Men’s ReStory® Intensive

4-Day experience for men with stories of trauma

January 7-11, 2025 in Fort Collins, Colorado

$3150 per participant ($500 non-refundable deposit)

You are not alone

Isolation. Confusion. Shame. All who have experienced childhood trauma of any kind are all too familiar with these words. And yet the dynamics of trauma for men compounds these categories into even deeper and lonelier valleys. The nature of trauma, and the means by which boys survive, are as unique as they are powerful, and must be addressed with both strength and tenderness. The Men’s ReStory® Intensive experience encourages participants toward an intentional engagement of all aspects of trauma and abuse.

Join us for a 4-day men’s specific healing journey designed to invite you back to yourself and awaken you once again to the true nature God designed for you. This is not a men’s retreat where you merely sit and listen to speakers and hope to glean some tips and techniques. No, this is a rich story experience architected for you to engage and encounter yourself, God, and one another in healing and restorative ways.

Led by Tracy Johnson, Storywork Supervisor at ReStory Counseling and Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Red Tent Living, and Chris Bruno, LPC, Founder and Clinical Director of ReStory Counseling and Founder and Chief Visionary of Restoration Project, this specialized experience is limited to 6 men who know they want more.

  • Explore Your Trauma Story in a Healing Context

    You are not alone. Step away from the everyday into a relational and kind environment where you can engage the holy work of healing your story along with other trauma survivors.

  • A Time to Reflect on How Trauma Shaped Your Life

    With teachings and group discussions, as well as one-on-one storywork counseling, you will receive high-level care that invites you to ReStory your life and find the freedom you’ve sought.

  • Limited to 6 Participants

    This unique Men’s ReStory® Intensive experience is limited to 6 participants.

    Total Cost Per Participant: $3150

    $500 deposit due at time of registration. The remaining balance due two weeks prior to the start date. Payment plans available.

You Will Leave With

  • Awareness of the truer categories of God’s design for you as a man

  • Renewed direction and hope for the journey ahead

  • A vision for your story that invites you to hope and healing

  • Deep storywork for yourself in the context of a community of other survivors

  • Practical tools for stepping out of isolation into connection

  • An ownership of your story like never before

 

What do previous ReStory® Intensive participants say?

  • "I felt more in 4 days than I felt in 4 years."

  • "Chris’s presence was profound. He and Tracy are masterful together."

  • "Having both a male and female counselor leading the intensive was so impactful. They complemented each other while adding their own individual kindness and strength."

  • "I was surprised at their ability to draw out parts of my story I wasn’t aware of, and to connect those unknown parts with the challenges of my life today. It was truly life changing and has brought so much care to my heart."

  • "The care and attunement I received from the men was nearly as healing as the work I did with the counselors. The entire experience all came together to provide considerably more progress than just counseling alone."

  • "I was afraid the counselors would not understand my issues or be able to help draw me out. From the first night I felt heard, understood, and cared for."

  • "Get ready for a deep dive into the deepest recesses of your heart & life."

Men’s ReStory® Trauma Intensive Counselors

  • Chris Bruno is a trauma-informed Colorado Therapist and Storywork Counselor specializing in counseling intensives with men and marriages.

    Chris Bruno

    Founder and Clinical Director of ReStory Counseling, Licensed Professional Counselor and founder of Restoration Project

  • Tracy Johnson is a Storywork Coach specializing in counseling intensives in Colorado with men, women, and marriages.

    Tracy Johnson

    Storywork Supervisor with ReStory Counseling and founder of Red Tent Living.

Typical ReStory® Counseling Group Intensive Schedule & Inclusions

  • Large group teaching sessions by both Chris and Tracy that explore the social, spiritual, biological, and relational aspects of the trauma of men specifically.

  • Group process time led by Chris and Tracy where we explore and ponder individual stories of trauma and abuse.

  • One-on-one storywork counseling.

  • Pre-intensive assignments engaged by Chris and/or Tracy to help prepare you for the week together.

Opening Evening (Day 1)

  • Welcome reception with local Fort Collins brews

Days 2-4

  • Morning: Session 1 (3 hours)

  • Noon: Lunch on your own

  • Afternoon: Session 2 (3 hours)

  • Evening: Reflection, Recovery, and Re-creation on your own

Closing Morning (Day 5)

  • Morning: Session 5 (2.5 hours) - Wrap-Up

Our Location

Fort Collins, Colorado

  • ReStory® Counseling Intensives are currently being held in beautiful Fort Collins, Colorado. An hour north of Denver, nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, Fort Collins is home to Colorado State University and is numbered among the top 10 desirable places to live in the United States. 

    We highly encourage clients to take advantage of the natural beauty that surrounds us. We recommend coming a day or two early to recalibrate and prepare your heart for the work ahead. We also recommend staying at least 24 hours after the intensive is complete, to have sufficient time to process all that has happened, and get some time in nature to become acquainted with the newly discovered freedom in your soul.

  • Area hotels, restaurants, cafes, outdoor activities, Old Town Square, Rocky Mountain National Park, Poudre Canyon and more make your visit to Fort Collins relaxing and enjoyable - a perfect place to experience restoration in your life and story. 

    ReStory® Counseling Intensive clients are responsible to find their own hotel and food accommodations throughout their stay. We do provide a listing of our favorite hotels and restaurants. 

  • Travel to and from Fort Collins via air is best managed through Denver International Airport (DIA), which is approximately a 1-hour drive. Rental cars and shuttles to Fort Collins are available. Air travel is also possible through the Cheyenne, Wyoming Regional airport, though flights are limited.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

  • The ReStory Men’s Intensive experience is designed for men who want more — more freedom, more hope, more restoration. This experience addresses all forms of trauma and abuse, including loss, grief, physical/mental/emotional/sexual abuse, neglect, and more. As a prerequisite, all participants must be currently working with a counselor in order to provide support and care both before and after the intensive.

  • We will begin promptly with dessert and drinks on night one and will end no later than 10 a.m. on the last morning.

  • For those outside Colorado, fly in and out of Denver International Airport. You are welcome to rent a car or take the Groome Shuttle from the airport to your lodging in Fort Collins. Directions to the intensive location will be provided for those who would like to drive. If you are local to Fort Collins, we strongly encourage you to find lodging away from home. This provides you the privacy and space to process the experience without the potential of defaulting back into your normal responsibilities and routine.

  • A series of pre-intensive assignments will be sent to you to help prepare for our time together. All participants are strongly encouraged to read Dr. Dan Allender’s Wounded Heart, The Healing Path, or Healing the Wounded Heart (whichever feels most appropriate for your story and situation).

  • In our experience with trauma recovery, it is important to engage both men and women in the journey toward healing. If the statement “what is broken in relationship is healed in relationship” is true, healing requires relationships with both. Chris and Tracy each have years of experience working with men in their trauma stories, and bring a dynamic to the work that is fun, kind, disruptive and healing.

  • Individual work is extremely important to explore your story of trauma. And, while much can happen in your personal counseling, God has designed community to be a place of healing and restoration. To experience a group of men who have walked similar paths, and to encourage one another toward a new story is powerful and unique.

  • Possibly. We want to ensure you have the preparation and support of a qualified counselor. Not all counselors are trained in story-work and trauma recovery. Please contact us if this is the case, and we will make a case by case determination.

Men’s ReStory® Intensive Application

The Men’s ReStory® Intensive is a uniquely designed space for men to explore their stories of childhood trauma. It is not a starting place for this exploration, but serves as a powerful supplement to already-existing counseling and storywork in a man’s journey toward healing. As a result, we are very intentional about reviewing each application, and interviewing each applicant to make sure we can provide you a transformational experience. Please complete the application form below, and we will do our best to get back to you as soon as possible! Thank you!