Lynne Twist, Mary Earle Chase, Neal Rogin, to name three.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Hi everyone, It's been a few years since I've been on the forum. What brings me back is this: Some of the est founding people, who turned into the Landmark people, have now become the Pachamama people and the Awakening the Dreamer people. I'll leave you to google those organizations. Instead of trying to make money from "personal transformation," they're now try
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

The whole thing gives me the heebie-jeebies. I seriously hope that time is Werner's enemy here and that he won't have enough of it to stage any sort of return to the US. If he does, though, I'll be the one holding the sign at the airport saying, "Werner's Work Nearly Killed Me." or something like that.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Hi ExLand, I'm not in south africa either, but I wanted to let you know that you are not alone in this. Many people have suffered due to landmark. I'm one of them. Therapists are great help, but if you're dealing with psychosis, you may want to engage a psychiatrist who can help you control the symptoms. I'm not a huge fan of psych drugs as a rule, but when they help, they *r
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I agree with patrick-darcy. It would not surprise me in the least if Werner were laying the foundation for a "triumphant" return. Just ick.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Zorro -- I think this text on the homepage: It is now the 21st Century and there is much talk of possibility and transformational leadership – but where did this all start? In 1971, in a hotel ballroom in San Francisco over 35 years ago, transformation burst on to the national stage. Werner Erhard and his est Training brought to the forefront the ideas of transformation, personal responsib
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

And did you notice that on the home page, they appear to be trying to take credit for the 'transformational leadership' happening today? Right. The new administration is THANKS TO EST. Thanks, Werner! Now go live in Brazil with the other international criminals.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

This came to my attention today: www.culteducation.com and it made me shudder. A well-intentioned family member (who is still involved w/Landmark) sent it to me. Now I'm traumatized all over again reading the "Graduate Reviews." Will they never stop? Thanks, Rick, for giving us "space" to "share." Seriously, I am so appreciative of this message board
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I have noticed that Makeup hasn't been back here to post, though hopefully she's reading. In case she is... Makeup, I hope you and your husband are doing okay. Maybe this is all too much information for you at the moment. If you feel overwhelmed, maybe print it all out and save it for when you want to read. Take care.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

All great advice. I would add one point: if you're worried about the expense associated with hiring a lawyer, you may be able to find one who is sympathetic to your situation, and who may be willing to work on a contingency basis (that is, unless you get paid a settlement, they don't get paid)
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Or, go directly to the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission. They'll open an investigation and, if they agree that your husband has been discriminated against due to his bipolar and his company's requirement to take the Landmark Forum, they'll issue you a right to sue.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Hi Makeup, I am so sorry to hear about your predicament. I'm bipolar as well, and I feel like it was triggered by doing the EST "children's training" way back when. Here are a couple of things to consider: 1) Landmark may have not let your husband do the training, even if he wanted to, because of his illness. 2) People with health conditions such as bipolar are prote
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

This is all incredibly fascinating. Pauker, I am so very sorry for what's happened with your family. I can see reflections of the same kinds of behavior in mine as well. The difference is, since all of my family were (are) est-holes, no one recognized any sort of problem. For those of us of the second est generation, it's been very damaging. One cousin in prison, another so mentally
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Hi there, I'm very interested in this topic and would like to know of other experiences related to it. According to a psychiatrist I know, bipolar disorder is an inherited brain disorder that can be active or dormant. If dormant, several things can activate it, such as head trauma, emotional trauma, etc. My family has a history of bipolar disorder, and a few have been diagnosed with it. M
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Wow, I kind of wonder at the vehement defense of Werner/est/Landmark going on here all of a sudden. Would it be possible that these folks are trolls? I would ask that all of our beliefs and opinions are treated with the respect they deserve. And please know, gentlemen, that there are probably a lot of people on this board who feel like Landmark/Werner/est has a very very dark side. I'
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

PWL: I'll tell ya what Werner did to me. He created an organization that made it acceptable, even desirable, to brainwash me, as a child, with the same methods used to brainwash adults.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I note that Werner has an email address posted there: werhard@ssrn.com You can't put lipstick on a pig! Well, you can, but it's still a pig.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

It's not that I don't like therapists, it's that I haven't met one who understands the extent to which the brutality of est messed me up. And it's not that I need to put anything behind me necessarily; it's more that I need to discover what a healthy way of being in the world looks like, since est didn't exactly give me one. I mean, really, forcing that kind of
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Mysticjaw, thanks for replying. It's good to know we're not alone. Do you feel like you were able to overcome the trauma? I've been trying for so long that I'm just tired. Were there any kinds of therapy that helped more than others? Good luck with your PsyD.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

To get back on topic: I was an est kid. A Forum kid. I "got it" without any sort of say in whether I wanted "it." And "it" has messed me up beyond belief. In relationships of all kinds, with people, with money, with my own spirit (which of course I wasn't allowed to have as a child). And please, no one needs to suggest that I do the Forum in order to investig
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I think that's why I haven't done well in traditional therapy either -- it sounds too much like est, and I don't trust it. I have had success with body-centered psychotherapy (or Hakomi), which focuses on physical sensation and the emotions and memories those sensations elicit. That way, the information comes from *me* and not from a third party who, no matter how hard they try, so
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Thanks for your responses. I don't have the first clue how to heal this, or how deep the wounds may go. Therapists don't seem to know what do to about it. It's amazing to me that people are still falling for the Forum bull; whenever I hear those people talk, I can tell within a few moments -- from the very tone of their voices -- what they're into, and I simply want to run
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Hello-- As you are probably well-aware, est is the precursor to the Forum and Landmark. Back in the late 70s and early 80s, my entire family was est. I grew up steeped in it, though I never (thanks to my rational mom -- my parents were divorced and dad's was the est side) actually "did" the training. I participated in and assisted at several workshops. I'm looking for o
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Hello, I'm a 40 year-old woman, and I'm finally realizing that I was essentially raised in the cult of est. As a child in the late 70s and early 80s, my entire paternal family (including grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins) did the training and were very involved with the est organization. Though I did not "do" the training, I did participate in and assist with several wor
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families