For reference, some definitions from Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism (Lifton, 1989) "thought-terminating cliché": A thought-terminating cliché is a commonly used phrase, sometimes passing as folk wisdom, used to quell cognitive dissonance. Though the phrase in and of itself may be valid in certain contexts, its application as a means of dismissing dissent or justifying
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Naomi Aldort: Facilitator of Self-Realization Through Parenting Naomi Aldort is a self-referenced "parenting expert" in Washington State who bases her theories and practice in part on Byron Katie's The Work. Aldort conducts many large group seminars, the content of which frequently includes using the process of The Work to resolve parenting struggles. Aldort is not exactly th
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

If you are unfamiliar with Byron Katie, Stephen Mitchell, The Work, Byron Katie International, The School for The Work, The Institute for The Work, and/or related Certified Facilitators of The Work, or The Work Foundation, Inc. this is a Byron Katie thread in Cults, Sects, and New Religious Movements: The above thread has many contributions discussing the possible role of Neuro Linguistic Pro
Forum: Clergy and Therapy Abuse

Dr. Laura Markham is a Clinical Psychologist and Columbia University Ph.D. She is the only psychology credentialed professional who I have found that has made an attributed statement less than approving of Byron Katie's The Work and/or it's application toward trauma, child abuse, and neglect: She specifically addresses concerns about Byron Katie's use of The Work in potent
Forum: Clergy and Therapy Abuse

I'd like to use this thread to collect reports of adverse effects or concerns about The Work by Byron Katie as used in licensed psychotherapy, counseling and unlicensed/fraudulent practice. I realize that there are Byron Katie threads in the Religion section and LGAT/Human Potential, but I think that some of the concerns specific to psychotherapy may not be found by new readers browsing the
Forum: Clergy and Therapy Abuse

Quoteluckychrm I coincidentally ran across the name today as the author of a 5 star review of a Byron Katie/The Work trained possibly fraudulent mental health provider's book in Washington State. I'm not claiming guilt by association, just noting the associations. I'm extremely concerned about the potential negative consequences of using The Work as a parenting guide and usi
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Thank you for having already shared this paper via the culteducation.com forum. I came across it about two weeks ago and have been formulating a response for publication, although I haven't determined the appropriate venue(s) yet. Anil Coumar is a BKI certified facilitator of The Work and also the Director of the Student Mental Health Center at the University of Washington (UW). Neither
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I am in the process of filing a complaint on a potentially unlicensed "counselor/family therapist" associated with Byron Katie and The Work. I've been very stressed since speaking with the state licensing board yesterday and hearing that a complaint is the only way they can official look into the individual's practice. You can only file a complaint by mailing in their form,
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"