The Awareness Page
Taking a stand for speaking the possibility of making a difference for the informed consumer.
Why I have created this page
This page is created to help build awareness of the various types of self awareness programs that are out in the marketplace. This page is by no means a condemnation of these things. However, I take a stand that people should make conscious informed decisions about what programs and organizations they choose to associate with. If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything. Some of the information may be controversial and some of the organizations may not like it. All I can say is:
"What do they have to hide? Awareness includes it all"
The Awareness Page FAQ
Choosing a Personal Growth Program
Ten Questions to help you make an informed decision - by Chris Mathe
Are you under the influence of a destructive group? Take this Self Quiz and find out.
Please give us some "feedback from our universe" and participate in a discussion group. How does this page "show up" for you? You do not have to use your real name or e-mail address.
Message Board
DISCLAIMER: This page is not for profit and non-commercial in nature. The opinions expressed in the articles and links are those of the individual authors. The goal of this page is to present links to as wide a variety of publicly available information as possible. The vast majority of the links are to EXTERNAL websites. The Awareness Page webmaster and ISP are not responsible for content on external websites. Some of the information here is also found in public and university libraries. All information and links are for research purposes only. The "fictional section" is for contributions from readers who wish to share personal experiences. This page attempts not to discriminate in forming links and will link either directly or indirectly to all relevant information that is on topic either pro or con. Message Boards are available for anyone who wishes to share their viewpoint.
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Large Group Awareness Trainings (LGATs)
Find out what "you don't know you don't know" about LGATs
Feature Article: Can an LGAT Change? by Chris Mathe
Articles
Intruding Into the Workplace by Dr. Margaret Singer
The Siren Call of Modern Pied Pipers from Wellspring
Large Group Awareness Trainings by Michael Langone PhD
Waking Up: EST and Lifespring
Coercive Persuasion by Richard Ofshe
The Top Ten List for Transformational Types by Thomas Leonard
Spiritual Responsibility: Avoiding Abuses and Pitfalls Along the Path by Steven Hassan
[See disclaimer concerning Steve Hassan at the bottom of this post explaining why he is not recommend by this Web site] with the Lama Surya Das
The Battle For Your Mind by Dick Sutphin
Thought Reform Programs and the Production of Psychiatric Casualties by Singer/Ofshe
Mass Marathon Trainings by Philip Cushman
The Power of Words by Harriet Rubin
Report of the APA Task Force... American Psychological Association
Skeptic's Dictionary: LGATs
History
How it all got started
Mind Dynamics - Alexander Everett (Updated 9/28/98)
A Posting by William O. West
A Door to Door Mind Salesman - by Stephen Pressman
Leadership Dynamics - William Penn Patrick
The Pit - A Group Encounter Defiled
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
Brainwash - A movie based on The Pit
est / The Forum
est - Erhard Seminars Training
Enlightenment in Two Weekends by Stephen Pressman
Est and Responsibility by Irvin D. Yalom
We're Going to Tear You Down and Put you Back Together by Mark Brewer
Skeptic's Dictionary: Werner Erhard and est
The Forum - Landmark Education Corporation
Landmark Education Home Page
Landmark Profile
Landmark Forum Rants and Raves
Winner of Point's Top 5% Best of the Web Award!
Landmark: Just a Bowl of Cherries
The Best of Est? Time Magazine article
The Process and Ecology of The Forum, by Charles Denison
An Introduction to The Forum
The Structure: First Sights of The Forum
The Forum Begins: The Curriculum and the Pedagogy
The Curriculum of The Forum
The Pedagogy of The Forum
My Forum Story by Kirk
My Experience with The Forum by soodo
Landmark Education - A participant's perspective, by Bob Black
There's no Meeting of the Minds, by Steve Jackson
Think About It by Gil Steiner
The est of Friends by Tracy Hukill
Do You Believe in Miracles? - Elle Magazine
The Con-Forumists by Jana Martin
Being There by Fred Wistow
Guy's Diner Open 24 Hours
Skydiving with your Sanity
Skeptic's Dictionary: Landmark Forum
Bob Glickstein: The Forum
Drive-Thru Deliverance by Amanda Scioscia
Pay Money, Be Happy by Vanessa Grigoriadis
Master of Fate by Anupama Bhattacharya
Mindbreakers London Daily Mail 7/23/01
Lifespring
Lifespring
Lifespring Incorporated Home Page
Lifespring Profile
Jon Ruth's Lifespring Page
Training Description, by Philip Cushman
Intro
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Post-Training
I lost My Husband to a Cult by Ann McAndrews
White Collar Cults, They Want Your Mind... by Dirk Mathison
Pathology as Personal Growth- a Participant-Observation Study of Lifespring Training by Janice Haaken
Lifespring Spinoffs
Momentus - Daniel Tocchini (Lifespring)
Momentus Explained
Momentus Training - New Age Deception by Bill Barton
Insight Seminars - Russell Bishop (Lifespring)
MSIA homepage
Resource Realizations - David Gilcrease (Lifespring)
Breaking the Vow of Secrecy by Karen Lile
My Experience of Livermore Discovery Seminar by Kendall Ross Bean
Intrepidnet Reporters
Desperate Measures Rocky Mountain News
VisionWorks -Bruce Solomon (Lifespring)
Impact Trainings - Founder: Hans Berger/John Webb (Lifespring)
Concerns for LDS members
Self-Awareness Groups Have LDS Church Wary - Salt Lake Tribune
Critics Say Be Wary of Self-Help Groups - Salt Lake Tribune
Harmony Institute - Bernell Christensen (Impact)
Spectrum Trainings - Founder: ? (Harmony/Impact)
Phoenix 2000 - Jaimes McNeal, Founder: Mike McKeon/Martha Borst (Lifespring)
Flocking to Phoenix by Linda Tucci
LGATs and Speedos A P2K Experience
Vistar/Serendipity - Founder: Ray Blanchard/Betty Spruill (Lifespring)
Vistar Nevada
A Vistar Experience
Cult Status by Kirsten Marcum
Letters to the Editor
LifeDesign Education
Asia Works - Founder: Jim Cook (Lifespring)
Asiaworks: LGAT Comes to Asia
"In my opinion Asiaworks is an evil 'cult-like' group"
Looking for a New Path
Yuppies happy to pay for vision of new life by Ruth Mathewson
Argentina Works
Chile Works - Founder: Gabriel Nosevich (Lifespring)
WorldWorks - Formerly Lifespring DC - Lisa Kalman/Gabriel Nossovitch
Summit Education
Personal Dynamics
Choicenter
Millenium 3
The Legacy Center - Formerly Lifespring North CarolinaFACTNET Discussion
Essential Education - Formerly Lifespring Florida
Rising Star Communications
Humanus Institute - Formerly Lifespring Chicago
Head Shrinker by Ben Winters
Wings Seminars
Wings: Making Life Meaningful by David Faux
Other Groups
New Warriors Training
New Warriors Training Homepage
Just Another Therapy Cult
Shadow of Initiation by Dale Roads
Beyond Conformity and Group Think by Andre B. Heuer
Other Transformational Encounter Groups
PSI World Seminars - Founder: Thomas Wilhite (Mind Dynamics)
Context Associated - Founder: Randy Revell (Lifespring/Mind Dynamics)
Life Training - Founder: Roy Whitten/Brad Brown (est)
Lifestream - Founder: Jim Quinn (Mind Dynamics)
Pathways/Temenos - Founder: Carole Kammen/Jodi Gold (Actualizations)
The Art Works - Founder: ?
Personal Mastery - Founder: Brian Klemmer (PSI World)
Summit Workshops - Founder: Paul Larsen
Future Coaching/I Am Workshops - Founder: Pat Grove (est/Forum)
Pathways Educational Corp. - Founder: Dr. Phil McGraw
The Experience - Founder: ? (est/Forum)
Global Relationship Centers
Human Awareness Institute
Lifeskills Curriculum/Access I Education Founder: Jeanne Sterner - Mainly an LGAT with some Avatar material
Sportsmind
The Option Institute
The Conversation Founder: Arnold Siegel (est/Forum)
Declaration of Christopher Laehy
The Kiln/August Institute
Sterling Institute
ISA Experience
ASSET Founder: Larry Jensen
The Fictional LGAT Section - A stone's throw from the truth
The Program - A Basic Course outline
The Program - An Advanced Course outline
The Jesus Program outline
The Seagull Program
The Success Program
The LGAT Basic Experience
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
The Guest Night
The LGAT Advanced Experience
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
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An information packet on Large Group Awareness Trainings is available for $18 from AFF and can be ordered online.
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Other Programs
The Avatar(tm) Course Founder: Harry Palmer (Scientology)
Star's Edge Inc Home Page
Netherlands site about Avatar and Palmer
Harry Palmer and Scientology
alt.clearing.avatar
Hoffman Quadrinity Process Founder: Bob Hoffman
Also involved is Charles (Raz) Ingrasci (est/Lifespring)
Hoffman Quadrinity Process
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Background and Perspective
Psychological Self Helpby Clayton Tucker-Ladd. Two thumbs up Check out Chapter 15
Return to Spirit - Barbara Stone- Interesting site by a transpersonal psychologist
Help Me-- I'm Tired of Feeling Bad by Paul Vereshack, ...an excellent explanation of regressive/depth psychotherapy
Articles on Rebirthing, a breath technique for releasing suppressed emotions
Self Clearing: A Handbook for Self Enlightenment, by The Pilot
Quantum Psychology Page
The Primal Psychotherapy Page
The Selfheal Page
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Email:
There are many interesting hours of reading here. Hopefully you will synthesize your own informed opinion of "the work". Good luck to you in your journey.
You are vistor # 39,000 +
Thanks for visiting.
WHAT I AM
by Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians
=================
I'm not aware of too many things
I know what I know if you know what I mean
philosophy is the talk on a cereal box
religion is the smile on a dog
I'm not aware of too many things
I know what I know if you know what I mean
choke me in the shallow water
before I get too deep
What I am is what I am are you what you are or what?
I'm not aware of too many things
I know what I know if you know what I mean
philosophy is a walk on slippery rocks
religion is a light in the fog
I'm not aware of too many things
I know what I know if you know what I mean
choke me in the shallow water
before I get to deep
What I am is what I am are you what you are or what?
Don't let me get too deep
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 09:07PM by rrmoderator.