessions weekly, alongside self-paced online learning, which they can return to anytime. Participation is flexible; women can dip in and out, engage at their own pace, and choose the level of support that feels right for them.
Standing Strong
Standing Strong is flexible, culturally responsive, and low-barrier, with simple digital access and no requirement for formal therapy engagement.
At its core, Standing Strong is about helping women leave refuge not just physically safe, but emotionally stronger, more connected, and better equipped for the next stage of their journey.
