That was before I read corboy's response to me. My true purpose was to find out more about Byron Katie and whether or not she was cult-like. I found that yes, "The School" sounds very culty, and I have deciced not to attend one. However there were statements here that I found to be inaccurate, and I commented on them. Also, as I have cult experience, I thought this might be a
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Corboy, I don't understand why it bothers you that I pointed out a major difference between Scientology (in which you are treated like a leper for daring to seek psychotherapy, and people having psychotic breaks have been locked in rooms to prevent them being placed in psychiatric hospitals) and Byron Katie's group. I'm a bit disturbed that pointing out inaccuracy is considered
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Ok, I get it, this forum is only for discussing the negative aspects of such organizations. I just wanted to point out that not everything being said about The Work sounded accurate to me, and having grown up scientologist (I'm 32, my parents left the CoS when I was a teenager), it doesn't sound nearly as detrimental as a cult. I'm utterly baffled by people's responses t
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Sulalee, the fact that you ASSUMED that I needed therapy is a red flag enough. You know absolutely nothing about me, other than a piece of my childhood, which ended decades ago. Yet you think I need therapy, why is that? It's because that's what you sell. You have nothing to gain from it? You or a colleague have approximately $100-$200/week for months to years to gain from it. And thera
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I'm not sure why you think it's therapy to read off of a worksheet, or why that needs to be tested. Are you also against suicide-prevention hotlines? The people who answer those hotlines are also nonprofessionals, and are literally talking people out of suicide. Perhaps the real issue is that The Work Hotline is being called a "hotline" when it should be called a "cal
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Sulalee. "Something much deeper is needed." Uh huh. Again, you therapists sound just like them. You have no idea how much. Thanks, but no thanks.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I have also found that therapists are incredibly clueless on this issue. They also don't seem to understand that I am naturally going to be VERY resistant to just swallowing up their advice. I have found a lot of therapists just want to be their own cult leader. It infuriates me. I'm not very well suited to therapy at all, is what I finally decided. What I've done instead is rea
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Anyone could be on the hotline including criminals? Ok, that applies for any phone number, including those of psychologists and psychiatrists who advertise on the web. I was never asked for my name or any personal details. I was never asked to bring up any important details of my life. Sometimes I would give ONLY the troubling thought I was working on, with zero context. I was NEVER asked for
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I'm sensitive to cult issues, since I grew up with family members in Scientology, and est, and have a set of grandparents who are Jehovah's Witnesses. I've been reading Byron Katie's books recently, watched nearly all her videos on YouTube, and have called her hotline six times (in two months, usually to head off a panic attack; I have an anxiety disorder). I was consideri
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

My father and stepmother were in Scientology, then my father was ex-communicated and my sister left Scientology to stay with him. Then she went to an est seminar. She told me about it. I told it sounded incredibly inhumanitarian and cruel -- I was probably about 12, and I've always been outspoken. She said, "It's fine, people get over things, and we need to be allowed to communicat
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"