Project Description
MenHealing initiated the Healing Outreach for Men Everywhere project when we realized there was an opportunity to place information about the impact of sexual assault and resources for recovery onto computer tables issued to incarcerated individuals in this country. We began in Ohio, where our Co-Directors live, and in September 2021, our first set of outreach materials was placed onto 45,000 tablets in the Ohio state prison system.
HOME is a collaborative effort between the MH team, Weekend of Recovery alumni, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, and experts in the community who are working with this population. The goals are:
- to provide information, insight, and hope for healing to some of our most vulnerable citizens
- expand our collaborative efforts to any state or Federal system that is interested
- create a free library of user-friendly information for distribution beyond the prison system to community groups, public health agencies, and beyond
Sandi Forti, Project Director
PhD, PC
Sandi is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in private practice in Columbus, Ohio, and has been a facilitator for the Weekends of Recovery for MenHealing since 2006 and Taking Back Ourselves since 2014.
Sandi sees herself as providing a context within which trauma can be understood as part of the landscape of the soul, and healing can lay the foundation for the development and expression of the authentic self. She has worked for many years with victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse and with families who struggle to love and heal both. She is versed in working with the patterns of thinking and behavior that grow out of the effort to cope with abuse, such as depression, dissociation, use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs, etc.
Her interests in archetypal psychology, body awareness, and the healing power of meditation have added breadth and depth to her work with individuals who are seeking to heal from past traumas and who desire new ground for a relationship with the present.
Kenton Kirby
LCSW
With up to 20 years of experience, Kenton previously worked in the child welfare system in New York City as well as as a Forensic Social worker throughout the New York court system. He has been an adjunct lecturer at the graduate and undergraduate level in New York City and has a wide array of experience providing individual and group therapy to those with complex mental health needs in sex offenders, parenting, and drug treatment programs.
Read More About Kenton…
Kerby Killingham
MA, LPC, NCC
Kerby is a licensed professional counselor and has been practicing effective-based therapy since 2015. He has worked with and is experienced in treating a multitude of trauma-related disorders, such as sexual abuse, substance abuse, and physical violence, from an adolescent and adult perspective. He is well-trained in facilitating male victimization trauma-focused groups.
Kerby also serves Kent County, MI, as a court-appointed counselor for the 17th circuit court family division.
Richard Sims
RSME, RSMT, CTP
Rich is a Registered Somatic Movement Educator, Movement Therapist, Certified Trauma Professional, Somatic & Mindfulness Educator, Body Awareness and Aikido Instructor based in the Chicago area. He’s worked with Somatic (Body Based), Embodiment, and Mindfulness practices for over twenty-five years. Through this experience, he teaches his students to create an open, caring, relaxed, powerful “BodyMind” state.
Richard Smith
Richard is a nationally recognized expert on trauma and healing for survivors of interpersonal and systemic violence. Richard has over two decades of experience developing and leading community-based programs. He has helped organizations throughout the country build their capacity to heal and empower BIPOC folks and marginalized communities. He is the founder and lead strategist and anti-racism educator for Richard Smith Speaks LLC.
Debra Warner
PSYD
Debra is a leading forensic psychologist, popular speaker, trauma expert, training professional, and author. She addresses diverse topics, including PTSD, multicultural therapeutic techniques, gang intervention, prison reform, human trafficking, violence against women, substance abuse, relationships, and mental health.
Jim Struve
LCSW
Jim was a co-organizer of one of the earliest conferences (1988) to address concerns of non-offending male survivors. In 1995, he was a founding member of the National Organization Against Sexual Victimization of Males (currently MaleSurvivor.org). He has been a member of the Weekends of Recovery Facilitator Team since 2003. In 2017, Jim was instrumental in the incorporation of MenHealing and has served as Executive Director since that time.
Howard Fradkin
PhD, LICDC-CS
Howard was the first Chairperson of the Weekend of Recovery program, which began in October 2001. In 2010, he became Co-Chair with Jim Struve. Howard has been featured as an expert on Oprah Winfrey’s 200 Men show, Dr. Phil, Katie, Huffington Post TV, and many nationally syndicated and local radio shows. In 2017 Howard retired from the WOR team after overseeing and helping to facilitate over 60 weekends for over 1200 men. In his Emeritus role, Howard continues to offer consultation to the team to help the new organization to thrive even more!
Inquiries
Learn More
Click on the images below to see videos and our PDF of information. These materials have been made available on the 45,000 computer tablets issued to the incarcerated when they enter an Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction prison.
Related
Some survivors may also find the following information useful on their journey to healing:
