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My wife attended PSI in Dec 08 – prior to her going in we had a very loving relationship, like all relationships we had our issues, but if there was one thing never in doubt it was the love we had for each other. Pretty much day one of my wife coming out of the process she told me she didn't think we had a future together, and quoted "with my new inner strength and the love I have for myself I don't feel you fit in to my future plans, I now feel we have different perspectives on life and I need to follow my own path in life and do what truly makes me happy".

We stayed together for the following 4 months (in separate bedrooms) and 1 month ago she moved out and said she cannot be in a relationship as she needs to focus on herself. The post's here screams out a lot of similarities in what my wife has been saying to me post the PSI process, excluding the recruiting of friends, and the aggressive nature of the Lifespring seminar.

Post all of this happening I have spent a lot of time studying the internet and have found a lot of negative press around these residential LGAT type programs. What I found was both interesting and scary. The PSI program seems to come from the same stable as EST, Life spring etc………as Thomas Wilhite the "creator" of PSI originally worked with Werner Erhard as an aide promoting EST.

My view from what I have seen is this is a real slick operation that has taken a good look at all of the negative press around LGAT's, and created an incredibly slick program that minimizes negative press after their process. Ie: Landmark, PSI, and Lifespring rely on re-recruiting attendees to maximize the revenue they would generate, the PSI program maximizes their revenue in one swoop as they offer a 4 day residential program that costs $550.00. People thereafter are focused on aggressively recruiting, and because they are so hyped up from the guided visualizations and meditation sessions naturally want to promote the process to their friends as they are still on a serotonin high.

My biggest gripe with PSI (as well as losing my wife) is the fact they are not accountable to anyone, they do not truly stringently pre-screen applications, and not being medically trained are not skilled enough to know when people are not suitable for the intense training they are putting people through. I ask you how can you truly assess someone by simply reading an application form……..?

My wife suffered from abuse as a child and bouts of depression; speaking to a qualified psychologist I was told my wife should not have done this process as it seems to have caused dissociation, and has caused her to disconnect from some of her emotions, hence her black and white approach towards me.

Maybe I'm being a complete *** and maybe my wife never loved me, but I find that very hard to believe as she often called me her rock, and told me no-one has ever stood by her like I did, and gave un-conditional love and support accepting all her quirks.

Location: Dallas, Texas

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Guest

I find it interesting that people blame a class or another individual for the failing of avrelationship. I have done classes with many different companies over my 53 years of life and most of them including PSI , Soul Institute.

EST, and many others give tools for people to make their own choices about what they want in life.

They say what do you want in life, how do you want to be treated , what do you deserve. If any of theses ideas are bad then I wonder what you feel about yourself or are you just blaming others because your afraid to look in your own mirror.

Guest

Rather than intellectually judging, why not "man up" and come from experience?

Guest

PSI and other LGATs have different effects on people but in my years of following these groups and having talked with a number of people who went through PSI, a good percentage wound up going through a divorce as a result. I do not know what the percentage is but there are enough breakups of couples after going through the so called training to cause alarm.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-923998

What is so alarming? Read my comment below to "Me too".

Guest

I took EST in the 70's and left my husband shortly after. I took PSI in the 80's and my second husband left me after the second level.

I went on to the ranch and realized that PSI wasn't responsible for anything. Life just sucks.

Now I'm thinking about doing Choice Center because I'm already alone and there's nobody to leave anybody in my life......

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-604325

So many marriages are based on pretense -- Truth is a good thing but, unfortunately, it doesn't have too much acceptance in our "pop culture" based society. Self-image, Self-esteem, and Self-worth are not acceptable since that cannot be controlled by the masses.

What is the cause for "alarm", "The Rog"?

Your "years of following these groups and having talked with a number of people who went through PSI" reeks of ignorance. You seem satisfied with "knowing about" rather than "knowing".

Guest

BE ALL THAT YOU CAN BE!

YOU ARE A CIRCLE WITHOUT CIRCUMFERENCE.

YOU ARE INFINITE.

YOU ARE ONE WITH THE UNIVERSE.

YOU ARE THE UNIVERSE.

YOU ARE INFINITE POWER.

YOU ARE GOD.

YOU ARE THE I AM.

YOU ARE.

Guest

Everything you guys are saying might be right in whatever you think which also probably causes you negativity. Everything you guys are thinking is negative, take a look at your life and look at where you are, are you happy?

are you content or would you like to succeed and maybe reach your goals in life? Yo are all talking about what once started as successful relationships, but what if the significant other decided that leaving you was the start of their success? maybe your relationships really weren't worth it to the people that you were "loved by", I mean could a 3 day class really brain wash you into not loving the person you have loved for years on end, or have been with for 10+ years or whatever? Be realistic people!

My husband went to PSI first, he enjoyed the class but didn't say anything about it and I didn't see any difference in our relationship, i thought it was super weird, some aspects are definitely weird. I went to PSI and it was the most amazing class i've ever taken. No huge decisions, nothing. I just found out a lot about myself that I've never known before, and yes, I did cheat on my husband WAY before I even took the class, we went through the most rough time in our lives, but years later, this class made me realize my mistakes and how much I hurt him and regret a lot of things, but i have grown a lot over the years and I like over 60% of women was sexually abused by family members and the class made me realize the kind of wife and person I want to be.

Don't get me wrong, I love God and I believe in God 100% but I don't need to go to church for God to love me and by all mean THOMAS WILHITE DOES NOT TEACH US THAT WE ARE GOD? He never said we are God, he simply says we have the ability to make sound decisions and be leaders within ourselves, with out having anyone follow us. Yes it's a self boosting class but maybe it's what people need these days. Sometimes people need a little self confidence or whatever they might be looking for, and obviously they can't find it.

No demons what so ever. You all can keep spacing about how everyone left you about how this is a demonic class etc etc, I didn't preach it to my friends, I didn't tell anyone I'm super excited of everything that I learned and the fact that I can be a wonderful person and wife everyday.

The fact that I need to find more time for myself, it's little things like that. :grin

Guest

She got very clear about the relationship within both of you was not going to work. life is about choices and she choosed out.

why dont you ask your self, what did you do to create that result.

let me tell you my wife left me to, but I'm very clear that I messed up

Guest

I stumbled upon this site after becoming curious about the mysterious man who was the father of my own father. All I had heard about him since I was a child was that he was rich, and that he had died in a plane crash after suffering a heart attack, until now.

My grandmother never spoke about him, probably because she had cheated on her husband (whom I used to believe was my true grandfather) with Tom. My father didn't know much about him either, that I'm aware of, but he recently passed a few years back so it left me with some questions once I was able to grow up and really start wondering about things.

So I decided to take matters into my own hands and do a little research to find out where my family roots led, to see if maybe I could find out anything interesting. And frankly I found out a great deal more about Willhite than I bargained for, and I'm truly sorry for any of the problems he may of caused in your lives.

Guest

I went to PSI basic and PSI 7. I went because the man I was dating told me he would only pursue a relationship with someone who had the same "level" of thinking and understanding.

So, a bit naive, I went. yes, I had a few childhood issues to deal with. During PSI 7, I was rediculed by a couple of people in the group, including one of the leaders, saying that I was holding stuff back, and I needed to free myself and tell everything that had been horrible in my life. I felt like I had to continually apoligize for not having such bad childhood experiences as some.

Upon returning, I didn't want to go to Womens leadership. I felt like I was fine and didn't need anybod to validate my existence. My husband at the time would attend PSI functions, however, since I never went to Leadership, I could not attend some of these events. I feel like they were shutting people out unless they underwent their training.

Now I am divorced, however, not for the reason that most here are. My ex-husband actually thrived on PSI becauses he was continually held accountable for his actions. without PSI, he went back to his deceiptfull self. So, when I met him, he was on good behavior.

Personally, PSI was a good experience because it taught me that I'm good with God, and, I don't need anybody to forgive me or validate my life, but ME.

So, don't waste your money on PSI. You probably just need a good therapist!

Guest

Add another marriage to the list.

My wife left me three weeks ago after coming back the PSI7 Ranch.

Guest

Dear PSi. please give me the ones i love back. I miss them.

Guest

Wow. Sorry your marriage failed, but I will let you in on a secret. You did NOT have a loving "marriage" - and "lost your wife to PSI". You may THINK that, I'm sure you loved your wife...and you're entitled to an opinion.

No seminar or self improvement course makes anyone do anything. Your wife made a decision to leave, and yes - she was probably unhappy in the marriage long before attending. It may be why she attended PSI! PSI merely gave her momentum.

That being said, I am stunned at how many times I read about how foolish PSI "followers" are or how shady the Willhites (staff, facilitators, et al) are. PSI seminars is a self improvement course. "VOILA" - that is it. People paying money to attend are not bilked - they know going in just what the price is, and have choices to attend or not. By the time one attends a seminar at the ranch, we've already attended a basic seminar and KNOW almost EXACTLY what we are getting into.

It is pricey, yes. For some, too much so. Peple pay it beasue they perceive a value in it. Personally I have recouped my money in personal values learned there. There is a strong level of marketing going on, but it is usually coming from VOLUNTEERS. These helpers are not getting paid, they are marketing PSI becasue they believe in it.

I have staffed some classes, even though I hate marketing and I'm lousy at it. All I can do is share that PSI was a great experience for me (some uncomfortable things - but I benefitted from it all) I attended all the courses offered in 2001 and I have grown directly from them. I found my time at the ranch to be wonderful...no demonic spirts lurking behind trees or in the chalk boards.

I am a Christian female married for well over 20 years. My husband did not attend PSI, and is not involved in it nor could a seminar "make me leave" him.

"Silly rabbit, tricks are for kids!" Grow up and be accountable for your own life. Stop blaming a self improvement course for the demise of (enter subject here)

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-69940

Thank you for being a voice of reason Gater ;)

Guest

I attended the PSI classes and just like with religion you take what you learn nd pply it to your life as it fits, Does it have some weird things yes, but i choose to go there, and what i got from it is how to enjoy life and to live life fully, and stop letting things pass me by. you cant knock it till you try it, the guy above said his wife was madly in love with him before she went and then fell out of love with him, but maybe he shuld stop playing the victim and look at her as someone who had the guts to come out about her true feelings, just becuse she said she loved him one day doesnt mean that it was a love to last fofr a lifetime, she has that right to feel that hes not going to fit into her life anymore, thats her right with or without the prgram.

they dont mke clims or reports of healing, thts all what you make if you get something out of the experience than you do if you dont you dont, if yu skeptical dont WAST YOUR MONEY!

now whose fault is that, if you choose not to get anything out of the program and your still skeptical YOURS you paid the frikin money deal with it. who are you gunna sue for malpractice you?

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-64258

Do you really believe that you attended PSI on your own choice, a group you knew nothing about before ever hearing about it. Most people who become involved in LGATs and cult type groups do not realize that they were led in a way that the only choice that was left to make was the go to the training. It would take to long to explain how this works but it does.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-924002

I attended PSI Basic in 1979. At the time, I was a successful Naval Officer, functioning as the OinC of the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Program throughout the Pacific Training Command [I was specifically selected, based on demonstrated ability) by a Rear (2-star) Admiral].

A major concern of mine was that there was no program akin to A/A (and their "Big Book") for those of us who were coping with life (take from that what you will) and all of its social "norms" (conditionings) and pretenses. One day a secretary at Command told me "there is a seminar I think you would be interested in" -- no (as people like to say) "hype". Without any need for explanation, I simply asked, when, where, how long, and the cost? I never gave any thought to fearing anything -- (I'll just leave that as it is); I was OK with me.

I attended and was quite impressed -- that four days was an astounding answer to the concern I mentioned earlier -- I would explain simply that the seminar encompassed everything about life and how to live it (genuinely, responsibly, and successfully). I passed up a promotion and retired from the Navy as soon as I could; I got to know TDW and became an instructor (claimed by many to be the best). Through the years I spoke with companies, organizations, schools, etc. and became well-known to some CEOs, Principals, PhDs, teachers, students, etc.

"One" day in Oregon, I spoke to college post-graduates and graduating seniors (invited by PhDs), two high schools, a grade school, and ended the day with a room full of second-graders (it wasn't easy fitting into that tiny desk). I won't go into other exceptional experiences and their overwhelming results. If you choose to listen to the many (ignorant or professional self-preserving) "nay sayers", you may choose to have a look at your orientations. What I have observed in 1,000s of people is simply: they avoid (at all costs) taking responsibility for their "own" lives.

I would welcome any and all to discuss this in open forum. Keep well and be happy.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1131504

Nearly 30 years later, I cannot speak to what mutations have been created by Jane, Ronald Willhite, et.al. -- I can only speak to the wholesomeness of philosophy. I did not leave the organization, but was "fired" -- I'll leave that to your curiosity.

Guest

Take responsibility for your actions!!

Hold yourself accountable for all your actions; hold no ill will for the consequences that transpire; blame no one because of your actions! It is all YOU!

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