Refer a Client
to The Forged Fathers
If you work with men navigating high-conflict custody situations — as a family therapist, parenting coordinator, divorce attorney, or other professional — this page is for you.
The Forged Fathers fills a gap that most clinical and legal support cannot: a room of men who have been through it, held by someone who has been through it.
Aaron Fortner
Coach · Author · Founder
Three things your client gets.
None of them cost him anything.
A monthly call with men who have been through it.
The Forged Fathers is a free, 60-minute monthly call for men in high-conflict custody situations. 2nd Tuesday of every month, 4PM Pacific. Aaron Fortner holds the room. No performance. No advice unless asked for. Men being witnessed in what they are actually carrying.
A regulated nervous system — not just a strategy.
Most men in acute custody situations are making life-altering decisions from a flooded state. They are reactive when they need to be clear. The work in the room addresses this directly. Not as therapy. As practical, body-based grounding that makes everything else — legal strategy, co-parenting communication, presence with their kids — work better.
A path to deeper support if they need it.
For men who need more than a monthly room, Aaron works privately — one relationship at a time. The monthly call is the front door. Private coaching is available for men who are ready for it. Your client will never be upsold. He will find his own level.
This is not a clinical intervention and is not intended to replace therapy, legal counsel, or medical care. It is a peer-supported men's group held by an experienced coach who has navigated this terrain personally. Many therapists find it complements their clinical work by addressing the relational and identity dimensions of the custody experience that fall outside the therapeutic frame.
Aaron Fortner is a coach, author, and the founder of The Forged Fathers. His daughter was five months old when the litigation began. Her mother was leaving the state. Aaron wasn't married. He had no legal standing yet — so he filed for paternity and shared custody, and the fight began.
What followed was a well-funded legal campaign: false allegations, falsified evidence, witnesses who lied under oath, and a legal team that billed over $100,000. Aaron didn't see his daughter for nearly six months while the allegations were being dismissed. Five lawsuits followed. He eventually stopped paying attorneys and began representing himself — not because he had to, but because he had learned the terrain well enough to stand in it.
He came out the other side as a father, an author, and a coach. His approach is direct, non-clinical, and grounded in what actually helps men make better decisions under pressure — because he made those decisions himself, in real time, with everything on the line.
He is not a therapist. He does not diagnose, treat, or provide clinical services. He holds space for men to be witnessed, regulated, and honest — and he has built a room where that is possible.
"The forge doesn't destroy the metal. It reveals what it's made of."
Is this appropriate for men in active litigation?
Yes. The room is specifically designed for men in active or recently resolved custody situations. Aaron understands the legal terrain and the emotional weight of active litigation. He does not provide legal advice.
What does it cost the client?
The monthly call is free. Permanently. There is no upsell on the call itself. Men who want deeper support can explore The Circle or private coaching — but that is entirely their choice, never a condition of participation.
How do I refer someone?
Use the form below. Aaron will reach out to your client directly within 48 hours. You can also simply share the link: theforgedfathers.com — the site speaks directly to the man.
Can I attend a call to see what it's like?
Yes. Aaron welcomes professionals who want to understand the room before referring clients. Reach out directly at [email protected] and he will send you the next call details.
Is this confidential?
What is said in the room stays in the room. Aaron holds the same confidentiality norms you would expect from any professional group container. Men are told this explicitly at the start of every call.
What if my client is not ready for a group?
The monthly call is low-pressure by design. Men can listen without speaking. Many men attend two or three calls before they say a word. The room holds that.
Send Aaron a man
who needs the room.
Fill out the form and Aaron will reach out to your client directly within 48 hours. You can also simply share the site — the page speaks for itself.
Or email directly: [email protected]