We were just talking about you success yesterday in a thread about another sect getting complaints called "The Royal Way".

So Jim and Judy of WindOfChanges, congrats!
Not only did you stand up for telling the truth, you handled yourself with dignity, and you prevailed. Of course, several years of being attacked, sued, smeared, and worse, is a high price to pay.
But it sounds like you guys feel it was all worth it, and was the right thing to do.

What you have done is a beacon of hope for the countless other "good people" who get lured into a situation and then exploited by ruthless con-artists. Its a powerful lesson, and can serve to educate huge numbers of people about this type of thing.

So again, congrats, and you guys showed tremendous courage and class in how you handled such a difficult situation. Like I said yesterday in another thread, you guys are a beacon of hope for many others who find themselves in a similar situation.
Good luck with everything from here on in!!

Congratulations Judy and Jim.

I took a thorough look at your website a while back and I commend you for standing by your convictions and the truth.

Not only is this a victory for you, but a victory for many who have been the victims of cults. I hope your example will provide the courage for others to stand up against similar destructive groups.

May the truth about these groups continue to emerge, and may the freedom you have found be the gift that carries you through the rest of your days.

Well done!

Judy and Jim,

You must be so relieved now the legal hastles against you are pretty much over :)

Congratulations,

Love
Kath

Dear Anticult, Brad, Kath, and folks posting on the LGAT Royal Way thread,

We appreciate your kind words and acknowledgements [i:0e9262a14d]more than you can imagine[/i:0e9262a14d]. It’s been a long process, as you seem to understand so well. We’re definitely relieved to be done with the lawsuit, and we’re glad that we could stand firm until GWP backed off. :D

Rick Ross included some paragraphs about the significance of the GWP lawsuit at the end of the current Cult News story: [www.cultnews.com]

His story is a great analysis of how these kinds of defenses are all about the bigger picture of upholding freedom of speech.

Thanks for your support!

Jim and Judy

this looks interesting, a quote from the GWP website, is it new?

"Today, The Gentle Wind Project® is an all new, all volunteer organization. We are not a non-profit nor are we a profit making company. We do not accept donations or payment in any form. We are a group of people who want to make the world a better, easier place. We are thousands in number and we represent many nations around the world. We have been helped by The Gentle Wind Project® technology. Under our Constitutional First Amendment Right to express our personal opinions and share our experiences, we are here to let you know what we think and to offer our help free of charge to anyone on earth.

We are not a counseling service. We believe that counseling and therapy can be very helpful if you can find a therapist who truly likes you, is competent and enjoys your company. We are not here to make any claims about The Gentle Wind Project® Instruments. We make no claims regarding physical, mental or emotional relief. We are just here to tell our stories and to make it possible for others to have the use of the technology if they so choose."

looks like you definetly delivered a blow to their pocket-book!

Yes, the GWP leaders (the Millers) give the appearance of being much subdued since they were put out of business by the Maine Attorney General -- at least juding from their new website copy.

Most people probably know that websites that have been changed or deleted can sometimes be found at the Way Back Machine: [www.archive.org] . Besides GWP's primary URL: [www.gentlewindproject.org] , they also had a short-lived website devoted to remarks about their critics: [www.eyeofthesky.org] (This link doesn't work, as they removed it.)

A recent news article: "Fate of GWP's Affiliate Network Uncertain": [www.windofchanges.org] gives some interesting quotes about their "change of direction."

The following quote that you found on their abbreviated website would make it seem that they promote freedom of speech.

Quote

Under our Constitutional First Amendment Right to express our personal opinions and share our experiences, we are here to let you know what we think and to offer our help free of charge to anyone on earth.

We wonder why they bothered to sue us for 2 1/2 years, since we, too, were expressing our personal opinions and sharing our experiences. Maybe they've learned something from their mistakes??? :wink: For sure, their lesson wasn't "free of charge," however!

Jim

[b:bf2d367851]They're back: Gentle Wind Project Morphs to “Family Systems Research Group (FSRG)” [/b:bf2d367851]

John “Tubby” Miller and Mary “Moe” Miller's Newest Enterprise?

Typical of cultic groups when exposed, in GWP's case by the Maine Attorney General,* the leaders will change stripes – in name or location – and pitch, to maintain control over followers, attract new recruits, and keep the money flowing.

* (See: [www.windofchanges.org] for the Maine AG's lawsuit and Consent Decree that put GWP out of business in Maine and took away their assets)


Now we have a “new” organization called Family Systems Research Group, described in their publicity as “pick[ing] up where GWP technology leaves off....”; seemingly consisting of the same cast of characters who signed the Consent Decree. Little has changed – beyond the defensive disclaimers and sales now based on price (mostly*) instead of “donations” in the marketing of their wares. Surprisingly, they are still calling themselves “researchers.”

[i:bf2d367851]* (On the last page of FSRG's description, we learn that “a portion of each fee goes directly to the work of GWP....”) [/i:bf2d367851]


They still have “healing instruments” (now called “I Ching alignment
instruments,” selling for $365 to $6,260); “telepathic healings” (now “distant alignments”); and offer “phone consultations [that]...may have a transformational effect....” The “consultations” seem to hearken back to the “soul readings” GWP promoted in the 80s (which they claimed to channel exclusively from “the spirit world”).

Amazingly, hair samples and astrology * (now “behavioral astronomy”
and “hexagram profiles”) are back – which is where GWP's “Tubby” Miller and “Moe” Miller (then Claudia Panuthos AKA Mary Elizabeth Carreiro) and Tubby's 5 female housemates, at that time, first began. Oddly, another GWP dinosaur has been resuscitated – transactional analysis.

[i:bf2d367851]* (Consumer note: You can download FSRG's “astrology” program for
$400 or less, and run it on your home computer indefinitely, plugging in each client's date and time of birth, etc. Nevertheless, the shrewd people at FSRG sell charts to each client starting at $250 for “phase 1” and offer 3 phases for a total of $700.)[/i:bf2d367851]


The authors of FSRG's description use the term, “WE.” Thus, former GWP followers assume that “Tubby” and “Moe” continue to think they're speaking for “the spirits.” :roll:

These approaches worked successfully for the Millers in the past, yielding GWP's “nonprofit” millions of dollars, so here we go again. As they say in the world of recovery, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.” Some of us have learned that lesson.


GWP / FSRG Address Update: According to GWP's newest website, their
address is now in Starks, NV. However, FSRG's sales material lists an address in Portsmouth, NH (no website available) at the same mail-drop location used by the Millers during their failed Federal and State lawsuits against Jim Bergin, Judy Garvey, Rick Ross, Ian Mander, Steve Gamble, Ivan Fraser, and Steve Hassan.

The Maine AG's Consent Decree prohibits GWP from operating in Maine,
and the GWP leaders from ever running another Maine nonprofit. However, GWP (as Gentle Wind Retreat) is listed as a nonprofit just across the river in the state of New Hampshire. If you have questions about this, you might contact New Hampshire's AG Kelly Ayotte at: [doj.nh.gov] 33 Capitol St., Concord, NH 03301 (603) 271-3658.

Disclaimer regarding Steve Hassan

The Ross Institute of New Jersey/May 2013

See [www.culteducation.com]

The inclusion of news articles within the Ross Institute of New Jersey (RI) archives, which mention and/or quote Steven Hassan, in no way suggests that RI recommends Mr. Hassan or recognizes him in any way.

News articles that mention Steve Hassan have been archived for historical purposes only due to the information they contain about controversial groups, movements and/or leaders.

RI does not recommend Steven Hassan.

RI has received serious complaints about Steve Hassan concerning his fees. Mr. Hassan does not publicly disclose his fee schedule, but according to complaints Steve Hassan has charged fees varying from $250.00 per hour or $2,500.00 per day to $500.00 per hour or $5,000.00 per day. This does not include Mr. Hassan's expenses, which according to complaints can be quite substantial.

Steven Hassan has charged families tens of thousands of dollars and provided questionable results. One recent complaint cited total fees of almost $50,000.00. But this very expensive intervention effort ended in failure.

Dr. Cathleen Mann, who holds a doctorate in psychology and has been a licensed counselor in the state of Colorado since 1994 points out, "Nowhere does Hassan provide a base rate and/or any type or accepted statistical method defining his results..."

Steve Hassan has at times suggested to potential clients that they purchase a preliminary report based upon what he calls his "BITE" model. These "BITE reports" can potentially cost thousands of dollars.

See [corp.sec.state.ma.us]

Steve Hassan runs a for-profit corporation called "Freedom of Mind." Mr. Hassan is listed as the corporate agent for that business as well as its president and treasurer.

RI does not recommend "Freedom of Mind" as a resource.

RI also does not list or recommend Steve Hassan's books.

To better understand why Mr. Hassan's books are not recommended by RI read this detailed review of his most recently self-published book titled "Freedom of Mind."

See [www.cultnews.com]

Steve Hassan's cult intervention methodology has historically raised concerns since its inception. The book "Recovery from Cults" (W.W. Norton & Co. pp. 174-175) edited by Dr. Michael Langone states the following:

"Calling his approach 'strategic intervention [sic] therapy,' Hassan (1988) stresses that, although he too tries to communicate a body of information to cultists and to help them think independently, he also does formal counseling. As with many humanistic counseling approaches, Hassan’s runs the risk of imposing clarity, however subtly, on the framework’s foundational ambiguity and thereby manipulating the client."

RI has also learned that Mr. Hassan has had dual-relationships with his counseling clients. That is, clients seeing Mr. Hassan for counseling may also do professional cult intervention work with him.

Professionals in the field of cultic studies have also expressed concerns regarding Steven Hassan's use of hypnosis and Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP).

Based upon complaints and the concerns expressed about Mr. Hassan RI does not recommend Steve Hassan for counseling, intervention work or any other form of professional consultation.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/2013 09:28PM by rrmoderator.

Updated contact information for New Hampshire's Attorney General, Kelly Ayotte -- for anyone questioning the nonprofit status of Gentle Wind Project/Gentle Wind Retreat in NH:
[b:9a566bfe29]603) 271-1202
email: kelly.ayotte@doj.nh.gov[/b:9a566bfe29]

The following announcement from Maine's Attorney General is important for anyone who purchased a so-called "healing instrument" from Gentle Wind Project, John "Tubby" Miller, Mary "Moe" Miller, or their followers. For reasons unknown to us, there is a new 6-month period to send your claims to the AG for refunds and restitution against GWP's assets. So, if you missed the first opportunity, here's another chance. . .

Jim and Judy
[www.windofchanges.org]
____________________________________

[b:f06d66e45c]
A Message from Attorney General Steve Rowe About Reimbursement for "Healing Instruments" Purchased from The Gentle Wind Project: [www.maine.gov][/b:f06d66e45c]

The Attorney General is pleased to announce the beginning of a 6-month claims period during which the Office of the Attorney General will accept claims for reimbursement, or restitution, from consumers who purchased any "healing instrument" from The Gentle Wind Project between January 1, 2003 and September 14, 2006.

In order to be eligible for restitution, claims must be in writing, and must include the following information: 1) the name of the instrument purchased; 2) date of purchase; 3) cost; and 4) proof of payment. Proof of payment may be in the form of a cancelled check, an invoice, or any other document that shows that the item was purchased during the relevant time period. Claims must be submitted no later than October 20, 2007 to:

[b:f06d66e45c]Assistant Attorney General Carolyn A. Silsby
Office of the Maine Attorney General
6 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0006
207-626-8829[/b:f06d66e45c]

Each claimant will be notified of the decision on his or her claim after the expiration of the claim period. Those who are entitled to restitution will be paid on a pro rata basis from a fund set up for that purpose pursuant to a [i:f06d66e45c]Consent Decree and Order[/i:f06d66e45c] issued on August 15, 2006 by the Maine Superior Court in [i:f06d66e45c]State of Maine and Attorney General v. The Gentle Wind Project, et al.[/i:f06d66e45c]

Over the past months we've heard from people who have attended the Millers' new "FSRG" seminars (Family Systems Research Group). The Millers have possibly now moved from Maine and NH to central MA, though seminars have been offered in various states. They don't advertise on the Internet, nor does the so-called "FSRG" have a website.

More about Family Systems Research Group (FSRG): is at: [www.windofchanges.org], (see "GWP Connections").

("FSRG" is the latest name used by the former "gentle wind project" / John "Tubby" Miller and Mary "Moe" Miller et al after GWP was put out of business by Maine's Attorney General.)


Also, we invite you to watch a new video with Jim Bergin: "Cult Recovery 101": [video.google.com] (See Jim Bergin or "Cult Recovery").

Description of video: "After 17 years with GWP, Jim realized that he was in a controlling group/cult. How did that happen? How does someone get drawn into a cult? How can you get someone out?"

We understand completely that there's a lot more to say about this subject and that many people, including Rick Ross, have effectively guided people through recovery for years. This is simply Jim's story and some personal recommendations for recovery.

Best,

Judy and Jim
(former members of GWP)