It's definitely a lot of bunko - anyone been to one of these courses at this place? From the website it seems like a bunch of ropes-course stuff, but who knows how serious and LGAT-ish they get...It's a cult. People who have lived and worked there have been extremely damaged by it, and for the most part don't talk about it (and sometimes go on to other cults, and/or start their own!) because they don't want to admit to themselves, their family and friends, that they were in the cult. The "programs" cost thousands of dollars. Families with autistic children are ripped off and left stranded. The "process" is all about denial. "I'm not sick because I "decide" not to be", etc. When you get off the roller coaster ride you are much more f'd up then when you started.
It's all about the money and nothing else. When I was involved, the "staff" were barely paid or fed. The "staff meetings" were emotionally brutal. Now the core "staff" is mostly Kaufman family members. It's probably difficult for a family, or anyone really, to admit that they spent 10's of thousands of dollars and perhaps years of their lives on a cult. It's not something I generally broadcast about myself. But if you are there you have to "drink the cool-aid" and of course be "happy" about it since as Barry Neil Kaufman says, it's only "a choice".
I think that people should know that Steve Hassan's Website had Option Institute listed as a cult and the Institute threatened him with legal action and now I believe he will have to delete them from his list. I feel quite strongly that we need to keep this discussion going so that people can know the truth and be warned and spared any further pain and suffering. thank you for you interest and comments.
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News articles that mention Steve Hassan have been archived for historical purposes only due to the information they contain about controversial groups, movements and/or leaders.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 09:10PM by rrmoderator.