Getting to know Janine…

Tell us a bit about your business?

Women’s Healing Sanctuary exists to give women something many of us don’t give ourselves easily: permission to stop.

Set on six peaceful acres in the Port Stephens Hinterland, the Sanctuary welcomes women experiencing grief, loss, trauma, exhaustion and other significant life challenges.  We offer restorative stays, facilitated retreats and a free monthly Women's Circle Morning Tea, creating opportunities for women to pause, feel supported, reconnect with themselves and others, and simply breathe.

The Sanctuary was co-founded by Sharalyn Drayton and me, and together we've grown it from an idea into a place where women can come to rest, recover and reconnect.  As the live-in Sanctuary Manager, I have the privilege of welcoming women and helping create a place where they feel cared for, valued and safe enough to put down some of what they've been carrying.

Sometimes a woman doesn't need another person telling her what to do. She just needs somewhere safe to stop for a while.  That's what we try to provide.

Tell us about your biggest hurdles and successes in business?

One of our greatest challenges has been building awareness and sustainable funding for a service that doesn't fit neatly into traditional support models. Many women need time and space to rest and recover, but affordability can be a significant barrier.  That's why growing our Angel Sponsorship Program is so important to us. It allows women to stay at the Sanctuary who otherwise couldn't afford to come.  Since opening, we've welcomed more than 320 women through over 820 nights at the Sanctuary.  But numbers only tell part of the story.

Our greatest success is watching a woman arrive carrying far more than she can put into words, and then watching her leave a little lighter.  Sometimes she's rested. Sometimes she's laughed for the first time in weeks. Sometimes she's simply remembered that she matters too.

I'm also incredibly proud of the community that has grown around the Sanctuary:  volunteers, facilitators, donors, referral partners and local businesses who have all helped turn an idea into a trusted place of healing, connection and belonging.

What do you value about being a PSWIB member?

The women.

I value the genuine connection and generosity within the network.  It's much more than traditional networking. Members share knowledge, open doors, collaborate, celebrate one another and genuinely want each other to succeed.  For me, PSWIB has created a real sense of belonging within the Port Stephens business community. I've formed meaningful friendships and connections, while also having the opportunity to introduce more local women to the Sanctuary and the support available to them.

There's something pretty powerful about women creating opportunities for other women.

And I think that's what I value most about PSWIB: it's business, but it's also community.