In this book "[b:41e7738670]Dangerous Persuaders[/b:41e7738670]", Louise Samways, an Australian Psychologist says something very important about the use of [b:41e7738670]UNETHICAL[/b:41e7738670] methods used by many LGAT's. I recommend the book to anyone whose been a participant in any LGAT. Quote as follows:

"none of the cults, gurus, group leaders or healers I have encountered, or those that people have complained to me about, have clearly stated what they are really selling - or described the powerful psychological techniques they intend to use - BEFORE the person is involved (and that means prior to 'information evenings'). People are therefore manipulated into pariticipating WITHOUT informed consent. Some organisations even seem to hide their aims: individuals have complained to me about a course called [b:41e7738670]'Money & You'[/b:41e7738670], which they thought was some sort of accountancy package only to discover it was an intensive personal development course."
(page 6)


"The courses I worry about particularly are those attempting dramatic change in short periods of time, such as[b:41e7738670] Landmark Education, EST, Forum, Money & You and Hoffman Process[/b:41e7738670], for they are misusing the psychological techniques allied to hypnosis in order to make the behavioural changes.

At present (1994) in Australia there is an epidemic of personal development courses led by unqualified people. ---In every one I have observed or have been told about there has been [b:41e7738670]CONSISTENT MISUSE [/b:41e7738670][b:41e7738670]OF HYPNOSIS [/b:41e7738670]- sometimes by people who had no idea what they were doing was in fact hypnosis. More worrying still is the number of groups using [b:41e7738670]Regression Hypnosis Techniques[/b:41e7738670], which even fully trained professionals are extremely cautious about employing. The misuse of regressional hypnosis is particulary apparent in[b:41e7738670] 'rebirthing'[/b:41e7738670] ...."
(page 40-41)

Wiser Aussie

Yes that's pretty much true. LGATs always don't tell you what they're selling, only that it's "very effective" and "can't be explained only experienced." That's because phrases like "life is empty and meaningless" and "you're not authentic" and "you have no integrity" have no meaning to someone who hasn't undergone hours worth of indoctrination first. Or as I like to call it, hasn't had it all pressure cooked into them, sealing in the juices so to speak. ^_^

It was weird, Landmark's hypnosis sessions didn't seem to work on me. Well not the one I knew about, the one where you had to close your eyes and picture everyone around you being terrifying? People were sobbing and crying all around me and I didn't feel a thing.

Maybe they should be an independant board which evaluates what is sold and describes it in literal terms. I'm pretty sure that people wouldn't do the courses if the description read: "You sit in a room for three days being told that life is empty and meaningless and there's some large group hypnosis there too, oh and as part of your homework you have to enroll people and invite them along to a graduation where they will be pressured as you were to register."

More quotes,

[b:b0b7709d89][u:b0b7709d89]Groups That Can Harm[/u:b0b7709d89][/b:b0b7709d89]


Many people who attend a personal development group say it was a wonderful experience that changed their lives for the better; others say it had no real effect except to empty their wallet. I fully accept that the psychological techniques they use are so powerful they can cause dramatic shifts in beliefs and attitudes within hours, and that [i:b0b7709d89][b:b0b7709d89]sometimes[/b:b0b7709d89][/i:b0b7709d89] this can be an improvement for the participants. My concerns are that people attending maverick courses are not adequately screened before attending, do not participate with informed consent about the possible dangers, the group or leader has no accountability for their actions and leaders are inappropriately or inadequately trained for what they are doing. This makes the outcome for the participants totally unpredictable, and puts them at great risk. [b:b0b7709d89]It is not acceptable to say the risk of damage to some people is justified by the dubious possibility of benefits to others.[/b:b0b7709d89]
There are much safer, kinder and more respectful ways of helping people change and reassess their beliefs, values and priorities than implanting ideas from an external source while deliberately inhibiting their ability to think clearly and critically. ........

Regresssional hypnosis is a technique by which a personal can be taken back in time to various ages, in order to recall events that consciously may have been either partially or fully repressed. These are generally extremely unhappy experiences, such as sexual abuse in childhood or veterans' war experiences. Regressional hypnosis is only used therapeutically by psychiatrists or psychologists under strict safeguards and with extreme caution. [b:b0b7709d89]It is not necessarily beneficial for someone to remember very traumatic events consciously, and doing so in fact can cause them to become quite psychotic[/b:b0b7709d89]. During rebirthing (also known as 'breath of life'), people with no formal training in psychology act as 'rebirthers'; they use breathing techniques to induce trancelike states in their subjects and expose emotional issues and memories they claim are blocking the subjects' full potential. ....

(page 40)

A person with excellent training as a yoga teacher would be an ideal choice for leading a yoga course. However many people are now dabbling in areas they don't fully understand. They are running courses involving psychological techniques without any appropriate background or training. The first rule in running any personal development course should be for the leader to know their limitations and do no harm. Just because someone appears to be the kindest, most caring, loveliest person you - the potential customer - have ever met does not mean he or she can do no harm. Sadly, such people can and they do.

(page 41)

I am seeing more and more people who have attended personal development courses run by naturopaths, yoga teachers, meditation teachers, GPs, dentists and physiotherapists, as well as people calling themselves masters and gurus. The attendees are in serious psychological crises directly [b:b0b7709d89]due[/b:b0b7709d89] to the ignorant abuse of extremely powerful psychological techniques. Just as I am not appropriately qualified to run an aerobics class, an ex-PE teacher or a physiotherapist is not qualified to run a psychotherapy group.

We are also seeing 'flying squads' of trainers arriving from overseas, doing their 'shows' and disappearing again. They do not have to register with anyone, or gain any official approval for what they are doing. They cannot be held accountable for the devastation they may leave behind.

(pages 42, 43)

Has anyone come across the work of Robert Scheinfeld (AKA Bob Scheinfeld)?

I read his books; Busting Loose from the Money Game and Busting Loose from the Business Game and joined and participated in his Facebook fanpage for about 6 months. I was initially drawn to this work as it was something different than the 'secret' philosophy, advocated freedom from restrictions and limitations (who doesn't find that concept tempting) and used science to prove its theories. Robert describes his work as the truth with capital 'Ts' and the closest thing to a miracle he has ever found.

However, I became increasingly alarmed at the nature of what was being posted, Robert's very scary comments and the relentless selling of his latest products. Also, it became increasingly apparent to me at least, that Robert was totally contradicting his own work in many clever and covert ways - thus causing endless confusion and the muddying of waters which in turn provided further recruits for his live events, retreats, podcasts and home transformational systems - all seeking clarity, support and help in 'busting loose'.

He essentially believes that nothing is real and so any ideas of morality, ethics, right, wrong, debt, health issues etc etc do not really exist and thus have no real consequences either. One of his followers admitted to me that he pays him $800 per month despite being $165,000 in debt and sees Robert as crucial to his busting loose from all limitations and restrictions.

Any genuine flag raising from me led to quite vicious cries that I was not committed to the process and advising me that I have issues and need to look at my criticism of this system with more honesty if I am to progress to 'busting loose'...

When I asked Robert directly how many people had busted loose and over how long - he claimed he wasn't interested in counting numbers - despite his own videos claiming he has counted the numbers of failures of other systems. The stench of fish became overpowering and I have now busted loose from the busting loose work!

Robert has expensive and extensive multi leveled coaching programmes where he provides a mind boggling array of information on 'serious issues' such as health and wealth and yet does not have any qualifications, personal accountability or indeed any safeguards in place at all. The James Ray debacle has caused me to look closely at my own behaviour and suspectibility and an internet search on self-help fraud led me to this site.

Has anyone else had any dangerous experiences with Mr Scheinfeld?