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Old May 3rd, 2008, 01:07 PM
Da Friendly Puter Tech Da Friendly Puter Tech is offline
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Default Scientology Boot Camp For Katie Holmes

Apropos the thread below, I woke up this morning to this headline on aol.

A few more clicks and the story tells me that after Katie wanted to strike out a bit independently and go to NY for a part on broadway a few weeks ago she is now in a $cientology intensive 3 day camp.

The article also tells me that she has already been through several auditing sessions - some lasting up to 36 hours with very little food or sleep.

Many people would probably have trouble believing such claims - after all it sounds too extreme.

From everything I have read specifically about $cientology, and from my own previous experiences in a high demand group I would hazard the guess that this is true.

I would like to tell the listeners a little about what happens at such a camp - and even offer an opinion for the professionals on how to handle a case such as this should it come across their table.

As the articles claim it is quite common for high demand groups to completely isolate someone for days on end. $cientology definitely has a long and well documented history of doing that. During this time the member is not allowed any privacy, and has their sleep and food intake severely limited. It is possible all Katie is getting is water, although she might be offered a little something extra - like a piece of fruit a day. There will also be a reward system - cooperate and get food or sleep - dont and there is nothing. It is highly likely that Katie is allowed exceedingly little time to sleep.

During this time she will be pushed to confess to things - true or imagined. Sometimes the more outlandish "confessions" will get the highest rewards from those around her. She might even be told something happened to her that didnt. Given her lack of food or sleep it is not hard to convince her of strange things. Any confessions she makes will be used against her in the future.

Even if the things she "confess's" are real - I think we all have a thing or two in our pasts that we like to keep private - they will be distorted by $cientology.

She will be surrounded for a large part by people she trusts and cares about. This will be people that she believed cared about her, and whose opinion she values.

Most importantly - Suri will be dragged into it every time she resists too much. Threats of losing Suri, never seeing her again, or even statements such as Suri is at risk from imaginary evil spirits, diseases or whatever.... should she not cooperate, are common.

She most likely signed a piece of paper saying that she went there voluntarily. Either she did not know what to expect there, or just as likely Suri was used as leverage to get her there.

She will be not let out until her keepers are satisfied that she has given in, and that they can trust her words and actions. When she is let out the first while afterwards she will not have much contact with anyone outside of $cientology.

After this intensive what we will hear from Katie in the tabloids is her undying devotion to $cientology and to Tom.

Her family will notice a rather sharp change in her personality. If they havent already before this.

This is the common way these things happens within cults.

It will be very difficult for her family, or anyone who cares about her to reach the Katie they know.

When outsiders talk to a current cult member they will only hear what the cult wants them to hear. This goes equally for family, friends or mental health professionals that come across this person.

I would encourage all mental health professionals to NOT be fooled by this. The person is NOT in the group by their own free will. That said - the only thing outsiders can do is to offer lots of choices and options. The cult member only sees one option - to obey and stay with the group. They fear all sorts of varied and strange things should they even contemplate to leave.

To give the member ongoing options to reach out is the first step. Occassionally the cult member is going to wish deep in the recesses of their mind that they could go somewhere else. That is the moment they might remember other options given to them in the past. I mean good, non-judgmental options.

I also encourage those around a cult member to not talk negatively about the cult. There is something the cult member likes there and they will only retreat deeper into the cult. Or even worse not consider those who judges the cult an option to go to when that time comes. Allow the member his or her own choices and decisions about this group. After all it is choices and decisions that has been taken away from the member.

Most of all - professionals - please, please do not think you can handle a case involving a current or past cult member without reading up on how cults work. You cant! Sorry - but it takes some additional knowledge, it really does.

I would encourage any professionals trying to help those affected by cults to contact ICSA for resources, reading materials and further recommendations.

www.icsahome.com.

I can also recommend a couple of books by Steven Hassan. Combatting Cult Mind Control being the first of his books.

I will respond to any messages that genuinely seeks more information or resources about this topic.

Da Friendly Puter Tech
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