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I have attended multiple MenHealing Weekends of Recovery and Peer Support Groups. Frequently, when these community events close, participants express a desire to stay in touch. Sometimes, they do. More often, in my experience, they don't. Even when I have successfully managed to stay in touch with some peers, over time those contacts tend to fade.
Caveat: I have heard there are actually groups of you who have managed to stay in touch long term. Congratulations, if that's you. I'm envious. Maybe you can share some tips about how you pulled it off...
I've been online in some form or other since 1987, and I have participated in many online communities. I even ran a Fidonet node pre-internet. Meeting and engaging with people socially online has always been easier for me than IRL.
Years ago, I participated in a public discussion forum for male survivors. It wasn't a great experience. Moderation wasn't strong, and because it was open to anyone, it attracted some men who... let's just say, hadn't done much healing work.
As a survivor who stayed silent for decades about his abuse, I don't need social contact IRL the way my partner and other people I know do. I'm content—happy—to spend a lot of time alone, and I'm lucky my partner is supportive of that. But, as a human being, I do still need some social contact. This is easiest for me with other male survivors, especially those whom I've met through MenHealing, and other survivor affiliated groups. Which brings me to the point.
I have created a semi-official MeanHealing Alumni and Peer community forum. This is a private, invitation-only, space, that is built to house multiple small private groups. The individual groups are hidden from each other, so it's possible to participate only with people you already have a connection, such as members of a particular W.O.R. or Peer Support Group.
I've already created private forums for two different Peer Groups, and I am now beginning to let the wider MenHealing community know about this resource. So, if you find yourself wanting a way to stay in touch with your fellow alumni that is private, secure, and accessible through any device, please contact me. If you don't know me personally, please introduce yourself briefly, and provide the name of someone within the MenHealing community who can vouch for you.
This is me:
