[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 2013See [
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.