What is so SPECIAL about TP?

What's so special about TLA's Turning Point?

If you’ve done it, you’ll know.  If you’re thinking about doing it, you’re probably still trying to work out why that friend, partner or relative of yours is so insistent on you ‘giving it a go’ without telling you all that much about it.

We’ve written a course syllabus to help with some of the uncertainty – but there are some questions that we still always get asked – so we figured we’d answer them, right here, right now!

How long has TLA's Turning Point been around?

It’s been in Melbourne in a number of different formats over the last 21 years.  All of the information and processes on TLA's Turning Point are presented in alignment with the very best and most contemporary theory available – and still we keep pushing ourselves to improve it.

How does TLA's Turning Point work? Why is it so effective?

It works because of what the course participants are willing to bring to it.  Very rarely in our lives do we get the time and space to be open and honest about who we are and what we struggle with amongst members of our community.  When a whole group of people are willing to be open and honest together, the space that is created is one that is highly conducive to people getting what they want.  TLA's Turning Point is a place where you can have new experiences to counteract the old experiences that seem to hold you back, to realise that as human beings, we all struggle with life in one way or another and that most of the time, we’re working pretty hard to keep that ‘I’ve got everything handled’ look on our faces.  The answer to this question could take up the rest of the page – but essentially it works because it’s well put together, it’s professionally delivered and superbly supported, it doesn’t demand you do anything you don’t want to do, it doesn’t ask anything from you, and you get what you want.  You stay in control the whole time.

What if I don’t want to tell anyone else anything about me? 

You don’t have to.  There is no requirement on TLA's Turning Point for you to say or do or be anything you don’t want to be. You do it in your way, in your time.  (We just ask you to remember that if things aren’t working for you, then maybe trying something different will help.)  There are lots of reasons why people don’t like discussing their private lives – some cultural, some as a result of pressure from other people, some due to shyness, some due to fear of retribution.  The interesting thing is, we can work with why it is you don’t want to talk about something, and you’ll still get the maximum value out of TLA's Turning Point.

Is it the same as Landmark Forum?

While both come under the banner of human potential work, TLA's Turning Point in Victoria is very different to Landmark Forum on a number of different fronts.  In the way it is delivered, the theoretical material that underpins it, the number of people on any course, the diversity of sources from which the material is derived and our commitment to not demanding anything of our participants other than that they are there for themselves, are all quite different from Landmark.  We work in what is known as a new paradigm.  Once you’ve done TLA's Turning Point, there’s no requirement for you to ever tell anyone about it, unless you want to.  We don’t require you to confront family members with whom you’ve had problematic relationships.  And we absolutely guarantee that the position that we take on everything that is going on in your lives is that you’re doing the best that you can right now – there’s no judgment, no shaming and no requirement for you to change (although of course, the opportunity is there for you to change if you want to!).

How will I feel when I’ve done it?

The couple of days after you finish the program, it’s possible that you’ll feel physically sore (you’ll have used some muscles that you weren’t aware you had), you might feel physically strong but mentally a little hazy, you might feel mentally alert but physically taxed, you might find your emotional states are heightened.  How each person feels tends to be quite individual, but most people report a considerable change in their outlook and relationships – and many say how different they look when they see themselves in the mirrors.  And, if you're uncertain about how you're feeling or worried in any way, and you need some support in making sense of your experience, we're always available to you, including offering a number of different ways of making contact with a number of different people.  

The hours on TLA's Turning Point are long.  What happens if I get tired?

You sleep.  We encourage everyone who does TLA's Turning Point to take responsibility for looking after themselves and getting their needs met.  Sometimes, when we haven’t had great training in getting our needs met (preferring instead to look after everyone else), we need some help in knowing that it’s ok to look after ourselves.  We’ll help you with that.  Most people, however, even though the course is long and challenging, report feeling lighter and less tired after having done it. 

Are there people who shouldn’t do TLA's Turning Point?

Yes.  TLA's Turning Point is a group, adult education experience and is not intended to be therapeutic in nature.  While we are committed to empathic enquiry and responsiveness, and we are informed by contemporary theories and practices, if you know that you would be much better served by seeking one on one support, or that the issues that you are dealing with are beyond an adult education program, then we recommend you obtain the support that you need.   We're happy to do what we can to help you in that regard by assisting you with contact details for different practitioners according to your need, including psychiatrists, psychologists and other health professionals.

We have a number of different processes in place that assist us in determining whether someone is appropriate for TLA's Turning Point, including ensuring that we have a trained therapist on each course as well as a number of important external relationships with various professionals.  If we believe that someone is on the course who won’t get value from it, we take our responsibility to find something else that will work for them very seriously. 

Our organisation does not accept participants who have a recent history of chronic mental illness, participants under the care of a treating professional who have not obtained that professional's consent to participant, or people who demonstrate a propensity towards psychological fragility or a significant lack of cohesion.  Our organisation does not accept juveniles onto adult education programs.

Does it work for everyone?

That depends on your definition of ‘work for everyone’.  If you’re hoping that TLA's Turning Point will be your answer to everything and will ‘fix’ all, then you’re likely to be disappointed.  TLA's Turning Point is an introductory adult education program – and we’re literally just skimming the very edge of the surface of what is possible in this human potential arena.  That said, however, the clear majority of people find TLA's Turning Point to be literally that, a turning point in their lives.

I have some special needs, will they be catered for?

As an organisation, we strive to ensure that no one is excluded from being able to participate in TLA's Turning Point. - unless it is not in your interests to participate.  Please talk to us about your special need so that we can help you find a way through and/or to source an alternative to assist you. 

Click here for further information about TLA's Turning Point