The following paragraph in italics was written by a woman who was in an abusive relationship. It wasn't with a guru or dangerous group, but the similarities between these types of groups and individuals and that of abusive intimate relationships are stunning. This woman wrote about a trigger - something someone told her her ex was doing and it brought back bad memories, which triggered rage
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

The following paragraph in italics was written by a woman who was in an abusive relationship. It wasn't with a guru or dangerous group, but the similarities between these types of groups and individuals and that of abusive intimate relationships are stunning. This woman wrote about a trigger - something someone told her her ex was doing and it brought back bad memories, which triggered rag
Forum: Clergy and Therapy Abuse

Looks like zero credentials - note there is no other university or accredited learning institution mentioned in her bio.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Yup! A Life Coach has weasled her way into the center. See below... THE JOY OF MONEY - Introductory Seminar Tuesday, Feb. 5th 5:45 pm - 6:45 pm Being financially successful takes a lot more than earning a paycheck. You can stop worrying about money and start attracting more of it by attending this interactive, informative and dynamic program. In this workshop, you’ll explore ways to est
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

There is one in northern New Jersey that I can provide information for via PM.
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

I know it is easier than it used to be to get a dot org as opposed to a dot com when putting together a website, but it must be quite easy as the alternative doctor I know has done it. Not only is his website a dot org, but it is an organization of one - him. He also has a dot com of the same name. I've done a Who Is lookup but the information is guarded by one of those companies that one
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I found this article and thought it might be helpful, as there is this huge component of psychological change, or trance, that many folks who are in, and even many who are out, do not recognize, and end up beating themselves up for not getting out sooner or for "allowing" abuse. The topic of codependency seems to get top billing when and is even sometimes implied as the cause for psycho
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships

I was disappointed to see that The Secret is being shown at The Women's Rights Information Center in Englewood, NJ. This is a nonprofit that supports low-income women, single moms, elderly women on fixed incomes, displaced homemakers, etc. The programs have always been excellent - mostly geared towards housing and employment. This year though, The Secret has slipped into the self-improvem
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Quoteshannon I am a Social Worker and as time wore on on the "spiritual journey", I, like one other poster here, was becoming more and more uncomfortable with the fact that many of the New Age practitioners I was meeting were not qualified to be dealing with some of the folks coming to them for help. At some Reiki courses, I wanted to shout out "At least have a community services
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

This is a post from a thread a couple notches down. You will probably find some things in here that are helpful.
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships

Daytripper1964, The worst part about cult-like relationships is that no one really knows what goes on in one. From therapists to friends, even to other relatives, you get a lot of platitudes about forgiveness, taking the good with the bad, etc., and then from the therapists you get the codependent label. If you basically grew up in a cult, you grew up where your reality was screwed with,
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships

As of the 40,000 mark, RR made 703 fraudulent posts in my name and has since added a few more. RR has good time management skills.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Hi, I thought it was me goofing up because replying worked other times. Thanks - I'm not as technically challenged as I thought. :)
Forum: Clergy and Therapy Abuse

Hi Elena, I found that with the new board, if your "sent" file is full, the Inbox is full message comes up. Hope
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

From my www.heal-online.org e-newsletter Dear HEALers, Greetings! I hope everyone is having a safe and fun December so far! I was terribly saddened by the shooting in Nebraska this week. Robert Hawkins (the shooter) spent four years in residential treatment programs. He was only 19-years old. He had only been out of the program circuit for one year. Residential treatment/behavi
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Let me know how I can help. My experience was a pseudo-professional who was up to his eyeballs in Landmark and playing LE games with his patients.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

People should be wary of pseudo-professionals like naturopaths, even the ones with graduate degrees from "accredited" universities like Bastyr and National College of Naturopathic Medicine. These practitioners are only licensed in a handful of states, however, they are not licensed psychologists. Many, if not all, believe in mind-body medicine and counsel patients as to underlying emo
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Yes - it is a great book that really explains what these "schools" are like. The Fornits group is really grateful to have that resource. It would be great if celebrities like Dr. Phil and Montel would stop referring kids to these programs.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Is the Washington Times still owned by Rev. Moon?
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

"Free to leave" is not a condition that makes a group or individual cult-like or not. Even in LGATs, people are free to leave but the manipulation of weaknesses and strengths encourages them to stay involved until they find relief, success or fulfillment of whatever goal brought them there in the first place.
Forum: Clergy and Therapy Abuse

"Free to leave" is not a condition that makes a group or individual cult-like or not. Even in LGATs, people are free to leave but the manipulation of weaknesses and strengths encourages them to stay involved until they find relief, success or fulfillment of whatever goal brought them there in the first place. Sorry about new topic - I thought it was going into the AA thread as a rep
Forum: Clergy and Therapy Abuse

There was very little help available besides this board when I was left dazed and confused by an LGAT-infused doctor. I really don't know where I'd be today without all the information here and on the home page. I cannot thank enough people who were brave enough to share what they learned inside some of these LGATs, as well as those who had cultic relationships with individuals who we
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I don't begrudge poor people the luxuries that most of us take for granted. There ARE schools in the US with the same goal which could have used a fraction of the money she spent in Africa to reach educational goals. Is was Oprah's sweeping generalizations about what kids in the US want (not education, but stuff) that was supposedly one of her reasons for opening the school in Africa
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

The whole set-up with the isolation, wowing these families with material goods, the near worshipful behavior of the children on her launch show just left me cold. It reminded too much of the accounts of kids here who fell victim to the residential behavior modification schools they were forced into (see the thread on the Troubled Teen Industry).
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

Not only that, but when she had her press conference to discuss the situation, it was all about her, again. She stated that this is the worst thing that ever happened to her. What about the poor little girls who've experienced the abuse?
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

Mr. Carroll, I watched your program and made my comments to CommonSense.org, which is my right to do, and gave my opinion of it. These poor couples exposed some pretty disturbing facts about themselves and their childhood to the entire viewing public. One followup with a life coach probably will not swing it for them. It is great that there is no pressure to do follow up courses in your
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I'm hardly projecting anything, just noting the similarities of programs and pseudo-professionals. Thank you for the heads up on The Road Adventure. Who facilitates these programs and where can prospective participants read about them?
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

From the post above. Note, the information I provided is from Marriage Boot Camp's website and a newspaper article - I'm just letting people know of the similarities to LGATs and the bios\methods of those running this particular program. "Mr. Carroll acknowledges that the boot camp is not therapy and that its leaders "have no titles, no paperwork, nothing behind our
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I received a private message rearding my posts about Marriage Camp. The person wanted to know why I'm "digging Marriage Camp so hard" and then asked if I'm the same "Hope" who has posted disparaging comments on three other sites, including Road Adventure. I have no idea what Road Adventure is, but I would invite the messenger to post on the public forum so there i
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

By Michael Georgy 2 hours, 22 minutes ago Reuters JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African police have arrested a former dormitory employee at Oprah Winfrey's leadership academy for girls on charges of abuse, including indecent acts. At least seven alleged victims have submitted statements about the woman, police said. "A former dormitory employee (27) has been arrested
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups