Wild Haven Sanctuary

Wild Haven Sanctuary Lost & hurt by the world? Trish is the Founder, Facilitator, and Wilder'Mess Trail Guide at Wild Haven & Co. More than 10% of the proceeds from Wild Haven & Co.

Restore your soul, renew your mind, rebuild resiliency, reclaim your thriving life as you move toward hope and healing in a brave, safe space of grace. She grew up on a farm, has always been an outdoor adventurer, athletics enthusiast (collegiate athlete and former Crossfit Coach), has over 20+ years of nursing experience working with women and children, and is currently an 800 hour YogaFaith Trauma Sensitive Yoga Therapist (and soon to be C-IAYT in 2024). She's a trauma survivor herself with a 3 inch thick medical chart prior to her overcoming adversity - mentally and physically - journey! Online & In-Person Options: Her purpose and passion is to bring hope and healing to help trauma survivors restore, renew, rebuild, and reclaim their thriving lives. To serve those suffering from chronic stress, anxiety, depression, pain, mental disorders, and physical diseases. She provides online, self-paced, self-study courses for those who prefer a DIY approach. However, her "bread and butter" are in-person small group retreats, workshops, adventures in nature, and 1:1 intensives. Wild Haven & Co utilizes a variety of evidence-based holistic health modalities that complement most medical protocols. Upon request, we provide a continuum of care in collaboration with medical providers. Small Event Venue: We also offer "done for you," "done with you," and "done by you" event options. So, whether you want solitude and silence or a small group gathering for a day, or few, our nearly 100 acre "Wild Haven Sanctuary" is a small event venue providing a brave, safe space to camp, glamp, retreat and/or explore the great outdoors by the beautiful streams of the New River in the Blue Ridge Mountains! funds the "Wild Haven Warrior Project" to fight the good fight against human trafficking/modern day slavery and supports foster-adoptive families suffering from trauma: here (locally), near (nationally), and far (globally). Head over to our website to learn more! www.wildhavenandco.com

09/18/2026

Where have all the Ashe County Monarchs gone??

Truly, this is the first monarch I’ve seen this year. Bittersweet really. So glad to see it, yet so sad that it’s the only one I’ve seen this year.

My personal goal for 2027 is to have a few monarch way stations around our 120 acres - and specifically one with a labyrinth to meander through and another along a nature trail that invites all kinds of pollinators and wondering wandering ponderers who feel lost and alone.

If you’ve got a green thumb or are willing to donate:
🌼 seeds or live plantings of native pollinator attracting perennial flowers and flowering bushes
🌱“baby” hosting (ei: milkweed) seeds or plants
🐦 Bird baths 💦
Mulch, flag stones, bricks
🪱 💩 Compost/mushroom dirt
🪏Manual labor to create these areas

If this sounds like something you can do, or know someone who can … would you please consider liking this post, sharing this post, and contacting me to get on our volunteer contact list for when we are able to start to build and maintain these sustainable, beautification projects that benefit our whole community’s ecosystem.

We’d love to recognize you and honor you within these beautiful spaces as well with your names or initials beside your donations or your work. 💜

These spaces will undoubtedly benefit nature AS it nurtures those we serve. We have witnessed how nature soothes hurting souls and begins to become a powerful part of their healing story when nature reveals God’s goodness, compassion, and attention to the smallest details of the smallest lives - so how could He possibly not care for ours!

And oh how He connects humans in nature so that we get to be a part of one another’s healing journeys and stories AS we care for nature, too.

What a wonderfully beautiful orchestration we are being invited to … even if to save one Monarch butterfly … or even more beautiful … one human.

Today is MRI day!!! And I even managed a 1 handed shower so I don’t stink. Yall are welcome. 🤗 When in pain, it’s hard t...
09/17/2026

Today is MRI day!!! And I even managed a 1 handed shower so I don’t stink. Yall are welcome. 🤗

When in pain, it’s hard to remember to be thankful. But I am thankful for Ashe Memorial Hospital doing their best with what they could and being honest about their limitations. Thankful for Elevation Health advocating and calling to make an appt to be seen by a spinal specialist almost 2 hrs away. Thankful for Karen S, FNP at Novant Health Spine Specialist and associated radiology teams running CT, XRays, MRIs who have miraculously fit me in within days rather than weeks or months and Jefferson Drug carrying all the meds needed and the pharmacist taking time to answer my questions. Oh how I dislike taking meds - especially when the effects don’t do what they are expected to do! It’s been quite the gamble to say the least to get ANY pain relief. Honestly, hanging upside down has been the most reprieve (thankful for my YOGA FAITH yoga therapy training!!) 🤣 (now looking for an inversion contraption beside my handstand feet up bench!)

Annnnnd, thankful for my family and friends who are going out of their ever loving way to accommodate my inabilities to drive, to even cook/clean for myself, and love on me with texts, calls, visits, gifts, and even sharing a wee bit of their specialty training to support me in between the long days of pain when nothing seems to help except the comfort of their presence (even if virtually) and prayers.

Above all. I know that we humans can make alllll the plans, but without God’s more capable hands in it, these plans would falter. It’s nearly unheard of to be seen so quickly in the medical specialist world. As a nurse, I know this all too well. I am beyond grateful for His perfect timing, his opening doors and making a way where usually the way would be much longer and more difficult to schedule.

And thankful for Amanda at Elevation Health for so kindly and humbly encouraging me yesterday as she gently reMINDed me how unusually quick this process really is going.

I have been beyond blessed by every healthcare provider and family and friends being the hands, minds, hearts, and kindness of Christ. Believing me rather than brushing me off, and speaking life into me when it’s hard and holy and sometimes tearful bc pain is exhausting and sometimes you just need a good release with a safe space to tearfully lament AND still be encouraged.






Some might question if it’s yoga that hurt me in the first place, but let me show you HOW my body NATURALLY got into pos...
09/12/2026

Some might question if it’s yoga that hurt me in the first place, but let me show you HOW my body NATURALLY got into postures I didn’t even think about to relieve the pain.

Standing forward fold with microbends in the knees + threading the needle, and trembling to help release the pain without feeling weak and trapped in a bed. (My husband filmed the microtrembles- though hard to catch except if watching my hospital gown “wiggle.”)

Child’s posture, and modified pigeon while threading the needle to take pressure off my spine and shoulder/scapula.

In essence, muscle memory and learning to listen to my body and trusting my body to breathe, move, and tremble were key to reducing the stress and pain when my nerves and muscles wanted to scream for relief. Even allowing tears as a form of release without losing my mind and self control.

Breath prayers and songs through humming/moaning bringing my body, brain, mind, and spirit back into alignment to remain more focused and calm rather than spiraling into a fit of panic and chaos. Yet, still releasing rather than tensing up and holding onto the pain.

Though I’m not exactly certain the acute cause of the pain/impingement, I know that if it weren’t for my yoga practice - no doubt in mind the suffering would’ve been worse.

If anything, I now have another “mess” to learn from that can become my message of hope for others who have suffered spinal injuries. And who need to know they can advocate for themselves in the hospital, too.

Living and learning something new every single day.






Well friends… here’s the unexpected plot twist after RESTore to ROAR. 😳Thursday morning I was sitting there drinking my ...
09/12/2026

Well friends… here’s the unexpected plot twist after RESTore to ROAR. 😳

Thursday morning I was sitting there drinking my coffee and listening to my devotional when I suddenly started having INTENSE pain.

No weird sleeping position.
No crick in my neck.
No warning.

At first, we were concerned enough that we thought I might be having a heart attack.

After 2 CT scans to rule out a heart attack and aneurysm, thankfully my heart and major vessels were okay.

BUT…

Turns out I have C4-C6 nerve impingement, spinal stenosis and bone spurs, causing cervical radiculopathy.

Basically… severe sciatica, but in my neck/arm.

And OH. MY. GOODNESS.

This pain is no joke.

The steroids and strong anti-inflammatory meds they sent me home with are barely touching it. I’m having some pretty significant spasms and major flare-ups just from sitting or standing. To the point of tears. If you know me, you know I have a very high tolerance for physical pain.

I’ve been icing, using red light therapy, taking the prescribed meds, and using 800 mg OTC Advil for those really bad breakthrough moments.

And honestly … This hurts worse than my two natural childbirths and is certainly lasting much longer. 😳

Which makes me laugh a little because the RESTore to ROAR retreat itself was almost ALL gentle/restorative movement and mostly chair yoga.

The hardest physical part was setting up and starting to break down the glamping tents… and I had literally only gotten as far as removing sheets and mattresses the day before. I hadn’t even taken down the cots or tents yet - that was the plan for the day before the pain stopped me in my tracks.

I had already planned to REST after retreat, mind you. Everyone knew that. My family and my WHS BODy (board of directors).

Apparently God had a different definition of REST in mind. 😂

So here I am… forced bed rest.

And honestly, even in the middle of all this pain, I have SO much to be thankful for.

❤️ A wonderful retreat with some really incredible women to bask in and soak in all that was good.

❤️ My husband and son, who jumped into action, advocated for me calmly but persistently, and are continuing to take such good care of me.

❤️ Friends with medical, pharmaceutical and physical therapy connections who are already helping us figure out what comes next.

❤️ Family, friends and prayer warriors who are meeting me right where I am and praying me through this.

And I’m thankful for Ashe Memorial. They have been wonderful. Being in a small mountain town just means there are some limitations when it comes to after-hours specialty care, clinical visits and emergency medication refills to get through a weekend when discharged after business hours.

So we’re figuring it out.

For now, I’m resting.
Praying.
Accepting help.
Trying to be patient.
And taking it one hour at a time.

Because apparently my own RESTore to ROAR journey isn’t quite finished yet. ❤️‍🩹

Maybe this is another reminder that REST isn’t always something we choose. Sometimes it’s something we receive.

God knew I was going to need it.

Beloved. Belong. Become.

One breath.
One prayer.
One day at a time.

And if you’ve wondered why I’ve been quiet since the retreat, this is why. ❤️

Prayer is probably the best thing you can send my way right now. 🙏🏻

Hubby captured some of my “best postures”. Interesting the forms that were most comfortable when in severe pain. The looks from the medical staff were entertaining to say the least. Thankful they worked around me the best they could. 💜

Truly, no words to fully capture the way this weekend’s at went …We NEVER want to lessen the sacredness of these momen...
09/07/2026

Truly, no words to fully capture the way this weekend’s at

went …

We NEVER want to lessen the sacredness of these moments, or distract and cause self doubt or self consciousness taking photos. So I’m thankful for the small moments we were able to capture in the genuineness of how God met us and showed out as His good and WONDERful nature shined through nature. It was AWEsome. Pictures can speak 1000 words, but nothing speaks like being present in the moment.

Not to mention saving the life of a baby hummingbird and the way God heard and answered our prayers. It magnified the way God cares for us when we are exhausted and provides a safe place to land, be held, and be nurtured and nourished back to life when we just cannot do it ourselves so that we CAN spread our wings to fly another day.

We look forward to continuing to share and invite more women to experience these immersions in creation and encounter The Creator who makes a way where there seems no way … to find hope 💜 and healing. ❤️‍🩹

Brutiful - the hard AND holy - life. Beautifully written by my dear friend, colleague, and co-leader. 💜
09/05/2026

Brutiful - the hard AND holy - life. Beautifully written by my dear friend, colleague, and co-leader. 💜

Lil’ sneak peak of our preparations for our upcoming glamping RESTore to ROAR Retreat … maybe you can already FEEL the a...
09/01/2026

Lil’ sneak peak of our preparations for our upcoming glamping RESTore to ROAR Retreat … maybe you can already FEEL the ahhhh-mazingness of it like we do! Annnnd we’re not even done yet!

You can LISTEN to it in the comments. Ahhh … 😌

What a reTREAT it will be … and YOU are worth it!!

Stay tuned as we grow our reach and our territory - God willing!! All things are possible with, in, and through Him.

If you’d like to support the work we do, check out our website.






🐛🦋Isaiah 61:3-4







Let's celebrate 🎉 ALL the wins! BIG & small. Any shares? I'll start. ALL GOOGLE FORMS ARE COMPLETE for our retreat! "De...
08/30/2026

Let's celebrate 🎉 ALL the wins! BIG & small. Any shares? I'll start. ALL GOOGLE FORMS ARE COMPLETE for our retreat!

"Deer" friends and friends-to-be, we can't wait to meet you in the wilderMess! 🫶🏼 Sending lots of love from above! 💕

What’s on my mind? Mercies that are new every morning - when we pause long enough to notice God’s presence. His loving f...
08/25/2026

What’s on my mind?

Mercies that are new every morning - when we pause long enough to notice God’s presence. His loving fingerprint 🫆 and His message in the WilderMess.

There’s a major shaking, a sifting, going on. It’s uncomfortable, pretty painfully heart piercing if I’m honest. I can’t imagine going through it without knowing whose I am and who He is - faithful to complete … trusting that if it’s not good, God’s not done.

So, here I am again, with the signs of fall already beginning and my first morning in my fuzzy moccasins and my comfy sweater journaling and meditating on His Word- His Truth about who He is, who he says I AM, in His WONDERful nature that is revealing so much of his AWEsome nature.

The mountains wouldn’t be so majestically beautiful without the valleys, eh?

I’ll take mountains and valleys over flatlined plateaus any day. Harder to traverse, but oh so holy, too. 💔❤️‍🩹💜

Armoring Up on the daily … 🦁👑🛡️⚔️💜

Something bigger and better is coming… the best views come after the hardest climbs. 🤗

I hope this encourages someone today … you are not alone. Maybe set apart, for such a time as this … but never alone.

What you’re going through does not define you. What you’re going through does not sideline you. You matter. Your story in His hands can impact and change HIStory. Even if just for 1 other person who is struggling.

Straighten your crown 👑… we’re learning to ROAR a different way - a better way - sometimes a softer way - like the butterfly effect. 🦋

A Call for Wild Hearts + Helping Hands 🤝Our WHS Rooted to Rising RESTore to ROAR Fall Retreat is JUST 2½ weeks away, an...
08/19/2026

A Call for Wild Hearts + Helping Hands 🤝

Our WHS Rooted to Rising RESTore to ROAR Fall Retreat is JUST 2½ weeks away, and we’re making one final call for helping hands to join us as we prepare our space, land, and gifts for our retreaters!

This retreat is meaningful to us AND our retreaters, with mostly new faces showing us that Wild Haven's reach is growing and making a positive impact 🌱

But our family is also in a VERY full season. We’ve realized retreats can’t continue to be prepped for and carried by just 2–4 people with us growing.

For the next 2½ weeks:

🌿 **PROPERTY + TRAILS**
• Trail clearing • Wood moving
• Mowing/weedeating • Landscaping

🏡 **SPACES + SETUP**
• Furniture • Cleaning
• Beds/baths • Studio/barn setup

⛺ **GLAMPING + OUTDOORS**
• Tents/cots • Decks/toilet tents
• Solar lights • Fire pit/patio

🧺 **BEHIND THE SCENES**
• Signs/labels • Gift bags
• Kitchen organization • Finishing touches

🍎 **HOSPITALITY**
• Meal prep • Welcome support
• Co-leader breakfast • Final setup

🛠️ **Strong backs + practical skills welcome!**

You don’t have to do everything!!
One afternoon. One project. One skill. One meal. One pair of hands. 🤎

Want to help with THIS retreat or future gatherings? **Message me what you’d enjoy helping with + when you’re available.**

Can’t physically help? Prayers, encouragement, sharing + financial support matter, too.
-----
After this retreat, we’ll use fall/winter to:

• Pause our gatherings + regroup
• Focus on fundraising
• Grow our volunteer family
• Seek and Prepare future spaces sustainably
• Create future gatherings with less strain

Because what’s the point of creating a "place of rest + restoration" if we aren’t experiencing it ourselves?! 😉 REAL + RAW, y’all!

This Rooted to Rising may be our last retreat for a little while, but it’s NOT the end of retreats or gatherings. We’re simply preparing for what’s next. ⏩

We’re not closing the doors.
We’re building a stronger foundation. 🪏🛠️ ⚙️

We hope for Wild Haven to be built with AND for our Ashe County community and beyond.

Let’s bring this one home together…
and make room for what’s next. 🌳 🏡

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Ashe County
Ashe County, NC

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