NOTICE OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND HEALTH WARNINGS
computeruser
1. We are pleased that you are going to participate in The Landmark Forum
(the "Program"). Many people have found the
Program to be an enjoyable and valuable experience. However, the Program is
not advisable for everyone. The purpose of this
Notice is to ensure that you are not one of the people for whom this Program
may be inadvisable.
We take our responsibility and your safety seriously. Please read each
section of this Notice carefully and completely so you can
make the right decision for yourself. The recommendations in this Notice
have been made by mental health professionals who
advise Landmark Education.
Although the number of people who have experienced serious problems during
or after the Program is quite small, you should
be certain whether the Program is appropriate for you. If you have any
questions, please contact a mental health professional.
We will assume from your participation in the Program and from your
declaration at the end of this application that you have
a full understanding of each and every paragraph which follows and that you
understand our recommendations and will comply
with our instructions.
You and you alone are responsible for your choice to participate in the
Program and for your own
health and well-being at all times prior to, during and after your
participation in the Program.
2. The Program is a unique course of instruction designed to support people
in being more effective in realizing their own
personal and societal goals. Through a series of philosophically rigorous
and open discussions, voluntary sharing of your
experience and short exercises, the Program provides an opportunity to
explore basic questions that have been of interest to
human beings throughout time and to examine many aspects of your own life.
In the Program, people come to grips with what
it means to be human - not as a mere classroom exercise, but as a rigorous
inquiry. The Program offers a unique technology
through which people create new possibilities for their lives.
3. In the Program, you will inquire into fundamental issues that have been
of interest and concern to us as human beings. The
experience of the Program is unique to each individual and there is no way
to predict in advance exactly what you may think or feel.
It is normal for some people to experience unwanted or unfamiliar emotions
from time to time, such as fear, anger, sadness, regret,
hatred, irritation and impatience. For most participants, exploring thoughts
and feelings that they have not fully explored before is a
useful and positive learning experience. Some participants have found that
exploring life's issues honestly may evoke uncomfortable
and unpleasant feelings. For others, the Program may occur as physically,
mentally and emotionally seriously distressing. If you are
unwilling to encounter any of these powerful experiences in yourself or in
others, or if you have any concern about your ability to
deal with such experiences, THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WHO ADVISE
LANDMARK EDUCATION
("OUR ADVISORS") STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO NOT PARTICIPATE in the
Program.
4. Some people experience temporary and not seriously consequential stress
during and after the Program. For most people, stress
is a normal part of everyday life. However, people who have a history of
mental illness or serious emotional problems personally
or in their immediate family may be more vulnerable to stress and may
experience additional and very severe physical, mental
or emotional problems. In people who have physical, mental or emotional
problems, even normal amounts of stress from any
source may generate severe physical, mental or emotional problems. If you
have any history of mental illness or emotional
problems personally or in your immediate family, whether temporary,
occasional or intermittent, and whether treated or not, or
have concerns about your ability to handle stress, OUR ADVISORS STRONGLY
RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO NOT
PARTICIPATE in the Program. If you are uncertain about whether this applies
to you, we advise you to discuss this with a
mental health professional before participating in the Program.
NOTICE OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND HEALTH WARNINGS
(continued)
5. While it is ultimately your choice, OUR ADVISORS STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT
YOU SHOULD NOT
PARTICIPATE in the Program if you:
(a) have a personal or family history of bi-polar affective disorder
(manic-depressive disorder), schizophrenia, acute or chronic
depression or other psychotic disorder, whether or not you or they are being
or have ever been treated or hospitalized;
(b) are taking, have taken or been prescribed to take within the previous
twelve months anti-anxiety drugs (such as Librium,
Ativan, Klonapin, Xanax, Dormicum or others); anti-depressants (such as
Elavil, Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Cipram,
Prothiaden or others); anti-psychotics (such as Thorazine, Haldol,
Stelazine, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Dogmatil or others); any
medication to treat bi-polar disorders (such as Lithium, Gabapentin or
Depakote); any drugs or medicines, whether
prescription or non-prescription, intended to treat or affect mental
processes or mood or to treat a chemical imbalance; or
anabolic steroids;
(c) have an unresolved history of drug or steroid abuse;
(d) are or have in the past year been depressed and/or considered or had
ideas of suicide, self-harm or harm to another;
(e) are currently in therapy and your therapist sees a health reason why you
should not participate in the Program; or
(f) are uncertain about your physical, mental or emotional ability to
participate in the Program.
6. From time to time, during or shortly after participating in the Program,
a very small number of people who have no personal or
family history of mental illness or drug abuse have reported experiencing
brief, temporary episodes of emotional upset ranging
from heightened activity, irregular or diminished sleep, to mild
psychotic-like behavior. An even smaller number of people have
reported more serious symptoms ranging from mild psychotic behavior to
psychosis occasionally requiring medical care and
hospitalization. In less than 1/1000 of 1% of participants, there have been
reports of unexplained suicide or other destructive behavior.
While we know of no independent studies to suggest that people who are
physically, emotionally and mentally healthy are at risk
in the Program, certain persons have claimed that the Program has caused or
triggered in them a psychosis or psychotic event.
7. The Program is designed for people who clearly understand they are
responsible for their own health and well-being
before, during and after the Program. It is not therapeutic in design,
intent or methodology and is not to be used as a
substitute for medical treatment, psychotherapy or health program of any
nature, regardless of what you may believe or have
heard from anyone. We advise you that the Program Leaders, staff and people
who assist at the Program are not mental health
professionals and there will not be any mental health professionals in
attendance.
8. If you experience any symptoms or suggestion of mental distress in the
Program sessions, during the breaks or at the end of any
session, or between sessions, you must immediately inform the Program Leader
or the Program Supervisor. In such event, you
and the Program Leader will discuss the matter and you will determine what
is the appropriate thing for you to do. If you
experience any symptoms or suggestions of mental distress outside of the
Program, we strongly recommend that you
immediately inform a physician or mental health professional.
9. While there are breaks in the Program approximately every 2 to 3 hours,
we do not promise that we will always break at precisely
that interval. You are, of course, free to leave the Program room at any
time. Each day there is one meal break in the late
afternoon or early evening, usually lasting about an hour and a half. We
suggest that you eat a meal before arriving at the beginning
of each day, and have a third meal or snack after you leave in the evening.
You are welcome to bring snacks to eat during other
short breaks in the Program. If you have a medical condition requiring you
to eat or care for some special need more frequently
than the regularly scheduled breaks, or need special seating or must stand
and stretch frequently or have any other special needs,
please notify the Program Supervisor before the Program begins so that
appropriate arrangements can be made for you.
10. If you have not been feeling well or if you have been meaning to see a
physician or a mental health professional for some
complaint, symptom or concern, or if you have had difficulty sleeping
lately, or been depressed, it is imperative that you consult
with a physician or mental health professional prior to your participating
in the Program. Upon request, Landmark will provide
you with information required to enable you to make an informed decision
about your participation.
11. Although the schedule of the Program usually (but not always)
accommodates sufficient time for sleeping, some participants
have stated that they did not have sufficient time to sleep or were unable
to sleep at night before, during or after the Program.
Some people have entered the Program without having had sufficient sleep.
For some people, lack of sleep can become a
serious problem and may be symptomatic of a mental or emotional illness. If
in the past you have become (or think that you may
become) ill or seriously distressed because of lack of sleep, OUR ADVISORS
STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU
DO NOT PARTICIPATE in the Program. If you do not have sufficient sleep or if
you have a sleep disorder during the week
before the commencement of the Program, OUR ADVISORS STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT
YOU DO NOT
PARTICIPATE in the Program. If during the Program, you feel that you have
been unable to sleep or have not had sufficient
sleep, you must notify your Program Leader or Program Supervisor at once.
12. If, after your consulting with your medical or mental or health
professional, your health professional needs any additional
information about the Program in order to resolve your ability to
participate, please contact the Registration Fulfillment
Manager at the Center delivering this Program who will provide you with such
information.
NOTICE OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND HEALTH WARNINGS (continued)
The following Agreements are intended to have legal significance. If you
have any questions
about their meaning, please feel free to consult an attorney.
Tex
Very "important."
"computeruser" <ona...@postmaster.invalid> wrote in message
news:420c4$4880fe65$d0662a4c$44...@FUSE.NET...