Protea Foundation
Protea Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, addresses women’s trauma recovery. Our goal is to restore trauma survivors to their full potential, using leading-edge, effective methods. We focus on women with developmental trauma.
> The Protea Foundation adopts the protea flower as its symbol, embodying diversity and resilience. Protea bloom in various shapes, colors, and sizes. Like these flowers, women’s resilience is fortified through adversity. Just as Protea thrive after wildfires, the foundation assists women in navigating trauma’s negative impact, allowing space for enduring resilience. Even amidst the most formidable challenges, women can find strength to bloom again.
Women who experience trauma are twice as likely as men to develop PTSD. Here’s why.
Women are typically exposed to more interpersonal trauma than men, and often at a younger age, which can have a greater negative impact on their lives.
Global estimates by the World Health Organization suggest one in three women will experience physical or sexual violence in her lifetime, usually by an intimate partner. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates approximately one in four women has experienced a rape or attempted rape. Women are also more likely than men to be survivors of child sexual abuse, with 25% of girls experiencing this form of abuse during childhood. Sexual abuse is the most common form of trauma for women.
To dig deeper, look at this report by the World Health Organization.
“One in three women will experience physical or sexual violence in her lifetime.”
Imagine. Curing. Trauma.
Due to the all-too-common experience of trauma, the development of effective PTSD therapies could represent a sea change for women and mental health globally.
Protea Foundation was founded because the only two FDA-approved drugs for PTSD in the last 20 years are sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxetine (Paxil), both selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs can help with some symptoms, but they don’t address the core cause of PTSD. In some cases, they worsen the impact of PTSD and can lead to increased suicidality.
We must do better. We deserve effective therapies.
Together, we can seed our communities for resilience. Although we cannot stop all forms of trauma, we can alter the impact of that trauma on the individual. Then, once an individual is unshackled from PTSD, they can return to their communities with restored vitality and purpose.
Protea Foundation helps educate people about the prevalence and impact of PTSD. From trauma, a restoration of the healthy self is possible! Women can become even more resilient after trauma. Perhaps, someday, we might even prevent many forms of trauma.
Join us today to have a direct role in breaking the cycle of intergenerational trauma and its impact on each of our communities. Learn how trauma impacts you and your community, and what to do about it. We need your help!
Protea Foundation’s goals are lead by HEART:
Help people recognize childhood trauma; who is at risk, how Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) develops, why it impacts individuals and communities, and when to refer people for treatment;
Educate people about the impact of traumatic injury in its many forms; educate individuals about advances in science including promising breakthroughs in psychedelic medicine;
Amplify the network of trauma-informed therapists who can competently provide the optimal set and setting for measurable improvement;
Remove the barriers to access top-tier, effective treatments;
Treat people from a trauma-informed perspective.
Our Mission
Protea Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization (pending), addresses women’s trauma recovery. Our goal is to restore trauma survivors to their full potential, using leading-edge, effective methods. We focus on women with developmental trauma.
Our initiatives involve funding top-tier treatments, therapist training, and promoting resilience through community education and outreach.
Our Vision
Mental health would be a priority, not an afterthought. Therapists would guide growth, not repair brokenness. Minds would not bear the scars of abuse, war, or loss. Playgrounds would resound with joyous laughter. Innocence would flourish, unmarred by fear or neglect. Hearts would beat in harmony, unburdened by the weight of traumatic memories. The canvas of consciousness would remain pristine. The echoes of violence and pain would fade into oblivion. This is our vision.
Our Unfolding Story
How We Got Started
For decades, mental health treatment options have excluded a very promising segment of psychedelic-assisted therapies. Just as psychiatrists, psychologists, and other researchers were making incredible headway on their studies of compounds like MDMA, psilocybin, and Ayahuasca (among others) in the 1990’s, the U.S. government criminalized these substances, blocking research across the globe. Sadly, the August 2024 FDA decision requiring additional clinical research postpones this treatment option indefinitely.
Where We Are Now
We hoped that a sea change was upon us. We remain confident that MDMA will eventually be approved as a treatment option for PTSD in the United States. Then, the exploration and availability of other psychedelic-assisted treatments should follow. The extraordinary promise of these therapeutic modalities cannot be overlooked, as the efficacy and impact of these treatments are setting a new bar for effective, safe, and enduring mental health treatments. Until then, we continue to advocate for breakthrough therapies like MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD recovery.
Become a Volunteer Today
Protea Foundation serves populations and communities that have experienced a “wildfire,” and thus the protea arises from the ashes more resilient than ever. Together, we can greatly impact how people recover from trauma. Within each community, we can break the cycle of intergenerational trauma.
The Impact of Trauma in your Neighborhood
%
of Adults experience 1+ traumatic event (globally)
Billion dollars spent each year on ptsd, just in the united states alone
Americans experience 1+ traumatic event during lifetime
%
Adults who experienced 1+ adverse childhood experience (ACE)
the Average age with the highest rate of PTSD in america
%
women who are sexually assaulted in childhood and eventually develop c-ptsd
We’re Planting the Seeds for Resilience & Trauma Prevention in Communities Around the Globe
Trauma prevention begins in your community. Together with the robust and growing network of health care professionals, psychedelic scientists, policymakers and community leaders, our organization supports women who need these best-in-class treatment therapies as they become available. Whether through training therapists who specialize in trauma and psychedelic therapy, expanding access to treatment for individuals, or one of our community-based programs developing resilience and trauma prevention, you play an important role. Please donate or take action today.
support local, national and global mental health
Often, creating awareness of an issue is an important first step. Contact local and national legislators and regulators; provide detailed information about why the mental health issue is important to you, what kinds of changes might be beneficial, and for whom, and provide any other data supporting your issue such as cost savings, impact on lives, etc.
organize a community awareness event
This is a global issue. You can create awareness in your local community by organizing events such as lectures, sporting competitions, sign up campaigns…there are so many possibilities. Need help brainstorming how your specific skills are needed to help this mission in your community? Contact us and we will help you find a way to create an event.
share your experience with our community
No one can tell your story like you can. If you have experienced the impact of trauma and are willing to share that story, we would love to add you to our speakers list. Please reach out today.
request more information
We are here for your inquiries. Contact us via email, phone or web form and we will do our best to answer or redirect you to the appropriate source.
schedule a speaking engagement with Protea
We maintain a busy speaking and event calendar, so please reach out to us with as much advance notice as possible. Our speakers travel globally and we will match you with a terrific speaker for your event.
host a fundraising event
Thank you for hosting a fundraising event! Regretfully, there is never enough money to support every initiative. We thank you, and if you host a fundraising event and need our help, reach out so we can support and promote your event.
donate stock or other non-cash assets
As a 501(c)(3) organization, your cash contributions are fully deductible for tax purposes. For non-cash contributions, kindly contact us directly and we will walk through those steps to ensure you receive the optimal benefit from your generous contribution.
attend a local or national trauma event
Take a look at our events calender for events and updates. Drop us a line if you want to meet us personally at that event, and we will contact you with meeting availability.
