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Victories 

Celebrating 25 Years 

Upcoming Programs
Register 
Introduction to Victories 

Nov 30 

 

BreakThrough Weekend
Dec 2-4

Feb 24-26

Wisdom Years Weekend

Dec 2-4

Mar 2-4 

 

Facilitating Pscyodrama

Mar 25 

 

Special Sponsored Event

Film Screening: May I Be Frank 

Dec 6

A Thought
There is no greater gift than peace of mind. Help your friends and colleagues receive this gift by referring them to our weekends. 
News & Announcements
Annual Benefit Gets Rave Reviews
Layna Portugal Honored & The Second City Performance a Bit Hit

The rave reviews are in!  Here are but a few comments from those that attended this year's event:
2011_benefit_second_city
The Second City Improv


"At one point I was laughing so hard I couldn't stop crying."


"It was a refreshing change from the past.  It proved to be a wonderful evening of community and laughter."

"Festive, funny and fantastic, I can hardly wait for next years event...Let the Victories torch light our new direction."

"This year's event was a welcomed change to the annual Victories dinner. It's always a warm gathering due to the attendees, but the format provided extra time to catch up, laugh, and most importantly--hug!"2011_benefit_crowd_laughing

"The venue was perfect in every way. We were able to catch up with old friends and find a few new ones, too. We were especially touched by Jose's willingness to share his Victories experience in such an intimate way with us all. Second City was its usual wild & wonderful self, but with some insightful moments just for the Victories audience."

"Second City's skit between the man and woman in therapy was right on."
2011_benefit_layna
Layna Portugal


"The highlight of the evening for me was the overwhelming feeling of community."
   
"The change of venue and format for the evening was a huge success."
   
"A warm, endearing and joyful evening"
  
"...I especially liked that it was the kind of event that you did not have to be a Victories graduate to enjoy. If it is like this next year, I will bring more people."

"A fantastic evening of laughing, crying, and reconnecting!"

"Brilliant move bringing in Second City.  I was so pleased that it was all good natured fun.  I'm proud of you "young guys" taking us in exciting new directions.  The new branding concepts just hit it out of the ballpark.  Bravo!"
2011_benefit_second_city2
Custom Skit for Victories


"I've not stopped talking about how entertaining the performance was and now we have several friends who want to attend next year."


"The skits of the superb Second City performers out shinned Saturday Night Live!..people lingered to talk and socialize after the performance. The laughter of the audience is still ringing in my ears."

"It was the highlight of 2011 for me. I was deeply touched by Buddy's wife sharing her thoughts on what Victories meant to him. The Second City show was hilarious and I have not laughed that hard in a long time. The warmth and laughter of the evening made it very special and I look forward to next year."

"The Victories team hit a home run on Friday night at the Annual Benefit."
2011_benefit_layna_kurt
Kurt Schultz Honors Layna Portugal
This year's Annual Benefit departed from the traditional dinner and featured a tribute to Layna Portugal, followed by a stellar performance by Chicago's ever popular Second City theater troupe. At the event we were  also proud  to showcase our new logo and tagline (see below) - highlighting the transformative impact we have had on men for over 25 years.

Layna Portugal was honored for her generous, multi-year leadership donation to the Buddy Portugal Fund for Assure the Future of Victories. The immediate goal of the Fund is to help raise $150,000 to begin the task of taking Victories to the next level. Without full time staff we will not be able to fill and expand weekends or effectively support our volunteers who collectively donate thousands of hours of time each year.
2011_benefit_hug
One of Many Hugs Seen!
If you wish to donate to the Fund, send in this form that was available at the Benefit, or donate online.

The Annual Benefit could not could not happen without the hard work of many. Recognized were Peggy Cicero, Maureen Ewing, Scott Gross, Ryan Hagerty, Paul Kachoris (who originated the idea to invite Second City), Rick Simon, and our Chair for the evening, Tim Winkler.

For those that attended please give us your feedback buy completing this brief survey.  If you missed the event and want to see the evenings printed program, with a letter from Kurt Schultz and co-founder Bob Mark, as well as a list of donors, you may download the printed program here.

More photos from the evening can also be seen here - dozens more will be uploaded in the coming week.

Victories Announces New Logo &  

Branding Statement

 

The new format of the Annual Benefit and the Buddy Portugal Fund to Assure the Future of Victories were two important indications of the new direction our organization is taking. Victories Logo 1The third important change announced at the benefit is the new logo and branding statment.  All of these changes, signal larger changes in the organization, especially our commitment to building a more robust organizational structure designed to help us reach more men and sustain our work for the years ahead. The new logo was designed to bring a sharper and clearer definition to the impact of our work. In the future, our logo with just the word "Victories" and its accompanying branding statement will help reinforce that what our programs are designed to help men experience - and what so many of their participants DO experience - the kinds of powerful, inner victories that lead to transformations in themselves, in their relationships, and in their outlook for the future.  

2011_benefit_banner
New Banners

 

Organizational Name 
Although Victories of the Heart will remain the organization's legal name, the logo and print references will refer to it simply as Victories.

New URL
www.VictoriesForMen.org (the old url will still work as well)

Organizational Branding Statement
Transforming The Lives Of Men

Organizational Value Statement
Victories transforms the lives of men through weekend and group programs which lead them to deeper self-awareness, greater self-confidence, and stronger relationships. Our weekends are the only such men's programs in the Chicago area that are designed by professionals, supervised by licensed practitioners, and based on widely accepted clinical principles.

BreakThrough Value Statement
The BreakThrough Weekend is a decisive and vital step towards removing the barriers that stand between the lives we lead and the lives we seek.

Wisdom Years Value Statement
The Wisdom Years Weekend helps men over the age of 50 begin to answer a challenging and profound question: How do I want to live the rest of my life?

Shadow Weekend Value Statement
The Shadow Weekend helps men achieve greater wholeness, increased power, and improved relationships by guiding them to discover and own unacknowledged parts of themselves.

Professionals/Referrers Value Statement
Our programs accelerate men's progress in therapy by helping them build an increased capacity to engage openly and effectively in the therapeutic process.

You may download print & web quality versions of the new logo here:  Print QualityWeb Quality.  Stay tuned in the coming months for more announcements regarding our marketing materials, and website changes.  A big thank you to the leadership of Rick Simon and all his hard work regarding the new logo and branding statements.  

Dec 6th: Victories Partners with Mindful Metropolis Magazine to Present a Special Screening of May I Be Frank
Paul Kachoris to be on post-film panel discussion

   

May I Be Frank In the spirit of community gathering and continuing education, Victories is partnering with Mindful Metropolis to present an inspiring film and discussion around personal transformation. 

 

Frank Ferrante is 54 years old, obese, depressed and addicted. He stumbles into Caf� Gratitude, a local raw, organic and vegan restaurant in San Francisco, and inspires three young men to help him transform his life. For the next 42 days, Frank eats only raw food, practices gratitude, visits local holistic practitioners, and receives a weekly colonic. With the help of his three new friends and his own determination, Frank gets a new body, a clearer mind, and most importantly, a soaring spirit. May I Be Frank documents the essence of the human condition and what it truly means to fall in love again.

Join us and our friends at Mindful Metropolis for an evening of conversation and transformation. As we move into the end of year holidays and the new year, it's the perfect movie to continue to inspire your own personal change.

LOCATION
in the newly opened Greenhouse Loft at the Green Exchange

SCHEDULE - DECEMBER 6TH
5:30pm-7pm Reception
7pm Film
8:30pm Panel Discussion 


A panel discussion and Q & A with local experts like our very own Paul Kachoris (BreakThrough & Shadow Weekend Leader, Board Member) will follow the film.

Tickets are $18 in advance, $20 cash at the door. We recommend reserving tickets in advance, as the event is expected to sell out. 

 

Info, the movie trailor and tickets available at http://www.mindfulmetropolis.com/mayibefrank  

BreakThrough & Wisdom Years
Upcoming Weekends


There is still space available in the upcoming weekends!  Both the Wisdsom Years, led by Don Spitzer-Cohen and Ron Himmelman, and the BreakThrough Weekend, led by Kurt Schultz and Joe Seldess, are held on the weekend of Dec 2-4. Scholarships are available for men in financial need.

BreakThrough:  Dec 2-4, Feb 24-26
Wisdom Years: Dec 2-4, March 2-4

 

The complete 2012 schedule for Wisdom Years and BreakThrough Weekends is now available on the website.  

 

Men wishing to attend these programs are invited to register online,
contact Peggy Cicero via e-mail, or call her at 312.604.5013.
Assist with Recruiting for Weekend Programs

Invite men you know to the next Introduction to Victories or ask them to join you at one of the Celebrations which occur after each weekend.  Please remember that these celebrations are open to the public, and all members of the victories community are encouraged to attend.  Interested men in our weekends almost always attend a weekend after witnessing one of our weekend Celebrations.

Introduction to Victories  
Wednesday, Nov 30th, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Evanston Ecology Center

Weekend leaders and other Victories volunteers, weekend staff and alums of our weekends attend these sessions to share their own experiences with Victories' programs.

If you wish to arrange an Introduction session for your place of worship, work, or other organization, we are happy to work with you to set this up. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

  

Join us for the Celebrations of

December Weekends

  

December Wisdom Years - Dec 7th 

December BreakThrough - Dec 8th 

 

The Celebrations will be held at the Evanston Ecology Center from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.(formal part of program begins at 7:30).   

The Victories community welcomes all to attend, to include inviting men interested in our weekend programs.  
Share Your Experience With Us  

Let us know if you would like to share a personal growth experience with the rest of our community. Send us a brief note about your Victories weekend or group or about a book, trip, workshop, or other experience which meant something to you. Send your ideas, submissions or questions to [email protected].  

Recommended...   

 

Workshops in Chicago by Gestalt Institute of Cleveland

We are pleased to bring the following educational opportunities to your attention. Michael C. Clemmens, PhD will offer two workshops from December 10 to 12, 2011 in Skokie. Michael is a master body oriented psychotherapist, author, and clinician.  He is on the faculty at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland and the Esalen Institute in California and has taught internationally as well in various locations throughout the united States.  

 

Those of you who attended the 2009 Victories of the Heart professionals workshop will remember Michael as both insightful and engaging. These programs are not sponsored by Victories, however, if you mention Victories, you are eligible to receive a 10% discount for either of these workshops. Just mention you are part of the "Victories community" when registering. Please refer to the following links for registration details. 


Our Presence as an Interactive Event, Dec 10-11

Master Class for Body Oriented Psychotherapists:The Somatic/Relational Interaction of Therapist and Client, Dec 12

Group Relations Conference on Authority and Leadership in Recovery from Addiction
January 13-15, 2012.  An experiential conference in the Tavistock tradition offering a unique opportunity to study group and organizational processes. Non-mental health professionals are also welcome to attend!

Loyola University
1020 West Sheridan Road
Mundelein Center, Chicago, Illinois

Conference Director:
Jeffrey D. Roth, MD, FASAM, FAGPA

Renewal In The Wilderness. Renewal in the Wilderness offers spiritual retreats in nature mostly for adults.  They take people, from all faith traditions (or none), out of their normal environments for a week (or weekend) of wilderness living. For more information visit www.renewalinthewilderness.org.


NOTE: Victories of the Heart announces these program(s) as a service to our community. The presenters are known to us as professionals or volunteers with expertise in the subject matter of their workshops. However, their programs are neither sponsored by nor affiliated with Victories of the Heart. 

 

If you would like your program or event listed in this section please submit to [email protected].
Special Offer Extended
 
In celebration of our 25th anniversary, we are pleased to extend the offer of a $100 discount on any VOH weekend completed before December 31, 2011. Scholarships and payment plans are available.
Online Coupon Code: mvh100voh
Offer Expires 12/31/11
Order Brochures
25 OrangeVictories of the Heart has three brochures. Two describe our largest programs, the Wisdom Years Weekend and the BreakThrough Weekend. A third provides referring professionals with information about our programs, their clinical foundations, and opportunities for licensed clinicians to be listed on our website and earn CEUs at low or no cost. To order your free  brochures, please call 312.604.5013, email our office, or order online.  

V
ictories of the Heart is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping men of all backgrounds build stronger relationships with others, greater acceptance of themselves, and increased satisfaction in their lives. We offer weekend and group experiences that assist them in making positive life transitions through education that emphasizes emotional awareness and healthy communication. Our programs are built on a solid foundation of accepted theory and practice, reflecting a commitment to the principles of responsibility, integrity, safety, and support. Our goal is to provide men with an authentic and enriching personal experience as a catalyst for significant personal growth.


Our organization and its founders, Bob Mark and the late Buddy Portugal, have been honored by The American Family Therapy Academy with its Innovative Contribution to Family Therapy award. Bob and Buddy also received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Family Institute at Northwestern University.

Victories of the Heart, NFP is an Illinois not-for-profit organization exempt from federal income tax under Sec. 501 of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations (but not weekend registrations) are deductible under IRS rules. Victories of the Heart, NFP does not offer professional services that require its regulation or registration by any state or professional licensing body.