Helping Fathers Heal Retreat - Sheraton Grande Wild Horse Pass - August 21-24, 2026
Posted
-
- Sep
- 1
- 2025
by Elizabeth Boisson
Our Helping Fathers Heal Affiliate Group, founded by our beloved Mike Edwards, held its very first Dads' Retreat at the Sheraton Grande Wild Horse Pass from August 21st to 24th.
We were grateful to have our cherished HPH Providers - Fara Gibson, Lisa Wilcoxson, Reverend Sue Frederick, Jennifer Brazier & Christine Salter join them for this special retreat.
A heartfelt 'thank you' to Helping Fathers Heal Affiliate Leaders Chris Ryan, Warren Gibson, Jeff Cottrell, Tom Madsen, Chris Myers, as well as to Dennis Zahorchak, for organizing this healing event!
If you'd like to connect with Helping Fathers Heal, please join our Helping Fathers Heal FB Group by clicking here.
Please learn more about these amazing Dads by reading their book, compiled by Chris Ryan: Helping Fathers Heal: Grief, Hope, and Our Search for Connection
The organizers kindly wrote a paragraph about the event:
Chris Ryan:
This retreat was a complete experiment but it came together beautifully. We meet each week on Zoom but we had only gotten together face-to-face for brief moments at the HFH Conference. Or, as was the case for many of the newer dads at our retreat, they didn't even KNOW about the Conference. This weekend was special and cathartic for us because we could bond as brothers with a common purpose: to heal by witnessing each other's grief. It was so gratifying to watch men open up and be vulnerable in a way they NEVER get to be in the "real world" ;)
Warren Gibbons:
The Dads Retreat just wrapped up and it was so amazing for all - far beyond what any of us could have imagined.
It started because we love being together at the conference and we didn’t want to wait two years until the next HPH conference. Now that we’ve done it, we will make it a bi-annual thing.
Every Dad there made leaps and bounds in their healing, opening their hearts and loving each other. Lots of hugs, tears and laughter too. We kept a light structure to it with a few amazing mediums and providers helping out.
We even had Corey Trench’s son (also named Corey) present a documentary he’s making about his brother Collin who passed and their family’s journey with mental illness and grief. When he’s ready to share it, you’d be lucky to watch it. And so many breakthroughs and deep connections with our kids!!! Wow! So grateful for Helping Parents Heal and our leaders who helped orchestrate this retreat. And especially grateful for our founder Mike Edwards for founding the Dads group (Helping Fathers Heal).
Tom Madsen:
I was raised to be tough, resilient, macho, and unfeeling. Who were those people, that raised us like that? And how could they get it so thoroughly and tragically wrong?
But I spent the past week with some pioneers. Guys who lay it all out there. Guys who have the courage to be vulnerable. Men-real men-who are there for each other, give each other permission to shine a light on that locked-up core of pain. And by doing that, we slowly drain off the hold that pain has over us. We become accessible to our children.
And they are so proud.
I never thought I could love men so much.
Jeff Cottrell:
I left the retreat feeling a sense of gratitude to be able spend time with fellow brothers who were willing to share their stories giving me a deeper understanding of their journey and how amazing all of our kids are bringing us together. We formed unbreakable bonds of friendship lending an ear when needed, giving a genuine bear hug, or making each other laugh until we cried. The providers who gave up their time to give us more insight and evidence our kids are right by our side were remarkable. I personally received an amazing sign from my son Austin that has lit a fire in me to find out more and will allow me to share this experience and help others.
Chris Myers:
We gathered to renew old bonds and create new ones. Our time together was full of laughter, tears, and deep conversations. Since we returned to our homes, our group chat has been flooded with gratitude and new understandings. I’m honored to serve and walk with these brothers. We are fathers helping each other heal.
Dennis Zahorchak:
Arizona's sun bore witness to a transformation, a crucible of healing forged by the very men who carry the weight of absence. This wasn't just a retreat; it was a seismic shift, a cathartic unearthing where fathers, weathered by grief, found solace and strength in each other's silence and shared stories. The air crackled with an almost palpable energy as they surrendered to the wisdom of guest speakers, their hushed conversations weaving a tapestry of vulnerability and resilience. These men, a constellation of strength and sorrow, didn't just attend; they *built* this sanctuary, their collective spirit the bedrock of its resounding success.
And then there were the mediums, conduits of a love that transcends the veil. They chipped away at the armor of skepticism, reaching into the deepest recesses of hearts, igniting sparks that would forever alter the landscape of these men's lives. Witnessing this, one could almost feel the palpable excitement vibrating from the other side. The children, their spirits more vibrant than ever, clamored for attention, their ghostly "hellos" and greetings ringing through the space, a chorus of eternal love. Tears, a torrent of them, flowed – tears of sorrow, yes, but ultimately, they were drowned out by the overwhelming tide of pure, unadulterated happiness, born from the profound, soul-stirring connections forged in this sacred space. Every gathering, whether the pivotal Helping Fathers Heal retreat or the biennial Helping Parents Heal conference, is a testament to the extraordinary bonds that form among those who understand the singular, defining truth: loss.
Our deepest gratitude, a reverberation of the profound impact, extends to the Sheraton Grande at Wild Horse Pass. Once again, they opened their doors, their very essence, to this brotherhood of grieving hearts, enveloping them in an embrace as familiar and comforting as home itself. And to the unwavering leaders of Helping Fathers Heal, whose dedication fueled this monumental event, a heartfelt thank you. Finally, to Elizabeth and Irene, the architects of this extraordinary family, a world of thanks for cultivating a haven where healing finds its truest expression.
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