Wow am I thankful for this website! Has anyone had experience with Discovery Training in Dallas, TX? As far as I can see they are an LGAT but probably not as intense as PSI or Landmark Education.

I experienced severe Depression after going through it. I had alot going on in my life as far as living in a new city and adjusting to a job but I do believe Discovery played a significant part in my depression. My good friend recruited me and offered to pay so I though hey I'll check it out. Alot of people at the church I was going to also had attended. Afterward I felt emotionally ripped open and kind of dazed but at the same time convinced that I had issues that Discovery could help me with. Now I realize how mentally confused I was and that I lost my sense of who I was. It clearly has an element of mind control that comes from tearing down emotional and pscychological boundaries that leave people open to the power of suggestibility. Since I've left Dallas some of my friends get deeper and deeper into it and it seems kind of cultish. They label people who don't agree with it as "unhealthy" and "afraid to deal with thier issues". Anyway I take responsibility for making the choice to check out Discovery but now I have thousands to pay in medical bills and recovery from severe depression to deal with.

Has anyone had similar experiences? Any suggestions on how to keep some good contact with my friend who is deeply involved but also set up boundaries to protect myself? Also anything I can do to put this group on the radar or have them investigated?

Again I'm so thankful for this site. It has helped me learn to be open about my experience and helped me get back my sanity.

Here is a helpful subsection.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Thanks so much!

You might also find the following links helpful.

See [www.culteducation.com]

And also [www.culteducation.com]

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free
Wow am I thankful for this website! Has anyone had experience with Discovery Training in Dallas, TX? As far as I can see they are an LGAT but probably not as intense as PSI or Landmark Education.

I experienced severe Depression after going through it. I had alot going on in my life as far as living in a new city and adjusting to a job but I do believe Discovery played a significant part in my depression. My good friend recruited me and offered to pay so I though hey I'll check it out. Alot of people at the church I was going to also had attended. Afterward I felt emotionally ripped open and kind of dazed but at the same time convinced that I had issues that Discovery could help me with. Now I realize how mentally confused I was and that I lost my sense of who I was. It clearly has an element of mind control that comes from tearing down emotional and pscychological boundaries that leave people open to the power of suggestibility. Since I've left Dallas some of my friends get deeper and deeper into it and it seems kind of cultish. They label people who don't agree with it as "unhealthy" and "afraid to deal with thier issues". Anyway I take responsibility for making the choice to check out Discovery but now I have thousands to pay in medical bills and recovery from severe depression to deal with.

Has anyone had similar experiences? Any suggestions on how to keep some good contact with my friend who is deeply involved but also set up boundaries to protect myself? Also anything I can do to put this group on the radar or have them investigated?

Again I'm so thankful for this site. It has helped me learn to be open about my experience and helped me get back my sanity.

I experienced severe depression and moderate anxiety after attending an LGAt in Utah called Impact trinings. You and I are not the only ones with this side effect, either, just comb some of the other message boards. I went in feeling pretty good, but after a week I started having a psychological breakdown. I don't doubt for a second that Discovery is responsible for your psychological breakdown, either.
The easiest way to put this company on the radar is to start exposing the specific practices used by Discovery right here on this thread. If anyone is thinking about going, this thread may be the only place where they can find out what actually goes on before they sign up. I'd also be willing to bet that Impact and Discovery (and many other LGAT's) have loads of similarities, so start typing so we can find them. This can be very, very helpful. It's like finding a support group with a much broader group of people.
Some other ideas are contacting local media sources, talking to a lawyer, finding other vicitms and look into having a legal protest. I don't have as much time as I'd like to address all these things right now, so please feel free to ask questions and Rick Ross, others or myself will address them.
As far as keeping a relationship with someone whose still involved. This can be extremely difficult. There are probably others who know more about this, but I would suggest making sure that your recovery is the first priority. Try to avoid arguing about it because it will only make both of you more angry.
Again, we're here to support you, and good for you for getting out, it's not easy.
-Army-of-me

Thanks for your post,
My wife has just attended the Discovery training in Dallas. She is OBSESSED with the "group" and communication with others in the group she attended. If anyone has had loved ones in this group and have experienced a significant change in personality I need some insight to try and help her and our marriage. This is frightening stuff, I wish I would have researched before she attended. My mother in-law had been very persistent about us attending the group. My wife finally agreed to go because her mother seemed to be so happy.

Now she is using cliché’s (I acknowledge your experience…..), and cannot seem to understand she is not making sense when she refers to the group. My wife has shared some of the cards sent by her new friends and they contain phrases "don’t share with your husband he is not on the same level as us".
Any time I suggest we seek professional help she becomes very defensive about her new friends.
Any ideas or thought would be greatly appreciated.................... HELP

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Enviro_Cop
My wife has just attended the Discovery training in Dallas. She is OBSESSED with the "group" and communication with others in the group she attended. If anyone has had loved ones in this group and have experienced a significant change in personality I need some insight to try and help her and our marriage.

If this is the first time you've heard about or come in contact with one of these "white-collar cults," there's a long history going back forty years or more. They've all pretty much morphed out of Werner Erhard's "est," Lifespring, scientology, and something called Mind Dynamics. They are intertwined with various interpretations of "Eastern" religions, pseudo psychotherapy, "encounter" groups, sales or motivation training, and real cults into a wicked brew of manipulative persuasion and hidden agendae. Conway and Siegelmen subtitled their book written in the 70s, "America's Sudden Epidemic of Personality Change." If you can find an early edition of "Snapping" you'll find the references to est.

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This is frightening stuff, I wish I would have researched before she attended. My mother in-law had been very persistent about us attending the group. My wife finally agreed to go because her mother seemed to be so happy.

They are trained or "coached" to appear happy, upbeat, cheerful, enthusiastic, and "positive." It's part of the sales training. They want you to think their lives are so much better because of XYZ group.

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Now she is using cliché’s (I acknowledge your experience…..), and cannot seem to understand she is not making sense when she refers to the group.

That's right out of Werner Erhard's (by way of L. Ron Hubbard) mouth. "I acknowledge blah, blah, blah." It was meant to establish rapport by validating the other person so you can sell them something or manipulate them in some way. People like being validated. Softens them up, so to speak.

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My wife has shared some of the cards sent by her new friends and they contain phrases "don’t share with your husband he is not on the same level as us".

They are trying to drive a wedge between you and appeal to her ego or sense of superiority at the same time. They hope the end result is that you become alienated, fearful, and depressed and seek relief by joining the group.

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Any time I suggest we seek professional help she becomes very defensive about her new friends.
Any ideas or thought would be greatly appreciated.................... HELP

She's probably been told that traditional therapy or counselling is useless, expensive, or counter-productive. These groups compete with ordinary counselling done by trained, licensed, and accountable professionals even though they claim not to be. It's a turf thing.

There's a ton of stuff to read. All LGATs are pretty much cookie-cutters of each other. And they all destroy lives, relationships, and minds. I suggest looking for others in your community who have been through the same thing. If they've been in business for any length of time there are probably plenty of victims around.

Best to you,

Ellen

Hi enviro_cop,

Here is a link to some info I posted on another thread a while back.

[board.culteducation.com]

I'm glad you are here. Having a spouse who has been indoctrinated is a crazy experience. I've been there. I'm still there, but it's getting bettter.

[www.discovery-training.com]

LOLOL...sounds like scientology or The Secret. Geeeeze, I just hate them ~obstacles~ (engrams, rackets, cooties, negative thoughts, bad juju, etc., etc.)


Discovery One

D1 identifies the obstacles and experiences in your life that have prevented you from living a life that is REAL.



Discovery Two

D2 further develops the tools you need to get the positive results that you desire.


Discovery Three Mission

D3-MISSION uncovers your greatest assets and reveals your personal mission in life.

You know, I had heard of the white collar cults but didn’t realize this qualified (as I do now). My mother in law has recruited both of her daughters and her sister into this thing. I will admit I had some trust in my mother in law because she is completing her Ph.D. counseling from the University of North Texas!
I wonder if UNT realizes they are essentially granting a professional license for counseling to people this unstable.

I have been trying to reason with my wife and discuss on an analytical level. We both have graduate degrees and have always been able to work things out through this type of discussion. Now it seems her IQ has dropped because and she throws “thought stopping” comments. From the postings I see I need to not try and reason with her. I will try this but cannot hold out for long.
She insists she wants our marriage to work and these relationships she has are more like big brothers (there is a frightening analogy).
Is it possible for someone to be mildly influenced and they will snap back to reality? I ask because of some threads I have read have spouses immediately leaving and renouncing their family. I have not experienced that to date.
I would like to find other “Discovery” affected spouses/loved ones in Texas, We live in a small town and it would be difficult to find anyone here.
Thanks to all for responding this is helping be cope.