What’s The History Of The Weekend?
Shortly after his own sexual addiction and double life was exposed in 1994, Michael Cusick had a inspiration. What if there was a way to help Christian men redefine the conversation around inner brokenness, past trauma, and the countless unseen wounds that so often drive compulsive behavior? If men could experience a new conversation around the true roots of their struggles, then they could experience transformation and create deeper, more intimate relationships with the people who matter most in their lives.
With the release of his first book, Surfing For God, in 2012 the inspiration became a reality. The first Restoring the Soul Men’s Weekend Intensive was held that fall and the movement continues to grow, with every weekend selling out for the last several years. Restoring the Soul, the parent ministry of the weekend Intensives, now offers two Weekend Intensives, spring and fall, in Colorado.
With the January, 2024 release of Michael’s new book, Sacred Attachment, the focus has shifted to include relational and emotional brokenness, healing inner wounds, professional burnout, spiritual abuse, and more.
Each weekend intensive is staffed by wounded healers who have been trained by Michael, many of whom fly in from around the country and pay to attend. The format includes both large group and smaller Soul Group sessions. Each Soul Group is led by a licensed, trauma informed counselor with seasoned lay leaders, and select alumni from previous weekends.
So what is the new conversation?
First, it’s understanding that overcoming unwanted urges or reactions is not about suppressing or ratcheting down unruly desires. Understanding our story helps us see why we struggle with relationships, emotional awareness,anger, numbness, urges.
Understanding our story helps us see what we have been through and how that guides our deepest desires. It shows the bigger and deeper picture—that beneath every addiction, compulsion, or habitual sin, be it anger, overindulging, or risky behavior there is a holy hunger, a legitimate God-given desire.
Second, it’s understanding that we are broken, understanding how we are broken, and that out of our brokenness and self-sufficiency we mishandle our longings and pain and weakness. It can show up as internal stress, body activation, overreaction to seemingly small issues, struggle connecting with others, accessing vulnerability, not feeling close to people we love, and memory gaps or even no memories from childhood.
That same brokenness, however, doesn’t define us. Instead, it is the very bridge to our healing and holds the seeds to our greatest gifts and contribution to the world.
Third, it’s understanding that there is far more available in the Christian life than we even dared to believe. Uncovering and understanding your story in the safe and secure context of the Weekend Intensive can open doors to the life and freedom you may have feared would never be yours.
Each Weekend Intensive is an invitation to leave your life of simply managing your sin behind and write a new chapter of your story—one of life, freedom, newness, and embodied restoration.
Who Will Be Leading The Weekend?
Michael Cusick is a licensed professional counselor, spiritual director, speaker and author of two books - Surfing for God: Discovering the Divine Desire Beneath Sexual Struggle and Sacred Attachment.
Having experienced the restoring touch of God in a deeply broken life and marriage, Michael’s passion is to connect life’s broken realities with the reality of the gospel.
In addition to leading Restoring the Soul and equipping Christian organizations around the world, Michael currently serves as an adjunct professor at Denver Seminary. He holds an MA in Biblical Counseling from Colorado Christian University and an MA from the College of Education at the University of Denver.
Michael lives with his wife Julianne and two children, in Littleton, Colorado where he enjoys the Rocky Mountains, Mountain Biking, Trail Running, and a host of other activities with friends and family.