More important than the price is the contents:
Proposed Curriculum for Los Angeles Seminar.
Healing Oneself from Destructive Mind Control
with
Steve Hassan , ex-member of the Moonies, licensed mental health counselor (by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts) and author of Combatting Cult Mind Control and Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves. Steve Hassan's web site is www.freedomofmind.com
Issues which will be addressed:
1. Extreme identity confusion
2. Dissociative states - "floating"(getting triggered back into cult mode)
3. Panic and anxiety attacks
4. Depression
5. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (P.T.S.D.)
6. Psychosomatic symptoms (headaches, backaches, asthma, skin problems)
7. Problems with decision-making- dependency
8. Retarded psychological development- loss of psychological power
9. Guilt
10. Fear
11. Anger
12. Sleep disorders/ nightmares
13. Eating disorders
14. Sexual problems / Sexuality Issues
15. Lack of trust / fear of intimacy and commitment - people / work
16. Harassment and threats
17. Grieving loss of friends, family
18. Spiritual "rape" of the soul
19. What do I believe? What should I believe?
This program is open to all former cult members and individuals who have experienced destructive mind control. I intend to have several former long term members/ leaders speak about how their group used mind control as part of the format.
DAY ONE- Saturday
9 am- 10 am Introduction: The Way to Recover from Abusive Mind Control is to Cultivate Personal Awareness, Growth and learn to control your own Mind.
10-10:15 am break
10:15- 12 pm Destructive Mind Control vs. Healthy Influence: Creating a consumer-savvy toolbox for assessment and protection
12- 12:30pm- Break into small discussion groups
12:30-1:30 pm lunch
1:30-2:30 Identifying Key issues for you and cover some powerful healing strategies for how to work on them. PART 1
I plan to focus on Trust issues, Phobia and Fears, Dissociation problems and Identity Issues.
2:30- 2:45 break
2:45-3:15 pm Questions and Answers
3:15- 5pm Several former leaders of different cult groups will speak: Jim Procanik, former Bible Talk leader and 13 year member of the ICC (Kip McKean's International Churches of Christ). Randy Watters, former elder at Watchtower Society's headquarters) (Jehovah's Witnesses): others TBA
5pm on- Formal seminar is over for the day. Participants will choose how to spend their evening. Hopefully, some people might like to arrange to have dinner together- or get together to begin some new friendships.
DAY TWO Sunday
9 am- 10 am - Videotapes- Some of my favorite videos (ones you have probably not seen before)
10-10:15 am break
10:15- 12 pm Identifying Key issues for you and cover some powerful healing strategies for how to work on them. PART 2 Based on wishes of seminar participants, we continue to address other common problems from list above.
12- 12:30pm- Break into small discussion groups
12:30-1:30 pm lunch
1:30-2:30 Starting Over? How people have been able to successfully cope with starting over- especially if you were born in a cult or spent most of your life in a cult. Some suggestions for how to help your children recover, while you are going through your own recovery.
2:30- 2:45 break
2:45-4 pm For those people whose family and friends are still involved, it is imperative to find the balance between helping yourself and helping others. Some practical strategies will be discussed for how to help others.
4pm on- Formal seminar is over. Hopefully, some new friendships will have begun. Some people might like to discuss setting up a support group or an activist group.