Self-Awareness Groups

[RC Vikings]

Uh oh, I must not have opened all my mail this week. No letters read in our ward today.

You may have couples pairing up in your ward right now because of this not being read today. Really what else is their to do on a Sunday evening.

[beefytee]

We got the letter not to contact GA directly this week. Not this one.

[TripletDaddy]

We got the letter not to contact GA directly this week. Not this one.

Have some fun. Next week before sacrament tell your bishop that you just started some self help program and that you were out really late the night before.

[smokymountainrain]

My first impression was that it was regarding groups such as Impact Training, which is headquartered in Bluffdale. I have heard that they intertwine gospel principles in their individual and couples courses. I've also heard it's some creepy stuff. But it is all 2nd or 3rd hand info so I could be way off.

As far as I'm concerned, letter may as well have just mentioned Impact directly. My MIL does it and the letter nearly described it exactly. And yes, they do some weird and creepy stuff. They will hold meetings until 2-3am some nights. And this part: "Cause a husband and wife to be paired with other parties." is significantly more than standing in circle with some random person for 3 minutes.

[YOhio]

When I was a teenager Impact Training had a bout of popularity amongst some families in my stake. They had to crack down a few times in testimony meeting when attention was focused on Hans Berger and his cohorts as opposed to the standard script.

My friends' mom did it and we had a bit of fun messing around with her and her pop psychology pronouncements. "Why do you hide behind your mask of humor?" "How are your comments a mirror of yourself."

[RC Vikings]

They will hold meetings until 2-3am some nights. And this part: "Cause a husband and wife to be paired with other parties." is significantly more than standing in circle with some random person for 3 minutes.

Don't leave us hanging, I want to hear the creepy stuff.

[YOhio]

I read the letter carefully and was relieved that it didn't seem to encompass Covey Seven Habits training.

lol. Nice.

[Pheidippides]

This letter was read over the pulpit today in most wards:

http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/40005/Members-counseled-about-self-awareness-groups.html

I must confess that I am completely ignorant about these groups. What have I missed that would warrant a letter from the FP?

They are bad juju sometimes. At least the ones I know of. Messed up some people in my family bigtime.

[Surfah]

I have no clue what Impact Training is so I looked it up. People pay money for that crap? 10% of your increase will give you what they offer in a bona fide cult.

Also, from some things I read it sounds like the same guy who started Harmony/Great Life.

[Pheidippides]

I have no clue what Impact Training is so I looked it up. People pay money for that crap? 10% of your increase will give you what they offer in a bona fide cult.

Also, from some things I read it sounds like the same guy who started Harmony/Great Life.

My siblings and parents got involved in a copycat org. Same general stuff. 2 brothers, me and my mom saw it for what it was. The others got kind of messed up for a while.

[smokymountainrain]

I have no clue what Impact Training is so I looked it up. People pay money for that crap? 10% of your increase will give you what they offer in a bona fide cult.

Also, from some things I read it sounds like the same guy who started Harmony/Great Life.

It's even more mind boggling when a close relative is paying that kind of money - and generally it's money they don't have. And they're paying 10% of their increase to the aforementioned cult on top of it.

[Spicy McHaggis]

Several years ago I had a friend go through the Impact Training sessions. He begged me to take the course, and even offered to pay for my training.
He finally talked me in to going to an initial meeting, one intended for potential clients but had a lot of people who had gone through the training who were there to testify about what a great experience it was.
It was a lot like a testimony meeting where those who had gone through the training would stand and testify to what a tremendous impact it had on their lives. A young lady stood up and started talking about how the training felt as good as when she would touch herself .....her mic was taken away pretty quickly.
Anyway, those who had just gone through that sort of training reminded me of kids who had just returned from their missions. It took a few weeks to a few months for them to decompress and return to being normal. I'm sure looking back at it, they probably wish they had that money back since nothing really changes exept for short term emotional highs.

[Scott R Nelson]

This letter was read over the pulpit today in most wards:

http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/40005/Members-counseled-about-self-awareness-groups.html

I must confess that I am completely ignorant about these groups. What have I missed that would warrant a letter from the FP?

That link has a date at the top saying: "Published: Saturday, June 9, 2001" which would be more than nine years ago. I don't remember hearing that back then and it definitely hasn't been read in our ward recently.

Do some of these things get sent out over again?

[Jeff Lebowski]

That link has a date at the top saying: "Published: Saturday, June 9, 2001" which would be more than nine years ago. I don't remember hearing that back then and it definitely hasn't been read in our ward recently.

Do some of these things get sent out over again?

I googled the topic yesterday and saw several links to the letter. I didn't notice the date and assumed it was the same letter. Reading through it again, it sounds exactly like the letter that was read yesterday.

[SCcoug]

I am convinced that 90% of the CHOI is for the small minority of nut jobs living in Utah and Idaho. The other 10% is for CUF and cougar guard.

There is much truth here. When I was a kid when a letter like this was read over the pulpit most of the time no one had any idea what they were talking about.