Creating a Place Where Women Feel Safe, Heard, and Supported – An Interview with Somia Kaur Singh

After surviving domestic abuse and rebuilding her life as a single mother of six, Somia Kaur Singh turned her lived experience into purpose. In this interview, she shares why she founded SafeSpaces2 and how it offers women a safe, supportive bridge between counselling and real life, helping them reclaim confidence, stability, and a hopeful future.

Somia Kaur Signh, Women's Wellbeing Empowerment Coach

Who is Somia Kaur Singh?

I am Somia Kaur Singh, a 48-year-old single mum of six, and everything I do comes from lived experience. I’ve survived domestic abuse, rebuilt my life from the ground up, and learned how to find strength, stability, and self-love through some of the hardest chapters a woman can face.

Today, I dedicate my life to empowering women and young girls through my project Safe Spaces 2. My mission is simple: to help women heal, find their voice, rebuild their confidence, and create a better future for themselves and their families – especially when they feel they have nowhere else to turn.

My journey is proof that with support, community, and the right tools, transformation is possible. And I continue to work, raise my children, and stand for the women who are still finding their way forward.

What inspired you to create SafeSpaces2? (Refined & Professional)

SafeSpaces2 was born from my own lived experience.

After leaving a long-term controlling relationship and completing counselling, I found myself standing at a crossroads with no real guidance on what came next. Counselling had helped me understand my past, but it didn’t prepare me for the day-to-day reality that followed – managing my emotions, rebuilding my finances, supporting my children, and creating a new structure for our lives.

I struggled with debt, instability, and overwhelming responsibility, all while trying to heal from trauma. I realised that many women, like me, finish counselling but are left with a painful question, “What now?”

There is often no aftercare, no transition support, no safe space to rebuild confidence, learn practical skills, or reconnect with who you are outside of abuse.

That gap – that silence after counselling ends – is what inspired me to create SafeSpaces2.

SafeSpaces2 was designed as a bridge between counselling and real life. A space where women can:

• Reconnect with themselves

• Rebuild structure and confidence

• Learn financial basics and practical life tools

• Work through emotions in a supportive community

• Find healing, purpose, and direction

• And most importantly, feel seen, heard, and not alone

This programme empowers women to step into a positive and brighter future. It offers connection, guidance, and a healthy outlet for growth – something I desperately needed but didn’t have. Now, I give it to others.

What kind of clients benefit most from SafeSpaces2's services?

SafeSpaces2 is designed for women who are ready to rebuild their lives after experiencing hardship, control, or emotional instability. The clients who benefit most from this programme are:

1. Women leaving domestic violence or abusive relationships: These women often come out of counselling still feeling lost, overwhelmed, and unsure of how to rebuild their lives. SafeSpaces2 supports them through:

   • Emotional grounding

   • Confidence rebuilding

   • Financial awareness

   • Structure and routine

   • Community connection

2. Women coming out of toxic or controlling situations: This includes relationships, family dynamics, or environments that have affected their self-worth. SafeSpaces2 offers a space to rediscover identity, independence, and emotional strength.

3. Young women facing low self-esteem, anxiety, or emotional distress: Many young women struggle with confidence, trust, boundaries, and finding their voice. SafeSpaces2 helps them develop:

   • Healthy coping strategies

   • Emotional resilience

   • Self-love and self-belief

   • A clearer sense of direction and purpose

The Heart of SafeSpaces2: SafeSpaces2 is about reclaiming your voice, rebuilding your strength, and stepping into a powerful and positive future.

It’s not just a workshop, it’s a network, a sisterhood, and a community of women supporting women.

Our aim is to create long-term connections where women continue uplifting each other even after the programme ends, helping to build a stronger, healthier community for the future.

How does SafeSpaces2 approach healing and growth differently from other therapy or support programs?

SafeSpaces2 is not a counselling service – it is a transition programme designed to bridge the gap after therapy ends. Many women finish counselling with emotional awareness but still feel lost about what to do next. SafeSpaces2 steps in where traditional therapy stops.

Here’s what makes our approach different:

1. We focus on closure and forward movement: While counselling explores the past, SafeSpaces2 helps women understand, close, and gently step forward into the next chapter of their lives with clarity and confidence. We reshift the mindset from surviving to rebuilding.

2. We build real-life structure, not just emotional insight: Women learn how to:

   • Manage their emotions in everyday situations

   • Create routines that support stability

   • Rebuild life skills they may have lost in a controlling environment

This is practical, hands-on healing.

3. We prioritise financial empowerment: Many women leave abusive situations with debt, no budgeting skills, or no financial independence. SafeSpaces2 teaches:

   • Basic budgeting

   • Financial planning

   • Understanding money

   • Regaining control of their financial life

Healing is emotional, but it is also practical – we focus on both.

4. We help women identify their skills, strengths, and purpose: Every woman has a skill – even if she lost sight of it. Our programme helps women recognise their gifts, build on them, and use them to shape a positive future.

5. We emphasise emotional connection, not clinical therapy: SafeSpaces2 creates a safe, warm, sisterhood-like environment where women connect, talk openly, and recognise their shared experiences. This emotional connection encourages healing in ways that traditional therapy cannot always provide.

6. We set real, achievable goals: We guide women to create meaningful, realistic goals and support them in taking the steps to achieve them – whether personal, emotional, financial, or career-based.

7. We focus on growth, empowerment, and community: The growth continues long after the programme ends. Women stay connected, support each other, and build a stronger community together – something most standard programs do not offer.

In simple words, SafeSpaces2 doesn’t just heal the past. It builds the future.

It gives women structure, empowerment, financial confidence, emotional awareness, and a community that continues to grow with them.

What does a typical first session with SafeSpaces2 look like for a new client?

A first session at SafeSpaces2 is intentionally soft, calm, and welcoming. We understand that many women arrive carrying emotional weight, uncertainty, or fear of the unknown – so we begin with reassurance and ease.

1. A gentle introductio: We start by introducing the space, the purpose of the programme, and the supportive community they are stepping into. Clients are encouraged to take their time, settle in, and feel safe.

2. Setting the tone: non-judgemental & confidential: We remind every woman that SafeSpaces2 is a confidential, judgement-free environment. This is a space where stories are respected, emotions are understood, and every woman’s journey is honoured.

3. Understanding the process: We explain that SafeSpaces2 is a journey, not a quick fix. The first session is about helping women understand that healing, rebuilding, and reconnecting take time – and that they will not walk this path alone.

4. Light connection activities: We use soft discussions or simple reflective prompts to help women begin opening up gently. There is no pressure to share more than they feel comfortable with.

5. Building trust and comfort: The main goal of session one is trust. Women leave feeling:

   • safe

   • welcomed

   • understood

   • and aware that they are stepping into a community designed to support their growth.

6. Introducing the programme structure: We outline what the coming weeks will include – emotional awareness, financial confidence, skill building, goal-setting, connection, and empowerment.

In simple words, The first session is a soft landing – a calm introduction into a sisterhood where healing begins, confidence grows, and women learn they are not alone.

What kinds of struggles or challenges does SafeSpaces2 most often help clients overcome? How do you create a "safe space" where clients feel truly heard and accepted?

SafeSpaces2 supports women who are facing emotional, practical, and confidence-based challenges after leaving difficult or controlling situations. The most common struggles we help clients overcome include:

1. Difficulty trusting others again: After trauma, trust becomes fragile. SafeSpaces2 focuses on building trust slowly, through consistency, safety, and genuine connection. We meet every woman where she is and allow her to open up at her own pace.

2. Struggling to build a rapport or form new relationships: Many women find it hard to form connections after abuse or emotional harm. Our sessions create a gentle, non-judgmental environment where rapport grows naturally, not rushed or forced.

3. Emotional overwhelm and uncertainty: Clients often feel:

   • lost

   • confused

   • unsure of their next steps

   • emotionally disconnected

We help them understand their emotions, reconnect with themselves, and find clarity.

4. Low self-esteem and broken confidence: Years of control or manipulation can damage a woman’s sense of worth. SafeSpaces2 helps clients rebuild confidence, recognise their strengths, and rediscover their identity.

5. Difficulty managing day-to-day life after leaving a controlling environment: Women often struggle with:

   • structure and routine

   • decision-making

   • independence

   • parenting pressures

SafeSpaces2 provides guidance, grounding, and tools to help create stability again.

6. Financial stress and lack of budgeting skills: Many clients leave with debt or little financial understanding due to financial control. We support women in learning budgeting, planning, and taking back control of their financial life.

7. Fear of the future or the unknown: Healing is not just about the past – it’s also about gaining confidence in the future. We help women set realistic goals, identify their skills, and envision a positive direction forward.

In simple words, SafeSpaces2 helps women overcome the emotional and practical struggles that come after leaving an abusive or toxic situation – with trust, compassion, and progress happening at their pace, never ours.

Why is confidentiality and non-judgment so important in your work at SafeSpaces2?

Confidentiality and non-judgment are the foundation of SafeSpaces2.

Women who come to us have often faced trauma, criticism, shame, and judgment throughout their journey. Many have been blamed, silenced, or misunderstood – both inside and outside their relationships. Because of this, creating a truly safe environment is not optional, it is crucial.

At SafeSpaces2:

1. Women must feel safe to speak openly: Healing begins when a woman feels she can share her experiences without fear of them being repeated or used against her. Confidentiality protects her story, her privacy, and her dignity.

2. Many women arrive with a history of being judged: Judgment from partners, family, the community, or even professionals can leave deep emotional scars. SafeSpaces2 offers the opposite – acceptance, understanding, and compassion.

3. Feeling heard is essential to rebuilding confidence: For many clients, SafeSpaces2 is the first time they truly feel listened to. When a woman is heard without criticism, she begins to trust herself again.

4. A non-judgmental space encourages emotional freedom: Women open up naturally when they know they won’t be judged. This allows them to express emotions, process their journey, and take meaningful steps forward.

5. Safety is the key to growth: A woman cannot heal, learn, or rebuild if she feels unsafe or watched. Confidentiality gives her the security she needs to grow at her own pace.

In simple words, women at SafeSpaces2 have already survived enough judgment and trauma.

Here, they deserve to feel safe, respected, heard, and protected – because true healing only happens in a space where they know they will never be judged and their story will always remain confidential.

What role does the client’s pace and individual story play in your approach?

At SafeSpaces2, the client’s pace is everything.

We understand that every woman arrives with her own journey, her own history, and her own level of readiness. Healing cannot be rushed, pushed, or forced – it has to unfold naturally, at a pace that feels safe for her.

1. Stories are shared only when a client feels ready: Women are never asked to reveal their story before they feel comfortable. Some open up quickly, others take weeks – both are completely okay. The choice always belongs to the client.

2. Healing happens through patience, not pressure: We practise patience every step of the way. Clients are encouraged to take their time, breathe, settle, and move forward when they feel emotionally prepared.

3. Every woman’s story is unique: No two journeys are the same. We honour each woman’s background, trauma, strengths, and hopes. This allows us to tailor the experience so she feels seen and understood.

4. Trust grows slowl,y and that is respected: Many women come from environments where trust was broken. We allow trust to develop gently, through consistency and compassion, without expecting it too soon.

5. The programme adapts to the woman, not the other way around: SafeSpaces2 does not follow a one-size-fits-all approach. We adjust activities, discussions, and support based on each client’s emotional readiness and comfort level.

How do you guide clients from where they are now to a healthier mental wellness and a more hopeful outlook?

SafeSpaces2 guides women toward healthier mental well-being by helping them rebuild, refocus, and reconnect with themselves. Our programme is not counselling – it is a practical, forward-moving journey designed to help women reclaim their lives with confidence and clarity.

1. We focus on rebuilding, not reliving the past: Instead of going backwards into trauma, we help women look forward. We give them the space to rebuild their identity, routine, confidence, and sense of purpose.

2. We help women refocus their mindset: Many arrive feeling lost, overwhelmed, or stuck. Through guided activities and gentle discussions, we support them in shifting their thinking from:

   • survival to stability

   • fear to self-belief

   • confusion to direction

This creates a more hopeful and grounded outlook.

3. We promote positive living and emotional reconnection: Women learn how to reconnect with their emotions in a safe, structured way. They gain tools to manage stress, identify their feelings, and build emotional resilience without being judged.

4. We set realistic goals and celebrate progress: A big part of healing is learning to dream again. We help clients create achievable goals – big or small – that give them focus and motivation. Every step forward is acknowledged, because progress builds hope.

5. We encourage clients to reclaim their life at their own pace: There is no pressure to move faster than they are ready for. Our role is to guide, support, and gently encourage, while clients rediscover strength, independence, and self-worth.

6. We create a supportive community of women: Connection is powerful. SafeSpaces2 brings women together so they can share, support, and uplift each other, reminding them they are not alone in their journey.

In simple words, SafeSpaces2 helps women move from where they are now to a healthier, more hopeful future by rebuilding their confidence, refocusing their mindset, reconnecting them with themselves, and giving them the tools to reclaim their life – all without traditional counselling.

What would you say to someone who's hesitant about reaching out – what makes SafeSpaces2 worth contacting today?

If you’re unsure about reaching out, the first thing to know is this: SafeSpaces2 is here for you, without pressure and without judgement.

Many women hesitate because they worry about cost, confidence, or whether they’re “ready.” That’s why SafeSpaces2 is designed to remove those barriers from the very beginning.

1. It doesn’t cost anything to join: The programme is free, because we understand that financial stress is one of the biggest fears for women rebuilding their lives. Contributions are welcome – but never required. No woman should miss out on support because she can’t afford it.

2. You gain lifelong skills you can use forever: This workshop isn’t just emotional support; it’s skills-based empowerment. You leave with tools you can carry into every part of your life:

   • confidence

   • budgeting skills

   • emotional awareness

   • clearer goals

   • healthier routines

   • a stronger sense of who you are

These skills stay with you long after the 10 weeks are over.

3. You meet and connect with a real community: SafeSpaces2 is more than a programme – it’s a network of women who uplift each other. Here, you will find connection, understanding, and friendships that can continue long after the sessions end.

4. You can always come back: Even though the programme runs for 10 weeks, the space does not close to you. Women are welcome to return, reconnect, or get support again whenever they need it. Once you join SafeSpaces2, you are part of the community for as long as you choose.

5. You don’t need to have everything figured out: You don’t need to be “ready.” You don’t need to have the perfect words. You just need to take one small step – and we take the rest together, at your pace.

In simple words, SafeSpaces2 is worth contacting today because it is free, supportive, skills-based, and built for women who want to reclaim their life – even if they’re unsure where to start. You will never be judged, never be rushed, and never be alone in this journey.

Follow me on Instagram and visit my website for more info!

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