The most difficult step a survivor can take toward recovery from sexual harm is often the first one. Many never share or acknowledge what’s been done to them out of fear of judgement, being cast out, and knowing they will have to revisit painful memories to heal.
“But if you can just make that first step,” said MenHealing Weekend of Recovery (WOR) Alumni Trent Gardner, “it’s all worth it.”
In 2023, Trent attended our three-day healing retreat for men who have experienced sexual harm. Nestled in the serene mountains of Alta, UT, he and nine other male survivors shared their inner pain, strength, and hope as a way to explore deeper aspects of trauma recovery.
“I remember I was just shaking like a leaf,” Trent recalled. “I was physically sick that morning, because it’s just so hard. But if you just show up, even if you gotta crawl to get in there, just do it.”
Thousands of men from around the world have attended our healing programs in various formats. AJ, an alumni of our Community Peer Support Group program, logged online as his first step rather than physically walking into a retreat center.
“[My Peer Support Group members] continue to meet, and that fellowship has been probably the most helpful thing in everything I’ve tried in getting through [the trauma],” AJ said.
Instead of facing disbelief or stigma, AJ described his experience as receiving compassion, support, encouragement, and strength from fellow male survivors.
“I was in complete denial of my childhood trauma, really, until a couple of years ago, in my mid-50s,” he said. “With a group of men who can truly relate to what you’re experiencing and what you’ve been through… you can talk about things with no fear of judgement, no shame.”
This curated safe space is an incredibly powerful resource in the recovery process—one Trent and AJ plan to bring to their own communities soon.
In 2025, MenHealing adopted an additional format for the healing retreats program to enhance accessibility for male survivors and their loved ones: we now accept inquiries from folks looking to host a Weekend of Recovery in their local region.
AJ and Trent, both driven by the desire to give back, have met regularly with our staff after reaching out in Fall 2025 to discuss planning logistics and event facilitation for a retreat in Tennessee next year. While the two say there’s still work to do, the mission is clear.
“I know there’s people who maybe can’t afford the airfare to get out West, or the gas to get up to Ohio,” AJ said. “I just felt really pulled to try and do something here locally to give something to guys that was incredibly beneficial to me.”
This ability to offer the gift of healing to someone is “priceless” for Trent.
“I know it’s true with me and a number of survivors who I’ve met; either online or in-person, you end up with a sense of community,” he said.
Trent also stays in regular contact with the men from his WOR.
“I talk to one of my guys just about every day—we meet in person twice a year,” Trent said. “No matter what happens in my world, I’ve got four guys I could call, and they would just be there, no judgement.”
With this experience of brotherhood, trust, and joy, many male survivors connect with their authentic selves and each other to recover together.
“I think just knowing you’re not alone in this is incredibly comforting and healing,” AJ said. “Hopefully this [WOR] we pull together in Nashville will have that same sort of connection among the attendees: I hope they continue to meet and stay in touch and be resources for each other going forward.”
Weekend of Recovery Alumni sometimes meet other male survivors for the first time at our healing retreats. Stories may differ, but a shared sense of belonging and understanding connects lived experiences.
“That’s really what MenHealing did for me,” Trent said. “I had never met a survivor before, but when they’re sitting across from you, you’re vulnerable, and you’re just hearing all these things that you believe… the lies you hold as true, it completely changes you.”
