DRE'S SAFE PLACE

12/15/2025

If the holidays are making you feel more anxious than excited, you’re not alone. For many women, this season brings financial pressure that weighs heavily on mental health.

Pressure to provide.
Pressure to make things work.
Pressure to show up for everyone while quietly worrying about money, time, and expectations.

That pressure fuels anxiety.
Racing thoughts.
Difficulty sleeping.
Constant mental calculations.
Feeling on edge even during moments that are supposed to feel joyful.

When financial stress lingers, it can also lead to depressive symptoms.
Low energy.
Feeling behind.
Loss of motivation.
Unspoken shame for not doing “enough.”

Many women carry this silently.
They overextend.
They spend past their comfort.
They say yes when they need to say no.
All to avoid judgment or disappointment.

Let’s name this clearly.
Financial stress becomes a mental health issue when it affects your mood, sleep, focus, and sense of self-worth.

If this season feels heavy, protecting your mental health may look like:
• deciding what you can realistically afford and sticking to it without guilt
• reminding yourself that social media and holiday images are not real life
• focusing on showing up emotionally instead of financially
• saying no to financial and emotional overextension, even when it feels uncomfortable
• letting someone support you instead of managing everything on your own

Your value is not measured by what you give, buy, or provide.
Your presence matters.
Your peace matters.
And protecting your mental health matters, especially right now❤️

12/15/2025

It was truly an honor to host Shades of Inspiration here at DRE’S Safe Place for their Winter Wonderland gathering. Their mission to provide empowerment, encouragement, and emotional support to women impacted by breast cancer was felt in every detail of today. From safe conversation to shared laughter, from a warm meal to moments of rest, women were able to simply show up.

Women walked into a space where they did not have to carry anything but themselves. A warm meal, good energy, meaningful conversation, and hands creating body butter meant to nourish more than just skin.

✨️As you prepare for the week ahead, take this with you:
​You are allowed to slow down & truly rest before Monday asks for more.
​You are allowed to receive without explaining.
​You are allowed to tend to yourself the same way you tend to everyone else.

Just like we nourish our bodies, our souls need care too.
Small moments. Safe spaces. Gentle reminders that you matter.

I’m grateful for the partnership, the trust, and every woman who showed up as she was.
Alongside an organization so committed to uplifting women through every stage of their journey. Thank you to Bianchi’s for always providing a meal that nourishes more than just the body.

Carry this care with you into the week ahead❤️

12/12/2025

𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝟐 • 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐞: FEBRUARY 2026

The first Healed Hands cohort showed something important. Women are tired of carrying everything alone. They want a space where they can breathe, talk honestly, create something meaningful, and actually feel supported.

If you missed the first cohort, this is your chance to show up for yourself on purpose. Not last. Not when you are burnt out. On purpose.

Healed Hands is for women who are ready to invest in their emotional health and pour back into themselves while creating something that reflects their growth. Every session is built to help you release what has been weighing you down and build something stronger in its place.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭

A safe space where you can be yourself
Real conversations that help you understand what you are carrying
A themed self-care craft each month that connects to your healing
A full meal
Access to DRE’S healing rooms to support your emotional release and reset

𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

$45 per workshop
All supplies included
Meal included
Held at DRE’S Safe Place in East Syracuse

This next cohort will give you the same supportive atmosphere, connection, and breakthroughs the first group experienced. Women left lighter. More grounded. More aware of what they needed. You can have that too.

If you know you need something for you. If you are ready to stop pouring from an empty place. If you want community that feels real. Join the interest list.

Spots are limited for a reason. We keep it intimate so every woman gets what she needs.

Sign up for Cohort 2 and give yourself the care you keep putting off❤️

https://www.dresplacellc.com/event-details/healed-hands-reclaim-rise-series-cohort-2

If you’ve been craving a space to breathe, laugh, cry, and rebuild, you belong here. This isn’t just a craft night. It’s a monthly experience where healing meets creativity, community, and real conversation.

12/10/2025

Women carry an invisible weight and it's often heavier during this season.
Holding the family together.
Holding their emotions together.
Holding guilt, grief, disappointment, and fatigue with a straight face.

Most of the pressure comes from one simple lie:
“𝑰𝒇 𝑰 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝑵𝒐, 𝑰’𝒎 𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏.”

Boundaries get tested the most during this season. Not by strangers, but by the people who know you. By the expectations that sit on your shoulders.

➡️But here is the part no one wants to admit:
When you say yes to everything, something in you gets left behind.
Your sleep. Your peace. Your needs. Your health.

And every time you ignore yourself, your body keeps the score.

No is not rude.
No is not selfish.
No is not disrespect.
No is choosing not to abandon yourself this year.

✨️Here is today’s affirmation to anchor you:

𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐬.
𝐈 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐍𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲, 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞.
𝐈 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥-𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭.
𝐌𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫.

Repeat it until your body believes it.
Your peace is not negotiable❤️

Tell me below: What is one thing you are saying "No" to this holiday season so you can say "Yes" to your peace? 👇🏾

12/08/2025

The Pressure To Look “Put Together” When Life Isn’t

A lot of women look fine on the outside while struggling on the inside.
That’s masking.
It’s when your face, your tone, and your behavior don’t match what you actually feel.

Masking shows up when you’re overwhelmed but still showing up because you don’t want questions or judgment. You keep performing and holding everything together because it feels easier than admitting you’re exhausted.

Add perfectionism on top of that, and the pressure builds fast.
You stay strong even when your body is telling you it’s done.
That’s emotional exhaustion, not failure.

If this sounds like you, lowering the pressure starts with small changes:

• name one honest feeling a day
• take one thing off your plate without guilt
• give yourself one moment to pause instead of perform
• choose one space in your life where you don’t mask at all

Being honest with yourself is where things start to lighten❤️

12/07/2025

There is a point in life where you stop letting the world decide your pace and your peace.
Today is about getting back to that point.

I think. I feel. I choose.
Three simple truths that help you stop living on autopilot and start paying attention to yourself again.

I THINK:
Ask yourself what thoughts have been running your week.
Not the loud thoughts you say out loud.
The quiet ones that shape how you move.
The ones that create stress, doubt, pressure, or fear.
Naming them helps you stop letting them control you.

I FEEL:
A lot of women skip this part because feeling takes energy they don’t have.
But ignoring your emotions only makes life heavier.
Call your feelings what they are without judging them.
Tired. Angry. Numb. Hopeful. Overwhelmed.
Whatever it is, say it.
Truth clears space.

I CHOOSE:
This is where your power sits.
You cannot control everything that happens to you, but you always get to choose how you show up, what you accept, and what you refuse.
Choose what protects you.
Choose what steadies you.
Choose what brings you back to yourself.

You get to start this week in a different position.
Not reacting.
Not people-pleasing.
Not shrinking.

Just moving with intention because you know what you think, you know what you feel, and you know what you choose❤️

12/05/2025

Christmas Gift Certificates at DRE’S Safe Place

If you want to give someone a gift that actually helps them, give them time to breathe. Most people in your life are tired, overwhelmed, or carrying more stress than they admit. A DRE’S Safe Place gift certificate gives them something they will not buy for themselves.

This is why it matters.
They get a real break.
They get release.
They get relaxation.
They get a reset that lasts longer than any item in a store.

People remember gifts that make them feel better.
People remember the person who gave them peace.

Buy the Christmas gift certificate.
Give rest.
Give relief.
Give DRE’S Safe Place.

🎁https://www.dresplacellc.com/gift-card

12/03/2025

Joy can feel different for every woman who walks through life with a lot on her plate. Some wake up and feel it right away. Others have to look for it because stress, grief, or exhaustion has been sitting in the way for too long.

At DRE’S Safe Place, we see both.
Women who smile with ease.
Women who are trying to remember the last time they felt anything close to joy.
And women who want joy but are scared to hope for it.

Joy does not always arrive in big ways.
Sometimes it shows up in small moments that are easy to overlook.
A warm conversation.
A minute of peace.
A genuine laugh that breaks through tension.
Noticing these moments can shift your whole day. Sharing them can shift someone else’s.

Today’s affirmation is simple:

I welcome joy into my life. I notice it in small places, and I allow it to grow. I share joy with others in ways that feel real and honest to me.

Let this be your reminder for today.
Joy is possible even in hard seasons.
Joy can return even when you feel disconnected from it.
And joy becomes stronger when you let it flow both inward and outward.

12/01/2025

First Monday of December❄️

​As the noise of the holidays gets louder, I’m holding onto a feelings review from last month.
Someone wrote one word on the board at DRE’S Safe Place: 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐦

No explanation.
No long message.
Just the result of what they felt after using the rooms.

That one word sums up our purpose.

People experiencing real mental and emotional shifts here.
No prompts.
No coaching.
Just the outcome of finally having space to breathe and release.

As we move into December, the mental load increases for a lot of people.
Shorter days.
Emotional triggers.
Seasonal depression.
Financial strain.
Family dynamics.

This is why DRE’S Safe Place exists, to give people a structured environment based on four key wellness needs:

Release
Safe ways to let go of frustration, anger, and emotional buildup.

Relaxation
Spaces designed to lower stress and help your body settle.

Rejuvenation
Experiences that restore your energy and help you reset.

Connection
Room to reconnect with yourself and what you actually need.

✨️December's calendar is set and every offering this month supports mental health in a direct, practical way.

If November showed anything, it’s this:
When people have access to the right tools and a safe environment, their emotional health improves.
And nobody should have to carry everything alone, especially not this time of year❤️

11/30/2025

Last Sunday of November: Close the Loops

Before you step into a new week and a new month, pause for a moment.
Your mind and your spirit have been carrying more than they should, and they need room to slow down.

November left a lot of you holding things you never had the time or energy to deal with.
Unfinished conversations.
Stress that kept getting pushed to the side.
Boundaries you planned to set but didn’t.
Feelings you swallowed because you were too tired to deal with them.
People who drained you without hesitation.
Moments that stayed heavy even when you tried to ignore them.

If you feel scattered, irritated, worn out, or numb, nothing is wrong with you.
There are too many open emotional loops taking up space in your head, and your body is reacting to that pressure.
Today is about closing those loops so you don’t drag them into December. Give yourself the space your mind and body have been asking for.

➡️Ask yourself:

▪️What needs to be closed, released, or left in November?
Some things don’t need a process. They just need to be acknowledged and put down.

▪️What emotion have I been avoiding because I haven’t had the energy for it?
Avoiding it has taken more from you than facing it ever would.

▪️What thoughts keep circling that need to be dismissed?
Replaying something only exhausts you and steals the little rest you get.

▪️What does not need to follow me into a new month?
Be honest. Something you’ve been holding onto has expired.

This isn’t about checking tasks off a list.
This is about being honest regarding what’s draining you.
Closing loops clears mental clutter

It helps you think straight.
It lightens the pressure.
It gives you a chance to slow down so you don’t start December already worn down.

Walk into a new month with less mental weight, fewer loose ends, and more room to breathe.
Not because it sounds good, but because it’s necessary❤️

​

11/28/2025

Youth Need Release Too...
A lot of adults forget this, but it is a fact.
Kids get overwhelmed. Kids shut down. Kids hold in anger, sadness, pressure, and confusion. They carry stress in their bodies the same way adults do, but with fewer skills and fewer words to explain it.

What you see as "attitude" or withdrawal is often a child trying to manage emotions that feel too big. What looks like “they are fine” is usually a child doing the best they can with what they have.

This is why DRE’S Safe Place matters for youth too.Young people need somewhere to release their tension and frustration in a safe and healthy way. They need space to calm their minds and get out of "fight mode."

At DRE’S Safe Place youth get:

🥊 The Fight Your Way Through Room
A controlled space where they can hit the bag and let out anger without hurting themselves or anyone else.

🍽️The Breakthrough Room
A space to physically release pressure. Breaking plates helps them move emotions instead of storing them inside their bodies.

😌 The Relaxation Room
A room to slow down, breathe, and settle their nervous system. Most kids are overstimulated and never get this type of calm.

🪞 The Affirmation Room
A space that helps them build emotional vocabulary, confidence, and self-worth.

We cannot expect young people to cope like adults when adults struggle themselves.
We cannot demand calm from a child who has nowhere to put their frustration.

Parents and caregivers ask: "What can I do?"

The answer is to give them access to a place that supports emotional release and emotional learning at the same time.

If your child is acting out.
If they seem overwhelmed.
If they are shutting down.
If they bottle things up.
DRE’S Safe Place can help.

Give them a place where they do not have to hold everything inside.

📲 Click the link in bio to book a session or message us to learn more about our youth packages.

11/27/2025

Thanksgiving Message from DRE'S SAFE PLACE ❤️

DRE’S Safe Place was born out of love. And on days like this, when the world is full of smiles and plates and people trying their best to be grateful, this year I feel pulled to speak straight to the parents like me.

The ones who know the sound of a heart breaking from the inside.
The ones who learned how to keep breathing even after the unthinkable.

So yes… Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

But this is for the parents whose arms are too light and whose hearts are too heavy.

This year, I handed out turkeys. And I was grateful, truly. Because giving is what my son, Dre, lived for. He had a way of loving people without effort. He had a way of showing up. And putting a smile on someone’s face this year felt like touching a piece of him again. It felt like honoring the good in him. The joy in him. The heart in him.

But if I’m being completely honest… this year has been a fight.

A quiet one. The kind people don’t see.
There were days where I said the hell with all of this. Days where I didn’t care about nothing or nobody. Days where I wanted to disappear into my grief and let the world spin without me.
Days where all I wanted was my son. Just my son.

And if you’re a parent who has lost a child, you already know. I don’t have to explain that sentence to you. You felt it.

So today...
If your smile feels forced…
If your joy feels thin…
If your heart feels tired…
If the seat at your table feels louder than the whole room…
I see you. Truly.

Maybe today you’re trying to be strong for everybody else, when all you want to do is curl up with a memory.
Maybe today the laughter around you feels heavy because your person isn’t here to share it.
Maybe today you’re doing your best to get through the hours without breaking into pieces.
And maybe, like me, you feel both grateful and gutted. Both thankful and aching. Both present and somewhere else entirely.

To every parent hurting today:
I know this pain.
I know this love.
I know this fight.
And I know you didn’t choose this life, but you’re living it anyway. That is strength whether you see it or not.

And to my son, Dre(Bebe)…
Your Mama misses you.
More than words, more than holidays, more than every “strong” moment people think I have.

But I carry you with me.
In every smile I give. In every person who walks into DRE’S Safe Place.
You are still here in the ways that matter.
You are still changing lives.
You are still & always will be my heart.

Happy Thanksgiving to every parent trying to make it through today with a broken, beating heart.
You are not alone. I’m holding space for you, right alongside my own.

Love,
Quinnika❤️

​