This is the pattern when you've done a high pressure course with mind control techniques.

Unfortunately relationships suffer. Its that arrogance to force your new views and beliefs onto those nearest and dearest. This is exactly what was done to us in the training.

Its understandable that relationships break down. We have been broken down.

Its been almost 3 decades since I left and I will say after a period of moving on, here I am revisiting my experience. There's always more to process and learn.

I am more content now than I've ever been.

Freedom of mind is precious. Our individual beliefs and values gold. Never to be traded in for someone else's greedy, entitled and deceitful values.


Copyright
Wiser Aussie

Thanks again for the opportunity to talk about all this. Glad you are doing well and feel content. I feel like I’m just beginning my journey 6 years after going to this place. I struggle immensely still but I will persevere. Unfortunately I have mental illness to tackle on top of this trauma. Take care.

I am sorry you are struggling.

At this time frame recovery is beginning. However with mental illness it's much more traumatic.

I'm sorry you are going through such a difficult time.

Did they ask you to fill in a Psychological and Mental Health Form prior to starting?

This was the case in Money and You. It did puzzle me at the time. It was a red flag I overlooked. Studies have shown that people with no mental health issues can still suffer adverse effects from the mind control techniques used.

This still angers me. Due to the fact the people running these courses have no business playing with people's minds.

There are no laws in Australia preventing the use of hypnosis, NLP or psychological techniques, especially when they are not named as such and under the umbrella of "experiential" and "fun games" as it is in Money and You.

This is always the sticking point.

My strong opinion is that these groups using these methods without informing people prior to doing the course are criminals. They know they can get away with it. They have got away with it.

However sooner or later it will be their undoing.

The harm caused by them, unfortunately is up to us to fix, recover and heal. Get support. Get educated so it does not happen to us again.

I am glad you found this forum. Learning from other people's experiences helps to draw parallels with your personal experience.

I wish you well and eventual recovery.

Its my hope the laws will be put in place to prevent further casualties from the unethical methods used by these groups.

They have no conscience and lack integrity. They have no remorse, no empathy and lack responsibility. This is very sad for all the victims.

I hope you can find your peace and resolve one day.

Take care.

Hello again,

On their application form it said something like “we are not mental health professionals and if you have a diagnosed mental illness we do not recommend this course.” I asked my sister about this and she ensured me that this didn’t apply to me and it was for people with severe mental illness like schizophrenia (even though I’m diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, ADHD and PTSD, which I would consider pretty serious!). My sister has never validated my mental health issues. Anyways I decided to be honest with the place and they said if I wanted to come I had to get my therapist to sign off on it. Not surprisingly my therapist said no way because they are not professionals. So, I went to a homeless shelter and convinced a therapist there I saw ONCE to sign the form. As you can see it’s very easy to bypass these walls. I even said during the course I was suicidal and the trainer did say I should go home but nobody actually removed me and stopped me from continuing with the program or any professional check on me etc. I was allowed to continue completely unchecked.

How negligent of the LGAT! What a mess!

What would you do different in hindsight?

I’ve actually learned a lot from the traumatic experiences I’ve had there. I no longer look for a savior to my problems. There is no guru out there who has all the answers. We are all human and flawed and it’s up to me to figure it out. I’ve learned to stay away from people and places that tell you there’s only one path to contentment. Everyone truly is different. I’ve learned I have to grow to trust myself and my instincts when they say “this is fucked!”, or tell me that someone is a narcissist. I’ve also learned to validate my diagnoses and that they are all real and not excuses. I would never again do a program like choice. I was desperate for healing and felt totally alone and they took advantage of that. There are zero quick fixes in life. It’s a slow, complicated non linear path to healing that requires deep patience and perseverance and I will not give up. I’ve also accepted I’ve always been and always will be more on the melancholic side of the spectrum. The drug high they give you at these programs is not real and the constant happiness they promise does not exist. Take care.

Your insights and wisdom are profound!


Take care.

Yours as well. You take care too my friend.