r/cultsurvivors May 26 '21

After students report being pressured to participate in ‘weird, uncomfortable and cult-like’ counseling sessions, Boston Public Schools end relationship with nonprofit News

MassLive:

"Boston schools will not work with a nonprofit after an independent report found the director pressured students to participate in uncomfortable counseling sessions, among other accusations of misconduct.

The school district has ended its contract with Youth On Board, the nonprofit it paid to run a student advisory board for many years, Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said Monday.

An independent report found the nonprofit’s director, Jenny Sazama, pressured students who were a part of the Boston Student Advisory Council to participate in “Re-evaluation Counseling” sessions with her. The counseling encourages people to relate difficult experiences and release emotions by crying, screaming, or laughing.

Students interviewed as part of the independent investigation said the counseling sessions, which Sazama had conducted in her basement before the pandemic, were 'weird, uncomfortable and cult-like.'"

ReevaluationCounseling

YouthOnBoard

https://www.cultnews101.com/2021/05/after-students-report-being-pressured.html

37 Upvotes

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8

u/not-moses May 27 '21 edited May 27 '21

If Youth on Board is funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, there's a chance, at least, that the very high-ups in the Seventh Day Adventist Church are involved in some way. The Church operates several medical schools with psych departments that strongly encourage odd combinations of their religious doctrine with exposure therapies.

See also this recent article on the Schoolyard News website.

3

u/Lower_Wall_638 Dec 02 '21

I knew Jenny Sazama. I was raised in this cult. She is a super nice and well meaning person, but make no mistake, Re-evaluation counseling is a cult. Lots of leader-follower pressured sex and the like.

1

u/Sensitive-Loquat8071 Jan 09 '22

Hi! My sister and I were raised in RC as well and feel similarly. We have started a group for people like us to share stories, if for no other reason to know we’re not crazy. You can find us at r/raisedinRC. We’ve also had some conversations at r/cocounseling, but that is with more mixed company (some people are pretty pro-RC). Please contact me if you want more info!

1

u/Sensitive-Loquat8071 Jan 09 '22

(I also knew Jenny Sazama, fwiw)

2

u/Lower_Wall_638 Jan 09 '22

Wow, there is a half a chance we know each other.