A butterfly with one wing resembling a human face and the other wing resembling a dog

The Penny Project

A sanctuary for women — inspired by a dog’s unconditional love, protection, and presence.

Every woman who needs a safe place to land and remember her power.

Here, you are believed and you belong.

Because a 12-pound dog saved my life

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The Penny Project began as a love story between a woman and her brave rescue dog — a story of protection, loyalty, and healing amidst the horrors of domestic violence. It’s now growing into a sanctuary of safety, awareness, and hope for women and animals rebuilding their lives — often together.

The Penny Project is a sanctuary of safety and healing — beginning here as a virtual space where women can access support, compassion, and community. Born from the love of a little dog who once stood guard over my life, this project honors both women and animals on their paths to freedom and trust.

Our vision is to one day create a physical space where women and dogs can heal side by side. For now, we’re building that safety virtually — one resource, one connection, one yoga pose, one breath, and one act of empowerment at a time.

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Empower — and Be Empowered

Every act of giving or receiving creates ripples of healing.
Whether you’re helping a woman reclaim her safety or asking for support yourself,
you’re part of this circle of empowerment.

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Ways to Empower Survivors

Every dollar helps us plant the seeds of safety, trust, and new beginnings. Give once if you feel called or give monthly if you want to walk with us long-term.

Your one-time gift helps women and dogs begin their healing journey. Every contribution supports trauma-informed yoga, survivor scholarships, and resources for safety and empowerment.

Help us sustain The Penny Project’s work year-round. Your monthly donation provides steady support for Guardian Memberships, survivor resources, and the future sanctuary where women and dogs can heal side by side.

Choose how you would like to support below.

3% Cover the Fee
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Ways to Be Empowered


The Penny Project provides trauma-conscious yoga memberships and healing tools for women reclaiming their bodies and voices after abuse.

If you need support, you can request a Guardian Membership — a sponsored yoga membership through our community fund. We have also included resources in the next section to meet you where you are and get you to where you want to be.

Request a Guardian Membership
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Katrina’s story and tools

From survivor to guide, Katrina shares the embodied tools that helped her reclaim her body, power, and voice—and now help others do the same.

Part heroine’s journey, part meditation, part journal, Body Power Voice: The Abused Ex, Reclaims Hers is both a memoir and a guide — an invitation to return to your body, power, and voice one day and one breath at a time. Through yoga, mudra, mantra, breath, and journaling, Katrina shares the same practices that helped her find the strength to leave, heal, and rebuild her life.

Born from the same heart that created The Penny Project, this book reminds us that healing is never out of reach — even a few minutes of devotion to yourself can begin to change everything. Within its pages are eight 40-day practices, daily journal reflections, and living proof that no matter where you are in your story, you can reclaim YOU.

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“I almost lost my colon, but I got a divorce instead.”
— Katrina Marie
Get Katrina's Book

If you’re the one who needs help… we see you

Every woman’s path to safety and healing looks different. 

These resources are here for you, no matter where you are at in your journey — staying, finding the strength to leave for the first or fiftyth time, leaving, left, or long gone and still healing. 

Take what you need. And know, you’re not alone.

💜FOR AWARENESS — WHEN YOU’RE WONDERING WHAT’S NOT OKAY

Sometimes harm hides behind love, promises, or apologies.

Sometimes monsters are disguised as supportive husbands, uncles, or brothers.

Abuse isn’t always visible — and it isn’t always physical.

If you’re feeling dimmed, unsafe, or like you’re constantly walking on eggshells, what you’re experiencing matters.

You deserve safety, respect, and peace in your own home.

Abuse can include:

  • Emotional abuse: being yelled at, insulted, threatened, mocked, gaslit, or isolated from friends or family.

  • Financial abuse: being denied access to money, forced to account for every dollar, or prevented from working.

  • Sexual abuse: being touched, pressured, or forced into sexual acts without true consent — even within marriage.

  • Physical abuse: hitting, grabbing, restraining, or destroying property to intimidate you.

  • Psychological abuse: constant criticism, blame, or manipulation that leaves you doubting your reality.

  • Digital abuse: monitoring your phone, emails, or social media, or demanding passwords.

  • Spiritual abuse: using religion, guilt, or “forgiveness” to justify harm or control.

If any of this feels familiar

You are not overreacting.

You are not the problem.

You don’t deserve any of it.

And you are not alone.

Help is available — confidentially and without judgment. Start with the supports here, and know…

Love should never hurt.

Control is not care.

You are worthy of peace, tenderness, and freedom.

💜 FOR STAYING — WHEN HOPE FEELS FAR AWAY

Sometimes there are moments when you can’t see another way out — when the pain feels too heavy or when you believe the horrible (and untrue) things you are being told about yourself.

In those moments, you are not alone. There are people waiting, right now, who will listen, believe you, and help you stay safe.


You matter. Your story isn’t over. Let someone hold hope for you until you can feel it again.

💪🏼 FOR SELF-EMPOWERMENT — WHEN YOU’RE READY TO STAND STRONG

Feeling strong in your body creates a deep sense of peace and possibility. Empowerment-based self-defense isn’t about fear — it’s about presence, awareness, and remembering that your body is wise, capable, and deserving of safety.
These programs and resources support confidence, boundary awareness, and the embodied strength that already lives within you.

Safety is your birthright.
Strength and peace already live within you — these tools simply help you remember.

🏠 FOR LEAVING — WHEN SAFETY MOVES YOU FORWARD

There may come a moment when you know it’s time — when your safety, or your children’s or pet’s, can’t wait.
You don’t have to do it alone. These resources can help you plan a safe exit and connect with shelter and legal support.

🏠 Safe Havens for Women Leaving Abusive Homes

⚖️ Legal Support for Women Leaving Abuse

You deserve to be safe. Help and home are ready when you are.

🌿 FOR HEALING — WHEN YOU’RE READY TO RECLAIM

Healing takes time — and gentleness.

These tools and communities are here to support your body, your breath, and your spirit as you reclaim your power.

  • Katrina Marie Yoga Membership — trauma-informed yoga, breathwork, and nervous-system tools for survivors
    Through our Guardian Scholarship program, women rebuilding after abuse can receive free access

    • Request a Guardian Membership confidentially here.

  • Yoga Tools for Healing — Explore trauma-conscious mudra, meditation, and gentle movement practices.

  • Therapy Resources + Directories

    • Maitri Path to Wellness — a local supportive environment for people with addictions, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, grief, & life transitions. 

    • Life Balance Counseling & Wellness — a local collaboration of like-minded therapists with a vision to help others find a better balance in their lives.

Healing doesn’t happen in one moment — it happens in community.
Wherever you are, remember: you are always whole and always healing.

🐾 FOR COMPANIONSHIP — WHEN LOVE HAS FOUR PAWS

There’s a special kind of healing that happens through the unconditional love of an animal.
Many women rebuilding their lives after abuse find emotional support, purpose, and safety through rescuing or caring for a dog.
When a woman rescues a dog, the dog often rescues her right back.

The Penny Project is working toward a program that helps women and rescue dogs find each other — pairing survivors with emotional support animals and covering adoption fees whenever possible.

Because healing happens on both ends of the leash.

📞 SAFETY REMINDER

You Are Not Alone. Support Is Available 24/7.

Remember — You are always whole and always healing.

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Have questions about empowering or being empowered?

Do you offer support we could add to our resource list?

Do you manage a facility for women that could benefit from our virtual yoga classes?

Do you want to talk to someone who has been there and made it out?

Reach out to Katrina directly using the contact form below

A butterfly with one wing resembling a human face and the other wing resembling a dog's face, connected at the body.