Richard Bralliar. Medical Director

William E. Beckett. Executive Director

T0 WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

I am writing on behalf of my knowledge and experience of Landmark Education Corporation.

I am a psychiatrist in private practice and in public psychiatry in Northeast Ohio. I went to medical school at the University of Health Sciences in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1980 to 1985. I attended a psychiatry residency at the Northeast Ohio Universities College of Medicine in Akron, Ohio, from 1986 to 1990, and attended the University of Kansas School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry in Wichita, Kansas from 1991 to 1992.

Following my graduation in 1992, 1 went into private practice in Youngstown, Ohio, where I currently reside. I have staff privileges at Trumbull Memorial Hospital in Warren, Ohio, which serves the greater part of Trumbull County. I am medical director at the Center for Family Studies, which is a facility dedicated to providing mental health care to individuals, children and families in Warren. I have worked at the state hospital in Youngstown, (Woodside Hospital), serving the severely mentally ill and currently practice at Eastern Mental Health Center, a community mental health center in Youngstown.

My central interest in psychiatry is in social psychiatry. I am interested in the interplay of social forces in the life of the individual, and how the individual can both adapt and survive in society, as well as become a contributing member of society. There are a number of avenues to pursue in looking at the interplay of institutions and organizations with the events of an individuals life. As Erich Fromm has pointed out, one of the chief problems in social life today, is that of alienation. Another is, that the design of a consumer society in an industrial worls places us in the unfortunate situation of becoming a thing or object in life. This has been reflected in the statement that "things are in the saddle and ride man". A byproduct of this is a negative effect an the quality of life,, man and women have lost the capacity to find joy and fulfillment in life. It is for this reason that people look for another social identity. Prozac is not enough, when people have lost the ability to live a fulfilling life. Psychotherapy is partially effective, but not always able to lead people in the context of discovering who they are, and how to create for themselves the fulfillment in life that they seek.

I have participated in the Landmark Education programs for 2 1/2 years. I took the Forum, as well as the Curriculum For Living, and several other programs. I found the programs very relevant to enhancing and training people in the area of how to be responsible for the way we live,, being responsible citizens, responsible for our families,, our relationships,, responsible for our society, and to contribute to others in these areas, as one of the means of being fulfilled in our life. There is no belief system to follow,, the leaders are professional, usually in business, education, or a related field, they are highly trained, and the organization has a responsible and respectful approach to the way the organization is run.

While no organization is perfect, I have a concern when an organization such as Landmark Education becomes labelled a "cult". In my professional opinion, this is mistakenly applied, usually by well meaning people. I can tell you that there is a valid concern about cults, and in my field of social psychiatry, there is good opportunity to study these. A cult is either a group labelled by another group, usually larger, as being outside the "normal boundaries of society", using their own (unexamined) standards or a group considered to be deviant and devious.

Landmark Education has been very responsible to the public providing opportunity for public inspection of their planning, operations,, and intent of purpose; they have had many psychological and sociological studies conducted over the years; they have conducted their programs in prison schools, and businesses and companies, and are conducting training programs across the country. I have had occasion to know and work with their leaders in a number of settings. They have had integrity of purpose throughout, with a committment to the world at large, and have done nothing in secret, behind the scenes. All this is highly suggestive that they are not a cult, but a transformational education corporation, which is what they claim to be.

If you have any questions, or need references, or further guidance to resources, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely

Richard Bralliar, D.O.

3915 E. -Market Street - Warren, Ohio 44484 - (216) 856-9662 - (216) 856-9869