INTRO TO VICTORIES... For more than 30 years, Victories has helped thousands of men live their lives more fully. Victories supports men through weekend and group programs that lead to deeper self-awareness, greater self-confidence, stronger relationships, and greater connection to themselves and community. Our weekends and peer support groups are unique: they are designed by professionals, attended by licensed professionals, and based on widely accepted clinical principles that help men find peace and balance in their lives. Victories is a non-sectarian, Chicago-based non-profit organization that welcomes all men regardless of race, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status. www.victoriesformen.org facebook.com/victoriesoftheheart @VictoriesForMen uncertainty clarity isolation friendship stuck inspiring hurt transformative anger joy fear supportive anxious balance stress confidence
LIVE MORE FULLY... BUILD more fulfilling relationships... live more fully... Build the life you want by taking time for yourself and trying something new. Join with thousands of men who have discovered and embraced the best in themselves. Victories provides you with opportunities to learn more about yourself, to recognize and express your emotions, to communicate more authentically with others, to discover that your concerns are shared by many other men, and to feel good about the man you see in the mirror. Why not emerge into all you can be? GAIN new perspectives on old problems... REDISCOVER the best in yourself... BECOME more emotionally intelligent... FIND support, friendship, and community... CONNECT with others and yourself... REMOVE barriers to the life you want... victoriesformen.org/videos
THE EXPERIENCE... For me it was an intense self-assessment of what has been holding me back from creating deep meaningful relationships with the important people in my life. the experience... FROM PAST PARTICIPANTS It was very helpful to confront my feelings in front of other men. It made them resonate more with me to hear that there was so much in common about our lives, our hopes, and our fears, but also because I could do so in the company of other men who validated my feelings. A life changer I think I now have the ability to have a more productive and love-filled relationship with my family. Powerful. For the first time, I felt safe enough in a group of men to feel truly accepted for who I am. Despite being very anxious before the weekend, I couldn t be more satisfied with the outcome. It s given me the inner strength and peace to open myself up to those closest to me. A very profound and important experience for personal fulfillment and success in life. Connecting in a positive way to men is invaluable. I ve never experienced this. I knew what I needed to do but lacked the strength and courage to do it. Victories gave me both. I so very much appreciate it. A safe, nonjudgmental community of men listening, engaging, and supporting each other through a journey of emotional discovery. Each man s work provided me with the clarity I needed to face difficult choices in my life and to do what I needed to do. HEAR FROM MORE MEN... victoriesformen.org/videos
THE WEEKENDS... Victories is not traditional therapy; it s simply MEN HELPING OTHER MEN. try something new... FROM PAST PARTICIPANTS INVEST IN YOURSELF and your relationships. You owe it to people that you care about, including yourself. It s a SAFE, RESPECTFUL, AND CONFIDENTIAL environment. YOU WON T REGRET GOING. And you certainly won t regret how you feel afterwards. Just do it. Every once in a while, you have to TAKE A CHANCE. This is a small chance for a big payoff. Whether you feel your problems are large or small, VICTORIES IS BENEFICIAL FOR EVERYONE. I signed up for my marriage and my wife. But I attended for myself. Profound, raw, intense. The most important thing I have ever done or witnessed. BREAK- THROUGH WEEKEND Building Connections There can be times when men feel the need to build more fulfilling relationships, gain new perspectives on old problems, or rediscover the best in themselves...times when they struggle to feel connected, confident, and calm. There can also be times in the pursuit of change when they feel blocked by inner obstacles that they can neither push aside nor fully understand. During this powerful retreat led by experienced facilitators, a man can find a safe, supportive, and confidential place to look inward and share what he sees. Through goal setting, communication exercises, group discussion, and psychodrama, he can explore his past and its impact on his present, identify and express his emotions, build new connections with other men, and learn that much of what bothers him bothers us all. In the process, he can also begin to break through those blocks that stand between the life he lives and the life he seeks. As a result, he can also take a giant step towards more fulfilling relationships with family and friends, more positive feelings about himself, and more optimistic prospects for the future. A time and space to build trust and dig deep in ways never or rarely experienced by men. Never expressed so much emotion in one weekend. Very eye-opening to see how all men shared feelings and experiences. Upcoming Weekend Dates February 23-25, 2018 April 20-22, 2018 June 1-3, 2018 September 28-30, 2018 October 26-28, 2018 November 30-December 2, 2018 Location Weekends are held at retreat locations 2-3 hours from Chicago. BreakThrough II Weekend: Discover Your Best Self BreakThrough alumni are invited to continue their journey on the BreakThrough II Weekend on May 4-6, 2018. Continue on your path by attending the staff training. By completing this training, you are also eligible to be volunteer staff on a weekend. VictoriesForMen.org/btw
THE WEEKENDS... I didn t want to look at myself because I was afraid of what I d find. But the weekend helped me replace my fear with confidence and calm. It was a powerful and positive experience. SHADOW WEEKEND Discovery, Acceptance, and Empowerment During this powerful advanced retreat, graduates of the BreakThrough and Wisdom Years weekends continue their personal journey towards wholeness by taking this next step. Supported by weekend leaders and each other, they engage in the challenging work of uncovering and embracing their shadows, the parts of their inner being that they have worked to conceal from themselves and the world - those that cause them shame and erode their sense of self-worth. By looking deep within and bringing the shadow into the light of day, participants begin to recognize its silent influence on their thoughts, feelings, and actions. As a result, men reveal and rediscover the potentials buried within...the golden qualities that have been held in check by the shadow...the strengths of character and individual talents that affirm their warmth and their worth. When the Shadow Weekend concludes, each man leaves with a deeper understanding and greater ownership of his total self. I have been hating my dark side. I am now on my way to being whole. As to impact in my life, this is less dramatic than the initial weekend, but very deep in subtle ways. I m quieter, calmer, wiser. I m less likely to act on my anger. I m more supportive and accepting of myself. Upcoming Weekend Dates October 19-21, 2018 Location Weekends are held at retreat locations 2-3 hours from Chicago. Prerequisites Participation in the BreakThrough or Wisdom Years Weekend, or comparable experience. Attend an Intro Session Curious about the Shadow Weekend? Attend the Glimpse Your Shadow introduction evening. See website for details. VictoriesForMen.org/sw I had time to think about who I am and what I want for myself. WISDOM YEARS WEEKEND New Opportunities For men, reaching 50 can be more than a milestone. It can also signal an important life transition, one that brings both new concerns and new opportunities. The Wisdom Years Weekend helps men address the one and seize the other. Through group discussion and activities, men are encouraged to look thoughtfully at the second half of adult life as they face some of its most profound questions:»» How to live later years with authenticity, intentionality, health, and connection?»» How to best respond to changing roles at work and at home?»» How to maintain and express a vital sense of purpose and impact in the world?»» How to balance hope for continued connection, productivity, and growth against fear of loneliness, decline, and death? The Wisdom Years Weekend helps men to search their past, shed its self-defeating burdens, emerge into a new sense of anticipation about their future, and commit to a plan of action. Honest relationships and heightened self-awareness are at the heart of the weekend, where men come together in a spirit of respect, safety, confidentiality, and hope. This is a peak experience in my life. The internal exploration, guided feedback, community building, and friends I made were amazing. I feel more connected, more supported, more alive, and hopeful. A safe, shared environment that allowed me to open up and look inside. Upcoming Weekend Dates June 1-3, 2018 October 5-7, 2018 Location Weekends are held at retreat locations 2-3 hours from Chicago. Prerequisites The Wisdom Years Weekend welcomes all men over the age of 50. Continue on your path by attending Small Groups training. By completing this training, you are also eligible to be volunteer staff on a weekend. VictoriesForMen.org/wyw
GROUPS... WHERE TO START... I saw the richness of how we can be father, brother, son to each other at different times ultimately close friends with no barriers. PERSONAL GROWTH GROUPS Continue on Your Path At each BreakThrough and Wisdom Years weekend, men arrive as individuals and leave as a cohesive group connected by a shared experience. Afterwards, they have the opportunity to continue their journey together by participating in a Personal Growth Group. For the first six months, the group s meetings are facilitated by trained volunteers who guide members in exploring themselves and learning interpersonal skills they can apply outside the group. After that, the group has the option to continue meeting on its own, and many groups last for years. A man s open and honest communication with the other men in his group can be a source of community and continuity. It can teach him something new about himself, and it can help him learn new ways to connect with others, ways he can apply in his most important relationships and his daily living. After a Victories weekend, a man is faced with the decision of how best to implement the changes he identified. While the weekend helps him envision the change, the Personal Growth Group can help him make it real. VictoriesForMen.org/groups One of the many gifts of my group is being heard. When it is your turn to talk, no one interrupts or talks over you. That s rare in our culture. With my group, I know every two weeks I m going to crack open my hard shell and feel real emotions with people I feel safe with. And routinely cracking that shell allows me to remain more emotionally open outside the group. Victories Open Circle The Victories Open Circle is a weekly drop-in support group. The Open Circle welcomes any man who is looking for support or wants to be introduced to Victories before signing up for one of our programs. For the most up to date information, visit www.victoriesformen.org/opencircle Facilitating Personal Growth Groups Training This training is an opportunity for men seeking to re-invigorate and bring new skills back to their own groups, have an additional day-long personal growth experience, or just simply have an opportunity to connect with other men in the Victories community sharing a desire to improve their lives. This training is offered 1-2x year. Learn first-hand from men returning from a weekend what their experience was like, and meet many of the weekend leaders and others involved in the Victories community. Go to a Celebration START HERE! VictoriesForMen.org/Celebrations Visit a Victories Group The Victories Open Circle is a weekly drop-in support group. The Open Circle welcomes any man who is looking for support or wants to be introduced to Victories before signing up for one of our programs. For the most up to date information, visit www.victoriesformen.org/opencircle where to start Want to find out more about Victories before signing up? Attend an Info Session Learn more about our weekend and group programs from weekend leaders and Victories alumni as they share their experiences. Victories is happy to offer custom sessions for any group, place of worship, community center, business, etc. Watch Videos Go online to watch videos that discuss the reasons why men chose Victories and demonstrate how their experiences impacted their lives. One on One The Victories office is happy to put you directly in touch with weekend leaders, or past participants, to answer any of your questions over the phone, or individually in person. REGISTER: VictoriesForMen.org 312.604.5013 Payment Options Payment plans and financial assistance are available to those in need of support. Visit our website for a current list of fees and program updates. We welcome all men regardless of race, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status.
BUILDING COMMUNITY... Victories doesn t end with the weekend. It continues as long as you wish. It s a lifelong source of adventure, challenge, experience, and interaction with others wanting a life full of meaning and connection. Proven Programming Committed, Loyal Volunteers Generosity and Inclusiveness Local Focus with Enduring Impact victories... community Victories is a volunteer-driven organization with nearly 15,000 volunteer hours given each year by men who want to help other men continue their growth and build their community. Paths within Victories Victories offers a community of support and engagement over a lifetime. An organization of men helping men For more than 30 years, Victories has been helping men to bring positive change to themselves and their lives. Men building relationships We recognize that relationships can be both our greatest source of fulfillment and our greatest cause of distress. We also know that satisfying relationships are essential to satisfying lives. Focus on personal change Improving our lives often begins with changing ourselves. Our programs help men discover how to ovecome fear and live more fully. Professional, experienced, and able Our organization was founded by two highly regarded mental health professionals (Robert Mark, Ph.D. and Buddy Portugal, LCSW). More than 80% of men we serve are referred by mental health professionals who know with confidence that our programs are developed and reviewed by licensed mental health professionals. Emphasis on education Ultimately, the outcome of our efforts is learning the kind that can help a man strengthen his relationships and brighten his life. We do this through our programs, as well as our outreach and continuing education (CEU) offerings to therapists. VictoriesForMen.org Community Events Victories offers workshops and events that are open to the public. Check our website and subscribe to our enews to find out more. Couples Weekend: Couples Connecting The Couples Weekend helps couples learn and practice foundational and crucial skills for engendering and maintaining a truly nourishing and loving relationship. Open to all couples. Stay Connected Subscribe to our enews and follow us on social media to stay updated on our current programs and events. Alumni Trainings» BreakThrough Staff Training» Psychodrama» Small Groups: Wisdom Years Leadership Training» Facilitating Personal Growth Groups Mental Health Professionals Victories programs accelerate men s progress in therapy by helping them build an increased capacity to engage openly and effectively in the therapeutic process. CEUs for weekend participation are available to LCSWs, LCPCs, LMFTs, and licensed Psychologists. foundations growth community volunteer Weekends Envision the life you seek Groups Make the change stick Groups Build connection and community Trainings Learn new skills and build new relationships Workshops Continue on your path of personal growth A Day of Victories Annual event to celebrate & learn, open to friends & family Social Gatherings Host or participate in a Victories Social Gathering Support Victories Staff weekend and group programs to continue your growth and give back Engage in outreach efforts to help others become part of the larger Victories community
victories Phone: 312.604.5013 5315 N. Clark St., #224 Chicago, IL 60640 Fax: 312.386.7101 info@victoriesformen.org www.victoriesformen.org facebook.com/victoriesoftheheart @VictoriesForMen Learn More about Victories... Visit the Open Circle www.victoriesformen.org/opencircle Join us for a Weekend Celebration VictoriesForMen.org/Celebrations Victories of the Heart, NFP is an Illinois not for profit corporation. Donations are exempt from income, gift, and estate taxes under Section 101 of the Internal Revenue Code. Victories does not offer professional services that would subject it to regulation or registration by any state or professional licensing body.