A Brief History
Victories of the Heart was founded in 1985 by Bob Mark, Ph.D. and Buddy Portugal, LCSW with their first program, The Men’s Room. Over the next twenty years, that program evolved into the BreakThrough Weekend, and additional weekends, such as the Wisdom Years and the Shadow Weekend, were developed by Buddy, Bob, and Weekend Leaders. In 2003, Victories was incorporated in Illinois as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization and is led by a Board of Directors and a committed community of volunteers. Victories now offers over ten different weekends a year, in addition to trainings, workshops, and events.
Talking about my feelings is not something I wanted to ever do in private, let alone with strangers. However, I allowed myself to open up for the first time in years, and I made myself vulnerable. I got to see a side of myself that had been dormant for over a decade. Besides the incredible impact this had on me personally, it was also fulfilling to be part of a group in which I could partake in helping others. The experience helped me resolve to live more fully and helped me to have more appreciation for what I have in my life. I’m grateful that I took the plunge.
Board of Directors Weekend Leaders