Why we lean leeward.
The word leeward is a term from the language of storms and sailors. It means the sheltered side - the place protected from the harshest weather. Its opposite, the windward side, is exposed to the full force of every storm’s gust.
Helping professionals spend their days on that windward edge, exposed to the storms of society’s suffering and crises. The windward side wears down, while the leeward side provides protective shelter and solace.
At Leeward, we serve those who spend their professions on the stormy side of humanity - helpers, healers, and caregivers who face the elements of suffering, injustice, and need.
Leeward exists to counterbalance these windward professional storms.
How we lean leeward.
Every profession exposed to physical risk has its gear - the gloves, the helmet, the mask, the vest. But for those exposed to emotional, mental, and moral risks, safeguards are often invisible or absent. Leeward is committed to a working world where mental and emotional hazards are as protected as physical ones. Where mitigative and protective practices for the mind and heart are as common as hand sanitizer in hospitals and breathing masks for firefighters.
Through evidence-based tools and strategies, Leeward equips both individuals and organizations with practical protocols that reduce harm and restore capacity - so professionals are protected and missions move forward.
Founded by Marisa Gitchel, Leeward is the resource that she wished existed during her career at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. As an analyst investigating the nation’s worst crimes against children cases, Marisa was exposed to tremendous suffering, with no awareness of the occupational hazards of trauma exposure nor the tools to combat it. She is dedicated to ensuring that this is never the case for another helping professional.