La rue des Femmes

About La rue des Femmes

La rue des Femmes has been challenging the ways in which we understand and treat homeless women since 1994. Founded by Léonie Couture, La rue des Femmes is a relational health centre that helps women who are in a state of homelessness or who at risk of being so. It currently operates three centres in downtown Montréal, which offer care, therapies, meals, and lodging. La rue des Femmes does much more than provide shelter to homeless women: it tries to heal the wounds that caused them to fall into a state of homelessness. Its intervention approach is entirely unique. It is founded on rebuilding relational health: the vital capacity to feel safe and to connect with oneself and others. Relational health is critical for a person to thrive and lead an independent life. Through compassion, care, and treatment, La rue des Femmes helps women heal from the violence and traumatic events that led to them to state of homelessness and that continue when they live on the streets. Regardless of the severity of their situation, La rue des Femmes welcomes women and offers them the security and care they need rebuild their lives. La rue des Femmes currently has 69 beds in its three centres. While some of these beds are used for emergency shelter, most are dedicated to providing women with longer-term lodging, so they can receive the support they need to make the transition from homelessness back to independent living. Through its residences and day centres, La rue des Femmes offers many forms of therapy that help women free themselves from post-traumatic stress, express their emotions, and improve their relational health. These include counseling; psychotherapy; art therapy; choir; writing; yoga; massage therapy; and reiki. Every year, La rue des Femmes helps more than 1,200 women, provides more than 54,000 hours of care and therapy, and serves more than 99,000 meals.

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