The following is copied from an item posted on "Impact Trainings Critic" in July of 2008. I don't believe is has appeared on this thread, if so forgive me. If you wan't to view the original, just Google on "Scientology lite."

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Last night I enjoyed watching Jason Beghe’s “Leaving Scientology” video on Youtube. Jason had been a scientologist for 11 years. An unhappy one for 8. He chronicles why he got into it, and how he realized he wasn’t getting any happier with his program.

Scientology, as a system designed to keep people enrolled and following the program, has some strengths and weaknesses. One characteristic is that their trainings cost a TON of money. A strength of this is that one can count that the people paying have a certain level of commitment. A weakness for the system is that this excludes a large group of people. But Scientology can rely on the fact that if a person has invested thousands and thousands of dollars into it, they have a vested interest in NOT finding fault with the organization.

Some people sign on for Scientology and enjoy some of the trainings and exercises - not religious rites or rituals, but rather therapy-like sessions. They see some positive results, and so they think they’re onto something. Then they are sold, and sold, and sold program after program. They are encouraged to bring others into the program.

But wouldn’t it be hard to try to convince people to change RELIGIONS? Of course. I mean Scientology does what they can to not scare people away, for example their logo looks like a Christian cross, even though they aren’t a Christian religion.

What if you could have the power and money making ability of a Scientology but without the burden of having to get people to change religions? What if you didn’t have to keep someone like Jason Beghe happy for 11 years, but you just had to keep people coming back to the next session and the next session, over the course of just a few months? Then getting free labor out of them just like Scientologists get out of their people?

Impact Trainings takes the expensive trainings of a Scientology, pop-psychs them up, prices them for the middle class, emotionally manipulates people into going through the trainings in relatively quick succession, without having to show long term results. With Impact Trainings you don’t have to explain any funny doctrine, because they know that doctrine doesn’t sell. Feeling good about yourself sells, and that’s what they promise.

With non-disclosure contracts. And instructions not to tell anybody what goes on there. And causing people to no longer relate to their friends and family that don’t “get it”. Sounds a lot like what Jason Beghe talks about in his video.

To me, Impact Trainings is “Scientology Lite”… All the egomania of a cult leader, with the plausible deniability of “hey we just do little self-help exercises”… Worse than Scientology in some ways, because to a person that hasn’t gotten involved, it sounds so innocuous. Who won’t spend $500 for something that you’re told will cure what ails you? Oh but it doesn’t cure what ails you, because then they have class #2, and hey that’ll cure what ails you, right? Well, not really, because if you really want to “get it” you need class #3. Sound familiar? That’s what Jason Beghe said really started to make him mad, because there was always another class that he had to take if he really “got it”.

But Scientology has it all wrong. They have to defend funky doctrine, they have to compete with a person’s native/natural religious beliefs. But “Impact Trainings” can fit like a template over a person’s life, and fit those “pay to play” snake oil trainings into just about any one’s life - without have the resistance of a Scientology, but lots of money making ability.

Impact Trainings is Scientology lite.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/13/2010 02:19AM by Hopeful Soul.

Fantastic! I love this, because it's exactly what I've been trying to say to friends of mine who've entered the program in the last 2 years!!!

Anyone who has ever researched or been involved with Scientology can see this plain as day.

The one part I don't understand, though... The article claims that Impact doesn't have any weird doctrines that need to be defended? To a point, but I would definitely argue that they do, indeed, have some pretty strange beliefs.

I have a diffcult time with two key points in my own situation. How are professionals in the MENTAL HEALTH field falling for this bs??? And... Impact does not, in fact, seem to be "fitting in" to the lives of people. They completely change. The dynamics of their interpersonal relationships change or extinguish altogether. I see it happen every single day.

*sigh*

Hello DisiectiPoetae,

Regarding your two key points, Dr. Phil is a PhD in clinical psychology, he is a professional in the mental health field, and yet I'd rather go to an alcoholic monkey throwing green feces before that nutjob McGraw any day. Social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, MD, PhD, those titles mean relatively nothing besides showing how much schooling the person has had. Quacks are quacks, and they are on every level of the mental health field's totem pole. Of course, sharp, intelligent, well trained professionals are as well.

As far as your second point, I think the author was saying that Impact is not exclusive like Mormonism or Scientology. You can be Mormon and an Impactee Bergerite, but not Mormon and a Scientologist (because the brain can only handle so much insanity). I do agree with you though, Impact does not work like a gloss to brighten one's beliefs. Impact is designed to eventually take over someone's whole life, it's just you won't be denied entrance for having another religion or lack of.

Glaucon,

I see your point. The more I think about it, the more I come to the conclusion that one's profession doesn't exactly guarantee stability. Furthermore, the more I see the Impact clones at work, the more I start to notice that they are completely out of their minds.

I am pretty concerned for the well-being of the clients...

~D~

It's been a little while since I've been on here. Figured I would come on and say hi. I've read through all the recent posts. Very interesting. Good to know there are people who are learning the truth about Impact and finding support here. Unfortunately, I still have to somewhat deal with Impact in a way because my in-laws are involved still. So they are all high and mighty on there pedestal all the time. So annoying! I just call them out on there crap when it's necessary. But then they always justify why there actions are 'right.' Funny how that works huh? They can call you out on anything making you wrong but once you switch it onto them, watch out!!! LOL

I hope people continue to come here for support and learn the truth. :)

Taken from Wikipedia:

David Schirmer is an Australian whose career has become noteworthy for a number of reasons. In 2006, he became infamous because of his association with the DVD release of The Secret, a documentary about the concept of the Law of Attraction, a fundamental principle of the New Thought movement which had begun in the United States with people like Ralf Waldo Emerson and writer Walace D Wattles. When The Secret became something of a hit internationally, Schirmer, as the only Australian contributor, received considerable attention in the media.However, Schirmer's time in the spot light changed when TV program A Current Affair confronted him with a group of dissatisfied customers from his past, and accused him of being a confidence-trickster. With story titles like The Secret Con and The Secret Scam, the ACA program continued to pursue Schirmer with claims that he owed money to people. The exact nature of the accusations was not made clear on the TV program but there have been determinations in the Victorian Supreme Court finding Schirmer guilty of all charges and sentenced. However he remains a free man. Also a number of blogs also appeared on the internet, claiming to shed further light on Schirmer. Since this controversy, David Schirmer has continued to work in the area of personal training. He has run a number of financial seminars (where all those in attendance sign a legal disclaimer in which they declare that they recognise the seminar is for educational purposes only). These seminars typically involve the concept of The Law of Attraction and related success and achievement theories, as well as Schirmer's basic theories about the stock market. Schirmer's other activities include working with children and his local Christian Church. He remains a controversial figure with a number of Court decisions still to be handed down, but in recent times, with his low profile , public attention and interest has begun to wane.

On 23 June 2010 the Australia Securities and Investment Commission placed a notice on their frontpage website as follows:

"10-130AD ASIC bans Victorian man from providing financial services for life Wednesday 23 June 2010 Former contributor to the popular self-help product The Secret, Mr David Gary Schirmer of Warrandyte, Victoria, has been permanently banned from providing financial services following an ASIC investigation.ASIC found Mr Schirmer had failed to comply with financial services laws in relation to the promotion, operation and delivery of a trading and wealth creation program known as the ‘Platinum Super Traders’ (Platinum program). The Platinum program was operated by Mr Schirmer and Platinum Super Traders Pty Ltd.

ASIC found that between August 2004 and December 2006 Mr Schirmer: provided financial services on behalf of another person who carried on a financial services business while not being authorised to do so engaged in conduct in relation to a financial product or financial service that was misleading or deceptive, or was likely to mislead or deceive failed to act in accordance with representations made by him to participants in the 2005 and 2006 Platinum programs made false statements to participants in the 2005 and 2006 Platinum programs, and engaged in dishonest conduct.

ASIC found that rather than disclosing difficulties he was facing with aspects of the Platinum program, Mr Schirmer chose to deceive Platinum participants and deliberately prepared and provided them with a false document.

ASIC’s action against Mr Schirmer reinforces its commitment to protecting retail investors and financial consumers by removing individuals who don’t possess the honesty and integrity necessary to discharge their duties and obligations as financial services providers."

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The above excerpt from Wikipedia should be a major embarassment to Impact Trainings, because they used "The Secret" as part of their "gospel" in their trainings for at least a while; maybe they still do. I have looked from time to time for current informatiion on Shirmer, and here it is. Kudos to the Australians for lowering the hammer on this guy. Too bad we don't have laws and agencies in the U.S to do the same to the principals at Impact Trainings, to put a stop to all of the damage they do to folks.

Quote
DisiectiPoetae
Glaucon,

I see your point. The more I think about it, the more I come to the conclusion that one's profession doesn't exactly guarantee stability. Furthermore, the more I see the Impact clones at work, the more I start to notice that they are completely out of their minds.

I am pretty concerned for the well-being of the clients...

~D~

It is wise to be concerned for their clients but it doesn't seem like much can be done. I have seen so many people fall apart since impact through drug use, rampant promiscuity, alcoholism, divorce, PTSD and suicide. Within 'the four walls' justification of actions becomes necessity so you never show your true 'weaknesses' however it doesn't fly out in the real world when a trainee justifies every action he makes to others.

A PH.D in psychology/psychiatry doesn't automatically mean someone is qualified to help patients, however, out of the upper ranks at Impact one sees the intention of these people who have absolutely no mental health training. Hans is money hungry and is starting to fall apart physically. Do you think it's because he is 'out of alignment'? Sally is a vindictive manipulator who will betray you and slander you if she cannot use you for her gain. The rest of the Berger's are capitalizing on the training and I have no idea what Pamela is hiding, except for her rage. Their main focus is money, not your well being. It's each man or woman for him/herself.

My line of work is within the mental health field. For anonymity, I will not be specific, but I am a specialist. I have been shocked and saddened when I have witnessed firsthand people I have taken the training with who have have attempted to take their own lives.

>> Hans is money hungry and is starting to fall apart physically. Do you think it's because he is 'out of alignment'? Sally is a vindictive manipulator who will betray you and slander you if she cannot use you for her gain.<<

This is what I have seen first hand there as well. Hans had a heart-attack and was gone for awhile in 1995/1996 if I remember correctly. Mike and Deon took over for him then, then he came back and kicked them out, or they quit.

What I'd like to listen in on is a meeting of ex-impact trainers and staff. Gilcrease, Petty, Smotherman, Dozier, Gardner, Steckling, Elenor (Baldachi??), even Terry Smart, and, of course, JJ, their former son in law.

Pamela's rage is, in part, I think, the result of her seeing Hans lie, cheat, steal, and so clearly demonstrate his contempt for the trainees behind their backs. See seems like a trapped animal there. What other kind of job could she get? What value is having Impact on your resume??

I'll bet their paychecks bounce at Christmas again this year, just for "old-times" sakes.

Ed

>>Pamela's rage is, in part, I think, the result of her seeing Hans lie, cheat, steal, and so clearly demonstrate his contempt for the trainees behind their backs. <<

I want to add to that. It should be,

Pamela's rage is, in part, I think, the result of her seeing Hans lie, cheat, steal, and so clearly demonstrate his contempt for the trainees, the office staff, the vendors, the other trainers, the Church, and his own family, especially Sally, behind their backs.