Rick is the founder and Clinical Services Director of Men & Healing, as well as the past co-founder/Executive Director of The Men’s Project (1997-2015). He also served as National Manager to 1in6 Canada (2012-2015).
Rick conducts trainings across Canada for professionals on male sexual trauma, family violence and trauma recovery. He also provides trainings across the United States and internationally through 1in6 Inc. He further facilitates both in-person and virtual group trauma treatment programs for men.
Read More
Based on his experience working with men on issues of domestic violence, Rick has provided training on gender and violence for many years to various local, provincial, and national organizations. Training in gender and violence has taken Rick to Jamaica, the U.K., the U.S., Cambodia, Japan, as well as India, where he conducted gender sensitivity training to male directors of social service agencies. Rick has spoken at national and international conferences on men, violence against women, and trauma recovery. Additionally, he worked as a social sciences and social work instructor at the college and university level.
Rick’s research and writing has been published in both national magazines and federal publications. He co-authored the guidebook Men & Healing: Theory, Research and Practice with Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse(2009) which was commissioned by the Ontario government. This guidebook is now being used to formulate services in both Canada as well as internationally. He also co-authored the Australian guidebook entitled Foundations (2017). Additionally, Rick was the author for Health Canada in their investigation concerning the correlation between men’s experience of HIV and sexual violence. See his publications list for his further writings.
Awards
Rick is the inaugural recipient of the Attorney General’s Award of Distinction for his work in “developing and implementing innovative victim service programs” (2007). His other awards range from The Canada Council to the Canadian Mental Health Association to being named a CAMH National Recipient (2017) for his long-standing contribution to mental health services in Canada. Additionally, he serves on the National Victims of Crime Advisory Committee of Justice Canada as an Advisory Board Member to 1in6 Inc.(U.S.).
Select Publications
Foundations: A Group Program Manual for Treating Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse. Co-authored. Brisbane, Australia: Living Well. 2017.
A Requiem of a Men’s Trauma Organization: The Men’s Project 1998-2015 R.I.P. in Boys and Men Betrayed: Understanding the Trauma of Sexual Abuse and Healing. Editor: Richard Gartner, PhD. New York: Routledge. 2017.
What Men’s Healing Could Look Like, if We Mean it. Neil Paynter, ed. We Will Seek Peace and Pursue It. Glasgow, Scotland: Wild Goose Publications. 2015.
Men Sexually Abused as Children. Lisa R. Grossman & Steven Walfish, eds. Translating Psychological Research into Practice.New York: Springer Publishing. 2014.
The Application of the Therapeutic Spiral Model in the Men & Healing Program.Co-authored. Kate Hudgins and Francesca Toscani, eds.Healing World Trauma with the Therapeutic Spiral Model.London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. 2013.
Survivors Helping Survivors: A Practical Guide to Understanding Peer Support for Survivors of Sexual Violence. Government of Ontario, 2008. Reprinted by 1in6,Inc. Los Angeles, 2012.
Men & Healing: Theory, Research, and Practice in Working with Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse. Co-authored. Toronto: Government of Ontario. 2009.
Power and Control.“Who’s Going to Read This Anyway?” 4th Edition, Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1991.
Research
Survivors Helping Survivors: A Study of the Benefits, Risks, & Challenges of Peer-Support with Survivors of Sexual Violence in the Province of Ontario.Co-authored. A research paper commissioned by the Cornwall Public Inquiry. Toronto; Government of Ontario: 2008.
More services needed for male victims of sexual trauma: Collaborative approach is best medicine for complex needs of sexually abused men.Canadian Psychiatry Aujourd’hui. April 2007.
The Paradoxical Elephant: A Theoretical Framework for Male-Centred Approaches to Sexual Trauma and The Forgotten Voices.Ontario Association of Male Survivor Services. 2005.
National Victim Services Directory: A Strategy Paper. Policy Centre for Victim Issues, Dept. of Justice, 2001.
Male Sexual Abuse/Assault & HIV: A guidebook for counsellors who work with men who have experienced sexual violence. An HIV prevention initiative. Unpublished. 2001. Health Canada.
Male Sexual Trauma & HIV: A Review of the Literature. A research document prepared for the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Community Action Programs, Health Canada, 1999. Internal Document.
The Other Half of the Sky: Focused Work on Men & Gender Justice in Tamil Nadu, India. Submitted for publication to Womankind Worldwide, London, England. 1997.
Monica Forst, M.Ed., C.C.C., I.C.A.D.C.
Monica has been working as a health care professional for over 20 years. She has been a psychotherapist in private practice since 1997 specializing in addictions and childhood trauma. Her practice involves individual and couples psychotherapy. Additionally, she runs long-term group therapy for the Physicians Health Program. She has also facilitated group therapy programs for addictions, anger management and male survivors of childhood sexual and physical abuse.
Read More
Monica has received extensive training in Transactional Analysis and Psychodrama. A seasoned trainer and educator, she has presented on numerous psychotherapy issues for a variety of health care professionals, both within the Ottawa community and across North America. Monica has presented on transference/countertransference, attachment theory, male sexual victimization, trauma and resiliency, vicarious trauma and psychodramatic techniques.
Monica also leads personal growth intensive weekend workshops for clients who have experienced childhood trauma.
