Charla Mack

[mphillips]

My name is Mark Phillips, I was the man dating Charla for over a year leading up to her death.

I have read a lot of your posts and it seems some of you have questions, if i can answer some of them I will.

Everyday is a struggle without Charla, I miss her greatly. I am fortunate to be able to spend time with her daughter Erika and try to make sure she is doing somewhat o.k for now.

Charla was such a special person, she helped me to live and showed me how to love and let myself be loved.

I will use all that she taught me to live an extraordinary life.

I wish you all well!!

[FitnessMom]

Hi Mark -

I agree with Kimberly. This can be a rough place. I'm sorry for your loss.

You've been through a lot. I wish you well.

Keep up the bodybuilding. You look great.

FM

[magpie1]

Hi Mark,
I'm so sorry for your loss. I can only imagine how difficult the past few months have been for you and all those who were a part of Charla's life.

Welcome to the board and please feel free to join the discussion here. :)

[Kelly.C]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for posting.

Were you involved with Landmark?



Kelly

[mphillips]

Yes Kelly, Charla took me too the Landmark Forum about 6 months ago in L.A. It is a 3 and a half day course.

Thank all of you for your kind thoughts. This does indeed bring up a lot of pain for me but I feel it helps me in some ways to deal with the loss of Charla. You all are very professional with your comments and I am impressed by how much you care about someone most of you did not even know.

This is the calm before the storm for me with the upcoming trial. I am still debating on if I am going to attend or not. Many people have told me not to go due to how ugly they can get.

I think I am getting my crying down to once or twice a day now.

I look forward to communicating with all of you.

Mark

[mphillips]

Kimberly..you are so sweet...thank you!!

[magpie1]

Hi Mark,
I do have a question that perhaps you might be able to answer, regarding the family dynamics.

Charla's father, Jan Sampsel, lives there in Reno and works for the Mack family-owned jewelry store.

In all the media reports, there's been no mention of Charla's father. He hasn't given an interview to media, nor have media mentioned him in any press reports. I noted that even when the press reported on who attended Charla's funeral, Charla's father wasn't listed among the family in attendence.

Do you know the reason for the absence of Jan Samsel in the reporting of Charla's death?

Also, it was mentioned in one press report that Charla has two brothers. One is Christopher Broughton, who gave a press conference when Darren Mack was apprehended. Do you know who Charla's other brother is?

[mphillips]

I do not know why Jan went unmentioned for so long , I wondered the same thing. Charla and Jan did not have a good relationship. Since he was working for Darren, Jan felt his allegiance was to Darren through the divorce.

Honestly i did not even know Charla had another brother other than Christopher. The service was the first time I met him. I cant recall his name right now.

[TobyTiger]

Hello Mark! I would at this time like to formally welcome you here. I hope you received the response I sent you.

Again, thank you for joining us and hopefully the discussion will help you in some way...my best wishes to you and to her daughter, Erika.
:)

[mphillips]

Thank you Toby...sorry for the private msg. if I was mistaken I apologize. Someone used them, I thought it was you..again I apologize

[magpie1]

Originally posted by mphillips
I do not know why Jan went unmentioned for so long , I wondered the same thing. Charla and Jan did not have a good relationship. Since he was working for Darren, Jan felt his allegiance was to Darren through the divorce.

Honestly i did not even know Charla had another brother other than Christopher. The service was the first time I met him. I cant recall his name right now.

Hi Mark,
Thanks! I'm curious about Charla's family, and that's why I wondered about her father and possibly another brother.

[TobyTiger]

Originally posted by mphillips
Thank you Toby...sorry for the private msg. if I was mistaken I apologize. Someone used them, I thought it was you..again I apologize
No problem, friend...

:beer:

[Kelly.C]

Originally posted by mphillips
Yes Kelly, Charla took me too the Landmark Forum about 6 months ago in L.A. It is a 3 and a half day course.


Mark


It's another sad, sad situation and if you have an interest in the history of Landmark, as I do, not all that surprising. In direct opposition to what they purport to offer, that being "enhanced" relationships and a better ability to handle intimacy, the Landmark programs have a way of turning those notions on their heads and twisting them into perversions for far too many people. At best, the programs usually give people an elevated sense of entitlement, which can be deadly in a volitile situation and coupled with the aggression that most divorce lawyers will provoke, well, you can imagine the implications. I certainly don't suggest Landmark is at fault, just that Landmark training is most likely a contributing factor. I'll be glad to elaborate if you are interested. You might be curious to read some of the threads started by ex-Landmark employees and spouses of those who got involved with the group on Rick Ross's site.

Just for the record, I have never attended any Landmark or est programs or been involved with any other "LGATs," though I have been an avid watcher of cults and Werner Erhard and his descendants since the 1970s. I did attend an "intro" once, for research purposes.


Kelly

[Kelly.C]

Originally posted by magpie1


Hi Mark,
Thanks! I'm curious about Charla's family, and that's why I wondered about her father and possibly another brother.



Odd about her father. There's a lot of money involved. You can pull up the Mack pawn shop inventory on eBay. It's "ucdealshere."


Kelly

[jerzyscott10]

Hello mark,
I am very sorry for your loss, Charla sounded like a truly nice person, and it is very horrible, what has happened, I really wish you the best!
I'll keep you in my prayers.

[joe6]

You can see hidden camera footage of the Landmark Forum, which Darren and Charla Mack were involved with:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5762907067305296500
(You may want to click the Download button to save it in case Landmark's lawyers have it removed.)

This documentary also has experts who expain the methods that Landmark uses to destabilize people so they can control them.

[joe6]

FWIW, the 6 part documentary about Landmark which Darren and Charla Mack were so involved with can be seen here:
http://www.dailymotion.com/Gourous/1

There is a transcript here:
http://rickross.com/reference/landmark/landmark221.html

[GollyGeeWhiz]

Joe6,

You might want to rethink the appropriateness of posting anti-Landmark information and links on a thread dedicated to Charla.

Regardless of the connection, and regardless of what impact Landmark teachings might have had on the Macks, this isn't, IMO, the appropriate forum to conduct an anti-Landmark campaign.

Please reconsider,
GGW

[Roxanne1932]

Golly, I believe it is appropriate. Very appropriate. It's considered a cult by many. Have you read up on any of this?

EST pulled me into a session back in the early 80's. They couldn't get me for more than their first "supposed" motivation speech. I never spoke with the woman who brought me there ever again.

It's all about brainwashing techniques.

[Roxanne1932]

Joe,

I believe it's very important to get this information out there, but I do wonder where you motivation lies. Is it to show how these techniques could alter someone's ego?

I mean if that's the case, I wouldn't place less guilt on Mack for the chaos he has caused. He always had an ego from what I gather.

Just curious.

Thanks.

[GollyGeeWhiz]

Originally posted by Roxanne1932
Golly, I believe it is appropriate. Very appropriate. It's considered a cult by many. Have you read up on any of this?

EST pulled me into a session back in the early 80's. They couldn't get me for more than their first "supposed" motivation speech. I never spoke with the woman who brought me there ever again.

It's all about brainwashing techniques.

Hi Roxanne,

Yes, I've done some reading on Landmark. And I'm not arguing that people who have been hurt in some way by this organization shouldn't have a voice. However, this particular thread was started by someone who was very close to Charla and is grieving her loss in an intensely personal way. My point, stemming from my opinion and mine only, is that out of respect for those who were closest to Charla, us on the "outside" should pick or start other threads for discussion of topics such as Landmark.

GGW

[Kelly.C]

It's no secret, to those of us in the cult-watching community, that Landmark and similar cult-like groups turn many people into monsters. It appears particularly deadly for those who tend to be more narcissistic or egotistical to begin with. The various doctrines and practices often ramp up certain personality disorders, encouraging, validating, and enhancing them. The tales of ruined marriages and horrific divorces have littered the landscape of these "self-improvment" cults since their beginnings. The programs are designed to exploit insecurities and leverage them into aggressive self-promotion. All cults work this way, to some degree, and they psychologically hook the self-promotion to the defense and selling of the cult. By all accounts, Charla Mack was a fully-participating member of this group and not an innocent by-stander. She certainly may have underestimated the negative or deleterious potential of its teachings, but there's certainly been more than enough evidence, for anyone looking for it.


Kelly C.

[Roxanne1932]

GGW:

Point taken.

Roxanne