No, it wasn't your fault. I'm glad that you're starting to feel better.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Emily, This part: "His sister and one of his best childhood friends are also extremely concerned about him. But he is spending most of his time with his friends and co-workers who are in the program, and they are saying it's great he's doing the program because he's finally learning to form his own opinions and act independently of what anyone else thinks." That
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Emily, On the last page of this thread, (which I am trying to paste directly), here are some links pasted by Rick Ross about recovery. Also, his book, "Cults Inside Out,"is great. He has a chapter on LGATS, and i have found that many of the manipulative techniques mentioned in the rest of the book also apply to LGATS. I would highly recommend reading it. Also, if you s
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Hi Emily, His behavior sounds very familiar to me. My former friends behaved the same way after deepening their participation in a similar LGAT. I can't advise you well about how to deal with your boyfriend. There are many threads here, both about recovery, and from people who are dealing with loved ones who have become caught up in these groups. First of all, if it were me, I woul
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

HurtingAngel ~ yes, they are hypocrites, and, as you pointed out, it sounds as if they were only interested in covering their own butts. I have had similar experiences, where the liar, backstabber, or attacker was accepted and I was ostracized. It really does hurt, but there is often nothing to do but to get away from them. They produce an emotionally toxic environment, anyway. Did
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

HurtingAngel, Please call a suicide hotline, and follow up with a mental health professional. I agree that LGATS are wretched organizations, and understand how you would feel that way under the circumstances. These people are not worth that. Consider that, if you harm yourself, they will have won. The further you walk away from the situation, and put distance between yourself and them, in bot
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I got my copy a few days ago. I am finding things in many of the chapters that also seem true of my experiences at LE, even though the chapter may have nothing to do with LGATS.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

In a very late response to the first post on his thread: "Note they even ask you what you intend to accomplish and then tell you that there is no suggestion or guarantee that you will get those results! Hilarious." They have NO intention that you will get those results. It's pure bait and switch. This is demonstrated by the fact that one of their assignments plainly acknowle
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Lastsmile, I don't know of any specialists, and I'm no expert. Still, I am wondering if you can get her into evaluation/treatment for just the depression, while you are waiting for more info, and maybe that therapist can refer you to someone who specializes on this type of thing. I have read that attempts at treatment after cult abuse by someone who is not qualified can make thi
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

SirReal: It really doesn't feel all that "mysterious" when you're sitting in the middle of it. It's a lot like listening to a motivational speaker.  If you were to go strictly as an observer, then you might observe other people's reactions, but that's sort of like sitting in the middle of a burning room to watch other people burn. (or actually, it reminds me
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Well, you know what they say" : Curiosity killed the cat." If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't. I have given up on discouraging people who are curious from doing things, BUT, if you find that you must, read that consent form. Here is a thread about consent forms, and although it pertains to LE, it is probably similar: If that doesn't scare you off, then at
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

You also asked how our relationships had been affected. My ability to have any type of relationship was harmed. Before doing the forum, I had been in a year-long depression, and feeling much resentment over a betrayal by someone whom I had trusted. I had washed my hands of that person, and found a new circle to hang out with. When I finally agreed to take the forum, my newer "frien
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

From what I have read on these boards, (unless I'm missing it), very little has been pointed out about the Tuesday night session of the Forum, other than that participants are pressured to bring guests, and that there are a lot of "feel good" testimonials. All of this is true, but... When I did the forum, there were a couple of brief periods in the Tuesday night session that mad
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I never did feel the "high." For me, it felt more as if I was numbed out and sleep deprived. I would smile and clap my hands along with everyone else, but seemed to be "going with the flow," more than actually feeling anything. Looking back, I'm wondering how much of it was something similar to "mob mentality," because I really didn't feel the things I
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Yes, similar to mine. I told the people who were in the room when they recruited me that I was on medication for depression, and that I was a chronic insomniac, (I was still sort of trying to get out of it, but these things were true). They shrugged it off and said that it didn't matter. One person who was there told me that the same had been true of her, but that she had benefitted, and tha
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I see that on this consent form, it states, "I hereby indemnify and hold Landmark Education, its officers, managers, shareholders, affiliates, employees, agents and/orpeople who assist, harmless from all loss, cost, obligation or damage arising out of my participation in the Programme or in other activities or events related to the Programme." I think that this last part, "or
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

corboy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------ > > "This sounds like a detention facility -- not an > education. > > The best way to learn about the real character of > a person or an organization is to disagree with > them -- and watch how they behave." corboy ~ yes! It is very ironic how authoritarian they are, how they will
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

In response to Gloria~ "They made me feel bad for being disturbed by their seminar." Yes, they will say that you are "too confronted" and can't handle it, or that you don't want to face your "stuff." In reality, we are not willing to accept their abuse, but they try to keep you in the program by making you feel like a coward if you leave. "T
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

LEInsider ~ I repeatedly asked them to stop calling me, and specifically told them that further participation was against medical advice. They continued even after that, until I finally told them that I would file a formal complaint if they did not stop. Even this did not stop them entirely. The confusion as to my sanity was centered almost exclusively around interactions with one other pe
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I have read your link, corboy. Yes, I definitely experienced the extreme boredom, what I would call "flooding," and as to the confusion they instilled, I can't even begin to tell you. Toward the end of the last seminar that I took at L.E., the seminar leader started selling the next seminar in the series, (as usual). She said that the next seminar would involve "brain scie
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

As to the peripheral self, yes, I do feel that "split." About the trance state, I do believe that there are other ways of inducing it, and think that I even read this somewhere, at some time. I'm sorry about my inability to cite this, but it was long ago. Anyway, sensory overload can also cause some to "space out." During the sharing portions, to have that many peop
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

@Gloria, The term "Gaslighting" originally came from a movie called "Gaslight," and is a form of psychological abuse where one person tries to overwrite the reality of another. I believe that it would fall under the general category commonly known as "crazy-making." It can literally cause people to doubt their own sanity. I can't write about my hardcore
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Two other things to pay attention to here, as to the room environment: 1)the acoustics 2)I believe that they wouldn't let us wear fragrances. I don't recall a smell, but with the prohibition against any food, they also have control of our olfactory senses, (or deprivation of such). The olfactory sense is powerfully tied to emotional centers, I believe.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

As to the room setup, what I noticed right away was that something about the setup made me nervous. It seemed very rigid. Later, when I was on production teams, we had to space the chairs with a box of Kleenex between, and they measure where they place every row. If I was standing at the door after a break, I was instructed to close the door as soon as the second hand was straight up, even
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Here's a little gem: "No” is a word that must never be negotiated, because the person who chooses not to hear it is trying to control you." ~ Gavin de Becker, "The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence" Although Gavin De Becker does not deal with cults, as far as I know, the information in his writings can applied to any situation in which o
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

corboy, I think you hit the nail on the head with language being key. By redefining every word, they can seemingly make certain concepts less offensive to their adherents than they would be to the general population. I have a somewhat different take on Ayn Rand. She certainly lacked empathy but, from what I remember reading, she was a rugged individualist. LE is full of group think, which
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

@Gloria, SELP =Self-Expression and Leadership Program. I wasn't in it, but knew people who were. I'm glad you got out when you did. They kept trying to get me into the ILP as well. I told them I wasn't ILP material, and they argued that I was a "perfect candidate." I had two former friends who were in the ILP. It took up almost every moment of their lives. They
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

* I should have added the qualifier, "In my humble opinion." :-}
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Sportsguy, I'm sorry you're in pain. You are in the company of many. My experience is also with LEC, but sounds like it would also apply to other LGATS. To answer your question about narcisism, and I also suspect sociopathy ~ yes, LEC, changes people's character for the worse. The only loyalty I saw in my "friends" after the ILP was to LE. They believe that they
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

As to whether or not they recruit from 12-step groups ~ the answer is "yes." The person who recruited me was recruited by someone we knew from a 12-step group. Not only do they recruit from there, but if you end up criticizing LE or if they consider you "difficult," they will also use information obtained from within 12-step program to get under your skin.
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups