The Thistle
& Ember Project
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Greater Kansas City

A safe place to begin again.

Clarity, practical support, and a private path forward for women navigating unsafe relationships, healing, and rebuilding.

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Start where
you are.

You do not need the perfect words or a complete plan. Choose what feels closest to what you need today.

For survivors

I need support

Private tools, trusted resources, journaling, and small steps toward safety and recovery.

Register free →
For anyone learning

I want to understand

Clear education about abuse, safety, trauma, and how to support someone you love.

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For lived experience

I want to be heard

Tell us what helped, what was missing, and what women should be able to find next.

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For community

I want to help

Partner, advise, sponsor, mentor, or help build a stronger local support network.

Get involved →

Available now

Your private place to find clarity.

One calm, organized space for the things that can feel impossible to piece together alone.

  • Trusted resource library
  • Safety checklists
  • Private journal
  • Goals and milestones
  • Saved resources
  • Progress tracking
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Member portal dashboardMember resource libraryPrivate journal in the member portal

Real-life needs.
Clearer next steps.

Practical guidance for moments of uncertainty—from recognizing patterns to rebuilding stability.

01

Safety planning

Recognize risk and prepare your next move.

02

Abuse education

Name patterns and reduce confusion or self-blame.

03

Housing & shelter

Find direction when home is not safe or stable.

04

Legal support

Prepare questions, documentation, and conversations.

05

Financial recovery

Build independence, awareness, and stability.

06

Mental wellness

Care for trauma, grief, stress, and recovery.

07

Parenting & family

Support caregivers, children, and co-parenting.

08

Reflection

Create private space to document and grow.

From the founder

I built what I wish had existed.

When I was rebuilding after domestic violence, women helped me find the right doors and my footing. That kind of guidance should not depend on who you happen to know.

The Thistle & Ember Project is the safe place to start that I once needed—built for clarity, support, and hope.

“No woman should have to piece together her safety and healing alone.”

— Audra Ornelas

Angelique's framed photograph with flowers

Why Thistle & Ember

Softness and strength can live together.

The project carries the spirit of Audra's mother, Angelique—a woman who made people feel fed, seen, and sheltered.

The thistle is resilient and protective, with healing beneath its sharp exterior. The ember is the hope that can glow again, even after everything changes.

One ember.
A growing fire.

We are starting with resources and listening. Every future stage will be shaped by lived experience, member feedback, and sustainable community support.

Active now

The Thistle

Safety, education, crisis, wellness, legal, and recovery resources.

Next

Light the Match

A sponsor-supported workshop shaped by real community needs.

Future

Create the Fire

Mentors, trusted partners, trades, and career pathways.

Future

Grow the Fire

Confidence, financial resilience, and independence.

Future

Protect the Fire

A vetted network of providers, advocates, and women-owned businesses.

Long-term

Ignite More Fires

Community spaces and women helping women rise.

Build it with us

Help turn possibility into support.

Partner, advise, sponsor, volunteer, or simply start a conversation.