Butterflies
Lived Experience Community
What is Butterflies Lived Experience Community?
Fun facts
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Butterflies symbolise personal growth, beauty, transformation and a group of butterflies is called a community
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Butterflies Community has been around for over 12 years, it began as a way to bring perinatal mums together to support one another. Many of those mums had experienced trauma and so the community itself has transformed over the years too
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Our logo was gifted by a co-founder of the original butterflies group when she moved across the world
At its core, our Lived Experience Community offers a space to be with others who have had similar experiences to you. Every member has experienced sexual, domestic and/or relational trauma - this includes those offering the support.
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The community offers a space where members come together to both give and receive support and co-create what that looks like.
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Members are encouraged to engage with the community in a way that aligns with their capacity, needs and desires and this involvement can evolve over time, reflecting their healing journey.
Growth within the community is entirely personal, and each member contributes in their own meaningful way whether that be simply accepting others and honouring their experiences or taking on new roles within the community such as offering support as a buddy, facilitating a group or event, or volunteering in ways that support the community’s growth and strength.
A lived experience community can come together in different ways, whether it be in person, online, in a creative class, at an event, a forum, or a coffee shop.
Wherever it is and whatever it may be doing, strength and solidarity can be found from one another.
Why should I get involved with Butterflies Lived Experience Community?
“Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives.”
Bessel van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score
In a lived experience community, there is an unspoken understanding: everyone in the community has faced similar challenges, yet neither you nor anyone else is defined by those experiences.
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The community offers you a space where:
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You are not judged.
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You are not asked uncomfortable questions
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You are not expected to share the details of your past experiences in a way that causes you further distress
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You are seen for the unique, whole person you are.
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Your strengths, character, skills, and resilience are recognised and celebrated.
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You have the opportunity to use these qualities to support others in the community while also being supported yourself. As part of this community, you develop healthy, supportive, and trusting relationships. You cultivate a greater sense of self.
In this community:
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You can gain knowledge about trauma that empowers you, helping you break free from its hold.
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You can share your own knowledge, knowing your experiences and personal growth are making a meaningful difference for others.
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Through listening, learning, and sharing with others, you can reflect on your own patterns of behaviour and thought, understanding them more deeply. This allows you to break free from unhelpful cycles and stories you may have told yourself.
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You learn about yourself while helping others do the same.
This community provides opportunities to share its collective knowledge and experiences with external services—helping to shape and improve support systems for people with similar lived experiences.
Quality of life improves—not only for yourself but for others too
What can Butterflies Lived Experience Community offer me?
“Recovery can take place only within the context of relationships; it cannot occur in isolation. In her renewed connection with other people, the survivor re-creates the psychological facilities that were damaged or deformed by the traumatic experience.”
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Judith Herman, psychiatrist, and trauma researcher
Butterflies LEC could offer you:
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121 peer mentoring
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Understanding Trauma group programmes to support your recovery
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Peer groups
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Community connection drop in sessions
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The opportunity to shape this service and others
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The opportunity to become an Ambassador
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The opportunity to meet other people who have had similar experiences to you and recover from those experiences together
As we said, this bit is super simple. Have a look at the calendar below, you can select an event and submit a booking request. If you are not sure what you would like to book, or can't see anything that interests you, complete the contact form.
It's OK if there isn't right now, we will send you regular updates and you can let us know when something comes up that you would like to come along to.
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You can also let us know if your ideas for how we can develop the community and what's on offer HERE
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If you are a professional, or someone who would like to talk with us about donating your time, cash or anything else to support the community, please get in touch via the contact form as we would love to hear from you.
Our values
Honesty, openness, fairness, accountability, safety, trust, respect of oneself and of others, ownership, congruence, unconditional positive regard, empathy and giving back.