Why We Built EmpowHER
The EmpowHER Project wasn't created from a business plan.
It was created from a question.
"Where was this place when we needed it?"
As women with lived experience of trauma, addiction, domestic abuse, homelessness and the criminal justice system, we spent years searching for somewhere we could simply feel safe, understood and accepted. A place where healing wasn't rushed, where we weren't judged by our past and where we could begin rebuilding who we were.
That place didn't exist.
So we decided to create it.
The inspiration for our community hub began after visiting Norway as part of a learning exchange. We experienced trauma-informed environments designed around dignity, belonging and hope, and saw what was possible when support is built around people rather than problems.
When we returned home, we carried that vision back to Cardiff.
The EmpowHER Project is now a welcoming women-only community hub in the heart of Cardiff, offering trauma-informed programmes, holistic wellbeing activities and ongoing peer support.
We didn't build the hub we wanted to run.
We built the hub we once needed ourselves.
Every woman deserves a place where she feels safe enough to heal, strong enough to grow and supported enough to rise.
Our Approach
Psychology-Informed. Trauma-Led. Lived Experience-Led.
Our programmes are grounded in psychological research, trauma-informed practice and the expertise of women with lived experience.
Rather than asking "What's wrong with you?" we ask, "What happened to you?" and "What do you need to move forward?"
By combining evidence-based approaches with genuine human connection, we help women rebuild confidence, rediscover their identity and create lasting change.
Every woman can expect:
✓ A safe, welcoming women-only environment
✓ Trauma-informed, non-judgemental support
✓ Lived experience alongside professional expertise
✓ Opportunities to rebuild, reconnect and rise