As I type this my fiance is attending an Impact Training. I have spent a lot of time trying to do my due dilegence. I have a lot of concerns with the informaiton I have read. My fiance did not do much research-only knows a couple of people that attended and had a positive experience.

Have any of you attended an impact training? Can anyone provide me with some real facts about what is going on in this first four days of this "Quest" training.

I am really worried from what I have read but I don't know if what I read is accurate. My fiance feels Impact will help her deal with some issues from her past and it will help her enter our marriage with this behind her.

Are my concerns valid?

I know nothing about this, but your post had me wondering, so I googled it. This is what I found. I would be concerned.http://www.skepdic.com/impacttraining.html



From what i've read they use a lot of the same psychological tactics that the mormon church does. They are just faster paced and more extreme.

They tell their members to not talk about what happens in their meetings. They want people to be so curious they will sign up. Sound familiar temple goers?

There's more. I personally would be alarmed if any one of my friends or family were involved in this.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/2012 05:17PM by Mia.

Not sure if this is the same thing as what I'm thinking of but I believe there will be a lot of crying!!

Yes, the Helzers. THat does ring a bell! THeir mother was in my ward in Pleasant Hill/martinez. She was crazy! That is a crazy true story of Mormons going to the extreme.

Sounds like counseling may be a better alternative.

Check out the Rick Ross info...
http://rickross.com/groups/impact_trainings.html

Yeah, it's bad stuff. I would get her away from it as fast as you can! It's not healthy in the tiniest bit.


Get her some real counseling, not that crap.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/2012 05:16PM by biteme.

I watched multiple extended family members throw away thousands of dollars on the progressively crazier tiers of Quest and Lift Off and whatever else they were called. We thought it would finally end when they finished all of the offered couses, but no. They just became unpaid Impact instructors. Because our family lived decently close to the training center, we were always being asked for our spare room. It was ok at first, but it started to feel like they were moving in with us.
They also tended to alienate all of their pre-Impact friends because they would beg them to come to "graduations," rework the way they talk (Impact teaches you to replace the word "need" with "deserve," even in dumb cases like, "I deserve to go to the bathroom,") and then begging for money to pay for each course.
Now that it's been years since their original Quest course, it's safe to conclude that it did not improve their lives or mental health.

I have a lot of concerns because it sounds really cult like to me. I think that it is weird that they aren't aloud to talk about what goes on there. And they go all day and finish at midnight.

Thank you for all of you that replied to my post. Update-My fiance got home from impact around midnight. She did not talk about the details as I expected. I asked her to please read the information from the links. She said she was too tired. I told her that I felt impact was the greatest threat to our relationship-not our past. I told her I will help her in every way possible to find a professional and positve counselor/therapist to help her. She knows I love her and am there for her. I asked her to please not go back to impact. I don't know if she will decide to go back today or not. We have an amazing relationship and we work through everything together. We have dealt with a lot but this is by far the most difficult and frightning. This has me really scared. I don't want this to destroy our relationship. I really love her. Anyone have to deal with the de-programming of someone that completes the quest training?

I had a co-worker who did Impact Training. While I agree that it's exploitative, I don't think it's quite as bad as you fear, certainly not worth damaging a relationship over. It's just a scam to take your money. While I do think you should advise your fiancee not to go, I don't think you should let it become a problem that makes or breaks your relationship.

This post is getting old, so I don't know if you are still reading responses, but I wanted to weigh in anyway.

My daughter and I both went through the Harmony Institute trainings in SLC back in 2003. Personally, I loved it.

I won't claim that it was perfect and that there aren't any downsides to it, but the overall experience for me was positive, and I would happily do it again.

I'm just sharing this to help allay your fears about your fiance going through it. It's not as crazy as you might think. And for some, myself for one, it can be a shot in the arm as far as getting unstuck and moving forward with life.

I might add that my daughter and I are the only ones in a huge extended family that finally saw the truth of the church, even if it was 7 years after going through the training.

are manipulative and exploit attendees. Examples of exploitation: pay huge fees for "training", work for free or to get other people to sign up, and convince he attendees that they NEED the training. I also believe that most of them can be damaging in dealing with real issues that need to be addressed with a professional counselor, and probably require the attendees to sign a waiver at the beginning, absolving them of responsibility.

I was involved with est in the 1970's and early 80's until I tired of the same old same old--buy more seminars and "bring guests." And I realized I was the same old me with the same old issues!

I happened to go back to Sacrament Meeting shortly thereafter and, guess what!? The talks were all about paying your tithing and being a member missionary! That was a big uh oh moment.

est promised enlightenment in this world and the morg promises safety and well being in the next, but it is all about money for the owners of the cult and bringing in more paying customers.

It became very clear to me that I would have been way better off to have spent the money on therapy. Both secular and religious cults share the secrecy, centralized management, promise of getting closer to the final transforming secrets of getting success and love. And they each have nominal, vague charities to soften the outrageousness of the cost.

People who participate really are trying to better their lives, but are being scammed and exploited, in the final analysis.

Better to take the money and go to Hawaii for a great vacation!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/2012 01:15PM by Adult of god.

My best friend in high school ended up marrying a leader in the old EST seminars. She ended up escaping from a second story window with her children by climbing down knotted sheets.

Tell your friend to be a better custodian of her sanity.


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