Weekend of Recovery has roots in the late 1980’s. (For more information on our history)

In 2001, Howard Fradkin, PhD and Mikele Rauch, LMFT organized the inaugural Weekend of Recovery (WOR), which was conducted under the auspices of MaleSurvivor.org. Since then, the WOR Facilitator Team has conducted more than 90 WORs throughout the US and Canada, and has facilitated the participation of nearly 1500 men in these programs.

A WOR retreat provides a three-day healing experience that is complimentary to other mental health healing services. Any male sexual trauma survivor – 18 years or older – who has experienced sexual abuse, assault, or exploitation as a child and/or as an adult may apply to participate in a WOR. As one way of creating safety, our program acknowledges and honors the diversities of attendees at each WOR (racial, ethnic, class, spirituality, sexuality, gender, etc.).

In addition to the Level 1 retreats, there is an annual Advanced WOR, which is slightly longer in length and is theme-oriented. Advanced WORs focus on issues such as empowerment, intimacy, and relationships. Completion of a Level 1 WOR is a prerequisite for attending an Advanced WOR. At times, Advanced WORs may be open to the participation of WOR Level 1 alumni with their partners.

In 2012, the program was expanded to include a Day of Recovery (DOR) for those who may wish to partake in a single-day healing experience. The DOR provides an opportunity for men to gain a brief experience of our basic process and decide whether the three-day WOR retreat would be right for them. DORs will be added to our calendar as they become available throughout the year.

The WOR/DOR program moved from MaleSurvivor in 2017 and incorporated independently as MenHealing, a 501(c)3 non-profit, tax-exempt organization.