I cannot possibly let Mr D.(Woof)and Bobby P.(85DJ)into this fray without me,Brother Sam,get a few licks in himself.To avoid being judgmental of anybody during this time,I remember John Milton's narrative "Paradise Lost" where if one would ask Satan,he would have you believe that he was a kind and gentle soul and it was God who was the bad guy.If Satan himself believes his intentions to be honorable,crackpots,halfwits and misfits like Helen Peterman,Wanda Minton,and even Doctor(?)George Ross probably think that they're decent people too.I was one of Dave MacAdams' first oldcomers who spoke to him later as an exec staff when my adopted half-sister had a short tenure there before being withdrawn.He was a lot more mellow than most Str8 exec staffs,more of an administrator than a counselor.What can one say about Doctor George?He did not invent RBT,just parroted as a means to an ends,one he knew to be profitable.85DJ said that he got something out of his dialogue.Power to 85DJ.Considering the other "therapists"we were subjected to,maybe Dr.George did have something to offer as opposed to Helen"I know what you're thinking"Peterman who didn't really have a clue about anything except incite a mob of ignoramuses to come down on some poor soul on the drop of a hat for the slightest of reasons.Those 16 1/2 months for me were like a fog wearing special glasses.I remember everything plain as day,just what was going on with me at the time is only coming back in bits and pieces Chris Cassler,only 18 at the time,really thought he was taking on a noble endeavor and doing a great thing at the time he went into staff office.I should know,I sat with him in humanities class while he went from 4th to 5th phase and then to staff trainee and even junior staff.I used to go to his house and take turns playing on his Moog keyboard,usually to Yes,ELP,and Keith Jarrett.He was a very frustrated person then and probably became miserable when these frustrations became worse as he grew with the program.We all know what that was about.He was having conflicts with the lies he was believing and the reality that was smacking him every day.It never gets better until you get on track.His frustrations,which I saw on almost a daily basis,told me that I wanted nothing to do with staff office once my phases were through.Obviously Chris staying on turned him into a total basket case.Ditto for Dave Crock.Almost tragically,for a good friend of mine,Tommy Vida.Thankfully,with professional help and the love of good people,Tom did well for himself.That staff office was an incubator for more psychoses than all hallucinogenic drugs combined.Thank heaven I only experienced it from the outside.
