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Joanie Higgs's avatar

As a baby boomer I remember well the influence of EST and then The Forum on friends who partook. They became obnoxiously pushy, know-it-all, and spoke a new jargon-filled language. A cult of the first order. And Esalen at Big Sur was all the rage. I recall the name Fritz Perls.

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Stephen Smajstrla's avatar

Excellent interview! I have some past experience with Gestalt Therapy, in that I used to go to group meetings at this guy’s house. He pulled people in word of mouth, but would also troll Landmark meetings for people wanting to take things up a level. I eventually quit because it got too cultish and manipulative. Also, yeah, people were pushed into reliving traumas and sexual stuff in very intense and confrontational ways. It can result in an immediate cathartic release. But yeah, not sure about long term result or potential for damage. But a person trained in Perls’ and Reich’s methods could become highly adept at gaining human intelligence.

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