James P. Leone, PhD

Claire H. 

on Birdeye

a year ago

Basically, we have come to this conclusion as a psychological profile of this guy. He was neglected and abused by his parents and siblings as a child - a childhood that tends to result in someone developing narcissism and psychopathy. He did not learn to relate to people normally, because nobody would listen to him in his family. Instead of communicating, he learned to manipulate people. Then he got into psychology and used manipulation on his therapy clients to fulfill his personal needs. We are not even sure he realizes th... read more

Claire H. 

on Birdeye

a year ago

Here is another lecture that explains the dynamics of what the guy seems to use on people from what I experienced and observed: https://www.youtube.com/live/hqI1FHnr1mQ?si=oZW17FxDQdPCkcuF 

Claire H. 

on Birdeye

a year ago

That guy kind of set me up to get humiliated in his groups and he did it to others too! Very ‘skillfully.’ He told me ‘the women in the group will go crazy over you’ during my initial pre-group consultation using women to try to lure me to join his cash cow group. I remember, second group, after Leone’s guidance, one group member told me, ‘I just want to bash your head off. You annoy me so much. You remind me of my ex boyfriend.' It was obvious they did not like or care for me and were saying how I annoy them and they have ... read more

Claire H. 

on Birdeye

a year ago

He copied Attack Therapy method from cults like Synnanon and used to break down and rebuild people with conduct disorder on people who did not have it. His method matches what these attack therapy groups did: invite anyone in the group to talk openly, ask for group feedback, covertly praise aggressive and abusive responses that attacked the person who spoke, the effect made worse by that person not expecting it: https://www.breakingcodesilence.org/playing-the-game/ 

Claire H. 

on Birdeye

a year ago

Other than trauma bonding, the other manipulation was the hot/cold technique he used. Hot if you open up to him. Hot if you let him control your mind. Hot if you let him basically molest and abuse you. Hot if you support incorrect things he says. Hot if you say things that support the narrative that he is an adult figure and a helpful therapist genius. Hot if you support his narrative and attack people who criticise him. I bet devoted members were inadvertently vying to get praise and support from him be basically rephrasi... read more

Claire H. 

on Birdeye

a year ago

I was programmed by this group therapist who was is a malignant narcissist. It’s like he programmed me. I have his voice in my head, think I had to explain to him that he is a bad evil influence before I could leave, and I keep copying his sadistic manipulative nasty personality even fifteen years later. It’s like a PTSD response. This has made my life so bad as after his influence I am always alienated from and bad to my family. It’s like I was convinced to have a pseudo personality and can’t go back. It’s always in me! I f... read more

Claire H. 

on Birdeye

a year ago

This scholarly lecture describes my experience of Leone 99%: https://youtu.be/V6dfRBBTnso?si=h-WuNeZ3nczvrRLD 

Claire H. 

on Birdeye

a year ago

I have come to realization that there is a quick way to detect a bad therapist, it's just open confrontation. Something as simple as: I disagree with you. You might as well be wrong. That sounds like your subjective opinion. Without any further explanations. Unless they ask you to elaborate. And then just watch how they react. I bet there will be extremely few who will pass that test. As they are extremely confident in their "knowledge", and as it is somehow common ethics for the clients to not confront the therapist and t... read more

Claire H. 

on Birdeye

a year ago

The guy is a literal predator: plays victim because he is underpaid and incompetent and makes it so you are paying money to feel bad and care for him, makes you think he cares for you, violates boundaries, isolates you from friends and family through encouragements to push them away and saying they are not good people because they don’t know communication techniques he teaches, says he is your father figure, sexually flirts with you and encourages women to talk about private explicit sexual experience and then jokes about th... read more