MEET THE FOUNDER

Becoming the Hero was created by Chad R. Torgerson — an IT consultant, counseling student, author, military veteran, and single father of four.

Chad holds a Master’s degree in Christian Spirituality from Loyola University Chicago and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Liberty University, with a focus on trauma therapy. He is a practicing Catholic who currently works at a domestic violence shelter.

His path to this work is not theoretical. It’s personal.

After years of navigating the intersection of domestic violence advocacy, faith, fatherhood, and mental health — both professionally and personally — Chad recognized a gap that no one was filling: a comprehensive, research-based resource for men experiencing intimate partner violence. Not a Reddit thread. Not a blog post. A real platform — built on federal data, peer-reviewed research, and the lived experience of men who’ve been told the system wasn’t built for them.

Becoming the Hero is that platform.

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WHY THIS SITE EXISTS

The domestic violence field has done extraordinary work for female survivors over the past fifty years. That work matters, and nothing on this site seeks to diminish it.

But the data is clear: men experience intimate partner violence at rates far higher than the public conversation acknowledges. When they seek help, the infrastructure meant to serve them often turns them away — or treats them as the problem.

This site exists to change that. Not by taking resources from women, but by building what should have existed all along: evidence-based resources for male survivors, training tools for the professionals who serve them, and a data-driven case for policy reform.

Every statistic on this site is sourced. Every claim is documented. The truth is enough.

BACKGROUND & CREDENTIALS

• M.A., Clinical Mental Health Counseling — Liberty University (in progress, 2027)
• M.A., Christian Spirituality — Loyola University Chicago
• Ed.M., Online Education — University of Illinois
• Certified Spiritual Director — Ignatian tradition
• Military Veteran — PATRIOT Staff Sergeant
• House Advocate — WINGS Program (domestic violence shelter)
• IT Consultant — Self-employed (13+ years)
• Founder — Directional Faith (spiritual direction practice)

THE MISSION

Silence isn’t strength. Every man in an abusive relationship deserves to know he’s not alone, he’s not crazy, and help exists — even if the system hasn’t caught up yet.

If you’re a journalist, researcher, clinician, or policymaker who wants to talk about this work, visit our Contact page.

If you’re a man who landed here because something in your life brought you to this search — you’re in the right place.