Newbies Exiting the Witnesses - How Do You Feel ? Steve Hassan Explains

dinah

Next year just has to be better.
sooner7nc

Unless ya played us in the Fiesta bowl. We seem pretty damn incapable of preparing for that one.

Dogpatch

Hassan's books are great!

For those inclined to learn the whole phenomena of interventions and exiting cult mind control, I highly recommend the class Steve taught out here in the late 80s. The testimony of former Sea Org member and high-level Scientologist Monica Pignotti is alone worth it! :

Learning the Techniques of Exit-Counseling

with Steven Hassan, M. Ed.

click to enlarge

Listen to Steve talk about the evolution of the Strategic Interaction Aproach he uses on YouTube(NEW 2/19/07)

A special class taught by Steven Hassan was held on March 23-25, 1990 in Manhattan Beach, CA for those who desired a greater foundation in reaching out to those caught up in the cults. The emphasis was placed on learning how to do an intervention (exit-counseling), the modern alternative to deprogramming. Steven Hassan is one of the experts in this field, having performed hundreds of successful interventions in the last ten years.

This three-day class was limited to family members of those in cults and professionals who already work in the area of counseling and mind control groups. Special emphasis was placed on Bible-based cults such as Jehovah's Witnesses, The Way International, Boston Church of Christ, etc.

Series includes:

o Disc One: Introduction: RealVideo Clip Windows Media Clip

o Disc Two: Experiences: RealVideo Clip Windows Media Clip

o Disc Three: Communication: RealVideo Clip Windows Media Clip

o Disc Four: Role Playing, Discipling: RealVideo Clip Windows Media Clip

o Disc Five: Dialogue: RealVideo Clip Windows Media Clip

o Disc Six: Workshop: RealVideo Clip Windows Media Clip

o Disc Seven: Conclusion, Christian Issues w/ R. Watters: RealVideo Clip Windows Media Clip

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Learning the Techniques of Exit-Counseling with Steven Hassan - $95 now converted to DVD format (VHS versions no longer available: These DVDs are remastered from the original Super VHS tapes) (NEW 12/22/06)

A special class taught by Steven Hassan on March 23-25, 1990 for those who desired a greater foundation in reaching out to those caught up in the cults. The emphasis was placed on learning how to do an intervention (exit-counseling), the modern alternative to deprogramming.
This three-day class was limited to family members of those in cults and professionals who already work in the area of counseling and mind control groups. Special emphasis was placed on Bible-based cults such as Jehovah's Witnesses, The Way International, Boston Church of Christ, etc. DVDHassan-15

Prerequisites for the seminar DVDs: Releasing the Bonds should be read beforehand or many points will be missed. Agreement that audio or video tapes will not be duplicated under any circumstances.

Testimonies:

Even after speaking with walk- outs from cults for nine years, the seminar has helped me tremendously. Many issues are clearer now. It has also made me much more sensitive and satisfied in my personal life.
Rob Sullivan, pastor, former Jehovah's Witness

Steven's approach offers a whole new paradigm in dealing with people in cults based on love, respect and intelligence. I found the seminar invaluable both in my work as an exit-counselor and in dealing with my own issues as an ex-member.
Monica Pignotti, former member

or call to order: (310) 545-7831

order Releasing the Bonds (book) by Steven Hassan.

mouthy

Yes I bought all those videos way back then Randy...Remember ! It helped alot.
jam

It,s funny to think how far I have come along since leaving the borg. in 1987.I lost my family four kids and other family members. But over the years things have change dramamatically. Two of my kids are out .I have a good relationship with three of my kids. I was just told that my one child that i do not have any contect with have just enroll at OSU in okla.My son told me I should give her a call , i can not bring my self to do that.I have written her off. SHE HAVE NOT BEEN APART OF MY LIFE FOR OVER 15YRS. WHEN SHE GOT MARRIED MY BROTHER GAVE HER AWAY, SHE HAVE A FOUR YEAR OLD DAUGHTER I HAVE NEVER SEEN. I HAVE BEEN OUT SINCE 1987 AND THERE ARE STILL SOME BAD MEMORIES .MY SON ASK ME THE OTHER DAY, DAD DO YOU THINK YOU AND OTHERS ON THE NET WILL BRING DOWN JW ORG. I TOLD HIM NO BUT WE CAN HELP THOSE THAT ARE COMING OUT. AS YOU CAN SEE HE HAS MOVE ON, BUT I TOLD HIM IAM HAPPY TOO HELP OTHERS. HE FEELS I AM WASTING MY TIME. I OPEN HIS EYES ..UNGRATEFUL BRAT,
mcsemike

Oompa: My situation has a few things in common with yours. My daughter told us in 1998 that she had been molested for 4 years. I investigated and learned that the WT is made up and run by the most disgusting swine ever to walk the earth. I quit and she left me 3 years later. I thought I still loved her and tried to get her to therapy. (I have a degree in Psychology and knew it could help IF she played fair.) She wouldn't go and whenever we had to talk on the phone, she said "We're not even going there." whenever I tried to tell her anything. I finally realized I didn't love her and could never love her again since she was so brainwashed and wrote off the molestation of her own child to "bad elders that Jehovah will take care of in his own due time". My apologies to those who still believe, but if this is how Jehovah takes care of things, he doesn't deserve the job and I fired him. I also divorced my wife last week on MY terms. She gets nothing. We'll see if "Jehovah provides for her" or not. I not only don't love her anymore, I don't even respect her and never will again. I thought people stayed together and worked things out. But I see that a husband is only tolerated in many cases for selfish reasons for the wife (and vice versa). I wouldn't expect her to choose me over God, but she has chosen the GB over me, and that I will NEVER accept. Those sorry old perverts have no clue as to how ignorant, arrogant, and self-righteous they all are. If God has any self-respect, he won't let them within 100 light years of his presence. I know this post is not the most upbeat. But I guess the divorce being final and my daughter, who is 22 years old now, and won't speak to me, makes me want to let the GB have it but good. It's bad enough that ten or 12 jackasses run the WT and choose to ruin and waste their own lives, it's another thing to hurt millions more.
orangefatcat

I am not a newbie exiting the witnesses, but I will tell you how I felt when I left. I was bloody scared. I left my ex husband on Dec,24/99 and the organization on the same day. I was secretly hidden from everyone for several days until I was ready to speak to my soon to be ex and to my family. It took me days to get that courage to go to them and tell them, Funny thing, when I left that day I had no idea where it would take me but it had to be better then being in that rotten orgnization for 38years. I felt pains litereal panic attack pains, thinking it was my heart I saw the doctor. He was my biggest backer and supporter. If it hadn't been for him listening to me for years about my being a JW I think I would have had a brain explotion. I am not joking either. My life was a living hell.
I had just bought a second hand computer. but I let my son keep it as I felt he deserved it. He was highly suportative of my decision to leave the witnesses, he was 21 and he knew I was at the end of my rope. He told me to go and leave dad and find a happy life outside of the witnesses. He himself never believed it was the truth. The kid was smarter than mom. I am so glad to have such a supportive son. Eventually when I was able to aquire another computer, thanks to the new man in my life I went digging into the internet hoping to find something about the JW's. Wow was I suprised to see so many sites about exjw's it was like a feast before my eyes. I couldn't help but say okay God please you have got me this far help me now as to where I should turn. The first place I came to was here. I looked around the board for a while and within a month I made my first post. I have never been happier and more content in my life, since leaving the witness cult and a crazy fanatical husband . I feel no quilt. I even refused to attend the Judical committee hearing and refused to meet one elder in person as a result I was disfellowshipped in absentia. The congregation elders are so blinded by the needs of people, all they want to do is lecture you, judge you and if some could they would execute you. I wasn't going to allow men to tell me what it was I should and shouldn't do.
I felt like the weight of that world was lifted from my shoulders. I felt happy, but trep'i·da'tiousmy internal stomach actually quivered for some time. After telling my husband after three days of disappearance (my son knew I was okay but couldn't divulge the whereabouts of the shelter)what my choice was in life he was sitting there on the chair with his mouth gapping openned while I told him that I will be leaving him and the organizaiton and he was flabberghasted. Oh he knew I had threatened to leave him over the 28 years of marriage he just didn't believe I was really going to finely do it. He begged pleaded and then said you had better contact your sisters and mother. He said have you no idea that we have been searching for you for three days. We called everyone that knew you and then called the police. The police said she is a grown women and obviously from the condtions in her bedroom she has left you. (there were boxes of my belongings and stuff piled neatly into the corner of my closet and all my clothes were in boxes too. The police said it appears sir she has left you). Yep that was what I did. I have never regretted what I chose to do and never regretted falling in love with the wonderful man who eventually become my beloved husband. Only to be taken away in death just six months ago.
My life has been fraught with ups and downs but the stigmatism of the WTS has still lingered in the recesses of my mind. That is why I am still here. Still looking for support and enjoying all the new friends I have met.
I have wonderful friends in jWD, many of whom I knew before leaving the witnesses and new ones I have met through Apostofests.
Yes newbies are fleeing the WTS in droves and you can't blame them as they in essence are no different then any other religion on this earth. They just like people to believe they are the right and have the true religion. But now things are catching up to them and it looks like their castle is tumbling down. Those who live in glass tower shouldn't throw stones.
Orangefatcat.
jam

for the newbies exiting, please, please do not beleive the bull you will be like a dog returning too his vomit. You are total responsible for your actions. If you beleive you are a bad person then you will become bad, but if you beleive y0u are a good person then you will be. We have experience the ups and dowms.I really beleive my life would be a failure. I live my life too self -destruct. The net save me.
isnrblog

I was a JW for 50 years and now out for 6. I really had no problem, in fact if I knew it was going to be this easy, I would have left 20 years ago.
I was held captive by the disfellowshipping thing. I dreaded it, as most of my family are Witnesses. But, now that I am out, I have not regretted it a bit. Honestly, Not talking to my family has actually been somewhat of a relief. I never realized what pains in the ass they were.
My kids are both late 20's and not Witnesses. So who cares about the rest. My son has lately thought of returning and I said do what you have to do. He did say that he would never shun me, but i think it would be hard for him to go back if he didn't.
We're all differant so I really do not feel qualified to give anyone advice except "to thine own self be true"
www.isnrblog.com
megaflower

Thankyou for the post mr. Flipper. I have been reading many books in the past few months. The latest is IN Search Of Christioan Freedom by Raymond Franz. It is a good read.
The one emotion that I have primarely felt is deep anger. You see when I started studying I was told by the person who "brought me into the truth" to not talk to family. I had a sister that I was so close too, we were each others shadow. We did everything together and I was in my late 20's at the time. So, you can see we had a very strong relationship. I have not seen my sister now in 20 years and I have been so tron up. I began searching for her(I did not know where she was) and I just rescently found her. We have been writing and talking on the phone and we are making good progress. We have even been laughing lately. I hope so much that I can see her in person soon as I miss her so much.
I will never forgive the WTS!

Newbies Exiting the Witnesses - How Do You Feel ? Steve Hassan Explains

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