If you read the article by Karla McKlaren mentioned on this thread, it may ring some bells. She's a former New Age healer and teacher who eventually left the entire profession. McKlaren is convinced that there's an entire New Age culture that stifles critical thinking, and in which you're forbidden to disapprove or have misgivings about anything or anyone. So its adherants r
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

The person should be able to give you the following: Name of university he or she attends The class (or better yet) graduate program for which the person is doing the project Name (and e-address/webpage) of the instructor teaching the class for which the person is writing a paper if an undergraduate, or the faculty advisor overseeing the person's research if he or she is doing this
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Before your husband's friend goes to work on him, make a commitment with your husband that you will BOTH keep each other informed about personal development groups or spiritual endeavors that either of you considers joining. This means your husband must assure you that he will not allow his friend to talk him into going to an orientation for such a group without the other person's knowl
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

The people at our local dog park have a term for the way dogs communicate with each other by peeing in carefully selected spots: 'Pee-mail' Know when you've really gone too far as a dog lover? When you look at some pit bull's tightly muscled rear end--and you wish yours looked that good (grin).
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Its more than a matter of whether someone is introspective or not. First thing is, appeal to curiosity and shame people for being skeptical. Get them into the room and then get them to pry open their check book. If you go the Large Group Awareness Trainings/Human Potential thread, scroll down until you find a cluster of posts entitled 'Manipulating the Room Environment'. Read
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Even if a person takes just one seminar and never goes to another, thats still a clear profit of a couple hundred USD, Euros, Pounds. If someone can be persuaded to return for yet more workshops--thats a steady profit stream. Dont just concentrate on the mental content of these seminars. If you scroll down on the 'Large Group Awareness Training/HP Seminars thread, you will find a very
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Published this on both the NRM and the LGATs thread. See if any of these were used on you--identifying how we've been manipulated is very important in designing a recovery program. Here is a small exerpt from the article describing effects of trance: In trance, memories, fantansies, feelings and thoughts are often experienced more vividly and intensely than they are in the norm
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

This article gives a very good overview of methods used--use it as a checklist to see if you've been exposed to any of these. (Moderator warning: This information is best used to identify the warning signs of a manipulative relationship or indoctrination situation and then to stay far, far away. RR.com would strongly advise against anyone thinking they can intentionally expose themselves
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

This article gives a very good overview of methods used--use it as a checklist to see if you've been exposed to any of these. (This information is best used to identify the warning signs of a manipulative relationship or indoctrination situation. We advise against anyone thinking they can intentionally expose themselves in high risk situations and escape unscathed. Even by paying money to
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I think his name is either David or Daniel Burns and Ive been hearing a lot of good reports on his books--have you used his stuff? I think he writes about CBT. My guess is a two-pronged approach is needed: First to appreciate the extent to which the power-holder abused his or her power by lying and intruding into your thought processes. Its important to recognized this was done to you, beca
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

I'm not an expert on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy -- Cosmo can evaluate this--- Instead of 'kicking her out'--imagine yawning each time her image pops up. Gurus hate the idea that someone could ever be bored by them. If you have intrusive memories of her that are spooking you, try a real, physical yawn--it produces a relaxation response. I once attended a lecture by v
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

To Sylvia's list I would add yet another: Hypomanic leaders are likely to thrive on marathon meetings and seminars--they can keep the meetings going, even become energized by them----long after most disciples are dropping dead from exhaustion. I bet one reason these people so often become powerful is that in addition to their charisma, they thrive on long meetings. That means they outl
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

My hunch is this will eventually fade. If you treat this as something to get curious about 'Oh, that again', and treat it as an experiment, not something to get anxious about, maybe this will help. If you are curious about something, it loses its power over you. Usually fear and curiosity cannot co-exist. In cults and cultic relationships, play and curiosity fade away, because fear
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Stress can increase cortisol levels...and many LGAT set ups are reportedly very stressful. Jane Pauley's story is damned interesting because her case demonstrates how a person can have a predisposition to bipolar without knowing it. And if someone who unknowingly has such a predispostion attends a high stress pressure cooker LGAT, or goes to a very rugged part of the world like India
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Zoaroastrianism is not a problem. Their membership is relatively small, mostly in Western India (where they are known as 'Parsis') and another community in Iran, mostly in the city of Yazd. Some live in the West, and will most likely be found in areas with a vibrant South Indian community--eg Silicon Valley?Northern California. Zoarostrians do not do aggressive outreach--or even much
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

(Written by Toni and moved to this thread by Corboy at author's request) Views on angels, cosmology, etc do NOT a cult make. A cult uses thought reform methods to recruit people, indoctrinate them with a hidden agenda and then manipulate them to serve the selfish desires of the leader(s). the teaching are irrelevant... religious, political, psychological, business marketing... have
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

(Quote) "One of the most damning things in the entire book (The Sorcerer's Apprentice: My Life With Carlos Castaneda' by Amy Wallace) Carol said to me (Amy Wallace) after Carlos Castaneda was gone. She said, "You know, you're very dangerous to us." And I said, "How could I be?" And she said, "Because you know too much. You're a time bomb.&quo
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

A therapist who was formerly a devotee describes how he found he could not reconcile therapy ethics with his loyalty to group and guru. Abuse in Cults On a Google listserve on 1998/06/06 there is an example of one group which giave workshops in which members who were psychotherapists were taught to recruit clients into the organization--a violation of professional ethics. (One wonders w
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Getting entangled in a cult can be far more than a matter of wanting to socialize and be accepted. Very often deceit and manipulation of emotion is employed. A lot of people are courted and recruited into cultic organizations and this is done quite skillfully. You're targeted when you're vulnerable A cult may represent itself as something innocuous like a self improvement w
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

go to the discussion board at www.factnet.org They have a subsection for persons to post information or request information about cult activity in businesses/corporations. See if anyone else has listed the group you're concerned about.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

To become as little children... Yes, that 'kindergarten' atmosphere is very distinctive. If you're considering studying on a committed basis with some guru or teacher, I think it is very important to see what kind of emotional 'vibe' is given off when they meet with students as a group. Now, this is complex. There can be a 'honeymoon' phase in wh
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Our Vulnerability in Relation to Pseudoprofessionals and Cults 1) We are already under stress when we are looking for help. Often we will not have the know-how or energy to apply critical thinking. One person on this thread reports suffering ill health from a serious illness at the time she met her pseudoprofessional. When I crossed paths with my guy, I was in the grip of a study block and was
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Yes. You've identified something important. A closed atmosphere of social/intellectual inbreeding can develop in which (my term) 'pseudo-professional' therapists hang out with each other, refer patients to each other, socialize nearly exclusively with each other. A very lucrative 'in-house' referral network can develop in which therapists bounce each other's cl
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

this is a very important point. I dont think the erring professional could lose his or her license. But they'd very likely be warned by whatever organization they're answerable to,and something might go in thier record. This can be a useful way to alert the regulatory agencies to what appears to be an unexamined bias in the profession. If you write a letter, point out that the th
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

...not in any professional sense. Thats why I needed to get help FROM a professional (grin) Thank you for mentioning this subtype of migraine headache. Just as we are discovering that many people experienced painless heart attacks, its very interesting that one can experience a painless migraine and have disruptions in the quality of conscious awareness. And (sigh) not all physicians would eve
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

A psychotherapist is NEVER supposed to work on his or her problems while with clients. It is worrisome how many non-therapists are unaware of the guidelines that therapists are supposed to follow. A few weeks ago on Craigslist.org in the psychology forum, a person was in great distress. Her therapist had socialized with her, borrowed her car (!!), then suddenly terminated her from therapy--wi
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

The article by Temerlin and Temerlin on psychotherapy cults as iatrogenic (that is, healer induced) perversion mentions that these relationships are often quite long lived. The Temerlins note that often the counselee/disciples are pulled in to rescuing and parenting their guru-therapist --the therapist comes across as simultaneously powerful, yet vulnerable. Many of us as children found ours
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

'There are, however, official psychiatric conditions called disassociative disorders - and while I can see day dreaming on the mild end of disassociation and personality splitting or fugue/amnesia on the other end - I wonder at what point along the continuum do the symptoms become an official disorder needing attention/treatment?' That point is probably different for each of us. A th
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

'Bounded Choices' by Janja Lalitch She found that persons who were in high demand, coercive situations remained quite rational, but were doing their thinking in a context in which the menu of choices became more narrow over time--'bounded choice' You think you're exercising freedom of choice, but in a situation where there are fewer and few items on the choice makin
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

of various stressors from our modern, hectic environment. IF you find you want to stay in the moment and not dissociate, there is not a lot of cultural support. You have to make very intentional efforts to do so and be very alert about the quality of your environment. Thats what is sad. Lots of us decide we want to explore meditation, we look for a group or community that will offer informa
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups