STAR Transforms Lives for over Twenty-five Years
STAR Foundation Newsletter
In the mid-70’s, Barbara Findeisen took a workshop called The STAR Process. At that time STAR was led by Dr. Ken Evenson in a church one night a week, for thirteen weeks. She was so impressed with the process and the clarity that it gave her that she audited STAR shortly thereafter—one night she would audit STAR, and the next night lead her first group. Under her leadership, STAR has been evolving ever since.
STAR was an outgrowth of the Fischer-Hoffman Process. The key elements of STAR began back in the 1960’s and included the sequence of homework assignments that systematically uncovers the conditioning that results from parental influence during the first thirteen years; lectures such as the one explaining P-1 (Essence), P-2 (Shadow), and P-3 (Mask); mind trips; and emotional release work. Over the years, Barbara made major additions and changes to the process.
She began embellishing STAR with processes that enhanced the work. The most noteworthy is the birth work. As an early explorer and leader of pre- and perinatal psychology, Barbara knew that in utero and birth experiences held the key to lifelong patterns for many clients. She also added bodywork, family sculpts, and breathwork. As time permitted, she even added story day, a vision quest, a ropes course experience, and many additional lecture topics and processes.
She began to take the process overseas and realized that a more intensive, residential workshop would allow her to return home sooner. The residential work resulted in a process that was more intensive and deeper than its previous form. From that point on, STAR was done as a retreat workshop. From seventeen to twenty-one days, STAR became perhaps the most deeply transformational experience available. In 1999, the length of the workshop was changed to 10 days to accommodate the busy schedules of most people. Amazingly, STAR’S transformational work remained through the many changes from one night a week, to several weeks, to 10 days long.
The large staffing pattern remained throughout all the changes. STAR is perhaps the only program available with such a rich staffing pattern. There is usually one staff member for every one and a half participants, and all staff remain present at STAR throughout the retreat. With this kind of staffing, STAR truly can be an individual process with one-on-one support in a group setting.
In the mid-80’s STAR was moved to Pocket Ranch in Geyserville, California, where Barbara’s dream of having a place for people in crisis came to fruition. For ten years, STAR remained at Pocket Ranch as one of several of its programs. Upon leaving Pocket Ranch, the STAR Foundation remained in Geyserville, but the actual STAR workshops went on the road with venues in Amado, Arizona, Dahlonega, Georgia, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and several sites in northern California. Through all the changes, STAR remained consistently life changing to its participants.
Barbara’s dream of having a place for people in crisis once-again has come true. She and her husband, Charlie, bought a ranch near Tubac, Arizona. With the help of volunteers and a liberal application of their own money, they have fixed up Kenyon Ranch. The ranch is operated by Pocket Sanctuary, a not-for-profit reminiscent of Pocket Ranch. The STAR Foundation will once again move the STAR program and rent Kenyon Ranch from Pocket Sanctuary beginning with the 2005 workshop season. For a look at this new venue for STAR, see www.pocketsanctuary.com.
The headquarters of the STAR Foundation remains in Geyserville, California, its home for the last eighteen years.
